Saturday 11/7/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Senators (4-4) at Hurricanes (5-8)

Date: November 07, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Kyle Turris is among the NHL's goal-scoring leaders with nearly all of that success coming on the road. It's a big reason why the Ottawa Senators are doing much better as the visitor than the host.

Turris looks to continue that surge as the Senators try to win consecutive road meetings with the Carolina Hurricanes for the first time in eight years Saturday night.

Turris has eight goals, a total he needed 37 games to reach last season. The center has six goals on the road in 2015-16, four more than the next member of the Senators (7-4-2) and just five short of his total from last season.

The production is paying dividends for Ottawa, which is 5-1-0 on the road with Turris scoring at least once in each of the victories.

The venue hasn't mattered when Turris has faced Carolina (5-8-0), scoring just two goals in his last 11 meetings. However, he had an assist on Mark Stone's goal with 14 seconds left in overtime of a 2-1 win in Raleigh on March 17.

The Senators, though, are 2-10-1 in their last 13 visits.

Ottawa enters this matchup in search of its first three-game winning streak of the season after beating Winnipeg 3-2 in a shootout at home Thursday. Turris didn't get a point in regulation or overtime but found the net in the tiebreaker.

"The last 10-14 days I've liked what I've seen in terms of our progression," coach Dave Cameron said. "We have to put in the work in every day so that continues throughout the year."

Cameron will have Stone back after he served a two-game suspension for his hit on Detroit's Landon Ferraro in last Saturday's 5-3 loss. The right wing has two goals in his last three meetings with the Hurricanes.

"It's always hard watching whether it's suspension, injury, sickness or just being out. It's never fun," Stone said. "You're happy when the boys are getting wins. It's a good time to come back in."

The Senators are expected to have Andrew Hammond in net after playing Craig Anderson for three consecutive games. Hammond made 35 saves at Carolina in March, including 18 in the third period.

Like the Senators, the Hurricanes are having a tough time at home, dropping four of five after giving up four unanswered goals in Friday's 4-1 loss to Dallas.

"Still found a way to beat ourselves, and it's frustrating," center Jordan Staal told the team's official website. "Still a lot of good things, but we have to have that killer instinct to finish games.

"That's the good thing: we have a game (Saturday). We can't really dwell on this one for too long when we play (Saturday). We have to let it go."

Staal has scored in each of the last two games, but he's gone 10 without a goal against Ottawa.

Eric Staal has 22 points in 20 career home matchups with the Senators, including 14 in the last 10. The center assisted on his brother's goal Friday, giving him four points in five games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (3-6) at Jets (8-4)

Date: November 07, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia Flyers haven't been very successful at either end of the ice in the past week, and the change in results has been predictable.

The visiting Flyers look to avoid their first seven-game losing streak in eight seasons Saturday night against the Winnipeg Jets.

Philadelphia (4-6-3) won four of five from Oct. 12-24, and totaled 11 goals in three games from Oct. 21-27. The Flyers dropped the last of those contests 4-3 in overtime, though, and have managed six goals in the past five, allowing 21 total goals during the 0-4-2 stretch.

The Flyers fell 2-1 in OT to Calgary on Thursday and are in danger of going winless on their five-game road trip - the last four coming against the league's Western Canada teams.

'If we play like this, we'll be in a lot of hockey games. We'll compete for a lot of points and that's what we need,' forward Sean Couturier said Thursday after playing 19 1/2 minutes in his return from missing six games with a concussion.

Philadelphia is in danger of dropping seven straight for the first time since an 0-8-2 slide Feb. 6-23, 2008.

'We're coming to the end of the road trip here and we need one push,' coach Dave Hakstol said. "We need to pick up where we left off there and when things aren't going well, you have to find a way. We have to push to get over the hump.'

Nonexistent power-play production has been a major culprit in the Flyers' offensive woes, as they're 0 for 16 in the last seven. Philadelphia is last in the Eastern Conference with the man advantage at 10.5 percent.

"We're playing together. We've got to keep improving," forward Claude Giroux said.

A 20-goal scorer each of the last three seasons, the Flyers' Jakub Voracek is among the NHL leaders with 50 shots but has no goals and four assists. His second goal of the game at Winnipeg on Dec. 21 came 10 seconds into overtime of a 4-3 victory.

Philadelphia has scored 11 goals during a three-game winning streak over the Jets (8-4-2) and earned at least one point in eight of the last nine meetings.

Winnipeg returns from a 2-1-1 trip that ended with Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss to Ottawa. Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien scored as the Jets overcame a 2-0 deficit to force overtime.

"It's good to see us come back to get a point," coach Paul Maurice said. "You don't like losing in a shootout. We didn't lose the hockey game (but) it's a pretty good trip for us.

"We like our game - we don't love it, but we're getting better every night."

Byfuglien has a goal in two straight games, but the Jets are 0 for 7 on the power play in the last three contests and 2 for 16 in eight.

Among the NHL leaders with 17 points, Winnipeg's Blake Wheeler has three assists in two games. He's been held without a point in four straight against the Flyers.

Steve Mason has gone 4-0-1 with a 1.18 goals-against average as a starter against the Jets.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bruins (6-5) at Canadiens (12-2)

Date: November 07, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The idea that players like Mike Condon and Dale Weise would keep the Montreal Canadiens thriving during a rough stretch would have probably seemed far-fetched to their fans at the beginning of the season.

Those two have done just that, and Condon is slated to fill in again for an injured Carey Price on Saturday night in his first matchup against his hometown team, the Boston Bruins.

It looked like Montreal's fast start had hit a speed bump when reigning league MVP and Vezina Trophy winner Price suffered a lower-body injury in a 4-3 loss in Edmonton on Oct. 29. Condon, who had two NHL starts on his resume, was tapped to take over.

So far, he has done his best to live up to the storied legacy of Canadiens netminders that includes Jacques Plante, Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy.

Condon has gone 3-0-1 in Price's absence and needed to make just 17 saves in a 4-1 win over the New York Islanders on Thursday, which boosted him to 5-0-1 with a 1.50 goals-against average.

"I think goals-against average is a team stat. A goalie is only as good as his forwards and his defensemen. It takes six guys on the ice to produce numbers like that," he said.

The suburban Boston native will next try to extend the Canadiens' recent dominance over their Original Six rivals. Montreal (12-2-1) has won seven consecutive matchups dating to the 2014 Eastern Conference semifinals, including a 4-2 victory in Boston on Oct. 10, and has taken those games by a combined 27-9 margin.

"It's going to be an emotional game. I'm from that area and watched a lot of Bruins games growing up. It's definitely going to be a fun experience," Condon said. "I was more a fan of the rivalry. I watched a lot of Habs-Bruins games growing up. They were really emotional games and fun to watch."

Lars Eller's pair of second-period goals powered Montreal in the last meeting, but it's a third-line player that's led the Canadiens lately.

Weise scored his fifth goal in four games in Thursday's victory, which moved the Canadiens to 6-0-1 at home, and he has a team-best eight. He had a career-high 10 goals in 79 games last season.

"I don't really pay attention to individual stats," Weise said. "I'm just glad our line is playing well and contributing the way we are. ... We're scoring some big goals for our team."

The Bruins (6-5-1) don't appear to be in the best form to face Weise and the Canadiens, having given up a combined nine goals in back-to-back losses. A 4-1 defeat to Washington on Thursday snapped their 5-0-0 start on the road.

"It's one game," forward Brad Marchand told the team's official website. "It's not the end of the world. It's unfortunate that we lost, but you're not going to win 82 games this year, and we just have to make sure we're better the next game."

Max Pacioretty has six goals and five assists in the seven-game win streak against Boston. Weise has four goals and three assists in his past nine matchups, including the playoffs.

Tuukka Rask has a 3.34 GAA while appearing in six games during Boston's losing streak in the rivalry. He's 3-5-1 with a 3.47 GAA in nine starts this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Maple Leafs (2-8) at Capitals (9-3)

Date: November 07, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Brooks Laich pointed to a better comfort level with coach Barry Trotz as a reason for one of the Washington Capitals' finest starts in franchise history.

By the looks of it, the Toronto Maple Leafs are still getting adjusted to Mike Babcock.

The Capitals will seek their best start in 23 seasons Saturday night by sending the Maple Leafs to another defeat.

Washington opened 3-0-2 under Trotz in 2014-15 but dropped off quickly, going 7-10-2 in the next 19 before recovering to make the playoffs.

The Capitals enter this weekend looking to improve to 10-3-0 for the first time since winning 11 of 14 to begin 1991-92.

"Last season, we were still figuring things out with the new staff, the new system, new terminology and a couple new players," Laich said. "This year, it's just a continuation from last year with the same system, same structure and same staff. It's just pretty easy on us players."

The Capitals rebounded from a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday with a 4-1 victory against Boston two days later. Alex Ovechkin's seventh goal was the first of four unanswered for Washington, which has yet to suffer back-to-back defeats, and Laich scored his first.

"If you lose two in a row, you lose traction in the standings," Laich said. "We were able to bounce back and get a win. Now you want to make it a good week with a win against Toronto."

The Maple Leafs are 2-8-3 under Babcock and own the fewest points in the NHL. They are 1-6-2 in their last nine following a 2-1 overtime loss to their coach's former team, Detroit, on Friday.

Toronto salvaged a point when Dion Phaneuf scored with 1:01 remaining in regulation.

"We came back, and I thought it was a big point for our team," the Leafs captain said. "Now we move forward to Washington."

Toronto is 1-4-1 on the road entering the opener to a three-game trip and 2-8-1 in its last 11 trips to Washington. A 4-0 loss March 1 was the Maple Leafs' fourth in a row at the Verizon Center.

The Capitals are 5-1-1 in the last seven overall matchups with Ovechkin predictably leading them with six goals and three assists. Their superstar has at least one point in 10 games this season and is two goals shy of passing former teammate Sergei Fedorov (483) for most by a Russian-born player.

Marcus Johansson had three goals in the last two meetings in 2014-15, and T.J. Oshie had four goals and five assists in seven matchups while with St. Louis.

Braden Holtby is 4-1-1 with a 1.48 goals-against average versus Toronto. If he starts, he'll face a team that's totaled 16 goals in its last nine games.

Babcock might stick with James Reimer, who started Friday, or give Antoine Bibeau his NHL debut. Bibeau was called up Tuesday to replace an injured Jonathan Bernier (lower body).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lightning (7-6) at Wild (7-3)

Date: November 07, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

While Minnesota began a three-game homestand with a defeat and the loss of its top goal scorer, Tampa Bay is concluding a four-game road swing with its top offensive threats kicking it into gear after an alarming losing streak.

The Lightning attempt to complete the trip with three wins Saturday night as the Wild try to get by without Zach Parise.

Parise is confirmed out with a lower-body injury after getting hit on his first shift of Thursday's 3-2 loss to Nashville. He returned for five more shifts, then went back to the locker room late in the first period and did not return. There's no word yet on how much time he'll miss.

"There's no excuses," said coach Mike Yeo, who expects his seven-goal scorer to be out at least through Tuesday's game against Winnipeg as the team awaits medical results. "The bottom line is we're losing Zach and we're probably going to lose some offense."

Minnesota also lost Nate Prosser to an undisclosed injury and is awaiting his results as well.

"(Thursday's) game was not good and that's all that matters," Yeo said via the team's official Twitter feed. "We have to bounce back. Obviously Zach, Pross are both hurt and will not play."

The loss of Parise could mean the Wild's questionable defensive play lately is even less likely to hold up. They've given up 18 goals in the last five games after surrendering 17 through their first seven. That's despite Minnesota (7-3-2) largely avoiding the penalty box, going short-handed once in each of its last six games while killing five of the penalties.

The Wild's 26 power-play chances against are the fewest in the league, though their 76.9 percent mark on penalty kill is among the NHL's worst.

The Lightning (7-6-2) seem to be coming around to the point of being able to exploit defensive issues. After scoring twice in a 0-3-1 skid, they've managed nine goals during the 2-1-0 start to the trip. Their coach, however, would like for the team to treat that as the norm rather than an achievement.

"Now when we do score, it's like, 'Holy cow, boys, look what we just did,'" Jon Cooper said. "We've got to wipe that mindset away."

Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson and Nikita Kucherov - the team's top three in goals and points last season - scored first-period goals in Thursday's 4-1 win at Buffalo, with Victor Hedman adding an empty-netter.

Johnson went without a goal through 12 games but has two in his last three, as does Stamkos, while Kucherov has three in his last four. The production - and specifically how it's coming - is beginning to impress Cooper.

"Those three goals, there was a lot of good habits and things that happened, things that we just keep pounding into our guys' head," he told the team's official website. "... Hopefully we continue to do that."

If they're able to, they'll be contributing to a bit of a slide for the Wild's Devan Dubnyk, who's given up at least three goals in each game of a 2-1-1 span without facing 30 shots for an .875 save percentage.

Counterpart Ben Bishop has lost his last four starts despite a 1.78 goals-against average. He's 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA and .952 save percentage as a starter against the Wild.

The clubs have split the last two season series with the home team winning all four games. The Lightning are 2-7-0 all-time in Minnesota with three straight losses, the most recent coming by a 7-2 score Oct. 25, 2014. Parise scored in both games last season, while Jason Zucker added two in Minnesota's win and enters this game with a seven-game point streak.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (9-3) at Predators (6-2)

Date: November 07, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Short-handed and exhausted, the St. Louis Blues trudged through another difficult situation to come out on top in their last contest.

A much-needed couple of days off during their road trip helped them get a little bit healthier.

Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk is expected to return for St. Louis as it makes the second stop on a four-game trip against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

The Blues (9-3-1) have been down multiple key players for much of the season and didn't have an answer for Los Angeles in a 3-0 home loss Tuesday. They boarded a charter flight to Chicago for a game the next night, but it was diverted because of fog, forcing them to bus from Milwaukee and arrive at their hotel around 4 a.m.

St. Louis trailed the Blackhawks by three after allowing five first-period goals, then capped a stunning comeback when Vladimir Tarasenko scored in overtime for a 6-5 win.

Alexander Steen scored twice for the Blues, who were outshot 43-29. Jay Bouwmeester scored on the power play after St. Louis went 0 for 21 over its previous six.

'It's a real courageous win,' coach Ken Hitchcock said. 'I mean with the day or night or whatever you want to call what we had ... guys deserve a lot of credit.'

Center Paul Stastny broke his right foot Oct. 16 and will be out at least another couple of weeks, and Jaden Schwartz is months from returning after fracturing his left ankle.

Center Patrik Berglund has yet to play this season because of a shoulder injury, and Shattenkirk has missed the last 10 with a groin injury. Steve Ott left the Chicago game in the second period with an upper-body issue.

Shattenkirk, though, was removed from injured reserve Friday and is expected to return against the Predators. The Blues also signed Martin Havlat to a one-year deal.

"Without names like Stastny, Schwartz, Shattenkirk and Berglund in there, all of a sudden it's a 6-5 game," said captain David Backes, who had a goal and an assist. "We're looking to win a 2-1 game or a 1-0 game. That's our wheelhouse. A 6-5 game, we're not going to win too many of those with that firepower out."

Nashville (8-2-2) has played one-goal games in four of its last five and is coming off a 2-1-1 road trip after beating Minnesota 3-2 on Thursday. Cody Hodgson broke the tie with 5:21 left in the third to snap a two-game skid.

In an unusual scheduling twist, that marked the first contest the Predators played within the Central Division.

"It's one of many, but it's a good way to start in the division," coach Peter Laviolette said. "You just had to grind it out."

Pekka Rinne improved to 7-1-2 with a 1.98 goals-against average by making 27 saves. He's won three of his last four starts against the Blues, but wasn't in net for the last meeting Jan. 29 when Nashville fell 5-4 in a shootout despite two goals and an assist from Mike Fisher.

Brian Elliott made 33 saves in that contest. He got the start against Chicago before being pulled with three minutes left in the first period in favor of Jake Allen, who could be back in net against the Predators.

Allen made 22 saves to win his only start against Nashville 4-3 on Nov. 13, 2014.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rangers (9-2) at Coyotes (6-5)

Date: November 07, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Keith Yandle is the Phoenix Coyotes' highest scoring defenseman since the franchise relocated 19 years ago. That's precisely why the New York Rangers acquired him at last season's trade deadline.

Yandle returns to Arizona for the first time since the deal Saturday night when the surging Rangers look to continue their dominance of the Coyotes.

Yandle's 246 assists and 311 points in eight-plus seasons are Arizona records among defensemen since the club moved from Winnipeg prior to the 1996-97 season. The two-time All-Star led the Coyotes in scoring in each of his last two full seasons with them, and his 41 points in 63 games in 2014-15 were good enough to tie for second behind Olivier Ekman-Larsson's 43.

Yandle's proficiency on the power play was evident as he recorded a team-record 143 points on the man advantage while with the Coyotes.

In search of scoring from the blue line, the Rangers (9-2-2) landed Yandle in a deal that included highly touted prospect Anthony Duclair going to Arizona.

Yandle had 11 points in 21 games for New York and matched that in 19 in the playoffs before the team was eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals.

Now, he's back in Glendale.

"He was the leading scorer of our team for a couple years, and he's the reason we got into the playoffs one year and had some success - because he played so well down the stretch," captain Shane Doan told the team's official website. "It should be incredible (on Saturday). I think he's excited."

Ekman-Larsson learned a lot from Yandle.

"He's an offensive guy, too, so I tried to watch and learn a little bit from him," he said. "He moves the puck so well and finds the lanes to get the puck to the net, and that's what I try to do. I think he helped me a lot with that."

Yandle helped the Rangers in his first meeting with the Coyotes on Oct. 22, scoring his only goal of the season on a power-play in a 4-1 victory.

The Rangers have won four straight matchups and 12 of the last 15. Their latest is part of their 6-0-1 stretch that continued with Friday's 2-1 win at Colorado. Yandle was held without a point but Derek Stepan and rookie Oscar Lindberg scored 21 seconds apart in the second period.

Lindberg leads all rookies with seven goals, netting three in four games.

"Everybody thought going into training camp that he should make our team," coach Alain Vigneault said. "He's earned his ice time. He's been real good for us on both ends. He's a young player and should get better."

The Coyotes (6-5-1) are trying to win consecutive games at home for the first time this season after beating the Avalanche 4-2 on Thursday, ending a three-game skid there.

Duclair has cooled considerably after a fast start. He is tied with rookie Max Domi and Tobias Rieder with a team-high five goals, but is pointless in the last six games starting with the visit to New York.

Rieder, though, has a goal in each of the last two games after going five without one.

Domi, son of former Rangers fan favorite Tie Domi, had an assist against the Rangers last month, but he has just one point and is a minus-4 over the last three games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Penguins (9-4) at Flames (4-9)

Date: November 07, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

After receiving some good news about one of their players, the Pittsburgh Penguins will turn their focus toward finishing off a perfect Canadian trip.

The Penguins will also seek their seventh consecutive victory Saturday night by adding to their recent mastery over the Calgary Flames.

Pascal Dupuis was taken to a hospital prior to Friday's game against Edmonton. The veteran forward, who had blood clots that limited him to 16 games last season, was back in the locker room in time to receive a gladiator helmet award from his teammates.

"He went for precautionary tests before the game, and the tests came back negative," coach Mike Johnston said. "He'll be re-evaluated in Pittsburgh. We want to make sure so he'll get checked out and won't play (Saturday)."

The Penguins (9-4-0) claimed a 2-1 win in his absence with Phil Kessel scoring the go-ahead power-play goal with 10:15 remaining.

"We're getting better. We're starting to improve," Kessel said. "We had chances, but, a little crisper and we'll be better."

Pittsburgh will next seek its first six-game road win streak since taking a franchise record-tying seven in a row Nov. 6-Dec. 11, 2010. The Penguins will also try for their 10th victory in 11 overall contests and 10th in a row against the Flames (4-9-1) in the conclusion to their four-game trek.

They have also won in their last five trips to Calgary, and Sidney Crosby scored a pair of goals in the previous visit Feb. 6, a 4-0 victory. Marc-Andre Fleury was in net for that shutout and has a 1.29 goals-against average in his last seven starts versus the Flames.

He'll likely be in net for Saturday's matchup with backup Jeff Zatkoff having started Friday.

Calgary earned just its second win in seven home games with Thursday's 2-1 overtime victory over Philadelphia. Mikael Backlund scored the winner and assisted on Josh Jooris' first-period tally.

Karri Ramo made 26 saves as the Flames allowed their fewest goals this season. He gave up a combined 13 goals in his prior three starts and Calgary allowed 28 over its prior six contests.

"No matter how many goals you score, if you give four or five a game you make it real tough on yourself," coach Bob Hartley told the team's official website. "You don't need to be a genius to figure that one out, but at the same time that's where our game's going to build. It was a good building block."

Ramo is 0-4-0 with a 3.61 GAA in five career appearances against Pittsburgh. Fleury, meanwhile, has a 1.00 GAA in a string of four consecutive winning starts, all on the road.

"It's another great team who's been playing really well themselves and really well defensively," Flames defenseman Mark Giordano said. "It'll be a challenge. I think we've got to play another simple game and try to keep those goals against down."

Crosby has eight goals and four assists in eight career games against Calgary. He's trying to continue moving past a slow start that saw him record three points in nine games.

The Penguins superstar has four points in his last four contests (one goal, three assists) and had an assist Friday.

Pittsburgh's longest win streak last season was a seven-gamer Oct. 25-Nov. 8, 2014.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (3-7) at Sharks (6-6)

Date: November 07, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

The Anaheim Ducks' scoring troubles have waned, but they're on the cusp of their worst road start in franchise history.

Facing the San Jose Sharks poses a problem.

The Ducks look to continue their resurgence and end an eight-game road losing streak to the Sharks on Saturday night.

Anaheim (4-7-2) finished last season with the best record in the Western Conference and was eliminated in the conference finals in seven games. However, the team sputtered to a 1-7-2 start to 2015-16 that included scoring just 10 goals while being shut out five times - one fewer than the last two seasons combined.

The Ducks' season kicked off with a 2-0 loss at San Jose, and they've gone 0-4-1 on the road since. Another defeat would saddle them with their worst road start to a season. They lost 13 straight away from home from Oct. 29-Dec. 22, 2011 - the last season they missed the playoffs.

Anaheim is starting to turn things around - at least at home - scoring 10 goals during a three-game winning streak.

Ryan Getzlaf's return provided a lift Friday. He had three assists in a 4-2 win over Columbus after missing four games following an appendectomy.

"He didn't look like he missed a beat out there," defenseman Cam Fowler said. "He gave the team a spark, so we were happy to have him back in. He's the straw that stirs the drink around here. Guys feed off his energy and his playmaking ability."

Getzlaf, though, has no points and is a minus-7 over the last three meetings with the Sharks (7-6-0) after collecting 11 points over the previous six.

Corey Perry has also put together three straight pointless efforts against San Jose, including a minus-4 rating. The right wing, however, has six points in five games after setting up three goals Friday.

The Sharks have split six games at home following Thursday's 5-2 win over Florida.

"We had good jump right from the drop of the puck," coach Peter DeBoer told the team's official website. "We got the first goal, the first two goals, which was key. We wanted a good start. We did a lot of good things."

Special teams, though, remain a concern. The power play is 0 for 15 at home on the season and 2 for 24 over the last 10 games overall, while the penalty kill has allowed 11 goals on 33 attempts over that span. The unit is among the worst in the NHL, surrendering goals on 25.0 percent of opposing power plays.

"Special teams are still a work in progress," DeBoer said.

Joe Pavelski has six goals and two assists during a seven-game point streak. He has 13 points in his last 13 meetings with the Ducks but was held without one Oct. 10.

Patrick Marleau scored twice in that win, but his goal against the Panthers was only his second in 11 games since. He has seven points in his last four home meetings with Anaheim and 50 in 54 career matchups, including playoffs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Timberwolves (2-2) at Bulls (4-2)

Date: November 07, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

In one uncharacteristic blowout defeat, the Chicago Bulls' recent identity as a defensive stalwart seemed lost while Derrick Rose appeared increasingly incapable of playing at an MVP level.

One impressive victory showed why both reactions may have been premature.

With Rose looking to build on his best performance, the host Bulls go for their 11th win in 12 meetings with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.

One of the league's best defensive teams under former coach Tom Thibodeau, questions arose about what kind of team Chicago had become under new offensive-minded coach Fred Hoiberg after a 130-105 loss at Charlotte on Tuesday.

The Bulls allowed 100 points by the end of the third quarter for the first time since 1990 and gave up their highest total in regulation since a 132-108 loss to Utah on March 9, 2010.

Rose scored four points on 2-of-8 shooting as he continued to deal with some blurred vision as a result of a broken orbital bone. It was the first time in his seven-year career - 345 games - that he failed to score in double figures in three straight.

But after Jimmy Butler promised a better effort and Hoiberg - a former sharp-shooting guard - worked with Rose on his jumper, the Bulls erased those concerns. They held high-scoring Oklahoma City to a season-low 45.2 field-goal percentage in a 104-98 home win.

Rose, still wearing a face mask after missing the preseason, led the way with a season-high 29 points while Butler added 26.

"What happened in Charlotte was alarming," center Joakim Noah told the team's official website. "It was definitely an important win just because of the way we played the other night. ... We're all learning and to get to where we want to get to, we have a lot of work to do."

Hoiberg will try to guide the Bulls (4-2) to their 11th consecutive home win as he faces an organization for which he played, served as an assistant coach and worked in the front office.

Butler had 24 points and hit two free throws with 0.2 seconds left in a 106-105 road win over the Wolves on Nov. 1, 2014. He scored 28 in a 96-89 victory over Minnesota at the United Center on Feb. 27.

Minnesota (2-2) looks to get back on track following back-to-back home defeats. The club hasn't won its first three on the road since opening 4-0 there in 2001-02.

The Wolves have struggled offensively with a 41.5 field-goal percentage and 25.0 percent from 3-point range. They finished with season lows in points and field-goal percentage (35.3) in Thursday's 96-84 home loss to Miami.

Andrew Wiggins shot 5 of 18 and scored 12 while rookie Karl-Anthony Towns had six points on 3 of 13. Wiggins, last season's Rookie of the Year, is averaging 13.8 points and 29.3 percent from the field. He scored 22 and went 8 of 21 against the Bulls in 2014-15.

"The toughest thing with the kids today, they think they know how to play," coach Sam Mitchell told the team's official website. "And you know what, it's just going to take a certain amount of failure before they realize that they aren't going to reinvent this game."

Nikola Pekovic remains without an official timeline for return following surgery on his Achilles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (2-4) at 76ers (0-5)

Date: November 07, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic finally have an easy opponent on their schedule but that doesn't mean they are taking anything for granted.

The Magic just knocked off an unbeaten team and now face the winless Philadelphia 76ers, but likely won't have Nik Vucevic to match up with rookie center Jahlil Okafor on Saturday night.

Orlando (2-4) has faced five playoff teams from a season ago along with an Oklahoma City squad with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in its first six games. The Magic have had trouble down the stretch, going 0-4 in games decided by five points or fewer before Friday's 92-87 win over a Toronto team that entered 5-0.

Tobias Harris scored 20 points and Victor Oladipo added 18. Oladipo said the Magic won't overlook the 76ers.

"We can't relax, we just came off a win, we've still got to keep that chip on our shoulder," Oladipo said. "We're still going on the road and playing, no matter who we're playing, so like I said, we can't relax and we have to be ready to play. They've got a lot of great young talent over there."

Philadelphia (0-5) has one of the league's most talented rookies in Okafor, who leads all first-year players in scoring (19.8 points per game) and field-goal percentage (53.2).

It appears his matchup in the pivot will be with Dewayne Dedmon, who made his first start Friday since Vucevic sat with a bone bruise in his right knee. Dedmon had 10 points and four boards.

Okafor and Nerlens Noel each scored 18 points in Friday's 108-102 loss at Cleveland. It marked the second time this week that the 76ers led the Cavaliers at halftime.

"I think as a team we played solid," Okafor said. "I think we're on the right path right now."

Noel also grabbed 12 rebounds for his third double-double and added five steals for the 76ers, who have started two rookies and three second-year players in their last two games. Robert Covington has missed both of them with a right knee sprain.

Philadelphia doesn't expect this poor start to mushroom into the franchise-worst 0-17 beginning to last season.

"We started slow, we were always going to start slow because of the nature of injuries and training camp," coach Brett Brown said. "I don't think I have ever felt less prepared going into a season."

The Sixers' T.J. McConnell leads all rookies with 7.2 assists per game, registering four on Friday after back-to-back efforts with 12.

He'll be up against a struggling second-year point guard in Elfrid Payton, who is averaging 5.8 assists but is shooting just 31.6 percent - 25.8 in his last four games. Payton logged 15 scoreless minutes Friday.

'He's got to get himself over it,' coach Scott Skiles said. 'At some point it's the player's responsibility to get himself going. He's got a lot to learn at that position, like all younger players do, and right now he's got to dust himself off, pick himself up and come back and have a good game (Saturday).'

Orlando has won seven of nine against Philadelphia.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (3-2) at Hawks (6-1)

Date: November 07, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Washington Wizards believe they've closed the gap between them and the Atlanta Hawks. They have their first chance to prove it, though the defending Southeast Division champions have shown few signs of a letdown.

When the teams square off for the first time since last season's Eastern Conference playoffs Saturday night, the soaring Hawks return home seeking a seventh consecutive win.

Atlanta (6-1) finished 14 games ahead of the second-place Wizards and ousted Washington in six games during the conference semifinals, though it won the final three by a combined nine points. A subsequent lopsided sweep at the hands of Cleveland and the loss of valued forward DeMarre Carroll in free agency left many wondering if the Hawks were due for a market correction following a franchise-record 60-win 2014-15 campaign.

The Hawks appeared vulnerable after dropping their season opener at home to improving Detroit but haven't lost since, running their win streak to six with Friday's 121-115 triumph at struggling New Orleans.

Atlanta extended its surge with its best offensive performance of the season, shooting 53.2 percent overall and making 9 of 21 attempts from 3-point range. Kyle Korver hit four 3s and went 8 for 8 from the field for 22 points after scoring 15 combined over his prior two outings.

'I've had a really tough start to the season,' Korver said. 'Usually, when you're in a shooting slump, you get a good one when you break out of it. I don't know. I got some good looks (Friday), had a really good rhythm. I felt good before the game.'

Korver's big night could have him on the court again in the second of a back-to-back, something the sharpshooter hasn't done in two previous situations as he makes his way back from offseason ankle surgery.

Washington looked poised to challenge the Hawks for Southeast supremacy after a 3-1 start, but it had trouble matching up with Boston's smaller lineup in Friday's 118-98 loss that opened a two-game trip.

The Celtics exposed the Wizards' early-season defensive problems by amassing 72 first-half points. Washington is yielding 111.8 points per game over its last four and allowing opponents to shoot 47.4 percent over that stretch.

'We just don't have the commitment to defend and play the way that we have to play,' coach Randy Wittman said. 'We just let Boston do whatever they wanted. They pushed us. They hit us.'

On the positive side, Bradley Beal scored 24 points to continue his torrid start. The fourth-year guard has had at least that many in all six games and is 16 for 32 on 3-point tries.

Beal hit a game-winning 3 with 0.3 seconds left to cap a 25-point effort in Wednesday's 102-99 decision over San Antonio and also shined in last season's playoff series against Atlanta, averaging 25.2 points.

The Hawks dominated the 2014-15 regular-season series, however, winning the first three matchups before resting their entire starting unit in a 108-99 loss on April 12 after having secured the East's No. 1 seed.

Jeff Teague averaged 21.7 points in the three victories and has recorded 19.3 points and 6.3 assists per game during Atlanta's win streak. The point guard had 19 points and seven assists against New Orleans.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (2-3) at Spurs (3-2)

Date: November 07, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

Hot shooting that was absent to start the season has helped the Charlotte Hornets earn back-to-back victories.

They've rarely had it against the San Antonio Spurs.

Charlotte looks to snap a nine-game losing streak in the series when it visits the Spurs on Saturday night.

The Hornets dropped their first three games while shooting 39.1 percent from the field. They've turned it around over the last two, though, shooting 51.6 percent in a 130-105 rout of Chicago on Tuesday before hitting 49.4 percent in Thursday's 108-94 win at Dallas.

Charlotte connected on 14 of 23 from 3-point range against the Bulls but drained only 6 of 27 against the Mavericks. The Hornets focused more on getting the ball down low to Al Jefferson, who shot 15 of 18 and finished with 31 points.

They outscored Dallas 58-36 in the paint.

"It takes time off the clock," coach Steve Clifford said. "Your floor balance is always set. Whether (Jefferson) makes or misses, there's usually not going to be a long rebound and you're in space where you should be able to get back. It's part of the NBA that's kind of going away."

Marvin Williams added 17 points and 12 boards. Jeremy Lamb has hit 16 of 21 from the field over his last two after scoring 20 points against Chicago and 16 on Thursday.

Jefferson averaged 12.8 points over the first four games.

"I've got guys all around me," Jefferson said. "These guys make my job a lot easier. (Thursday), they didn't double-team me until toward the end."

Jefferson finished with 17 points and 16 rebounds in the last meeting with the Spurs (3-2), a 95-86 road loss Jan. 28. Charlotte has lost all nine matchups since the beginning of 2010-11, getting held to averages of 89.1 points and 41.6 percent shooting - 28.8 percent on 3-pointers.

Defense has made all the difference for the Spurs this season. They've allowed more than 100 points and 48.0 percent shooting in their two losses, compared to averages of 82.0 points and 37.1 percent shooting in three wins.

How San Antonio defends Jefferson remains to be seen now that LaMarcus Aldridge is in the fold. Charlotte has shown it's not afraid to fire from the outside if Jefferson passes out of the post, but the Spurs could have more success if any double-teams leave Kemba Walker, Nicolas Batum or Jeremy Lin open.

All have gotten off to slow starts, with Walker shooting 38.1 percent, Batum hitting 36.8 and Lin at 37.2 off the bench.

Aldridge was slow to rotate on the final play Wednesday, as Bradley Beal hit a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left to give Washington a 102-99 victory that snapped the Spurs' three-game winning streak.

Tony Parker's 3 tied it with 7.9 seconds left and gave him 17 points. Kawhi Leonard finished with 23, but the defensive stalwart had trouble containing Beal all night.

'What would you like to hear? We did drills before we came? Or we sought counsel from a yogi?" coach Gregg Popovich asked. "You just go play the game.'

The 21 turnovers they committed didn't help. Aldridge had five while Tim Duncan and Danny Green had four apiece.

'We had turnovers that weren't caused,' Aldridge said. 'Trying to throw full-court passes, trying to throw fast-break passes and the guys not looking. Things like that.'

This marks only the second home game for the Spurs. They've won eight straight home meetings with Charlotte.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nets (0-6) at Bucks (3-3)

Date: November 07, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

After rallying past the sagging Brooklyn Nets for a breakthrough win, the Milwaukee Bucks haven't slowed down since.

The resurgent Bucks aim for a fourth consecutive victory and attempt to keep the Nets winless as the teams meet for the second time in six days Saturday night.

Milwaukee (3-3) opened the season with three straight losses prior to putting forth a 9-0 game-ending run to earn a 103-96 triumph Monday in Brooklyn. The Bucks then held off determined Philadelphia on Wednesday at home and never trailed in Friday's 99-92 triumph at New York.

Improved health has played a part in Milwaukee's turnaround. Forward John Henson returned from a four-game absence to score 22 points off the bench against the Knicks, and Jabari Parker has played in the last two after being sidelined since December by a torn ACL.

Parker is still on a minutes restriction and starting point guard Michael Carter-Williams may miss a third straight game with a sprained ankle, but the Bucks have survived by getting contributions throughout their roster.

Henson was 8 of 12 from the field in 23 minutes on Friday and Jerryd Bayless delivered 26 points while making 6 of 10 attempts from 3-point range in Monday's win over Brooklyn, the Bucks' fourth in five matchups since coach Jason Kidd left the Nets for Milwaukee after one season following the 2013-14 campaign.

"We played with a sense of urgency when we needed to and we've got ourselves a season now," Bucks guard Greivis Vasquez said. "We've got to keep building from this and understand these wins are really going to help us at the end."

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points in Monday's victory and is averaging exactly that while shooting 58.2 percent in five games.

The Nets have had trouble getting shots to fall during an 0-6 start that marks the franchise's worst since losing an NBA-record 18 straight to begin 2009-10. They're shooting a league-low 22.7 percent on 3s after going 3 of 19 in Friday's 104-98 home defeat to the previously winless Los Angeles Lakers.

Brook Lopez had 23 points and 10 rebounds and is averaging 20.5 points overall, but no other Brooklyn player has more than 12.2 per game.

Joe Johnson did show signs of breaking out of his slump with a season-high 22 on Friday, two days after finishing 1 of 10 from the floor in a five-point effort at Atlanta.

Turnovers have also been a problem. The Nets have had at least 16 in their last three defeats, with Milwaukee scoring 25 points off 18 giveaways in Monday's victory.

"Our team is playing harder, trying to play more together. We just need to cut down the turnovers," coach Lionel Hollins said.

Despite Milwaukee's series success under Kidd, the games have usually been competitive. The teams split two decided in triple overtime last season and the Bucks posted a hard-earned 103-97 decision at the Bradley Center on Feb. 9.

Lopez is averaging 21.7 points while shooting 63.6 percent in his last six against the Bucks but totaled just 22 in Brooklyn's two 2014-15 visits to Milwaukee.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (0-5) at Mavericks (2-3)

Date: November 07, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

The Dallas Mavericks insist that the winless New Orleans Pelicans remain dangerous.

That may especially be the case since Anthony Davis just put forth an effort that indicated that his early woes may be over.

The Mavericks will try to slow down Davis on Saturday night and continue their recent home dominance of the Pelicans, whose 0-5 start is their worst in over a decade.

These teams open a home-and-home set that concludes Tuesday in New Orleans. Dallas (2-3) has taken 11 of the last 12 home matchups, including five straight.

New Orleans is now the Western Conference's only winless club after falling 121-115 at home to Atlanta on Friday. The Pelicans are off to their worst start since losing their first eight 11 seasons ago.

"They're winless right now but those are the most dangerous teams," Dallas guard Deron Williams said.

Davis entered play Friday with the 20th-worst shooting percentage at 37.9 after finishing seventh in the league a season ago at 53.5.

His issues seem to be in the Pelicans' rear-view mirror after Davis tied a career high with 43 points to go with 10 rebounds and four steals Friday.

"I thought we got A.D. loose out on the floor and in the post with a little movement so he was able to do what he does best with a little spacing," first-year Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said.

Davis averaged 30.0 points and 12.0 rebounds against Dallas last season.

"Anytime they have a player like Anthony Davis, they're always in the hunt," Williams said.

The Pelicans are without Omer Asik (right calf strain), Norris Cole (left ankle sprain), Tyreke Evans (right knee), Kendrick Perkins (right pectoral) and Quincy Pondexter. The absences of centers Asik and Perkins have shifted Davis to that spot, though Gentry opened up his offense more Friday to accommodate the superstar.

"They're a much better team than their record, that's pretty obvious," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. "But they're dealing with injuries too so it's been a challenge for them."

Carlisle has little sympathy for Gentry since Dallas is seeking to avoid its first 0-3 home start since losing its first four there in 2008-09. The Mavericks have shot 38.7 percent while suffering double-digit defeats twice at home, and they trailed by as many as 24 points in Thursday's 108-94 loss to Charlotte.

"The simple fact is we gotta play better than we played last night," Carlisle said. "Our judgment wasn't good, our energy wasn't good enough. Charlotte played a very good game and we're just going to have to do a lot better."

Williams said he is battling numerous injuries and "still trying to get my legs under me." He is averaging 12.8 points to rank second on the club behind 37-year-old Dirk Nowitzki's 16.8 mark.

The Mavericks took three of four from the Pelicans last season but those results mean little since the departed Monta Ellis led Dallas with an average of 24.8 points in those games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (3-3) at Jazz (3-2)

Date: November 07, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

Though they've been one of the league's best defensive teams in recent years, the Memphis Grizzlies are struggling to come through with consistent stops.

That hasn't been a problem for a Utah Jazz team that has picked up where it left off last season.

The Grizzlies will try to tighten things up as they go after a fourth straight win in Salt Lake City on Saturday night against the Jazz, who seek their fourth win in five games.

Memphis has finished in the top five in scoring defense - no more than 95.1 points per game - while recording greater than a .600 winning percentage in each of the past four seasons. The club has taken a step back so far this season, allowing 103.8 points on 47.7 percent shooting during a 3-3 start.

The Grizzlies also rank near the bottom of the NBA in 3-point defense at 41.5 percent.

After getting embarrassed in a 119-69 loss at Golden State in the opener of a five-game trip, the Grizzlies bounced back by holding Sacramento to 39.2 percent shooting in Tuesday's 103-89 win. They couldn't build on the effort Thursday, allowing 50.6 percent shooting overall and 15 of 30 from 3-point range in a 115-96 loss at Portland.

"We were all out of position because we got broke down on so many plays," said center Marc Gasol, who had 15 points on 4-of-13 shooting. "We were chasing our tails all around the floor."

Now Memphis will have to keep a close watch on Gordon Hayward, who busted out of his slump and finished with a game-high 20 points in Thursday's 96-84 win at Denver. He went 7 for 13 from the field after hitting just 14 of 43 (32.6 percent) over his previous three games.

"It was good to kind of get out of it," Hayward said. "Still not there at all with where I want to be but the rhythm is starting to get there."

He averaged 21.0 points on 50.9 percent shooting in last season's four meetings with Memphis, and the road team won every time. Hayward missed the last of three free-throw attempts with 0.1 seconds left in an 89-88 loss April 10.

The Jazz (3-2) went 24-13 to close 2014-15 while allowing an average of 88.8 points. They've continued to play well defensively this season, giving up 86.2 per game.

Utah limited Denver to 38.9 percent shooting, including 5 of 20 from 3-point range, for its third victory in four games. The lone loss in that span was also the Jazz's only home game this season - 108-92 to Portland on Wednesday - and they'll go back on the road for a four-game trip starting Tuesday in Cleveland.

With Derrick Favors (flu) sidelined during the second half Thursday, Trevor Booker provided a lift with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. He had totaled six points on 3-for-18 shooting over his previous three contests.

The Grizzlies haven't been able to overcome their defensive woes at the other end, ranking near the bottom of the league with 92.8 points per game and 26.3 percent 3-point shooting. Zach Randolph leads the team with just 13.0 points per game after totaling 36 over the last two along with 21 rebounds.

Gasol is averaging just 10.8 points on 34.9 percent shooting over his last four, though he played well in this series last season with a 21.5 scoring average.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (6-0) at Kings (1-5)

Date: November 07, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Stephen Curry continues to amaze the NBA with his hot start for the unbeaten Golden State Warriors.

A flurry by another Curry may just have added some spice to the Warriors' trip north to face the Sacramento Kings.

Stephen Curry could get a chance to face brother Seth Curry for the first time Saturday night when the Warriors look to hand a Kings team playing without star big man DeMarcus Cousins a fifth straight loss.

Golden State (6-0) is off its best start since moving to the Bay Area and three wins shy of matching the Philadelphia Warriors' 9-0 start as the franchise's best.

Stephen Curry continues to lead the league with 35.5 points per game while shooting 56.9 percent overall and 51.4 percent on 3-pointers after he scored 34 with a season-high 10 assists in Friday's 119-104 victory over Denver. Curry scored 20 by halftime as the Warriors led by 30 at the break.

The reigning league MVP has hit a 3-pointer in 79 straight games to tie Michael Adams for the third-longest streak in league history.

'I'm more experienced, I think I'm a better player than I was last year,' Curry said. 'That's the mission, but a long way to go.'

Sacramento (1-5) has dropped all three games without Cousins, who averages 22.0 points and 11.0 rebounds and will miss his fourth straight with a strained right Achilles.

The Warriors have won eight straight in this series, with four victories last season with Cousins in Sacramento's lineup by an average of 22.0 points.

Stephen Curry is 27 and Seth Curry is 25, with the younger brother's experience consisting of eight games over the last three seasons.

Seth Curry's minutes have mostly come with the game already decided. His first three appearances this season came in fourth quarters in which the margins were 21 points, 20 and 18.

That changed in Friday's 116-110 home loss to Houston in which Curry entered in the third with the Kings down by 16. He failed to score in that period before he scored Sacramento's first eight points of the fourth in a span of 1:12 as the Kings pulled within one point.

That comeback was short-lived as Sacramento conceded the next nine points and never seriously threatened again. Still, Seth Curry's personal-best eight points came in a career-high 15 minutes.

His effort was part of 70 bench points - the third-highest total in the NBA this season. Reserves Omri Casspi and Darren Collison each scored 22.

"I know he can play this game, we all know he can play, you know what I mean?" Collison said of the younger Curry. "He just needs the opportunity."

This should be an entertaining affair since these teams play at the fastest tempos in the West, as Sacramento averages 104.92 possessions per 48 minutes and Golden State 104.90. The Warriors are more lethal with a league-best 117.8 points per game while the Kings are fourth at 106.8.

Golden State averages a league-high 30.2 assists, with its 40 against Denver its most since it had 45 on April 1, 1994.

Kings rookie Willie Cauley-Stein went to the bench with just over 2 minutes remaining Friday with an apparent ankle injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (3-3) at Clippers (4-1)

Date: November 07, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

After giving the reigning NBA champions all they could handle in a tough loss, the Los Angeles Clippers now have an opportunity to avenge their most bitter outcome from last season.

With May's playoff defeat to Houston still fresh in their minds, the Clippers take on the Rockets for the first time since that memorable Western Conference semifinal Saturday night.

Los Angeles seemed well on its way to advancing to its first conference finals in franchise history before the Rockets became the ninth team in league history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit. In Houston's most recent visit to Staples Center, it rallied from 17 points down in the third quarter and outscored the Clippers 40-15 in the fourth for a momentum-shifting 119-107 victory in Game 6.

"Just like every other year when you lose in the playoffs, you think about it," Clippers forward Blake Griffin said. "Maybe I thought about it a little bit longer."

The collapse prompted a few notable changes to the Clippers' roster, with proven playoff performer Paul Pierce and Josh Smith brought in to strengthen a bench that was outscored 98-61 by Houston's second unit in the final three defeats.

Los Angeles (4-1) has again looked like a legitimate contender through the early part of this season, winning its first four games and turning a 17-point first-half deficit Wednesday at Golden State into a 10-point lead with under eight minutes left. But once again the Clippers failed to finish, as the undefeated Warriors countered with a 16-2 run en route to a 112-108 triumph.

'We had a lot of game-plan mistakes throughout the game,' Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. 'That's the difference right now between us and them, them being together and them executing.'

Chris Paul had 24 points and nine assists for the Clippers and is probable for Saturday's showdown despite exiting Wednesday's loss in the final seconds with a strained groin.

Griffin is averaging 28.2 points through Los Angeles' first five outings and recorded 26.9 points and 12.3 rebounds per game during its playoff series with Houston. He was limited to 11 points, though, as the Rockets halted a seven-game skid at Staples Center with a 100-98 win on March 15.

James Harden scored 34 points in that game and totaled 55 in Houston's two regular-season victories over Los Angeles in 2014-15. The 2015 MVP runner-up mustered 25 in the Rockets' two non-playoff defeats to the Clippers.

Harden and Houston got off to an 0-3 start, but he and the Rockets have been on fire of late as they've climbed back to .500 at 3-3. The All-Star guard is averaging 36.0 points during the Rockets' three-game winning streak, highlighted by his 43-point, 13-assist outburst in Friday's 116-110 decision at Sacramento.

'I've tried to be patient and take what the defenses have been giving me,' he said. 'I've been trying to find something, anything ... to find any rhythm I can.'

The Rockets prevailed despite Dwight Howard sitting out to rest his troublesome back. Second-year center Clint Capela started in his place and posted career highs of 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Howard is expected to play Saturday, which should give a needed boost to a rotation that's currently missing forwards Terrence Jones (lacerated eyelid) and Donatas Motiejunas (back surgery) and guard Patrick Beverley (concussion).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 12
By Chris David

Week 11 Recap

Outside of Liverpool’s (+235) 3-1 upset at Stamford Bridge over Chelsea, last week’s action in the Premier League was very chalky as favorites produced a 7-1 record to go with two draws. Total bettors watched the ‘over’ go 5-4-1. Through 11 weeks, favorites have gone 52-28 with 30 draws while the ‘over’ is 57-50-3.

Champions-Europa Recap

On Tuesday, the Premier League was represented well as the Manchester clubs both captured victories. City notched an impressive 3-1 win at Sevilla while United barely squeaked out a 1-0 home win over CSKA Moskva. Wednesday’s results weren’t as good as Arsenal was blasted 5-1 at Bayern Munich, proving once again that the Premier League isn’t ready to capture the European championship just yet. Chelsea posted a much-needed 2-1 win over Dynamo Kyiv, which snapped a three-game losing skid in all competitions. Thursday’s Europa action watched Liverpool defeat Rubin Kazan 1-0 in Russia while Tottenham stayed red-hot by defeating Anderlecht 2-1 from White Hart Lane.

Top 4

With the Euro qualifiers on deck for next week, most would expect a good effort from clubs this weekend. We have seven games set for Saturday and three on Sunday, which includes the must-see North London derby between the Gunners and Spurs.

Manchester United vs. West Bromwich Albion (Saturday, NBCSN, 10:00 a.m. ET)

United ended its three-game goal drought on Tuesday with a 1-0 Champions League win but many pundits are still suspect of the club, including the oddsmakers. Sportsbook.ag currently has Man U listed as an 8/1 betting choice to win the Premier League despite being only four points behind the leaders.

To be fair, Manchester has been excellent defensively and has only allowed one goal in its last six games in all competitions. United is tied with Arsenal with the least goals conceded this season at eight and that number could stay the same this weekend against West Bromwich. The Baggies have only scored 10 goals in 11 games this season and just three on the road.

This series has watched the road team earn points in all of the last five meetings, which includes two victories by West Brom and two draws as well. Last season’s meeting at Old Trafford watched West Brom capture a 1-0 victory over United. Even though that game was low scoring, the previous four encounters between the pair saw 20 goals help the ‘over’ cash in all four.

Manchester is listed as a healthy favorite (-325) and the return on West Brom (+1100) is expectedly high. However, the Baggies are 3-1-1 in five road games but those victories came against weaker foes. United has gone 3-2-0 at home in EPL action and only surrendered one goal. The total is listed at 2 ½ goals.

Chelsea at Stoke City (Saturday, NBCSN, 12:30 p.m. ET)

This is a very tough game to handicap when you look at the form for both teams. Chelsea (+100) is listed as the road favorite despite losing three of its last four league games and six of 11 this season. Stoke City (+290) was playing well and notched three consecutive wins but they’ve been blanked in a loss and draw in its last two league games.

The Blues have gone 1-1-3 on the road this season and been outscored 12-7 but Stoke holds the same identical record (1-1-3) at home while managing to score just four goals.

Chelsea has won four straight against Stoke City in all competitions. During this streak, the Blues have outscored Stoke 8-1 and that includes a 2-0 win at Britannia Stadium last season in EPL play.

Manchester City at Aston Villa (Sunday, NBCSN, 8:30 a.m. ET)

We’ve seen some crooked numbers posted in the early game the last few Sunday’s and this game has all the making for another one. Manchester City, a healthy road favorite (-230), sits on top of the table while Aston Villa (+650) is bringing up the rear.

Bettors should expect a result for either side in this matchup and likely from Manchester, who has captured eight of the past 10 and three straight against Aston Villa. The two victories for the underdog did take place from Villa Park, both coming by one goal.

Most would expect City to hammer Villa in this spot but make a note that even though the league leaders have gone 3-1-1 on the road, they’ve only outscored opponents 7-4. And as bad as Villa has been, the defense has been only allowed seven goals in five home games compared to 13 on the road.

Knowing the public has been banging City ‘over’ tickets, a couple books have pushed this week’s total up to 3 goals.

Arsenal vs. Tottenham (Sunday, NBCSN, 11:00 a.m. ET)

The Spurs (+385) haven’t captured a road win against Arsenal since the 2010 season and the oddsmakers aren’t expecting Arsenal (-155) to give up three points on Sunday.

A lot of pundits are wondering if Arsenal can rebound from its mid-week blowout loss to Bayern Munich and be able to contain a Tottenham team that is in great form. The Gunners were exposed defensively and the team could be without key defenders Laurent Koscielny and Hector Bellerin for this match.

Despite the loss to Bayern, the Gunners have won five straight league matches and haven’t been held under two goals during this span. Tottenham (5-5-1) hasn’t dropped points since losing its opening game at Manchester United 1-0 on Aug. 8. The Spurs have tightened up their defense, holding opponents to one goal or less in eight of the games and just two in the other two contests.

Along with Southampton and Liverpool, Tottenham is tied for the league-lead in draws at five. Sunday’s derby can net close to 3/1 odds for bettors expecting a tie.

In the two London Derby matchups played last season, the Spurs captured a 2-1 home win and a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium. Prior to those results, the Gunners had won four of the previous four EPL encounters.

The total is sitting at 3 goals for this game, which seems a tad high considering Arsenal has only conceded three goals in five league games at the Emirates this season. Plus, Tottenham’s defense is tied for second-best in the league with nine goals allowed.

Fearless Predictions

It wasn’t a great week by any means but when you’re ahead ($165) and you’re down on the season ($1,465), you have to take what you can get these days. Hopefully the returns stay positive as the league heads into the International break.

Straight – Leicester City (-120) over Watford – 2 Units

Straight – Under 2 ½ (-115) Southampton-Sunderland – 2 Units

Straight – Over 2 ½ (-130) Everton-West-Ham – 2 Units

Straight – Under 3 Tottenham-Arsenal (-115) – 1 Unit

Straight – Tottenham-Arsenal Draw (+320) – 1 Unit

Parlay – Under 3 Tottenam-Arsenal, Under 3 Man City-Aston Villa, Under 2 ½ Crystal Palace-Liverpool – 1 Unit

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 20
By David Schwab

The 2015 CFL regular season comes to a close this weekend to put the finishing touches on the final lineup for this year’s Grey Cup Playoffs. Kicking-off last weekend’s action on Friday night, British Columbia locked-up the final postseason spot with a 27-25 victory over Toronto as a 3 ½-point road underdog.

In the lone game on Saturday’s schedule, Calgary rolled over Saskatchewan 42-19 as a 15 ½-point home favorite. Sunday’s double-header started with Ottawa grinding-out a huge 12-6 victory against Hamilton as a 4 ½-point road underdog. Edmonton went on to clinch the West Division title later in the day with a 40-22 win over Montreal as an eight-point favorite at home.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Hamilton Tiger-Cats (10-7 SU, 11-6 ATS) vs. Ottawa RedBlacks (11-6 SU, 11-6 ATS)
Point-spread: Ottawa -3
Total: 50

Game Overview

The Tiger-Cats have been limping towards the playoffs ever since quarterback Zach Collaros was lost for the year and with last week’s setback to Ottawa they are just 2-4 both SU and ATS over their last six games. Given Hamilton’s 3-0 season series edge against Toronto, it would still hold onto to second place in the East with another loss this Saturday in the back-end of this crucial season-ending home-and-home series.

Ottawa has already come a long way since its two-win season in 2014 as a CFL expansion team, but it knows it can clinch an East Division title and first round bye in the playoffs with another win against Hamilton in this season finale. It was the RedBlacks’ defense that really helped to get the job done in the first game with six sacks and two interceptions.

Betting Trends

Last season, Hamilton won all three games SU and the total went OVER in two of the games. With Ottawa’s win and cover this past week, it is now 3-1 ATS in four previous meetings.

Calgary Stampeders (13-4 SU, 6-11 ATS) vs. British Columbia Lions (7-10 SU, 10-7 ATS)
Point-spread: Calgary -1
Total: 47 ½

Game Overview

Calgary has nothing to play for in this final regular season game having locked-up home field advantage for next week’s Division Semifinal matchup against BC, so it will be interesting to see how it approaches this game as far as resting starters. The Stampeders have been a nightmare to wager on this season overall, but they have now gone 3-1 ATS in their last four games with last week’s win and cover.

The Lions have been able to build-up some momentum for the playoffs heading into this game with back-to-back victories against Hamilton at home and Toronto on the road in their past two outings. They are also a profitable 6-1 ATS over their last seven games. The total stayed UNDER the closing 54 ½-point line against the Argonauts after going OVER in their previous six games aided by BC’s scoring average of 31.2 points over its last five games.

Betting Trends

Calgary has won seven of the last 10 meetings SU and the total has gone OVER in seven of those 10 games. The Stampeders won the first meeting this season 35-23 on Sept. 18, but they just missed-out covering as 13-point home favorites.