Saturday 12/26/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (18-12) at Bucks (12-18)

Date: December 26, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

It's not clear who the Toronto Raptors will have available to start a two-game trip, but they know they can count on DeMar DeRozan being there.

DeRozan is one of the hottest players in the NBA and will try to help the Raptors improve to 3-0 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday.

Toronto (18-12) has a number of missing players, and it's possible any of them may return for this contest.

Two were in the Raptors' starting lineup for their opener. Jonas Valanciunas has missed the last 16 games with a broken bone in his hand but returned to practice this week. DeMarre Carroll has missed the last nine games with a bruised right knee.

Forward James Johnson injured his ankle in warmups and did not dress for Tuesday's 103-99 home win over Dallas. The Raptors lost Patrick Patterson to flu-like symptoms during that contest, leaving them with just nine players available.

"Those things happen, that's why you've got to be prepared," coach Dwane Casey said. "That's why you have a 13-, 14-, 15-man roster ready to play."

It also helps to have DeRozan, who is averaging 22.7 points to rank only behind Cleveland's LeBron James and Indiana's Paul George among Eastern Conference players. That average is up to 27.1 points in his last eight games after he went for 28 against the Mavericks.

DeRozan is a big reason why the Raptors are in position to win a third straight Atlantic Division title, though he believes they need to get healthy to truly assess their level.

"You still gotta wait till we've got our full team," DeRozan said. "Even when we had our full team, we were going through the process of having an identity and then guys went down. Once we get everybody back, a couple games in, then we'll be able to tell."

DeRozan has 42 points in two wins over the Bucks. The Raptors led by an average of 16.0 points at halftime in those meetings, and have taken eight of the last nine with three straight road wins.

Milwaukee (12-18) seeks its first three-game win streak after cruising past Philadelphia 113-100 on Wednesday in assistant Joe Prunty's first game as interim coach. He is in charge with Jason Kidd expected to miss four to six weeks while recovering from hip surgery.

'We all love Joe,' said forward John Henson, who had a season-best six blocks. 'He comes to work every day with a smile on his face, so this is big for him to get this win under his belt. We want to play hard for him, make him look good.'

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from missing a game with knee soreness and made 11 of 13 shots for 22 points. Michael Carter-Williams had 18 and nine assists.

Carter-Williams is averaging 19.2 points on 54.8 percent shooting in his last six games and has started the last four. He has totaled 14 points on 23.5 percent shooting against Toronto this season.

The Bucks own a minus-4.5 rebound margin for one of the NBA's worst marks. They will have a challenge against Bismack Biyombo, who is averaging 15.8 boards in his last five games with a career-best 20 on Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (16-15) at Pelicans (9-20)

Date: December 26, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans have been among the NBA's biggest disappointments, but may both finally be coming around.

The Rockets can move two games over .500 for the first time Saturday night when they visit the Pelicans in a contest that features superstars James Harden and Anthony Davis.

Houston (16-15) reached the Western Conference finals a season ago and New Orleans (9-20) was thought to be a team on the rise after reaching the playoffs before both stumbled to start the season.

The Rockets, who fired coach Kevin McHale on Nov. 18, are slowly but surely re-establishing themselves as winners of 11 of 16. They won for the fourth time in five games Friday with an impressive 88-84 victory over San Antonio, which had a seven-game win streak snapped.

"This is what we've been working towards and building towards," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "We've shown it in spurts but we haven't been able to sustain it for long enough."

Houston is developing a better defensive identity, holding its last five opponents to an average of 93.4 points on 42.1 percent shooting. The Spurs' 84 points were a season low.

"We're more than capable," Harden said. "So we have to find ourselves. We've got to find that energy, that consistent defensive togetherness every single night."

New Orleans has won six of its last nine at home and three of five overall as it seeks to dig out of a hole that has it holding the West's second-worst record.

The Pelicans fell 94-88 in overtime at Miami on Friday despite Davis' 29 points and 15 rebounds. He missed a contested jumper as regulation expired.

"That's why I get paid the big bucks, to win games for us down the stretch," Davis said. "I was actually missing shots in the fourth and the team actually did a good job of carrying me."

He had 20 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks at halftime. No player had done that in any half since at least the start of the 2002-03 season.

Harden is second in the league with 28.5 points per game and Davis is also in the top 10 at 23.6. Fatigue won't be a factor since Harden averages a league-best 33.4 points in the second half of back-to-back contests while Davis is at 27.4.

Harden had 24 points, 10 boards and six assists while Davis scored 29 and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Rockets' 108-101 home victory Dec. 2.

The Pelicans played that game without guard Jrue Holiday, who is on a minutes restriction due to a leg injury and wasn't available for Friday's overtime. Holiday had nine points in regulation.

"It's tough not having him out there," coach Alvin Gentry said. "It's tough as a coach knowing that you have an opportunity to win the game and now you have to take him out. That's just the way things are."

The Rockets have won three straight following three defeats in a row in a streaky series. Houston took the previous four meetings prior to that slide.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (16-15) at Hornets (15-13)

Date: December 26, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Losers of three straight entering the holiday break, the Charlotte Hornets hope a stretch of home games and a key player's return can get them back on track.

Al Jefferson ends a nearly month-long layoff when the slumping Hornets continue their homestand Saturday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Charlotte (15-13) was at first able to withstand Jefferson's absence, initially caused by a left calf strain that kept him out of six games and extended by a five-game suspension for violating the NBA's anti-drug program. The veteran center's interior presence has been missed, though, during a 1-5 stretch that followed a four-game winning streak capped by a 123-99 rout at Memphis on Dec. 11.

The Hornets offset Jefferson's absence that night by making a franchise-record 18 3-pointers in 37 attempts, but the shots haven't been falling of late. They've hit 29.4 percent from 3-point range during the three-game losing streak. Charlotte's lowest field-goal rates of the season have come in the last two games, 34.9 percent in Monday's 102-95 loss at Houston and 35.8 percent in Wednesday's 102-89 defeat to Boston that opened this four-game homestand.

Kemba Walker is 3 for 23 from 3 over his last five games, and Nicolas Batum is 4 for 18 in the past four. The duo combined to go 10 of 16 from beyond the arc against Memphis (16-15), with Walker finishing with 33 points.

"We're getting some good shots, we're just not shooting real well right now," guard Jeremy Lamb said. "But that's the game of basketball. We've just got to keep playing, keep believing in each other."

Rookie Frank Kaminsky did provide a bright spot Wednesday by recording a season-best 23 points.

Generating offense has been a season-long issue for a Grizzlies team whose 96.0 points per game eclipses only one-win Philadelphia. Memphis ranks last in the NBA in 3-point percentage (31.7) and was 3 for 17 in Wednesday's 100-91 loss at Washington.

'Our inability to score at times...(hurt),' coach Dave Joerger said. 'It was a tough night for us offensively.'

Memphis continues to rely on a defense that's yielding an average of 94.0 points over the past six games and ranks second in the league in turnovers forced (16.8 per game).

The Hornets were hurt by 17 giveaways Wednesday and had 18 that Washington converted into 30 points in last Saturday's 109-101 loss.

'The reoccurring theme for us when we haven't played well in this stretch has been first-quarter turnovers, which have led to getting off to really poor starts,' coach Steve Clifford said.

Charlotte will need to be aware of Mike Conley, who has registered 14 steals over Memphis' last seven games and is averaging 19.8 points over the past four. The point guard had 21 points Wednesday.

Conley has averaged 17.5 points as the Grizzlies have won six of the past eight meetings.

Charlotte is 11-5 at home but has lost three of four to Memphis as the host.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (17-11) at Magic (17-12)

Date: December 26, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

The Orlando Magic have closed the gap on their neighbors from South Beach and can pass them in the standings with a post-Christmas win.

Having finally climbed out of a long rebuild, the Magic can leapfrog their in-state rivals in the Southeast Division when the Miami Heat visit Saturday night.

Three straight miserable seasons for Orlando included losses in 11 of 12 meetings with the Heat, including an 0-6 mark at Amway Center.

The Magic, however, appear to be coming for Miami and its claim to supremacy in the Sunshine State. After combining for 68 wins over the last three seasons, Orlando is 17-12 under first-year coach Scott Skiles and sits a half-game back of the Heat (17-11), who ruled the Eastern Conference with LeBron James over the previous four seasons.

The unrest of the animated Skiles is rubbing off on Orlando, which won for the fifth time in six games with Wednesday's 104-101 victory over Houston in the opener a four-game homestand. After drawing within eight of last season's win total, they still weren't entirely happy over nearly coughing up a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead.

"It's true we won the game, but the way we did it, I thought we could have done a little better," Evan Fournier said. "We struggled defensively in the fourth quarter."

The Magic were outscored 27-17 in the final 12 minutes, but one of the NBA's best defenses has still allowed an average of 96.2 points over the last six games.

The offense, meanwhile, is rolling and has shot 51.0 percent while averaging 105.2 points in the same span. The club has turned the ball over just 49 times in its last four contests while forcing 65 giveaways.

Nikola Vucevic led six players in double figures Wednesday with 21 points - his fourth straight game with at least 20. Vucevic and Andrew Nicholson are the only two players to last through the three-year rebuild.

Orlando didn't win 18 games last season until Feb. 20.

"We've shown so far that we've become a better team, but also teams are now going to treat us differently because we've shown that we can win games," Vucevic told the team's official website. "We've done some things so far, but we've got a long way to go if we want to achieve our goals."

Miami followed three straight victories by alternating wins and losses on a 2-2 homestand that concluded with a 94-88 overtime win over New Orleans on Christmas. Three days after wasting an 18-point lead in a 93-92 loss to Detroit, the Heat nearly gave up a 13-point edge as they opened a stretch of four games in five days.

Miami shot 39.0 percent for 78 points through regulation but made 3 of 6 shots in overtime. Chris Bosh went 11 for 25 to match a season high with 30 points while grabbing 10 rebounds, but the rest of his teammates shot 38.1 percent. Hassan Whiteside grabbed a season-high 17 rebounds and blocked four shots.

"Just an ugly game by both teams, but in this league you've got to win the pretty ones and the ugly ones," said Dwyane Wade, who scored 19 points.

Bosh has averaged 26.3 points while making 47.7 percent of his shots in the last three games after combining for 18 points in the previous two.

Miami moved to 9-1 against the West with the holiday win, but the Heat are just 8-10 against the East and 2-3 in division play.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (16-13) at Pistons (17-13)

Date: December 26, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics don't have a star among a group Brad Stevens is running 10 deep, but they've often had the balance to overcome a lack of an individual difference maker.

Having one player explode offensively didn't do much good recently against the Detroit Pistons, anyway.

After three straight losses in which their depth didn't exactly shine, the Celtics have gotten contributions from up and down the roster heading into what they hope will be a third consecutive victory Saturday night in Detroit.

There's no All-Star on the roster, but the Celtics hit the 30-game mark in Stevens' third season with some impressive achievements. Only Cleveland (plus-6.3) has a better points per game differential in the Eastern Conference than Boston's plus-4.2, and the Celtics' average margin of victory (15.1) is even higher than Golden State's (14.5).

Following a three-game skid that featured a 32.2 percent shooting effort against the Cavaliers and then a pair of huge individual performances from Isaiah Thomas but little else, Boston got help from everywhere in wins over Minnesota and Charlotte.

Kelly Olynyk led six players in double figures with 19 points in Monday's 113-99 victory over the Timberwolves, then had 20 to pace four starters with at least 18 in Wednesday's 102-89 road win against the Hornets.

"We're tough to guard," Olynyk said. "You can't key in on one person. That's how we have to play to win."

Olynyk's performances tend to be telling with his averages of 12.5 points in victories and 6.2 in losses. Boston (16-13) has had at least five players score in double figures in 12 of its wins.

"Obviously, when we've played like that, we've usually won," Stevens said. "I thought our starters really played well. I thought a lot of our guys on the bench did a really good job."

Olynyk didn't score in 16 minutes off the bench Dec. 16 at Detroit, when Thomas matched a career high with 38 points in Boston's 119-116 loss. Eight Celtics have scored at least 27 points in a game this season, yet six of those came in losing efforts.

The Pistons (17-13) have had the same number of individual 27-point performances, but they've won seven of them. One came against Boston last week when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope poured in a career-high 31.

The victory over the Celtics kicked off a three-game winning streak in which Detroit won by a total of seven points, the same margin Stan Van Gundy's team lost by Wednesday in Atlanta. That 107-100 defeat didn't feel quite that close, though, as the Pistons trailed by as many as 22 in the third.

Even though Detroit has won five of seven, Van Gundy sees a pair of recurring problems. One is on defense, where the Pistons have allowed 105.8 points per 100 possessions in their last four games after yielding just 99.2 in their first 26.

"We're just not focused on the defensive end at all. It's going to catch up to us," Van Gundy said. "But they're not listening right now. They're trying to do it in other ways. Until we get back to defending, we're going to struggle."

Being on pace to be the worst free-throw shooting team since the 1960s is the other issue. Much of that falls on Andre Drummond, whom the Hawks sent to the line 18 times Wednesday. Drummond's seven makes actually boosted his season percentage to 37.9.

"He's going to have to shoot the ball better at the line in order to stay in the game," Van Gundy said. "He can't continue to shoot under 50 percent. He just can't."

Drummond has averaged 20 points and 17.3 rebounds despite going 11 for 37 from the line in his last six against Boston.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Knicks (14-16) at Hawks (19-12)

Date: December 26, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The Atlanta Hawks are now feeling more like the team that finished atop the Eastern Conference last season.

The Hawks seek a sixth straight win Saturday night and a fifth in six matchups with the visiting New York Knicks, a team that's recently cooled off.

Atlanta (19-12) built a 21-point lead in the third quarter Wednesday against Detroit and that proved enough cushion for a 107-100 victory. Jeff Teague led the way with 23 points - his most in 11 games this month - and nine assists.

"I thought that was as close to a complete game as we've played in a while," guard Kyle Korver said. "We're a bit more focused. We're playing with more purpose and we're doing it for longer stretches."

The Hawks had lost 10 of 16 before this five-game win streak, during which they have matched a season high by surpassing 100 points in each game. They averaged 90.7 in their first six games this month.

"The first month and a half or so we weren't very good. I think that we're starting to play more like ourselves," said center Al Horford, part of a franchise-best 60-22 squad in 2014-15.

Teague had 23 points and Horford scored 21 in the Hawks' first win this season, 112-101 in New York on Oct. 29. Korver added 15 and has keyed Atlanta's recent success in this series with an average of 19.0 points in the past four meetings, hitting 16 of 32 from 3-point range.

The Knicks (14-16) failed in their attempt at a season-high fifth consecutive victory Monday, losing 107-99 to visiting Orlando. They followed with a 91-84 defeat to Cleveland on Wednesday, scoring two points in the final four minutes and falling short of a season-high third straight road win.

"It's a tough one. For the guys to put the effort and energy into the game and come up short, that's always the tougher (losses)," coach Derek Fisher said.

New York, which averaged 108.3 points in its win streak, played without Carmelo Anthony in the opener to a three-game trip. The Knicks' leading scorer might return from his sprained right ankle Saturday.

Kristaps Porzingis had 23 points and 13 rebounds with Anthony out. The rookie averaged 7.9 points while shooting 29.0 percent in his previous seven games.

Anthony scored a team-best 25 points despite missing 17 of 27 shots - including all seven from 3-point range - against Atlanta earlier this season. Porzingis had 10 points and eight rebounds in his second NBA game.

Robin Lopez scored a season-high 18 points but is averaging 6.0 in his last 22 games.

Teague is averaging 21.5 points and 7.2 assists in his last six home games against New York.

The Knicks' only win in the past five meetings came in their most recent visit to Atlanta on April 13, though Paul Millsap, Dennis Schroder and Thabo Sefolosha sat out for the Hawks and Anthony was also inactive.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (16-12) at Timberwolves (11-18)

Date: December 26, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

Paul George and Andrew Wiggins recently had trouble getting untracked against the San Antonio Spurs, but neither swingman could be contained the last time they met.

George and the Indiana Pacers look to avoid their first four-game slide Saturday night when they visit a Minnesota Timberwolves team that is rebuilding around Wiggins.

These players rank among the league's best in scoring, with George second in the Eastern Conference at 25.0 points per game while Wiggins is averaging 20.9.

Each got to test himself against one of the league's powerhouses in the last week, but the results weren't pretty. George was 1 for 14 for a season-low seven points Monday in a 106-92 loss at San Antonio before Wiggins shot 2 of 11 with 10 points in a 108-83 home defeat against the Spurs two nights later.

Wiggins, the reigning rookie of the year, chalked it up as a learning experience.

"You're always learning," he said. "You can never be so negative to the fact or so close-minded that you can't learn."

The only time the two met was Indiana's 107-103 home victory Nov. 13. George made 8 of 17 shots for a game-high 29 points to go with nine rebounds while Wiggins was 10 of 19 for 26 points.

That contest showed some similarities in how they are used. Wiggins was credited with six isolations, seven drives and shot off the dribble eight times. George recorded five isolations, six drives and also shot off the dribble on eight occasions.

George followed up his poor effort versus the Spurs by making 5 of 19 shots for 12 points in Wednesday's 108-106 home loss to Sacramento. The Pacers (16-12) have lost three straight for the first time since beginning 0-3.

Indiana has dropped a season-high five straight on the road and has lost six of its last seven to Western Conference foes.

"On the road, you're not going to be able to dig yourself out of those holes," forward C.J. Miles said. "Our focus needs to be even higher."

George is shooting 31.6 percent in his last seven games.

Teammate George Hill has totaled 35 points in his last two after averaging 10.2 in a 12-game stretch following a three-game absence due to an upper respiratory infection.

"Since he came back from that respiratory thing, he hadn't been quite himself," coach Frank Vogel said. "So I think the last two games, he's returned to that. That's encouraging."

Minnesota (11-18) owns one of the NBA's worst home records at 4-11.

Veteran guard Kevin Martin did not play Wednesday, sitting out for the first time when he was available. First-round pick Tyus Jones was the beneficiary of the available minutes, logging a season-high 19.

The Timberwolves are committed to giving minutes to younger players like Jones. Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 15.9 points and second-year guard Zach LaVine has turned in back-to-back 17-point efforts.

"It's not a perfect situation and K-Mart's been great, but it is what it is," coach Sam Mitchell said. "I'm not saying K-Mart's not going to play, but I talked to him before the game and he understands some of the things we're trying to do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (16-11) at Mavericks (16-13)

Date: December 26, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

While J.J. Barea appears ready to help the banged-up Dallas Mavericks move forward, the Chicago Bulls hope their Christmas Day showing quelled some of their recent problems.

With Deron Williams' long-term status uncertain, the Mavericks will try to win consecutive games for only the second time in five weeks Saturday night against the visiting Bulls.

Williams said he was disappointed that he couldn't play Wednesday in what was supposed to be his first game in Brooklyn since signing with Dallas after the Nets waived him in July.

The three-time All-Star guard, who is averaging 17.3 points at home, does not have a timetable for a return after feeling a pop in his hamstring in Tuesday's 103-99 loss at Toronto. The Mavericks are also missing sixth man Devin Harris because of a hamstring injury.

Coach Rick Carlisle certainly made the right move by inserting Barea in the starting lineup against the Nets. The veteran point guard responded with a career-high 32 points while hitting 5 of 7 from 3-point range and adding a season-best 11 assists in a 119-118 overtime win.

"I just wanted to come out with a lot of energy early," Barea told the team's official website. "You know, we needed that. I think coach threw me in there to give a lot of energy early, and I think I got in a rhythm. I got in a rhythm, and I was able to help my team out big time."

Dirk Nowitzki finished with 22 points, moving past Shaquille O'Neal (28,596) into sixth place on the league's all-time scoring list with 28,609. He also made the go-ahead basket with 19.2 seconds left after Dallas had rallied back from a 11-point fourth-quarter deficit.

The 13-time All-Star now has got a ways to go to reach Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) at No. 5.

Barea could be asked to provide another spark as Dallas goes after only its second back-to-back wins since a season-high six-game winning streak from Nov. 11-20. The Mavericks (16-13) shot 54.9 percent from the field and 16 of 34 from beyond the arc against the Nets.

Although the Bulls (16-11) limit opponents to an NBA-low 41.6 field-goal percentage, they had let teams shoot 46.7 percent over a season high-tying three-game losing streak entering Friday. During that stretch, Jimmy Butler called out Fred Hoiberg for needing to coach the team harder and Chicago lost Joakim Noah for at least two weeks with a sprained shoulder.

The Bulls, however, got back on track with an inspired effort on Christmas Day. They held Oklahoma City to 38.5 percent shooting - including 6 of 24 from 3-point range - in a 105-96 road win.

Butler had 23 points and four steals, Pau Gasol added 21 points and 13 boards and Derrick Rose scored 19. Gasol has averaged 23.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in his last three games, while Rose had bounced back after totaling 14 points on 6-of-21 shooting in his previous two.

'We've just got to go out there and attack," forward Taj Gibson said.

Butler scored a combined 43 points and Nowitzki totaled 46 in last season's series when both teams won on the road. The Bulls have dropped three of the past five meetings, but have won the last two in Dallas.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (12-17) at Spurs (25-6)

Date: December 26, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

The San Antonio Spurs have to like their chances of becoming the first Western Conference club in 27 seasons to begin 17-0 at home.

They'll seek to bounce back from a rare defeat as they face a Denver Nuggets club they have beaten nine straight times that could be missing some key players Saturday night.

San Antonio (25-6) had a season-high, seven-game win streak snapped with Friday's 88-84 loss at Houston. The Spurs haven't dropped consecutive games all season, and there is no reason to believe that will happen Saturday.

They can become the first West club to win its first 17 home games since the 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers. San Antonio has won 25 straight at home in the regular season for the longest run in club history; the longest single-season mark is 22 straight in 2010-2011.

Two wins in the Spurs' current run over the Nuggets (12-17) were 11-point victories in November. Kawhi Leonard totaled 45 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, six steals and six blocks, displaying the all-around brilliance that has made him a league MVP candidate.

San Antonio won those contests with Manu Ginobili sitting out both of them and Tim Duncan missing one. Now it is Denver which will have some important players unavailable who took part in those defeats.

Rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay is out with a sprained right ankle, while leading scorer Danilo Gallinari is out with a left ankle sprain. Jameer Nelson missed Wednesday's 104-96 win at Phoenix due to illness, though he could return.

The Spurs seek better execution after finishing with their lowest point total of the season Friday. They shot 40.9 percent and trailed the entire fourth quarter, committing six turnovers in the final 12 minutes.

"There were just too many mistakes down the stretch," Duncan said. "A little bit of a sloppy game, we couldn't get our rhythm and credit them for that."

Leonard scored 20 points and LaMarcus Aldridge added 18 while Tony Parker made 1 of 7 shots for a season-low two points.

The Spurs look to improve to 6-0 in the second half of back-to-back contests against a Nuggets team that prevailed Wednesday despite its absences. Randy Foye, the only available point guard, scored a season-high 31 points as he made seven 3-pointers in a season-high 40-plus minutes.

"Fifteen years in the league that is one of the better wins I have been a part of," coach Michael Malone said. "We had every reason to go out there and feel sorry for ourselves and not show up."

The Nuggets ended a three-game slide one night after losing 111-107 at home to the West's worst team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Denver's defense was so bad that Kobe Bryant - the NBA's worst shooter - matched a season high with 31 points.

One night later, the Nuggets held the Suns to 41.4 percent shooting, with no Phoenix player scoring more than 21.

"That was a character win for a team that had been struggling," Malone said.

Denver may be concerned about a knee injury to Gary Harris, who made 2 of 13 shots for four points Wednesday after being listed as probable.

Rookie Nikola Jokic is averaging 13.7 points in his last three games and had season highs of 23 points and 12 boards in a 109-98 road loss to the Spurs on Nov. 18.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (1-30) at Suns (12-19)

Date: December 26, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

The short-handed Phoenix Suns are slumping ahead of next week's grueling stretch, but they've at least drawn a buffer game against the NBA's worst team beforehand.

The Suns will try to snap a three-game losing streak by earning a sixth straight win over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.

Phoenix (12-19) has lost five of its last six and will close a three-game homestand against Cleveland on Monday before its upcoming four-game trip begins at San Antonio on Wednesday and hits Oklahoma City the next night.

Making matters worse, the Suns will be without forward Markieff Morris for the next two games after the club suspended him without pay for what was termed "conduct detrimental to the team."

Morris, who averages 10.8 points and had started 16 of the first 18 games, received the ban a day after throwing a towel at coach Jeff Hornacek in the fourth quarter of a 104-96 loss to a Denver team playing without two starters and had lost to the lowly Los Angeles Lakers the night before.

"He's mad about not playing," Hornacek said after the game. "I look at the stat sheet, he's a minus-13 in 12 minutes. So there I took him out. He thinks he is better than that. Well, show me."

Morris has averaged just 7.3 points in his last 10 while sitting out several games due to coach's decision. He repeatedly tweeted his desire for a trade after his brother Marcus was dealt to Detroit in July. The twins were indicted in April on felony aggravated assault charges for allegedly beating a man outside a city recreation center.

The Suns have shot 41.7 percent on their losing streak and have averaged 18.3 turnovers in their last six games. They have, however, won five straight in this series, including the last three in Phoenix. They have won 23 of 28 at home against the Sixers.

While the 76ers (1-30) are stuck in another lengthy losing streak, they added a piece on Christmas Eve by acquiring point guard Ish Smith from New Orleans for a pair of second-round draft picks.

Smith, who averaged 12.0 points in 25 games for the 76ers last season, was putting up 8.9 points and 5.7 assists in 27 with the Pelicans. He is the only NBA player this season who has at least 150 assists while committing 45 or fewer turnovers.

Smith will try to boost a backcourt that has just one player averaging double-digit points - Isaiah Canaan at 10.9 - and will also try to help snap a 12-game losing streak.

Philadelphia dropped the opener of a six-game trip with Wednesday's 113-100 loss at Milwaukee - its 23rd consecutive road loss dating to late March.

Jahlil Okafor finished with 17 points and Carl Landry added 10 in 13 minutes in his first action since undergoing right wrist surgery in June.

The Sixers allowed more than 100 points for the sixth consecutive game - a span in which they've allowed opponents to shoot 52.1 percent - and committed 23 turnovers for their third straight contest with at least 21.

"It is my greatest discomfort when our team doesn't guard," coach Brett Brown said. "The sting in our defense must be reclaimed."

Philadelphia also waived guard Tony Wroten on Thursday. Wroten has been plagued by injuries all season while averaging 8.4 points over eight games after scoring 16.9 per game in 30 last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (17-13) at Jazz (12-15)

Date: December 26, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

One of Blake Griffin's best efforts didn't help the Los Angeles Clippers maintain their mastery of the Utah Jazz in their last meeting.

It figures to be even easier for Griffin and his team to flourish in the paint now that they won't have to face Utah center Rudy Gobert.

The Clippers can win their seventh straight in Salt Lake City on Saturday night as they try to fix some recent sloppiness when they face the Jazz.

Los Angeles (17-13) had won 13 in a row over Utah before a 102-91 home defeat Nov. 25. Griffin scored at least 40 points for the seventh time in his career to go with 12 rebounds.

Utah (12-15) still held a 44-38 advantage in points in the paint behind the frontcourt trio that combined for 65 points in Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Gobert. Hayward's 33 points were a season high.

Gobert pulled down 11 rebounds as the Jazz held a 39-35 edge on the glass. The center was lost Nov. 30 due to a MCL sprain in his left knee.

The Clippers will open a four-game trip, although Friday's 94-84 victory over the Lakers was a road game. They ended a three-game slide and seemed to be in position to get Griffin and other starters some rest for this contest with a 28-point lead after three quarters.

Instead, they allowed the Western Conference's worst team to cut the margin to 13 points, forcing coach Doc Rivers to re-insert Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan with 7:11 remaining. Wesley Johnson also entered at that time and scored five of the Clippers' nine points in a period in which they allowed 27.

'We've had to do that before,' Paul said. 'But it's not about the starters having to come back in. It's about us as a team closing games out and we have to get better at that.'

Paul had 23 points and six assists, scoring 17 in the Clippers' 60-point first half. He has 55 points in his last two games.

Griffin made 6 of 17 shots for 13 points,12 boards and seven assists. Jordan, who leads the league in field-goal percentage at 70.8, had nine points and 14 boards.

The Clippers face three losing teams and an underwhelming Charlotte club on this trip, though they know they can't overlook anyone.

"Our record is not as good as we'd like for it to be right now," Paul said. "We're just trying to play the right way and pile up some wins."

Utah fell 103-85 at Golden State on Wednesday, finishing with its second-worst point total after shooting 41.3 percent. The Jazz made 7 of 20 3-pointers.

"We got tentative," coach Quin Snyder said. "If we make a couple of those (3-pointers), the game gets tighter."

Hayward made 2 of 15 shots for eight points. Favors led the way with 17 points and nine boards.

Utah is relying more on 3-pointers since Gobert went down, averaging 24.0 attempts and shooting 37.1 percent in its last 11 games. The Jazz averaged 19.4 attempts and shot 35.7 in their first 16.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (0-0) at Trail Blazers (0-0)

Date: December 26, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers are familiar with how tough things can be while a star point guard is sidelined, though having LeBron James can certainly make up for a lot of issues.

The Portland Trail Blazers don't have that luxury as they wait for their playmaker to return.

As Kyrie Irving continues to work his way back for the visiting Cavaliers, the Blazers might have Damian Lillard in the lineup Saturday night when they try to avoid a sixth consecutive defeat.

Cleveland (19-8) ran out to the Eastern Conference's top record without Irving, who missed the first 24 games after suffering a broken kneecap in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

James, scoring a team-high 26.3 per game, and Kevin Love, averaging 17.2 points and a team-high 10.9 rebounds, have had a lot to do with the Cavs' early success. Now the club hopes the three-time All-Star's return can have a major impact on its long-term performance.

Irving, who averaged 21.7 points and 5.2 assists last season, worked through some rust with 13 points on 4-of-15 shooting in Friday's 89-83 loss at Golden State that ended a six-game winning streak. He's scored 10.0 per game with a 29.4 field-goal percentage in his three games.

In his most recent matchup with the Blazers, Irving had a performance to remember with 55 points while sinking 11 of 19 from 3-point range in a 99-94 home win Jan. 28.

James finished with 25 points and nine rebounds in the Finals rematch on Christmas Day. Love pulled down 18 boards but only scored 10 while missing 11 of 16 shots.

Cleveland shot a season-low 31.6 percent - including 5 for 30 (16.7) from 3-point range.

'Offensively, we just didn't have it," James said. "No one had it."

The Cavs had dropped a season-high three in a row before a 105-100 home win over Portland on Dec. 8. James led the way with 33 points and 10 rebounds and Love added 18 to help put Cleveland in position for its first season sweep in this series since 2009-10.

Lillard kept the Blazers in that contest with 33 points and made 4 of 9 from 3-point range, while C.J. McCollum contributed 24 points and hit 4 of 8 from beyond the arc. McCollum, enjoying a breakout season at 20.1 points per game, scored 19 on 8-of-21 shooting in Wednesday's 115-89 loss at New Orleans in his return from a one-game absence due to an ankle injury.

Lillard, who hadn't missed a game over three-plus seasons, has sat out the last two of the team's five straight losses with plantar fasciitis. The two-time All-Star, averaging a team-high 24.6 points, is hopeful to return as the Blazers play one of only two at home during a 10-game stretch.

He's totaled 56 points while making 10 3-pointers in his last two home meetings with the Cavs.

'I know it won't be long,' Lillard said earlier this week. 'But I've just got to rest it."

Portland (11-20) could use a boost, averaging just 95.8 points on 41.3 percent shooting during its second-worst slide of the season. The Blazers, 6-6 at home, are also having their share of trouble defensively, allowing 108.3 points per game over their last seven.

Cleveland has won the last two meetings, but has dropped four of the past five at Portland.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cardinals (11-1) at Wildcats (9-3)

Date: December 26, 2015 12:00 PM EDT

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) Identity-building seems more important right now for No. 12 Kentucky and 16th-ranked archrival Louisville than claiming Bluegrass bragging rights.

The winner of Saturday's annual showdown at Rupp Arena can take a big step in that process, along with giving their fan base something to feel good about entering conference play.

The talented and young Wildcats (9-2), replacing seven players who turned pro after last season, are still finding their way after opening No. 2 in the Top 25. They face an 11-1 Louisville squad with something to prove as well, and Kentucky junior guard Dominique Hawkins believes that beating another quality opponent provides more motivation than the rivalry.

'We know that they're a great pressing team and I'm pretty sure that's what we're going to prepare for,' the Richmond, Kentucky, native said of the Cardinals. 'It's just another game and we're just looking to win.'

While that may be underplaying it a little, if the Wildcats are going to come away with a victory, they'll have to beat a Cardinals team that might be even hungrier than Ohio State. The Buckeyes were unfazed by Kentucky's height and hype in their 74-67 win last week in Brooklyn, New York. Ohio State led throughout and withstood a second-half rally led by Jamal Murray's 33-point explosion.

Impressive as Murray's game was, Kentucky coach John Calipari seeks more offensive contributions. A presence in the middle will be needed on both ends against the quick, physical Cardinals.

As Kentucky works to establish continuity, its inside game could be helped this weekend with the recent addition of 6-foot-10, 255-pound forward Tai Wynyard from New Zealand. He has only had a couple of workouts and Calipari has been coy about whether he'll play Saturday because he's a work in progress - much like the Wildcats.

'We've got things that we've got to do,' Calipari said. 'We're still tweaking offensively exactly how we have to play. I saw some good stuff in the second half of that game (Ohio State). But, we're a ways away.'

Louisville began the season unranked with a made-over roster of youngsters as well, but has quickly grown into a group looking to be competitive in the Atlantic Coast Conference and beyond.

The Cardinals enter the game leading the nation in scoring margin at plus-30.2 points per game and ranked sixth in field goal percentage (.519). Granted, their opponents have not all been the caliber of top-ranked Michigan State, but Louisville led that game on the road before the Spartans rallied in the final minutes for a 71-67 win.

But Louisville's lopsided victories have provided young players valuable playing time and helped the Cardinals' offense blossom enough to shoot above 50 percent nine times this year, one more than last season.

'Our confidence is pretty high,' said Louisville coach Rick Pitino, comparing his team's docket to the alternative of a tougher schedule with such a young team.

Graduate transfers Damion Lee (17.3) and Trey Lewis have combined for nearly 32 points per game in the backcourt with sophomore guard Quentin Snider averaging 10 points. They'll face Kentucky's three-guard backcourt of Murray, Isaiah Briscoe and Tyler Ulis.

The game is a chance for Louisville to earn a signature win, against its biggest rival at that. The Cardinals also seek their first win at Rupp since 2008 and aim to end a three-game slide in a series Kentucky leads 33-15.

Though many of the young Cardinals may not fully grasp the magnitude of the rivalry, their fans have certainly reminded them of what beating Kentucky means to them. Players just hope it can provide something that helps down the road.

'We know how bad our campus wants this, how bad our fans want this game,' said Lewis, who's averaging 14.7 points per game. 'We're going into this as some very tough competition (entering) the next stretch, so we don't feed too much into the hype. But we know what this game means.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 18
By Chris David

Week 17 Recap

It was a great week to be a visitor in the Premier League as away teams posted five victories and a pair of draws last weekend. The biggest upset occurred at Old Trafford as Norwich City (+600) stifled Manchester United 2-1. Despite taking 11 corners, the Red Devils only managed one shot on target and the heat on manager Louis van Gaal continues to rise.

In another key contest this past weekend, Arsenal (+135) held off Manchester City and sits four points clear of them in the latest standings. The Gunners are two points behind Leicester City (+220), who remained unbeaten on the road this season with a 3-2 victory over Everton from Goodison Park last Saturday.

Including those results, underdogs were 6-2 last weekend. Through 17 weeks, favorites are 72-60 with 48 draws. The ‘over’ went 7-3 last week. The ‘under’ is 83-82-5 on the season.

Top 4

Boxing Day has arrived and all 10 games will be played on Saturday, which is highlighted with four nationally televised games in states.

This is a tough stretch for all clubs as they play three EPL games in a seven-day stretch with games scheduled next Monday and the following weekend.

Manchester United at Stoke City (NBCSN, 7:45 a.m. ET)

The first game scheduled on Boxing Day is very intriguing and all eyes will be on Manchester United (+135) as it faces a must-win situation at Stoke City (+220).

The Red Devils are winless (0-3-3) in their last six games of all competitions and the offense has been stifled to five goals during this run. The club hasn’t gone seven straight without a victory since the 1992 season, which is one of the reasons that fans are calling for the manager to be sacked. Ironically, some believe Chelsea’s former manager Jose Mourinho could take over in the near future.

Fortunately for United, they face a Stoke City squad that isn’t that dangerous offensively, tied for the fewest goals in the EPL with 14. The club has gone 3-1-2 in its last six, which includes a 2-1 record at Britannia Stadium and the two victories came against Chelsea (1-0) and Manchester City (2-1).

United has gone 7-2-1 in its last 10 games against Stoke City and it hasn’t been held scoreless during this span.

Stoke has been a dead ‘under’ bet (13-4) all season while United has gone 9-8 to the ‘over’ and that includes a 6-3 ‘over’ mark in road games. The total is sitting at 2 goals.

Manchester City vs. Sunderland (NBCSN, 10:00 a.m. ET)

This looks like a mismatch on paper and it very well could be on the pitch. Manchester City (-500) has been installed as a very healthy favorite over Sunderland (+1250) and you could argue that the line should be higher.

After losing last week at Arsenal, the Citizens are expected to rebound but bettors could be hesitant backing a team that’s just 2-1-3 in its last six league games. The defense has been suspect but it will get a jolt this weekend as Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta return to the backline.

Sunderland will visit Ethiad Stadium with a three-game losing streak and expecting the club to earn any points seems foolish. The Black Cats have been outscored 24-9 on the road when has led to a dreadful 1-1-7 record. The overall goal differential of minus-15 is the worst in the EPL.

Man City ran past Sunderland in both games last season, winning 4-1 on the road and 3-2 at home. Prior to those wins, the Black Cats had gone 2-1-0 in their previous three versus City.

Both Sunderland (9-8) and Manchester City (11-6) have leaned ‘over’ this season and this week’s total is listed at 3 ½ goals. Most would assume City is good for at least three but four is probably needed to cash the high side.

Chelsea vs. Watford (USA, 10:00 a.m. ET)

New manager Guus Hiddink will make his debut for Chelsea (-210) and it could be a difficult test as they face a very sound Watford (+600) club. The Blues got a much-needed win last week versus Sunderland but are still 4-1-4 at home this season and they’ve yet to capture back-to-back victories.

Newly promoted Watford has been a great story this season and it enters Stamford Bridge with a four-game winning streak in hand, the last three coming in shutout fashion. They’ve only allowed 16 goals all season but 10 of those came on the road. Still, the club is 4-2-2 as visitors and the losses came to contenders Manchester City and Leicester City.

Watford has leaned to the ‘under’ (10-7) this season while Chelsea’s early defensive woes have helped the ‘over’ go 11-6. The Hornets have seen two combined goals or less scored in 10 of their 17 league. Games.

Chelsea is expected to have Eden Hazard (hip) back in action Saturday after he sat out last week’s match.

Arsenal at Southampton (NBC, 2:45 p.m. ET)

This looks like a very tricky game for Arsenal (+110) who is off the big win over Manchester City last week and is now unbeaten (5-1-0) in its last six of all competitions. On the other side of the pitch is a Southampton (+255) club that hasn’t won since Nov. 7 when it beat lowly Sunderland. Since then, the Saints have gone 0-1-5 and they’ve only managed to score three goals during this span.

Southampton has gone 3-2-4 at home and all of the losses came to clubs that were clearly better than them (Man United, Stoke, Liverpool, Tottenham) and Arsenal is certainly greater than that quartet.

The Gunners have had a couple hiccups as visitors (6-1-2) but Arsene Wenger’s team has been better offensively (18 goals) on the road than at home this season.

Last season, the home team posted shutout victories with Arsenal winning 1-0 at the Emirates and Southampton capturing a 2-0 win at St Mary’s Stadium. Four of the last five games between the pair have seen two or less goals scored.

Fearless Predictions

Two solid wins were negated by two poor losses but we somehow managed to turn a small profit ($60). We’re still down a healthy number ($2,395) on the season but hoping the holidays bring us some luck. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to you and yours!

Straight – Manchester City -2 (+100) over Sunderland – 2 Units

Straight – Over 3 ½ (+110) Manchester City-Sunderland – 2 Units

Straight – Leicester City-Liverpool Draw (+275) – 1 Unit

Straight – Crystal Palace (+205) over Bournemouth – 1 Unit

Straight – Over 2 ½ (-125) Everton-New Castle United – 3 Units

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Leicester's visit to Liverpool highlights action-packed Boxing Day in the Premier League
By SOCCER AUTHORITY

The biggest Premier League day of the year is almost upon us and with 10 games on the Horizon we take a look at which games you should be watching and why.

Stoke v. Manchester United

Louis Van Gaal will be under a lot of pressure on Saturday as the Manchester United board appears to be losing patience with the Dutchman’s philosophy. With that in mind, we may see United play a more offensive game than we’ve seen in recent weeks. The Red Devils recently got undone at home by relegation candidates Norwich losing 2-1 last weekend and nothing less than a win will do if Van Gaal is to keep his job.

Stoke have been impressing us at home this season with some very respectable results including wins versus Chelsea, Manchester City and a draw against league leaders Leicester. This Saturday we may see them take another high profile scalp.

Key Stat: No team has seen Under 2.5 Goals more than Stoke (14 of their last 20 games). Current odds have the Over priced at -159.

Injuries and suspensions

• Manchester United: Bastian Schweinsteiger is suspended, Matteo Darmian and Rojo are both out with injuries and Morgan Schneiderlin has been listed as doubtful.
• Stoke: Notable absentees for Stoke are Muniesa and Geoff Cameron in defense.

Verdict: Manchester United look to be in real trouble coming into this game and with all the pressure on them we think they might crack. If Van Gaal decides to play a dangerous attacking game, we could be in for a real goal fest.


Chelsea v. Watford

After sacking Jose Mourinho last week, Chelsea’s new coach Guus Hiddink will take control of the team once again in a hope of turning their fortunes around. The Dutchman’s last job was coaching the Dutch national team and that didn’t end very well. He could be blamed for their failure to get the national team to the Euro 2016 finals but we won’t go into that now.

Chelsea are still languishing in 15th position but confidence will be higher after beating Sunderland convincingly 3-1 last weekend.

Watford, as we previously mentioned, have been a real surprise package this year, the newly promoted club dismantled Liverpool last weekend and are currently lying in a very respectable seventh.

Key Stat: Chelsea have scored in eight of nine home games this season and have kept just three clean sheets (Aston Villa, Norwich and Arsenal).

Injuries and suspensions

• Watford: Nathan Ake (Watford Left-back) will be unavailable for this game as he’s currently on loan from Chelsea
• Chelsea: Falcao and Eden Hazard are both doubts for this game

Verdict: Guus Hiddink likes to play attacking football, so expect a very attacking set up from Chelsea as they attempt to climb their way back to the top half of the table.


Liverpool v. Leicester

Leicester continues to prove everyone wrong each week (including us) as they continue to hold onto 1st place in the Premier League. This time last year the Foxes were rooted to the bottom of the table and faced almost certain relegation. Since April of last year, they have been on an unbelievable streak winning 18 of their last 26 Premier League games.

Things were looking good for Liverpool under new coach Jurgen Klopp but their fortunes have begun to decline lately with unexpected losses to Watford and Newcastle in recent weeks.

Key Stat: There have been Over 2.5 goals in eight of Liverpool's last 10 home games against "Top 6" teams and in nine of Leicester's last 10 away games against "middle-third" teams.

Injuries and suspensions

• Liverpool: Sturridge, Lovern, Milner, Skrtel, Gomez and Ings are all injured for Liverpool
• Leicester: Schlupp and Drinkwater will be missing for Leicester

Verdict: This game has goals written all over it and should be one of the more entertaining games this weekend. Leicester priced at +300 may well be worth taking considering the notable absentee’s for Liverpool along with the Foxes blistering form.


Southampton v. Arsenal

Arsenal are coming off a huge victory against Manchester city and are now favorites to win the title at +115 with some books. Arsenal’s strength in defense has been a contributing factor to their success this year as well as keeping all the talent going forward as they’ve had the past few seasons.

Southampton have disappointed this season as many expected the Saints to be at least in the Top 6/7 at this stage as the club seemed to be going from strength to strength since hiring Koeman.

Key Stat: There have been Over 2.5 goals in 11 of Southampton's last 16 home games against "Top 6" teams and in 11 of Arsenal's last 12 away games against "middle-third" teams.

Injuries and suspension

• Arsenal: Wilshere, Welbeck, Coquelin, Cazorla and Arteta are all missing through injury. Alexis Sanchez is expected to return
• Southampton: James Ward-Prowse, Fraser Foster(GK) and Jay Rodriguez will all be missing for this game

Verdict: Arsenal are renowned for being consistent on their travels to the lower sides, If they manage another win, they could see themselves in 1st position by Sunday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

St. Petersburg Bowl

CONNECTICUT HUSKIES (6-6) vs. MARSHALL THUNDERING HERD (9-3)
St. Petersburg Bowl
Venue: Tropicana Field
Location: St. Petersburg, Florida
Kickoff: 11:00 a.m. ET, ESPN
Line: Marshall -5, Total: 44

Two teams trying to recover from blowout losses will match up in St. Petersburg on Saturday when Connecticut and Marshall collide.

The Huskies (5-7 ATS) were riding high with a three-game win streak before they were pounded 27-3 at Temple, while the Thundering Herd (6-5-1 ATS) were drilled 49-28 in their regular-season finale at Western Kentucky.

UConn has played a tougher schedule, but Marshall has the better offense (32.6 PPG to 17.7 PPG) and has allowed fewer points (18.4 PPG to 19.7 PPG). Also, the Huskies are playing their first bowl in five seasons, while the Herd are 9-1 in their past 10 bowls dating back to 1998.

Both schools have negative betting trends to deal with for this matchup, as Connecticut is 0-9 ATS in the past two years when the total is between 42.5 and 49 points, and is also 4-14 ATS when playing on a Saturday in this same span.

But since 1992, Marshall is 16-32 ATS after having lost two of its previous three games and is 35-54 ATS away from home when playing on a Saturday during this time period.

Both teams have some injuries to contend with, but UConn should have the services of both probable offensive players QB Bryant Shirreffs (head) and WR Brian Lemelle (lower body), but LB Matthew Walsh (knee) is questionable. For the Herd, three players are facing a possible suspension in WR Emanuel Beal and LBs Stefan Houston and Raheim Huskey.

Connecticut's offense has been bad all season with 17.7 PPG and 318 total YPG, but it has been even worse recently with 10.0 PPG and 227 total YPG (3.9 yards per play) over the past three games. The Huskies choose the run the football 58% of the time, and are able to eat up 31:17 of clock per game.

But they have averaged only 125 rushing YPG on 3.4 YPC this season, including 100 YPG on 3.0 YPC away from home. The passing game has posted a respectable 194 YPG on 7.2 YPA, but those numbers drop to 154 YPG on 5.8 YPA in non-home games.

Sophomore QB Bryant Shirreffs (1,992 pass yds, 7.6 YPA, 9 TD, 7 INT) threw only one pass in the last two games because of a concussion, but he is expected to start on Saturday. That one pass attempt was a 4-yard TD strike to WR Noel Thomas (719 rec yds, 3 TD), who was the hero of UConn's huge upset over undefeated Houston two games ago when he scored on a 45-yard reception in the fourth quarter and finished with seven catches for 108 yards.

The dual-threat Shirreffs ranks second on the team in rushing yards with 428, but has done so on a feeble 3.2 YPC.

The team's top rusher is RB Arkeel Newsome (760 rush yds, 4.4 YPC, 6 TD), who is also the Huskies No. 2 receiver with 40 catches for 432 yards and 2 TD. The 5-foot-7 Newsome totaled a hefty 428 yards (143 YPG) during UConn's three-game win streak that made the team bowl eligible, but he found no room to run against Temple with 13 carries for one yard and two receptions for six yards.

The Huskies are playing in a bowl because of their top-notch defense that limits opponents to 19.7 PPG and 352 total YPG. In the past three games, these numbers have improved to 15.7 PPG and 260 total YPG (4.0 yards per play).

The pass defense is especially strong in holding teams to 187 YPG and 6.1 YPA, but the run defense has been too generous this season in giving up 165 YPG on 4.5 YPC. UConn is a team that thrives off turnovers, tallying 16 takeaways during its six wins and only eight takeaways in its six defeats. With the Herd committing multiple turnovers on seven different occasions this year, ball protection will be of utmost importance on Saturday.

Marshall produces big offensive numbers (32.6 PPG on 400 total YPG) with a nearly perfect balance of 38 rushes per game and 36 passes per contest. This leads to 168 YPG on 4.5 YPC on the ground and 231 YPG on 6.4 YPA through the air. The Herd are also balanced on their roster, as no player has reached 700 yards from scrimmage this season, but eight players have gained more than 300 yards.

Freshman QB Chase Litton (2,387 pass yds, 6.8 YPA, 22 TD, 7 INT) has led the team to an 8-2 record in the 10 games he has played with one of those losses coming in triple overtime at Middle Tennessee and the other loss coming at Western Kentucky in the season finale. Litton has thrown for at least two touchdowns in eight games, including four in a row where he has averaged 307 passing YPG with 10 TD and 3 INT.

Senior WR Davonte Allen leads the team in receptions (56) and yards (696) while 6-foot-3 sophomore TE Ryan Yurachek is the best red-zone target with 8 TD catches, including one score in each of the past four games.

The top rusher is 244-pound senior RB Devon Johnson (555 rush yds, 6.6 YPC, 5 TD), who was lost for the season in late October with a back injury. That has allowed speedy RB/WR Hyleck Foster to pick up 409 rushing yards (4.8 YPC) in just six games (68 YPG), while 207-pound senior RB Remi Watson has 340 rushing yards (57 YPG) on 5.2 YPC in the past six contests.

Marshall has a very sound defense that allows only 18.4 PPG and 371 total YPG. The secondary has given up 200 passing YPG, but on a mere 49.7% completion rate and 5.5 YPA. Although the run-stop unit allows 172 rushing YPG on 4.0 YPC, those numbers have fallen to 144 YPG on 3.6 YPC in the past two games.

The Herd have also produced at least one turnover in all 12 games, including multiple takeaways on seven different occasions. However, UConn has two turnovers or less in all 12 of its contests.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Huskies (6-6) at Thundering Herd (9-3)

Date: December 26, 2015 11:00 AM EDT

Marshall hasn't been part of the FBS for a particularly long time but is well-versed in bowl games and winning them.

Connecticut is just happy to be back in one.

The Thundering Herd have a chance to record 10 wins and a postseason victory for the third consecutive year when they face the Huskies in the St. Petersburg Bowl on Saturday at Tropicana Field.

Since Doc Holliday was named coach, Marshall (9-3) has won all four of its bowl appearances. The first one came days after his hiring in 2009 and he didn't coach in that game, but he led the Thundering Herd to a St. Petersburg Bowl win in 2011 before winning the 2013 Military Bowl to finish with 10 victories and the 2014 Boca Raton Bowl to finish 13-1.

Marshall is 9-2 in bowl games since joining the FBS (then Division I) in 1997, and Holliday came up with a reasonable explanation for that success.

"You get places that are expecting to go win national championships or something and are actually not playing for them, sometimes it's a letdown going to a particular bowl because you thought you were gonna go somewhere else," he said. "I'm not talking about us per se, but some of the other schools. But there's not a letdown with our kids. They're excited to be going where they are, excited to have the opportunity to play another football game. I think it's the kids you have, they love ball."

A victory would make Marshall the only Group of Five school with at least 10 wins in each of the past three seasons, joining Alabama, Baylor, Clemson, Florida State, Michigan State, Ohio State and Oregon.

Holliday pointed to this game being crucial because only one Group of Five school can make a major bowl, a spot earned this year by American Athletic Conference champion Houston.

"These bowls are always important amongst the Group of Five, to position yourself for that spot in the future because there is one spot for all of us for the highest-ranked team," he said. "I think you can kinda set that up for the following year by the way you play in bowl games, especially when you're playing against people from the other Group of Five conferences."

That's what he gets with Connecticut (6-6), the only team to have beaten the 14th-ranked Cougars. That 20-17 win on Nov. 21 made the Huskies bowl eligible for the first time since 2010, when they lost to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

UConn needs a victory to finish with a winning record for the first time since that season.

"You have the seniors most importantly that have been the catalyst, the backbone to turning this program around and have persevered through so much adversity," second-year coach Bob Diaco said. "They now have an opportunity to go out as winners, go to a bowl and win the bowl."

That's something UConn hasn't done since defeating South Carolina in the 2009 PapaJohn's.com Bowl. The program has a 3-2 bowl record.

"Usually we're getting ready to go home right about now," senior defensive lineman Julian Campenni said.

The first meeting between these schools could be a low-scoring affair.

UConn and Marshall ranked second in their conferences in total defense and were No. 1 against the pass and in points allowed - each gave up fewer than 20 per game.

The Thundering Herd boast the Conference USA defensive player of the year in linebacker Evan McKelvey, who had 113 tackles to rank second in the league. The sixth-year senior is the team's only player who was around for the 2011 St. Petersburg Bowl win.

"We came to the program back then and we weren't a great team at first," McKelvey said. "But we had a mindset that we were going to turn the program around, and maybe that bowl game was the first big step for us. ... Now, it's kind of like we've gotten to where we want it to be, and we need to keep it going."

The top defensive player for UConn is all-AAC first-teamer Jamar Summers, whose seven interceptions tied for third nationally. Three of them, including one that sealed the Houston upset, came during a three-game win streak that put the Huskies above .500 before closing with a loss at then-No. 25 Temple.

UConn tied for 10th in the FBS with 17 interceptions.

That doesn't bode well for a Marshall team which has relied more on the passing game and freshman Chase Litton since losing top rusher Devon Johnson to a season-ending injury in mid-October. Litton has been inconsistent but shows flashes of promise, including a 486-yard game at Charlotte on Halloween followed by a pair of three-touchdown performances.

Connecticut has little firepower offensively, averaging 17.8 points to rank 10th-worst in the FBS.

The good news for the Huskies is that starting quarterback Bryant Shirreffs is back after missing most of the last two games with a concussion. He's had five games with at least 200 yards passing and three with at least 70 rushing.

"Going to a bowl game was our goal all year," Shirreffs said. "It's such a big honor. It's the day after Christmas so I get to spend Christmas with my family away from my actual family."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hurricanes (8-4) at Cougars (8-4)

Date: December 26, 2015 2:00 PM EDT

On one sideline will be the Pac-12 Coach of the Year, and on the other an interim coach that doesn't know where he might end up next season.

With star quarterback Luke Falk set to return, Mike Leach will try to guide Washington State to its first bowl victory in 12 years Saturday, while Larry Scott looks to leave a positive final impression at Miami in the Sun Bowl.

Leach earned conference coach of the year honors for the second time in his career (Big 12, 2008) after taking a Washington State team that went 3-9 in 2014 and leading it to the program's best finish since going 10-3 in 2003.

Behind a prolific passing attack, the Cougars (8-4) stayed within one game of first place in the Pac-12 North Division until a 45-10 loss at rival Washington in their finale.

Falk easily leads the nation with 387.8 passing yards per game and is tied for fourth with 36 touchdowns while throwing only eight interceptions. The sophomore missed the Apple Cup after he was taken off the field on a backboard with an apparent head injury during a 27-3 home win over Colorado on Nov. 21.

That came a week after he suffered a similar injury but stayed in against UCLA.

"It was really tough to watch (the loss to Washington) and not be able to play," Falk said. "It's a game you're looking forward to all year."

Falk, though, has returned to practice and will be back for Washington State's second bowl appearance since beating Texas 28-20 in the Holiday Bowl in December 2003. The Cougars lost 48-45 to Colorado State in the 2013 New Mexico Bowl.

Gabe Marks and Dom Williams are Falk's top targets in the passing game. Marks ranks fourth in the nation with 99 catches to go with 1,125 yards and 14 touchdowns, while Williams has 73 receptions for 997 yards and 11 scores.

The Cougars, however, hope Marks will benefit from time off after he sustained a leg injury in the fourth quarter of the blowout loss to the rival Huskies.

Washington State might want to give Gerard Wicks some touches against a Miami team that ranked 13th in the ACC against the run, allowing 210.5 yards per game. The Hurricanes surrendered a total of 394 passing yards while coming down with three interceptions over their final three games.

"They're a great football team at 8-4 and I think they're even better than they're record shows," Falk added. "It makes it real fun for us and hopefully for the seniors, we can get them to go out the right way. The Sun Bowl is a great bowl."

Playing in a bowl game for the third straight year, Miami is looking to avoid a sixth consecutive postseason loss since a 21-20 victory over Nevada in the 2006 MPC Computers Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

Scott will try to direct the Hurricanes to their highest win total since 2003. It could be his last game after getting promoted from tight ends coach following the firing of Al Golden. Miami has won four of its last five under Scott, including a 29-24 victory at Pittsburgh in the regular-season finale Nov. 27.

Former Georgia coach Mark Richt, who played quarterback for the Hurricanes in the early 1980s, was hired as Miami's next coach Dec. 4.

"We know the nature of the business and how it works and how things happen," Scott said. "Every one of these guys are really good coaches. They're going to add substance to whatever situation they find themselves in here."

Miami should be in good hands in the first meeting between the schools with budding star Brad Kaaya under center. The sophomore has thrown for an ACC-best 274.5 yards per game and became the third in school history with over 3,000 in back-to-back seasons.

Stacy Coley has 44 receptions for a team-high 645 yards and three touchdowns, while Rashawn Scott has a team-best 47 catches for 620 yards and five scores.

Washington State ranks fourth in the Pac-12 with 223.4 passing yards allowed per game, but sits near the bottom of the league by averaging 199.8 rushing yards.

Joe Yearby had a team-high 939 yards and six touchdowns on the ground for the Hurricanes, who ranked 13th in the ACC with 119.5 rushing yards per game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Golden Eagles (9-4) at Huskies (6-6)

Date: December 26, 2015 2:20 PM EDT

Bowl eligibility certainly came in satisfying fashion for Washington.

Having earned an extra game by routing their ranked archrival in the regular-season finale, the Huskies now turn their attention to Southern Mississippi in the Heart of Dallas Bowl in both teams' first game at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday.

Washington (6-6) will have had nearly a month to celebrate clinching its sixth consecutive bowl berth with a 45-10 victory over then-No. 20 Washington State on Nov. 27.

Myles Gaskin ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns and Sidney Jones, Darren Gardenhire and Azeem Victor returned turnovers for scores in the second half as Washington won its third straight Apple Cup.

The Huskies' impressive defensive effort included shutting down the best passing attack in the nation. The Cougars came in averaging 407 yards through the air but were limited to 288.

"It meant a lot to us getting that sixth win," linebacker Keishawn Bierria said. "Today we made a statement."

Despite its inconsistent season, Washington has earned back-to-back victories by a combined 97-17 score. The Huskies' defense - mostly a strong point this year - allowed an average of 288.0 yards in those two games.

Coach Chris Petersen's first bowl victory running the program would certainly be a welcome final chapter to a second six-loss season in as many years in Seattle. He's still building toward matching the level of success he enjoyed in eight years at Boise State.

Washington fell 30-22 in last season's Cactus Bowl after also entering that postseason game with two straight victories.

"We had a really, really tough schedule (this season)," Petersen told the Heart of Dallas Bowl's official website. "The Pac-12 is a really, really good conference this year. And back to back. You get a win, it's hard to build off that momentum because the next team coming in is so good. And if you get hit in the mouth, you better rally right away because a team that's maybe even better than the team who beat you is coming next week.

"So our guys learned some hard lessons there. But I also think it's made us better, and I think it's kind of hardened us in some ways."

Now Petersen, who relied on true freshmen in starting quarterback Jake Browning, leading rusher Gaskin (1,121 yards) and left tackle Trey Adams, will try to get his team to apply those lessons in its first meeting with Southern Miss - and maybe add some exposure by playing in the 85-year-old Cotton Bowl.

"The best recruiting we can do is go down there and play a good football game because I know there will be a lot of people with eyes on us," Petersen said. "At that time when we're down there, it's a dead period. So we can't be out off campus recruiting.

"And so the most important thing for us to do, like I say, is play well in that game on the 26th. And that will be as good as recruiting as we can do down there as any - it will be better than 100 phone calls or 100 letters or any of those type of things.

"If you play good football, people take notice."

Petersen's defense will need to continue playing good football against the resurgent Golden Eagles (9-4), who boast the 12th-best passing attack in the FBS at 336.0 yards per game and are tied for ninth with 519.8 total. Nick Mullins threw for 4,145 yards (seventh in the nation), 36 touchdowns (tied for fourth) and 12 interceptions.

Southern Miss' potent running attack is led by 1,000-yard rushers Jalen Richard and Ito Smith.

Washington is allowing 216.0 passing yards and 133.9 on the ground per game.

"The Heart of Dallas Bowl is a tremendous reward for our team and an outstanding opportunity to advance our football program on a big stage," Director of Athletics Bill McGillis said. "The University of Washington is an excellent opponent with a rich tradition of championship football. Opportunities to play against High Resource Five conference opponents - especially those in the Pac-12 are rare - and we're very fortunate to have this one against the Huskies."

The Golden Eagles carried a six-game winning streak into the Conference USA championship game Dec. 5 but lost 45-28 to Western Kentucky. Mullins was 15 of 30 for 181 yards with a touchdown but threw three interceptions.

"We got worn out in the second half - our defense did," coach Todd Monken said. "We weren't able to move the football like we are capable of. We got out-coached. We got out-played today. That's the way it is. But, I am proud of our team. We've come a long way."

Southern Miss, which had gone 4-32 over the previous three years, is making its first bowl appearance since the 2011 season.

Though Washington is averaging only 388.3 total yards, it rolled up 925 in its final two games, including 511 rushing.

Southern Miss is giving up 140.8 yards per game on the ground.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hoosiers (6-6) at Blue Devils (7-5)

Date: December 26, 2015 3:30 PM EDT

Program building in college football is a series of steps, and it's no different for Duke and Indiana.

Though each is at a different point in the process, both could use a victory in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday as a building block to get to the next step.

For Duke (7-5), a victory would erase some of the sting of a fade after starting the season 6-1 and 3-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

The Blue Devils snapped a four-game losing streak in their regular-season finale by beating Wake Forest 27-21 on Nov. 28, finally getting their defense righted after allowing an average of 42.4 points in the previous five games.

It's the first time in school history Duke will have played in four consecutive bowl games, and the program is out to end a five-bowl losing streak since defeating Arkansas in the 1961 Cotton Bowl.

"Playing in our fourth consecutive bowl game means a great deal to our past, present and future Blue Devils," said coach David Cutcliffe, who will finish with his third straight winning season. "The senior class is obviously a special one, and I could not be happier for a group of young men that has accomplished what no other class has done..."

"We are thrilled to keep building our program while playing in front of so many Duke University alums and supporters in New York."

Those supporters, however, won't see the anchor of Duke's defense. ACC Defensive Player of the Year and first-team AP All-American Jeremy Cash will miss this game after undergoing wrist surgery Wednesday. He had a team-high 101 tackles, including 18 for losses that helped the Blue Devils limit opponents to 372.0 yards per game.

Redshirt junior Corbin McCarthy likely will fill Cash's starting spot in the secondary.

The Pinstripe Bowl will also mark the farewell for offensive coordinator Scottie Montgomery after the Blue Devils alum was named East Carolina's head coach Dec. 13.

Montgomery's offense has averaged 30.5 points and wrung out the maximum production from Thomas Sirk, who is one of five quarterbacks among Power 5 conferences to lead his team in passing yards (2,462) and rushing yards (648) this season.

'When Coach (Kurt) Roper (took the Florida job), we found that out and came back to practice, and it was business as usual,' center Matt Skura said. 'That's kind of the same thing it's been here. (Montgomery) hasn't mentally moved on. He's probably coaching us harder right now than he ever has, and we're taking it as business as usual. Everyone's locked in. `Coach Mo' wants to win this game just as bad as all of us do, and we've been seeing that in practice.'

Indiana (6-6) has the personnel to match Duke point for point. The Hoosiers reached their first bowl since 2007 in impressive fashion, winning at Maryland and Purdue to become eligible and claiming the Old Oaken Bucket in their finale by racking up season highs in yards (659) and points in a 54-36 win over the Boilermakers on Nov. 28.

The Hoosiers - who lost to ranked Big Ten foes Ohio State, Iowa and Michigan by a combined 22 points - led the conference in total offense at 490.8 yards per game, which was good for 16th among FBS teams. They also were tied for 22nd in scoring average with at 36.2 points and tied for fifth with only 11 turnovers.

Nate Sudfeld had six 300-yard passing games and led Indiana's late-season surge, completing 41 of 64 passes for 755 yards and eight touchdowns without an interception in the wins over Maryland and Purdue.

"I'm very proud. Ultimately, we wanted to get to the postseason," said Sudfeld, who has thrown for 3,184 yards and 24 touchdowns with only five picks. "We were aware that if we didn't take care of business at the end of the season here, and really throughout the season, that we would never have the opportunity (as seniors).

"Everybody should be able to experience a bowl game."

Indiana also averages 14.24 yards per completion, good for 12th in the FBS.

Sudfeld could get a huge boost if running back Jordan Howard is healthy enough to play. The first-team all-Big Ten selection had 1,213 yards and nine touchdowns despite playing only eight full games and part of a ninth due to ankle and knee injuries.

As good as Indiana's offense is, though, its defense is at the opposite end of the spectrum. That means Sirk could hit on many home-run plays in "The House That Ruth Built." The Hoosiers allowed a Big Ten-worst 507.3 yards per game, third-worst among Power 5 schools ahead of only Texas Tech and Kansas.

They're also third-worst among Power 5 programs in scoring defense at 37.1 points allowed per game and last among the 127 FBS teams in pass defense (326.3 ypg).

This game could come down to which defense can get off the field on third down, and Duke has an advantage on both sides. The Blue Devils are 30th offensively, moving the chains 43.9 percent of the time, and the Hoosiers have allowed opponents to convert on 42.9 percent (94th) of those plays.

Indiana is playing just its second bowl game since 1993 and is 3-6 all-time. The Hoosiers' last postseason victory was a 24-0 shutout of Baylor in the 1991 Copper Bowl.