Saturday 3/12/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - March

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
3/1 8 48.5 49 OVER
3/2 3 16.5 17 OVER
3/3 12 65.5 69 OVER
3/4 3 15.5 20 OVER
3/5 11 58 62 OVER
3/6 6 30.5 34 OVER
3/7 7 36 38 OVER
3/8 8 44.5 41 UNDER
3/9 6 32.5 32 UNDER
3/10 6 32.5 29 UNDER
3/11 5 26.5 28 OVER
3/12 12 - - -
3/13 3 - - -
3/14 6 - - -
3/15 8 - - -
3/16 6 - - -
3/17 8 - - -
3/18 6 - - -
3/19 11 - - -
3/20 7 - - -
3/21 4 - - -
3/22 10 - - -
3/23 2 - - -
3/24 11 - - -
3/25 3 - - -
3/26 14 - - -
3/27 3 - - -
3/28 8 - - -
3/29 9 - - -
3/30 3 - - -
3/31 10 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: Still no timetable for Bosh's return
By The Sports Xchange

One day after Chris Bosh expressed that he hopes to play again this season, the Miami Heat reiterated that there is no timetable for his return.
The 11-time All-Star has been sidelined for more than a month due to a second round of blood-clot issues, and the possibility of seeing Bosh on the court isn't something that coach Erik Spoelstra is fretting about.
"We don't have any kind of timetable or anything like that," Spoelstra told reporters at a mid-day shootaround in Chicago on Friday prior to a game against the Chicago Bulls.
Bosh last played on Feb. 9 and had to pull out of the NBA All-Star Game due to the medical problem. It was first reported as a calf injury and it later became commonly referred to as an injury related to blood clots, though the Heat have repeatedly refused to clarify Bosh's situation.

--The Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Briante Weber to a 10-day contract after he was called up from the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League.
The 6-foot-2, 165-pound Weber has appeared in 22 games (nine starts) with the Skyforce and averaged 10.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.95 steals in 28.5 minutes in his first professional season.

--The Charlotte Hornets signed guard Jorge Gutierrez for the remainder of the season.
The 6-foot-3 Gutierrez signed consecutive 10-day contracts with Charlotte on Feb. 20 and March 1. He has appeared in three games with the Hornets, averaging 3.0 points and 1.0 assists in 4.5 minutes per game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (34-30) at Mavericks (33-32)

Date: March 12, 2016 2:00 PM EDT

A four-day break this late in the season is fairly unusual. At least two Indiana Pacers were happy about it, though their teammates might not have been.

Newcomer Ty Lawson could be healed enough to play, and C.J. Miles might finally return as the Pacers look to reclaim the positive vibes from an impressive victory by dealing the Dallas Mavericks another crushing blow Saturday night.

Monta Ellis wants to be a major part of doing that, playing his first game in Dallas since the Mavericks chose not to re-sign him after last season even though he was their top scorer. Ellis appeared motivated when the Mavs played in Indiana on Dec. 16, scoring 13 of his 19 points in a game-changing third quarter of the Pacers' 107-81 win.

"It was nothing personal, but Dallas was talking in the second half, a little. It probably got me going,' Ellis said at the time.

The loss was the Mavericks' worst in the history of this series and most lopsided of the season to a team other than San Antonio.

It was the Spurs against whom Indiana received a big confidence boost Monday, halting their eight-game winning streak with a 99-91 victory behind Ellis' 26 points. The Pacers (34-30) haven't played since knocking off the league's second-best team.

"For me it's a blessing, for the rest of the guys it's a curse when they've been playing and you got four days off all of a sudden," said Miles, who should be ready to go after missing nine games with a calf injury.

"It was a blessing to be able to have the practice days and to be able to have the time in between to get ready."

Lawson feels similarly.

The veteran point guard made his Pacers debut against San Antonio but sprained his left foot. Lawson is hoping to play, though, after the lengthy break provided extra time to recover and get acclimated to Frank Vogel's offense, similar to the one he ran with Denver for six seasons.

"It's exactly the same," Lawson said. "They're saying the plays, they have different names for the plays, but it's basically the same action."

He'll come off the bench along with Miles, who is intrigued by the prospect of playing alongside a speedy point man like Lawson.

"That second unit, we really wanna try to run anyway. I mean, that's 'beep beep' over there," said Miles, a Dallas native who has averaged 24.0 points in his last two games against the Mavs.

Whereas Lawson and Miles provide Indiana extra perimeter production, the Mavericks likely need more. The struggles of Wesley Matthews, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton have played a role in Dallas (33-32) being at risk of falling to .500 for the first time since mid-November.

"I think there's some anger that's got to manifest the right way on Saturday," coach Rick Carlisle told the team's official website.

The Mavericks are trying to avoid their longest losing streak since December 2012, having dropped four in a row.

That skid has seen Matthews average 7.0 points on 9-of-37 shooting after scoring 17.8 per game as Dallas won four of five. Felton has shot 8 for 28 during the four-game skid, and he's 1 for 21 on 3-point tries since the All-Star break.

Williams has averaged 8.5 points on 5-of-20 shooting in the last two games, beginning a stretch of nine straight against teams with winning records.

"The biggest thing for us right now is just for us to stay positive, stick with one another, keep believing in one another and stay confident," forward Chandler Parsons said. "You know, we're too good of a team and we've worked too hard to be having struggles like this."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (33-32) at 76ers (9-56)

Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Thanks to a little help from their closest pursuer, the Detroit Pistons for now remain in position to claim a postseason spot.

A winning road trip could go a long way toward keeping them there before their late-season schedule provides a luscious gift.

The Pistons, who lead Chicago by a half-game for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, get an easy matchup against the NBA-worst Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night before a key contest against another team chasing them in the standings.

Detroit (33-32) lost for the third time in five games and fell to 1-1 on its four-game trip with a 118-103 loss at Charlotte on Friday. The club briefly dropped into a tie with the Bulls, but they later lost 118-96 to Miami and returned to ninth place.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 24 points and Reggie Jackson had 20 and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, but big man Andre Drummond attempted only one shot and had five points against a stout Hornets interior defense that entered the game second in the league with an average of 39.3 points allowed in the paint.

"He didn't play with any energy at all," coach Stan Van Gundy said of his 6-11 center. "He didn't roll on his pick and rolls, he didn't run the floor and he didn't go to the offensive glass other than to push people. He basically didn't do anything."

Drummond also had only nine rebounds, marking the fourth time in 65 games that he's failed to reach double digits in both points and boards. The All-Star is averaging 16.6 points and a league-best 15.0 rebounds and leads the NBA with 54 double-doubles.

He'll likely bounce back against the 76ers (9-56), one of the NBA's worst with 45.7 interior points allowed per game. Drummond has dominated in three wins against them this season with an average of 18.3 points on 52.5 percent shooting and 17.3 rebounds.

Jackson has also played well versus Philadelphia this season with 21.7 points per game, and another strong performance could help Detroit to its first four-game sweep of the Sixers since the 1995-96 season. The Pistons swept three meetings in 2005-06.

A victory in Philly would be a big boost before the Pistons close their trip Monday against 10th-place Washington, which is two and a half games behind them in the chase. Things become very favorable from there with a nine-game homestand March 16-April 1.

Philadelphia has yet to win back-to-back games this season and will get another shot after ending a 13-game losing streak with a 95-89 victory over Brooklyn on Friday.

Carl Landry scored 16 and Nerlens Noel had 13 and 11 rebounds for the 76ers, who announced earlier that rookie center Jahlil Okafor will miss the rest of the season because of surgery to repair a small cartilage tear in his right knee.

Okafor, the No. 3 overall pick in last year's draft, averaged a team-high 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in 53 games. He'll resume basketball activities in six weeks.

The Sixers then suffered another blow against the Nets when Robert Covington had to be removed on a stretcher and was taken to a hospital with an apparent neck injury after he was kicked in the face by teammate Jerami Grant in a collision under the basket.

"It was a significant collision," coach Brett Brown said. "When you see a player, a teammate, a friend being taken off the court on a stretcher, it's different than someone walking off the court with a sprained ankle."

Philadelphia's only two victories since Jan. 27 have both come against Brooklyn.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Rockets (33-32) at Hornets (36-28)

Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

As much as the Charlotte Hornets love seeing Kemba Walker register one big scoring effort after another, it has to be a little comforting to know they can win without one.

That doesn't mean it's going to happen regularly, so the Hornets would appreciate a bounce-back performance from Walker on Saturday night as they try to win seven straight for the first time in 14 years with a rare victory over the visiting Houston Rockets.

Baron Davis was running the point the last time Charlotte (36-28) won seven games in a row, and that was the season before the franchise moved to New Orleans.

The Hornets' current floor general has them in position to get there again after four straight 30-point games entering Friday, but what was most impressive about the latest contest is that Walker's streak ending didn't prevent the team's from continuing.

Walker was held to 16 points on 3-of-11 shooting, but six other Hornets scored in double figures in a 118-103 rout of Detroit. Marvin Williams led the way with 22 - his fifth 20-point game in his last 20 after having none in his previous 149.

"We had stretches tonight that were the best we've played all year in terms of putting offense and defense together," coach Steve Clifford said. "Obviously this was a good win, a good effort and we did a lot of things better. Hopefully we take this and play well again tomorrow night."

Charlotte moved eight games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2000-01 season. Now it takes a crack at ending a 10-game skid against the Rockets (33-32), whom it last beat when Walker was a junior at Connecticut.

"It's gonna be a tough one," Walker said of facing Houston, which held him to 14 points on 3-of-10 shooting in a 102-95 loss Dec. 21. "Those guys can score, of course they've got one of the better players in the league in James Harden, so we have to be ready to come in and defend him."

The Hornets winning on an off night from Walker has been a rarity. Charlotte has won 17 of its last 23 he's played, going 15-0 when he scores at least 22 and 2-6 otherwise.

Clifford's team is just 1 1/2 games behind Southeast Division-leading Miami, while the Rockets are within a half game of Portland for sixth in the Western Conference, which would allow it to avoid Golden State or San Antonio in the first round.

Houston will go for a fourth straight win as it tries to lay waste to another impressive streak. The Rockets began this week by ending Toronto's franchise-record 12-game run at home Sunday, and after an easy victory over Philadelphia they snapped Boston's run at TD Garden at 14 with Friday's 102-98 win.

Houston will now try to end its five-game trip with a fourth straight victory.

"We have the willingness to share, we have the willingness to (play) defense (since the All-Star break)," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "There has been a camaraderie and togetherness."

"We'll be even better in the weeks to come but we are taking steps in the right direction now."

Harden had 32 points, which actually slightly reduced his NBA-leading average since Jan. 29 to 33.2, but the encouraging sign to come out of Friday's game was the performance of a player who was a top-3 pick a year before Harden.

Michael Beasley, who just finished a second season in China, got in for a third game since signing with Houston a week ago. He managed to take 19 shots in 15 minutes, hitting nine to finish with 18 points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (38-27) at Raptors (43-20)

Date: March 12, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

While their offense has keyed a dominant stretch at home, the Toronto Raptors have been nearly unbeatable when they've been able to put together a complete defensive effort.

That isn't likely to be an easy task against the suddenly high-scoring Miami Heat.

The Heat hope Dwyane Wade will be able to go in the second of back-to-back games Saturday night when they try to deal the Raptors their second loss in the past 16 home games.

The Raptors are averaging 107.1 points - far above their 102.7 mark overall - and shooting 47.9 percent from the field during a 14-1 stretch at home. However, it was the team's effort at the other end that pleased coach Dwane Casey most in Thursday's 104-96 victory over Atlanta.

Toronto limited the Hawks to 42.7 percent shooting and 7 for 23 (30.4 percent) from 3-point range while also outrebounding them 48-33 and outscoring them 50-34 in the paint. The Raptors are riding a franchise-record 29-game winning streak when holding teams under 100 points.

"I saw toughness," Casey explained. "I saw a longer period of physicality."

Casey's club seemed to be both on Jan. 22 when it limited Miami to 40.7 percent shooting - including 4 of 17 from 3-point range - in a 101-81 win in the first home meeting. The Heat (38-27), however, played without Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and Luol Deng.

Former Toronto star Chris Bosh will miss his 13th straight game as Miami tries to avoid dropping three of four in the season series. The All-Star released a statement Thursday saying he would love to rejoin the playoff push at some point after his latest blood clot scare.

Wade will try to recover quickly after finishing with nine points on 3-of-15 shooting in Friday's 118-96 win at Chicago. The All-Star guard suffered a bruised thigh in a 114-108 loss at Milwaukee in the opener of this trip that snapped a five-game winning streak.

DeMar DeRozan has gotten the best of his matchup with Wade in the past two meetings. He finished with 30 points in a 108-94 win at Miami on Dec. 18 and had 33 at home in January. Wade totaled 43 points but also committed a combined 12 turnovers in those contests.

The Raptors (43-20), who can get within two games of Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland, have won four of five meetings following a 16-game series losing streak.

DeRozan is playing well heading into this one, averaging 28.6 points in his last five games. Fellow All-Star Kyle Lowry has scored 27 per game and hit 17 of 41 from 3-point range in his past six but has averaged 15.8 while shooting 5 for 27 from 3 in his last four versus Miami.

The Heat should provide a tough challenge for Toronto defensively after averaging 113 points on 51.2 percent shooting - including 47.8 from long distance - in their last six games.

Dragic led the way with 26 points and nine assists against the Bulls, while Josh Richardson added a career-high 22 points and Deng scored 19. Whiteside contributed 13 points and 16 rebounds, giving him an average of 18 and 15.1 over his past 11 games.

"'Once we got the lead we started to get comfortable,' Deng said after Miami broke open the game with a 34-15 fourth quarter, 'and then they were reacting to us.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (24-40) at Bucks (27-38)

Date: March 12, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Anthony Davis causes problems for the Milwaukee Bucks, but Jabari Parker seems poised to do the same to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Parker will try to give the Bucks an answer for Davis as they try to beat the Pelicans for just the third time in a decade Saturday night.

Milwaukee (27-38) has lost 17 of 19 against New Orleans, including six straight while giving up an average of 105.2 points on 48.7 percent shooting, including 45.7 from 3-point range.

The Bucks allowed the Pelicans (24-40) to connect on 17 of 31 from beyond the arc in a 116-99 road loss Jan. 23, part of an overall 8-13 stretch that's practically ended their postseason chances and put them at the bottom of the Central Division.

Davis has done a lot of damage over the last four matchups, averaging 28.5 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 blocks. The All-Star power forward had 43 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in a 114-103 win in the most recent visit to Milwaukee on March 9, 2015.

The Bucks are hoping Parker can slow him down after he only managed 10 points at New Orleans two months ago. The rookie forward enters this one averaging 23.8 points over the last five home games, including a season-high 36 in a 128-121 win over Houston on Feb. 29.

Parker is also getting help up front from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has put up 22.2 points and 8.2 assists per game over the past five games. He had 29 points against the Pelicans at home last year, but he only scored 10 earlier this season.

Parker and Antetokounmpo combined for 47 points and Khris Middleton added 22 with eight assists and seven boards in Wednesday's 114-108 win over Miami.

"We just wanted to stay with it, execute down the stretch," Middleton said of Milwaukee's 34-23 fourth-quarter scoring edge. "We haven't been doing that lately. We finally got back to doing it, and it worked out for us."

Middleton is averaging 24.1 points over the last seven, and he scored 22 with seven boards and five assists at New Orleans in January.

The Pelicans are surrendering 109.6 points per game while dropping six of seven games. They're also among the worst road teams in the NBA at 7-25, losing four straight after falling 121-114 in overtime at Memphis on Friday.

They opened this five-game trip with a 122-113 defeat at Charlotte on Wednesday.

Davis has done his part on this trip, scoring 40 points with 13 rebounds against the Hornets and getting 25 and 13 versus the Grizzlies. He's averaging 31.3 points and 11.8 boards over the last four games overall.

The Pelicans are also wasting outstanding efforts from Jrue Holiday, who's totaled 72 points and 16 assists on the trip. Holiday had 13 points and nine assists against Milwaukee two months ago.

The Bucks will be without guard O.J. Mayo for the rest of the season after he broke his right ankle falling down stairs at his home Thursday. Mayo averaged 7.8 points and 2.9 assists in 26.6 minutes during 41 games. He'll likely be replaced by Jerryd Bayless, who averages 10.7 points and 3.4 assists while starting just eight of 42 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (39-26) at Hawks (36-29)

Date: March 12, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The last time the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies faced each other, their records were floating around .500 during mediocre starts to the season.

Each has separated a bit from the even-water mark since, though not without plenty of turmoil along the way.

Both continue to jostle for better playoff position Saturday night when the Hawks go for a season sweep of the visiting Grizzlies, who may be forced to play again without their ailing stars.

Atlanta (36-29) won the first meeting 116-101 in Memphis on Nov. 27, though that came in the middle of a 6-10 stretch that tempered expectations for the Eastern Conference's only 60-win team a season ago. The Hawks have been streaky all season, with a stiff defensive stretch helping to account for five wins in six games in their recent upswing.

It was Toronto's defensive pressure that ended the Hawks' latest run at three on Thursday night, though. Atlanta shot 42.7 percent and hit only 7 of 23 3s in a 104-96 loss to close a five-game road trip 3-2.

The Hawks held their previous six opponents to 88.5 points per game on 37 percent shooting. They forced a combined 39 turnovers in the final two games of that stretch, but after turning the Raptors over 11 times in the first half, only got four the rest of the way.

'We weren't flying around all over the place like we were earlier, so probably that had something to do with it," Al Horford said. "As far as tightening up on offense, we need to be a little more focused, do things with more purpose in order for us to take the next step as a team.'

Atlanta has taken a step or two back in the Southeast Division over the last month with Miami and Charlotte surging to the top two spots, but still holds the East's No. 6 seed - 1 1/2 games ahead of Indiana.

Memphis (39-26) has a stranglehold on the West's fifth spot, but moving up appears unlikely - especially following a bevy of injuries highlighted by Marc Gasol's broken foot.

The Grizzlies are 18-7 since Jan. 14 but played without their top three scorers in Friday's 121-114 overtime win over New Orleans.

Along with Gasol, who has been out since Feb. 10, Zach Randolph sat out his second straight contest with a sore knee and point guard Mike Conley did the same with a sore left foot. Somehow, Memphis still eclipsed 120 points for the fourth time this season for its fifth win in seven games.

The cast that led it there was unlikely to say the least.

Lance Stephenson poured in a career-high 33 points, Matt Barnes had a triple-double with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists and JaMychal Green posted a career-high 21 points along with 10 rebounds.

Even rookie point guard Briante Weber chipped in 10 points and seven assists after signing a 10-day contract earlier Friday.

"I was really impressed with the way they hung in there together," coach Dave Joerger said. "They helped each other try to cement things for the long term and build those relationships, and I was really, really impressed with that."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (44-21) at Spurs (55-10)

Date: March 12, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

It's a wonder why anyone bothers reminding the San Antonio Spurs of what outsiders deem as accomplishments. A long home winning streak? The franchise's best record through 65 games? A future Hall of Famer grabbing a noteworthy rebound?

Ho-hum - to everything.

The Spurs have won five championships since 1999, and anything less than a sixth counts as a disappointing season. So if they're able to extend their regular-season home winning streak to 41 with a win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night, fine.

If not, they're still legitimate contenders to be the last team standing in June.

"It's a record season, yes, but it doesn't mean anything if we don't go all the way," four-time champion Tony Parker said after scoring 20 points in Thursday's 109-101 home win over Chicago.

The Spurs (55-10) brought in LaMarcus Aldridge to help them get through a Western Conference featuring defending champion Golden State. And for all the attention the Warriors have garnered in their pursuit of the single-season wins record, San Antonio quietly isn't far behind them in the standings.

Aldridge's average of 17.6 points is nearly six fewer than last season with Portland, but he's shooting 50.6 percent. He's been more aggressive over his last five, scoring 25.4 points per game and hitting 58.6 percent from the floor after scoring 26 against the Bulls.

With Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili in the twilight of their careers, Kawhi Leonard has taken over as the top threat. He's averaging 25.6 points over his last eight after netting 29 on Thursday.

Duncan brushed off becoming the sixth player in NBA history with 15,000 rebounds and instead praised Leonard, who helped San Antonio win for 10th time in its last 11.

"He's had an incredible year thus far and he's starting to feel that he needs a little more respect than he's getting," Duncan said. "That he can make the plays that he's making if he's allowed the opportunity."

Leonard made plenty in the first meeting with the Thunder (44-21) on Oct. 28, finishing with 32 points in a 112-106 road victory.

He's shooting 60.9 percent while making 6 of 9 from 3-point range in his last three against Oklahoma City, which got 33 points and 10 assists from Russell Westbrook and 22 points from Kevin Durant in the first matchup.

The Thunder will try to become the first opponent to win at the AT&T Center this season, but they've dropped three of their last five on the road and are coming off Friday's 99-96 home loss to last-place Minnesota.

Steven Adams' layup tied it with 10.8 seconds remaining before Ricky Rubio drained a 3 with 0.2 seconds left, preventing Oklahoma City from winning its third straight.

"We didn't expect this loss," Enes Kanter said after scoring 17 off the bench. "The most important thing is to get past it and start worrying about (the Spurs)."

Durant finished with 28 points and Westbrook had 26, but they combined for 11 of the Thunder's 24 turnovers, their second-most giveaways this season.

"I wish I could take all of (the turnovers) back, man. I just have to watch film and see how I can be better," said Durant, who has 32 giveaways over his last five games. "I have to control those turnovers because it's bleeding into the rest of the team, and as a leader I take full responsibility."

The Spurs won the last matchup in San Antonio 130-91 on March 25, 2015, although the Thunder played without Durant.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (30-34) at Nuggets (27-38)

Date: March 12, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

The Washington Wizards have fallen into a tailspin at the wrong time, though the teams directly in front of them in the playoff chase seem willing to let them hang around.

Things won't get easier in the finale of their trip against a Denver Nuggets team seeking its longest winning streak of the season.

After the rookie was in awe of All-Star John Wall in the first meeting, Emmanuel Mudiay will try to extend his surge and lead the Nuggets to their fourth straight victory Saturday night.

The Wizards looked as though they might make a playoff push during a recent four-game winning streak, but they've stumbled since with a season high-tying four straight defeats.

They remained 2 1/2 games back of the Eastern Conference's final spot following Friday's 114-93 loss at Utah when eighth-place Detroit and ninth-place Chicago also went down.

'We didn't come out with any sense of urgency,' coach Randy Wittman said. 'I don't know how we can do that with 18 games left."

Washington (30-34) had played better defensively during a 7-2 stretch, allowing an average of 98.4 points and a 43.6 field-goal percentage. However, that effort has slipped while the club has surrendered 109.5 points on 48 percent during its losing streak.

"We can't keep anybody in front of us," Wittman said.

The Wizards certainly had trouble slowing the Nuggets in a 117-113 home loss Jan. 28. Danilo Gallinari finished with 26 points, Mudiay added 20 and Nikola Jokic had 15 with 10 rebounds as Denver shot 50.6 percent and made 9 for 18 from beyond the arc.

Gallinari won't be around for this one due to torn ligaments in his ankle, but Mudiay looks to build on a career-high 30-point effort in Thursday's 116-98 home win over Phoenix. He's averaged 21.6 points while hitting 11 for 25 from long distance in his last five games.

'Coach has confidence in me and told me to stay aggressive," the seventh overall pick said after Denver matched a season high with its third consecutive victory.

Mudiay seemed to soak in every moment of his first encounter with Wall in January.

"He said to me during the game, `John Wall is the quickest guy I've ever played against,"' coach Michael Malone said. "And I said, `You're not even guarding him, Gary Harris is."'

Harris will likely be matched up on Washington's top scorer again after holding him to 17 points on 5-of-17 shooting. Garrett Temple had 20 for the Wizards and Bradley Beal scored 17. Beal, however, could miss a third straight game because of a lingering hip injury.

Markieff Morris is averaging 12.3 points and 7.2 rebounds in six games as a starter.

Denver (27-38) has tightened things up in its last two games, allowing an average of 96 points on 40.2 percent shooting - including 12 of 46 (26.1 percent) from 3-point range. The club had been giving up 104.5 and a 46.1 field-goal percentage heading into those contests.

The Nuggets, six games back of the West's final playoff spot, have scored 115.8 per game in their last five. Jokic has chipped in by averaging 16.5 points and 10.8 boards in his past four.

They had dropped four of six in this series before winning in January.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (28-36) at Trail Blazers (34-32)

Date: March 12, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers came up well short in their bid for a second win in three weeks against the NBA's best team.

Next up is the struggling Orlando Magic, but two other Western Conference powers loom close behind.

With a difficult trip waiting around the corner, the Trail Blazers look to snap out of their recent funk when they host the Magic on Saturday night.

Portland (34-32) is not far removed from an 18-4 stretch which included a statement-making 137-105 win over league-leading Golden State on Feb. 19.

That storyline has flipped quickly, though, after Friday's 128-112 loss to the Warriors marked the Trail Blazers' fourth defeat in five games and dropped them back into a congested West playoff race.

Portland currently holds the sixth seed, just one-half game ahead of Houston and Dallas and three and a half up on Utah.

With Damian Lillard scoring in bunches and a defensive improvement on the other end of the floor, Portland seemed in control of its postseason fate, but Friday's blowout was a completely different story.

Lillard made only 5 of 19 shots for 17 points back in his native Oakland, and the Warriors jumped out to an 81-61 lead at halftime and led by as many as 32 points.

Sure, it was against the league's highest-scoring team, but Portland has suddenly surrendered 118.6 points per game over its last five after holding opponents to 99.7 over the previous 15.

The Blazers follow this contest with a four-game trip beginning at Oklahoma City on Monday before a visit to San Antonio on Thursday. They then head to New Orleans on Friday before closing the swing March 20 in Dallas.

"We'll check out what we can do better tomorrow on the film and what we did well and just bounce back against Orlando," Meyers Leonard told the team's official website. "That's the main thing right now, Orlando. This game is over with, Orlando is huge for us tomorrow night."

Lillard was bound to fall back to earth at some point, but he just so happened to plummet against a team he torched for 51 points last month. That was part of a stretch in which he averaged 33.3 points over 13 games, including 41 in Tuesday's 116-109 win over Washington - Portland's 10th win in its last 12 home games.

Lillard will try to regroup against a team he's never scored 20 points against. He's averaged 14.7 versus the Magic in seven career meetings, and he made just 4 of 15 shots and 2 of 9 from 3-point range for 19 points in a 102-94 loss Dec. 18.

Orlando (28-36) has won the last two in this series, though the Trail Blazers have taken three straight and five of six in Portland.

Despite Friday's 107-100 victory at Sacramento, the Magic are one of the league's worst teams since Jan. 1 with a 9-23 record.

Three teams and four and a half games stand in the way of the East's eighth and final playoff spot, though Orlando isn't ready to count itself out of a postseason push.

"We want it, everybody in this locker room wants it," Aaron Gordon said. "A couple of games here and there and we can be right back in it. We just have to keep focused. We need to make sure we're doing the right things to make that push."

Gordon scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while helping the Magic snap a four-game skid on the road against the Kings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (17-48) at Warriors (58-6)

Date: March 12, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Phoenix put up strong defensive efforts in consecutive wins, then regressed right back to its porous self in back-to-back defeats.

A third straight seems likely with a stop in Golden State Saturday night as the Warriors try for a 48th straight home victory as well as a seventh straight over the Suns.

Golden State (58-6) scored an NBA season-high 81 points in the first half and moved to 3-0 to start a six-game homestand with Friday's 128-112 win over Portland as the Warriors and Trail Blazers combined for an NBA-record 37 3-pointers. On the homestand, the Warriors have averaged 120.7 points and hit 44.8 percent from 3-point range with an average of 15.7 makes per game. And with Phoenix followed in by New Orleans and New York, extending their NBA-record home winning streak to 50 seems almost inevitable.

Klay Thompson had 37 points and Stephen Curry scored 34 with the former joining his teammate as the only players to make 200 3-pointers in four straight seasons. They scored 30 or more points in the same game for the sixth time in their careers.

Since going 0 of 8 from 3-point range in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Thompson has made 18 of 30 in the three straight wins while averaging 29.0 points per game.

"Klay came out blazing. Me, not so much," said Curry, who sold himself short after scoring 23 first-half points. "It took me a while to get into it. He brought a lot of energy on both ends of the floor. We kind of fed off of that."

It sounds like Golden State might again be without Andre Iguodala, who will reportedly have an MRI on his left ankle tomorrow. X-rays after the game were negative. The forward had missed three of the last six games with a hamstring injury.

The Warriors' three wins this season over the Suns have come by an average score of 125.0-107.7 with Golden State shooting 46.4 percent from 3-point range with 17.0 makes per game. Draymond Green has triple-doubles in two of the three while averaging 13.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists. The Warriors have also won the last eight home matchups with the Suns last winning in Oakland in 2010-11.

Phoenix (17-48) won in Orlando and Memphis last weekend while limiting those teams to 92.0 points on 37.0 percent. It followed a 1-15 span on which the Suns allowed 111.4 points on 47.0 percent and 39.4 from 3-point range.

In Wednesday's 128-97 home loss to New York and Thursday's 116-98 defeat in Denver, they became themselves again and allowed those teams to hit 52.0 percent and 54.7 from long range.

As a result, Devin Booker's offensive outpouring has been wasted. The 19-year-old became the second teenager in data available back to the 1963-64 season to score 30-plus points in consecutive games. The other was LeBron James in 2003-04 with a point more than Booker's 67.

A career-high 35 of those came against the Nuggets, 25 of which came in the second half. The rookie has reached at least 32 points in three of his last five games while averaging 28.4 on 48.5 percent from the field.

"I was more aggressive," he said of his second-half effort. "I saw them playing me tighter so I had to find other shots in transition."

Brandon Knight scored 10 points in 25 minutes in his first game since Jan. 19, but it sounds like interim coach Earl Watson will ease him back into his regular minutes.

"He had a sports hernia, a slight tear, so you know that's serious," Watson said. "That injury kind of ended my career, so I understand the seriousness of that injury."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Saturday, March 12 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

You might want to put down a few dollars on the Miami Heat to win the Eastern Conference, which is currently priced at solid +1200 value at BetOnline. Do I think the Heat as currently constructed can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers? I don't. But if Chris Bosh can return from his blood clot problem, then I could see that because the Cavs look vulnerable. Bosh said Thursday his problem is clearing up and that he's hopeful to return this season, although doctors have yet to clear him. Joe Johnson has made a tremendous impact on the team, and Bosh hasn't even played with him yet. You throw out a starting five of Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Johnson, Bosh and Hassan Whiteside (with Luol Deng off the bench) and that matches up pretty well with Cleveland's starting five. In fact, I'd give the Cavs the edge only at point guard (Kyrie Irving) and small forward (LeBron James). A key for Miami is to get the No. 3 seed, currently held by Boston, and avoid the Cavs until the conference finals.

Pacers at Mavericks (-2, 205)

Rare matinee in Dallas with a 2 p.m. ET start. Indiana won a second straight Monday with a 99-91 home upset of San Antonio. Monta Ellis had 26 points and Paul George 23. Ty Lawson made his Indiana debut but only played five minutes before spraining his foot. It was the Pacers' second win in 17 meetings with the Spurs since 2008. Pretty rare for a team to get four days off in the middle of the season like Indiana will have here. Dallas could fall to .500 with a loss as it has dropped a season-high four straight games, three at home. On Wednesday it was 102-96 against Detroit. The Mavericks are in a stretch with nine out of 10 games at home, but they have gone 4-5 in that time. Indiana won the first meeting 107-81 on Dec. 16, the Pacers' largest margin of victory ever in the series. They have won three straight against the Mavs overall.

Key trends: The Pacers are 9-2 against the spread in the past 11 meetings. The "over/under" is 10-3 in the past 13 overall.

Early lean: These odd start times hugely favor the home team. Dallas and over.

Rockets at Hornets (-4.5, 216.5)

Houston was in Boston on Friday and Charlotte hosted Detroit. The Rockets beat the Hornets 102-95 on Dec. 21. The teams combined for 60 fouls and 72 free throw attempts. James Harden had 36 points. Al Jefferson was out then for the Hornets. Houston has won 10 straight in the series and four in a row in Charlotte.

Key trends: The home team is 6-1-1 ATS in the past eight meetings. The under is 5-0 in the past five in Charlotte.

Early lean: Hornets didn't have to travel, which is an advantage. Take them.

Pistons at 76ers (+9, 209)

Detroit was in Charlotte on Friday and Philly hosted Brooklyn with Jahlil Okafor out again. The Pistons are 3-0 against the 76ers this season. Reggie Jackson is averaging 21.7 points against Philly in those wins. Detroit is just 3-6 in its past nine trips to the City of Brotherly Love, however.

Key trends: The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 9-4 in the previous 13.

Early lean: 76ers and under.

Heat at Raptors (-6, 199)

Miami was in Chicago on Friday. Toronto won a second straight Thursday, 104-96 over Atlanta. DeMar DeRozan had 30 points and five rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas had 10 points and 10 rebounds, his career-high 16th straight game scoring in double figures and team-best 16th double-double of the season. This is the final meeting between these two, although I could see them potentially facing off in the Eastern Conference semifinals if the Heat can get to the No. 3 seed. Toronto leads 2-1 -- all three have been blowouts -- but still is only 4-17 in the past 21 meetings.

Key trends: The favorite is 9-3 ATS in the past 12 meetings. The over is 4-0 in Toronto's past four on Saturday.

Early lean: Raptors and under.

Grizzlies at Hawks (TBA)

Memphis hosted New Orleans on Friday with both Mike Conley and Zach Randolph questionable again and with guard Mario Chalmers now out for the season -- and then waived. It sound like Conley is going to miss quite a while longer. Atlanta had a three-game winning streak end in a 104-96 defeat in Toronto on Thursday. After forcing 11 Toronto turnovers in the first half, Atlanta only forced four more. The Hawks beat the Grizzlies 116-101 on Nov. 27. Paul Millsap had 23 points and 14 rebounds. Conley led Memphis with 16 points but was 4-for-13 from the field. The Grizz still had Marc Gasol then. He's out for the season.

Key trends: The underdog is 7-3 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The under is 6-2 in Atlanta's past eight.

Early lean: Grizz are banged-up and in second of a back-to-back. Should be an easy Hawks win.

Pelicans at Bucks (-3.5, 211)

New Orleans was in Memphis on Friday. Milwaukee ended a two-game slide with a 114-108 home win over Miami on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points and Jabari Parker added 23. Greg Monroe, who came off the bench for 12 straight games, was back in the starting lineup. Guard O.J. Mayo missed the game with a stomach bug and then fell down the stairs Thursday morning and broke his ankle. He's done for the year. The Pelicans beat the Bucks 116-99 on Jan. 23. Anthony Davis had 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. That was the Bucks' final game under interim coach Joe Prunty before Jason Kidd returned from hip surgery. Milwaukee has lost six in a row in the series.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 8-2 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five.

Early lean: Bucks and over.

Thunder at Spurs (-7.5, 213.5)

This is your ABC Saturday Primetime Game and will have live betting at sportsbooks. I wish both teams were on equal rest to give the Thunder a realistic chance of handing the Spurs their first home loss, but OKC hosted Minnesota on Friday. San Antonio beat Chicago 109-101 on Thursday to improve to 31-0 at home. Kawhi Leonard had 29 points and LaMarcus Aldridge had 26 points and 10 rebounds. The Spurs have won 40 straight at home dating to last regular season. Kevin Martin, recently signed off waivers from Minnesota, made his Spurs debut and played eight minutes. These teams have met just once, and that was in their opener. The Thunder won 112-106 at home. Russell Westbrook gave Billy Donovan a win in his NBA debut with 33 points and seven assists. Kevin Durant had 22. Leonard led the Spurs, who were up by seven at one point in the fourth quarter, with 32 points.

Key trends: The Thunder are 1-4 ATS in the past five in San Antonio. The over is 4-1 in the past five meetings overall.

Early lean: Spurs and over.

Wizards at Nuggets (TBA)

Washington was in Utah on Friday with Bradley Beal questionable. So the Wizards go from the city at the second-highest altitude in the NBA to the one with the most just 24 hours later. Guess which way I'll lean here? Denver won a third straight on Thursday, 116-98 over Phoenix. Rookie Emmanuel Mudiay had a career-high 30 points. He's averaging 21.6 points over the past five and starting to show why he was the preseason Rookie of the Year favorite at some books. Denver won in Washington 117-113 on Jan. 28. Danilo Gallinari had 26 points but is now out for the season. John Wall had 17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds.

Key trends: The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over has hit in five of the previous eight meetings.

Early lean: Uh, Nuggets.

Suns at Warriors (-21, 226.5)

Golden State hosted Portland on Friday. I will be shocked -- shocked! -- if Steve Kerr doesn't rest a guy or two here against the sorry Suns. It may not be Steph Curry, because that's what all the fans come to see, but someone's going to sit. Andrew Bogut? Draymond Green? Both? Phoenix was routed in Denver on Thursday for its second straight loss. One bright spot this season has been the play of rookie Devin Booker, and he had 35 points. Suns point guard Brandon Knight played for the first time since Jan. 19 and had 10 points in 25 minutes. The Warriors have won three high-scoring games vs. the Suns this season and taken six straight overall vs. Phoenix.

Key trends: The Suns are 2-6 ATS in the past eight in Oakland. The over is 13-5 in the past 18 there.

Early lean: Biggest spread of the year. Take all those points. And go under that crazy total.

Magic at Trail Blazers (TBA)

Orlando was in Sacramento, catching a break with DeMarcus Cousins suspended, and Portland at Golden State on Friday. The Magic beat the Blazers 102-94 on Dec. 18. Tobias Harris (25 points, 12 rebounds) and Nikola Vucevic (25/11) each had double-doubles for the Magic. Vucevic was questionable for Friday after missing the previous two games so he may not go here. Harris is now in Detroit. Damian Lillard was held to 19 in that first meeting for the Blazers. Portland has won five of its past six games against the Magic at the Moda Center.

Key trends: The Magic are 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The under is 3-1-1 in the past five.

Early lean: Wait to see what Portland does Friday. If Blazers somehow win in Oakland or even stay very close, bet on the Magic here. Would be a huge letdown game.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Houston at Charlotte March 12, 7:00 EST

Charlotte is on fire, having won five straight (4-1 ATS) and eleven of its last thirteen on the hardwood (9-4 ATS). However, you bet Hornets at some risk. Every team has that one team where it's always a struggle. That's the case for the Charlotte Hornets when it comes to the Houston Rockets. In ten meetings the result has been zero wins for Bugs with a money-burning 2-7-1 record against the betting line.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

ACC Trends and Angles

Venue: Verizon Center - Washington, DC

Overall Betting Results
Favorites/Underdogs: 10-2 SU, 5-6-1 ATS
Over/Under: 8-4
Saturday, Mar. 12
Championship
Matchup Records Skinny Projection

No. 1 North Carolina
Overall: 27-6 SU, 15-17-1
Totals: 17-16-1 O/U

No. 2 Virginia
Overall: 26-6 SU, 17-13 ATS
Totals: 11-19 O/U

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 2 Virginia (ESPN, 9:00 p.m. ET)
---

TBD
TBD

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Big East Trends and Angles

Venue: Madison Square Garden - New York, NY

Overall Betting Results
Favorites/Underdogs: 6-2 SU, 5-3 ATS
Over/Under: 6-2
Saturday, Mar. 12
Championship
Matchup Records Skinny Projection

No. 1 Villanova
Overall: 29-4 SU, 15-16-1 ATS
Totals: 17-14-1 O/U

No. 3 Seton Hall
Overall: 24-8 SU, 22-9 ATS
Totals: 14-17 O/U

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 3 Seton Hall (FOX, 5:30 p.m. ET)
The Wildcats look to repeat as back-to-back conference tournament champs, which would complete a second straight double Big East title for Jay Wright's program. Kris Jenkins led the way with 21 points in a 76-68 win against Providence, taking advantage of First-Team All-Big-East forward Ben Bentil landing in foul trouble and showing off his own versatility. The Friars managed to cover as 8.5-point favorites, so 'Nova has only covered two of its last seven. Center Daniel Ochefu played just 15 minutes off the bench after reaggravating an ankle sprain and playing just 13 minutes in the win over Georgetown. He's the only regular taller than 6-foot-8 on the Villanova roster. The third-seeded Pirates have played from ahead for most of this tournament in wins over Creighton and Xavier, holding off late rally bids. Seton Hall has now won 11 of 13 games. Guards Khadeen Carrington (25 ppg) and Isaiah Whitehead (22 pts, 8.5 rebs, 7 asts) are locks for All-Tournament team through two games. They lost a pair of January meetings (72-63, 72-71) against Villanova, but did cover each time. The 'over' has prevailed in eight consecutive 'Nova games and five straight for Seton Hall.

Villanova 76
Seton Hall 70

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Pac-12 Trends and Angles

Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV

Overall Betting Results
Favorites/Underdogs: 10-0 SU, 6-3-1 ATS
Over/Under:8-2

Saturday, Mar. 12
Championship
Matchup Records Skinny Projection

No. 1 Oregon
Overall: 27-6 SU, 18-12 ATS
Totals: 13-17 O/U

No. 2 Utah
Overall: 25-7 SU, 15-14 ATS
Totals: 16-13 O/U

No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 2 Utah (FS1, 10:00 p.m. ET)
The Pac-12 put on the best on Friday night in Vegas, which includes anything that went down on the Strip. The Ducks survived an epic meltdown that allowed Arizona to force OT when Chris Boucher inexplicably threw an errant inbounds pass underneath his own basket with less than a second remaining. Dwyane Benjamin returned from a toe injury suffered earlier in the game to supply a momentum-altering 3-pointer in the extra session. Elgin Cook was also hobbled but finished with a game-high 22 points and should join Benjamin in being good to go here. Utah also survived its semifinal, quite literally getting a last-second buzzer-beating layup from Lorenzo Bonam to force OT in a game Cal appeared to have won. Center Jakob Poeltl then took over the OT, finishing with 29 points and 11 rebounds as the Utes won 82-78, covering as 2.5-point favorites. Utah has won nine straight, going 7-2 ATS during that stretch. Oregon has won seven consecutive games, but is just 4-3 ATS in that stretch. The 'under' has prevailed in five of the last six Utes games. The Ducks won both regular-season meetings by double-digits, covering in games that each went under the posted total.

Oregon 71
Utah 70

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Big 12 Trends and Angles

Venue: Sprint Center - Kansas City, MO

Overall Betting Results
Favorites/Underdogs: 7-1 SU, 4-4 ATS
Over/Under: 3-5
Saturday, Mar. 12
Championship
Matchup Records Skinny Projection

No. 1 Kansas
Overall: 29-4 SU, 20-11 ATS
Totals: 11-19 O/U

No. 2 West Virginia
Overall: 26-7 SU, 20-10 ATS
Totals: 13-16 O/U

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 2 West Virginia (ESPN, 6:00 p.m. ET)
The Mountaineers survived to play in their first-ever Big 12 Championship when Buddy Hield's double-clutched buzzer-beater from beyond halfcourt was deemed to come after the clock hit 0.0, preserving a 69-67 win. West Virginia almost paid the ultimate price for Bob Huggins foolishly not having Jonathan Holton miss a free-throw at game's end, which would have left the Sooners no time for heroics. The free-throw did cover a 1.5-point spread. Sophomore guard Jevon Carter scored a season-high 26 points, hit six of nine 3-point attempts and helped hold Hield to just six points on 1-for-8 shooting. WVU pressure forced 21 Sooner turnovers and has been responsible for its first-ever Big 12 Tournament wins over both TCU and OU. Kansas cruised past K-State and was throttling Baylor 64-48 with just 1:51 left before Bill Self pulled his starters and the Bears ran off a 16-5 run to steal the cover. Despite the meltdown, the Jayhawks have still covered 10 of their last 13 games, all victories, and seem poised to be the No. 1 overall seed if they can win their first Big Tournament since '13. They lost in last year's Big 12 title game to Iowa State. Kansas only lost three conference games, the first of which came at West Virginia on Jan. 12. It avenged the defeat in the most recent meeting, winning at home 75-65 on Feb. 9.

Kansas 73
West Virginia 67

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Saturday's games..........

Big 14 tournament (Indianapolis)
Michigan State won its last seven games, all by 12+ points; they waxed Ohio State by 27 Friday, using only one guy more than 27:00. Maryland is 3-4 in its last seven games overall; they lost 74-65 Jan 23 at Michigan State; Terps led by 4 early in second half; Maryland made 13-22 on arc in 97-86 win over Nebraska Friday- three Terps played 31:00+. State is 12-3 in its last 15 conference tourney games, winning it in 2012, 2014.

Atlantic 14 tournament (Brooklyn)
St Joe's beat GW Friday after being down 16 in first half; Hawks used three guys 33:00+- Bembry played whole game. St Joe's beat Dayton in only meeting this year, 79-70 at home Feb 17- Flyers were 8-31 on arc that night. Dayton beat Richmond easily Friday; no one played more than 28:00; since '05, Flyers are 2-7 in second conference tourney game. St Joe's won eight of its last 12 conference tournament games.

VCU beat Davidson twice this year, both by 10 points; Rams won first meeting 79-69 in Charlotte, racing out to 29-7 lead, then 70-60 at home 10 days ago, shooting 66% inside arc (1-14 outside it). VCU were 1-16 on arc Friday in 85-70 win over UMass- they used three guys 31:00+, were 26-32 on foul line. Wildcats needed OT to beat Bonnies 90-86, as three Davidson guys played 41:00+- they turned ball over only 5 times.

AAC tournament (Orlando)
UConn won epic 4-OT game Friday, making 60-footer at buzzer of third OT; Huskies played five kids 43:00+- two played 54:00. UConn split its last six games; they lost twice to Temple this year, 55-53 at home on Jan 5 (went 4-20 on arc), 63-58 on road Feb 11 (led by 12 with 5:51 to play). Owls won easily Friday, their 10th win in last 12 games. Huskies are 13-3 in conference tourneys last five years. Temple is 3-5 the ast six years in conference tourneys, after winning tourneys from '08-'10.

Conference USA tournament (Birmingham)
Old Dominion won its last seven games, winning last three days, all by 12+ points; Monarchs lost 64-61 at home to Middle Tennessee Jan 16, going 3-16 on arc. ODU plays 5th-slowest tempo in nation; they used four guys 32:00+ Friday. Blue Raiders won last five games, are 15-4 in last 19- they won Alaskan Shootout in fall, but are 4th-worst team in the country on foul line (60.5%). LY, Middle was team that lost playing its fourth day in row, losing to UAB by 13 in this game.

Big East tourney (NYC)
Villanova won 12 of last 13 games, with only loss by 7 at Xavier Feb 24. Wildcats shot 57.5% inside arc in win over Providence Friday- they used only two kids more than 28:00. Seton Hall is 11-2 in last 13 games, with both losses to Butler; Pirates turned ball over 25 times Friday but hung on to beat Xavier 87-83. Hall is 11-2 in last 13 games but lost twive to Villanova this year, 72-63 on road Jan 6 (Villanova was 26-32 on line), 72-71 at home Jan 20 (Pirates led by 2 with 2:28 left).

Big 12 tournament (Kansas City)
Kansas is 15-3 in last six Big X tourneys, since losing in first round back in '09; they won last 13 games; five of its last seven wins were by nine or less points. West Virginia won its last six games, surviving Oklahoma Friday, when Hield's game-winning shot was just after horn- WVU split with Kansas this year, beating Jayhawks 74-63 at home Jan 12 (WV had 33-13 edge on line), losing 75-65 in Lawrence Feb 9, as Jayhawks shot 67% inside arc. West Virginia was 5-20 on the arc that might. .

MAC tournament (Cleveland)
Buffalo is 9-2 in last 11 games Bearden played (they went 0-3 with him out of lineup); he had 13 assists, 2 turnovers last two nights. Bulls lost to Akron twice this year, 75-71 at home Jan 5 (Bulls led by 5 with 6:24 left), 80-70 at Akron Feb 16 (Bulls were up 13 in first half). Bulls made 14-27 on arc in 88-74 win Friday; two kids played 37:00. Akron won its last five games; they shot 69% inside arc vs tired BG Friday. Since '07, Zips are 22-6 in MAC tourney, winning it three times.

ACC tournament (Washington DC)
North Carolina won six of its last seven games, hammering teams by 17-31 last two days; UNC lost 79-74 at Virginia two weeks ago; Cavaliers outscored Tar Heels 18-7 on foul line. Virginia won its last five games; they've won six of last seven games in ACC tournament. Carolina hasn't won ACC tourney since 2008; Virginia won it two years ago. Cavaliers beat Miami by 5 Friday; both teams shot 55%+ inside arc. Virginia had only two guys play more than 23:00.

Big Sky tournament (Reno)
Since 2010, home team is 13-0 in Weber State-Montana regular season games, but Griz is 4-0 vs Weber in Big Sky tourney, beating Wildcats by 3 in OT LY. Weber won nine of last 10 games; they needed OT to beat North Dakota Friday- they were 14-36 on arc, 14-23 inside it. Couple of starters played 40:00+; four played 31+. Montana won eght of its last 10 games; they lost 60-54 at Weber two weeks ago in only meeting this year-- Weber outscored the Griz 20-8 on the foul line.

Mountain West tournament (Las Vegas)
San Diego State hasn't won Mountain West tourney since '11, losing in final three of last four years; Aztecs are no lock for NCAAs this season, but are 18-2 in MW this year, splitting pair with Fresno. Aztecs won at home 73-67 in OT Jan 19, then got upset 58-57 in Fresno Feb 10, after Aztecs led by 11 in second half. Bulldogs won last seven games, have veteran guards, but best scorer Harris doesn't look in shape (7-23 in win Friday) and Fresno is playing for third night in row.

Pac-12 tournament (MGM, Las Vegas)
Oregon is 8-2 in Pac-12 tourney last three years; they won seven games in row overall, needed OT to beat Arizona Friday- four Ducks played 37+ minutes. Oregon beat Utah twice this year, 77-59 on road Jan 14- Poeltl was held to 7 points, then 76-66 at home Feb 7 (Ducks shot 56% inside arc, held Poeltl to 13). Utah held off Cal in OT last night; they've won nine games in row since loss in Eugene- three Utes played 38:00+ in last night's win. These teams won two of last three Pac-12 tourneys.

Big West tournament (Anaheim)
Hawai'i lost twice to Long Beach this year, losing 74-72 on road a week ago tonight- Rainbows led by 8 with 5:30 left. 49ers won 78-64 Jan 30 on islands, with 47-28 edge on boards. Hawai'i is 4-1 in this tourney last two years, after being 1-8 before then; Rainbows won nine of last ten on mainland, with one loss last week. Long Beach won 11 of last 12 games; they avenged pair of loss to Irvine with win Friday. 49ers played three guys 32:00+ last night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Betting Preview

Philadelphia vs Florida March 12, 7:00 EST

It’s hard to believe that the NHL season is starting to wind down, and that the playoffs are just around the corner. While some teams are already looking ahead to next season, there are some that are still battling to make it into the postseason. One of those teams is the Philadelphia Flyers, as they are making a serious run at the Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

It’s a surprise to many that they are still in this thing so late in the season, as this is a team that is very much in transition mode. They still have some ground to make up if they want to be a part of the big dance, and that late run begins with a trip to Florida to face the Panthers on Saturday night. These are two of the better teams in the league right now.

Why bet on the Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers (36-21-9) surprised a lot of people when they made it to the top of the Atlantic Division, and it seems as though they were somewhat unprepared for it themselves, as they went on the skids almost immediately after taking the top spot. The Panthers went through a 6-game stretch that saw them go just 1-3-2, but they appear to have snapped out of that after beating the Ottawa Senators 6-2 a couple of nights ago. Florida are a solid 21-9-5 on home ice this season, and have to be considered a favorite every time they play there, no matter the opposition. The Panthers are averaging 2.7 GPG, and are giving up 2.4 GPG.

Why bet on the Philadelphia Flyers

It is going to be a very tough couple of days for the Philadelphia Flyers (31-23-11), as they have road games on consecutive nights against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. That is about as difficult as it gets in the Eastern Conference, but the Flyers have been showing that they are very much up for the challenge. They have won 5 of their last 6 games, and are now just 3 points back of the Penguins for the final Wild Card spot. Philly are a game under .500 on the road this season, and it has to be mentioned that their recent run of form has all come at home. This little road trip will let us see if this team is for real or not. The Flyers are averaging 2.5 GPG, and are giving up 2.6 GPG.


Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

As well as the Flyers are playing right now, I think they are going to have a tough time winning on consecutive nights, especially against such quality opposition. They might salvage an OT point here, but I think they will lose in the end.

Final Score Predictionhiladelphia Flyers 3 Florida Panthers 4