Saturday 3/26/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (36-24) at Coyotes (33-34)

Date: March 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Claude Giroux has kept the Philadelphia Flyers afloat all season, but it might be Radko Gudas who lifts them into the playoffs.

With both contributing offensively of late, the Flyers look to continue a hot stretch with a season sweep of the host Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night.

Philadelphia (36-24-13) has been on a roll offensively during a 12-3-3 run, averaging 3.39 goals - much higher than its season average of 2.6.

Giroux has led the charge with goals in three straight games to give him 21 to go with 41 assists on the season. It's been an unexpected source of offense, though, that's helped the Flyers take possession of the Eastern Conference's second wild-card spot.

Gudas scored seven combined goals in his first three NHL seasons with Tampa Bay and didn't have any through his first 57 games with the Flyers. However, he has five to go with three assists in the last 10 as Philadelphia has picked up 16 of a possible 20 points.

The defenseman scored the tying goal with 5:43 left at Colorado on Thursday and Giroux netted the go-ahead tally 19 seconds later. Ryan White sealed the 4-2 victory with an empty netter, moving the Flyers to 2-0-1 on their four-game road trip.

'It's awesome being a part of it and contributing for the team,' Gudas said. 'Especially for these important games at this crucial time of the season.'

Philadelphia's 85 points match ninth-place Detroit's total, though the Flyers have a game in hand. Their unsettled situation could result in them climbing into a top-three spot in the Metropolitan Division or missing the playoffs altogether.

Finishing a sweep of Arizona would help before they play five of their final eight games at home. The Flyers have gone 4-0-2 in their last six on the road.

Giroux was among four Philadelphia players to score in a 4-2 home win over the Coyotes on Feb. 27, the Flyers' second straight victory in the series.

Arizona (33-34-7) has won four of its last five at home, holding opponents to seven goals in that span.

After surrendering 15 goals over the final three of a season-high seven-game skid, the Coyotes haven't allowed more than three in a game during a 6-3-1 stretch - though they sit 10 points back of Minnesota for the West's final playoff spot with the Avalanche in between.

Martin Hanzal scored the 100th and 101st goals of his career in Thursday's 3-1 win over East-leading Dallas. He also had a goal and an assist in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over Edmonton, which followed the Coyotes being shut out in back-to-back games.

Tobias Rieder has also scored the last two contests.

"Everybody has to play for something, so we can't just pack it in," Rieder told the team's official website. "It's a privilege to play in this league and you want to do your best."

Mike Smith has been hot in net with a 1.25 goals-against average while winning three of his last four starts, including one of his two shutouts.

Smith, though, has gone 0-6-1 with a 4.90 GAA in his last seven starts against Philadelphia for Tampa Bay and Arizona.

The Flyers' Steve Mason is 5-8 with a 2.95 GAA against the Coyotes in his career.

 

[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 63.5 66 OVER
3/13 3 16 13 UNDER
3/14 6 30 41 OVER
3/15 8 43.5 40 UNDER
3/16 6 32.5 32 UNDER
3/17 8 43.5 51 OVER
3/18 6 32 26 UNDER
3/19 11 56.5 53 UNDER
3/20 7 37 34 UNDER
3/21 4 20.5 25 OVER
3/22 10 54.5 51 UNDER
3/23 2 10.5 11 OVER
3/24 11 59.5 68 OVER
3/25 3 15 16 OVER
3/26 14 - - -
3/27 3 - - -
3/28 8 - - -
3/29 9 - - -
3/30 3 - - -
3/31 10 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL Hockey Odds and Picks: Scouting the Week Ahead
by Alan Matthews

We are witnessing something pretty unusual from an individual perspective in the NHL this season that you may not be aware of.

Take a look at the NHL points leaders. You have Ottawa's Erik Karlsson tied for fourth in the league with 73 points while leading with 60 assists. And you have San Jose's Brent Burns 10th in points with 65. He has 26 goals. What's so unusual about that? Both are defensemen.

The last time two defensemen finished in the Top 10 in points was in 1973-74 when Bruins legend Bobby Orr finished second in scoring and New York Rangers blueliner Brad Park finished tied for ninth. No defenseman has led the NHL in assists since Orr in 1974-75 when he tied Bobby Clarke with 89. Only Orr and Paul Coffey have finished a season in the top three in points. No defenseman has scored 30 goals since Washington's Mike Green had 31 in 2008-09. In the last 10 years, only eight defensemen had even topped 70 points.

Presumably either Karlsson or Burns is going to win the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, although it's not just about scoring. Karlsson has won the award twice, including last season when he had 21 goals and 45 assists. He also leads the league in average time on ice this season and 29:05 per game. The Norris Trophy has never gone to a defenseman whose team missed the playoffs, however. Ottawa doesn't look likely to make it. San Jose should and is still in the Pacific Division race. The Sharks are +650 to win the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.

Big Loss For Stars

Crushing loss for the Dallas Stars as they battle Chicago and St. Louis for the Central Division lead and potential No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Stars center Tyler Seguin will miss three to four weeks because of a cut to his Achilles' tendon suffered on the skate of Tampa Bay defenseman Anton Stralman late in Thursday's game. General manager Jim Nill said that Seguin suffered a 15 percent cut, but that he should be back for the playoffs. For a point of comparison, Karlsson suffered a 70 percent tear in 2013 and it sidelined him 10 weeks.

"I can't really picture myself missing Game 1," Seguin said of the playoffs. "If I can come back for the last game of the regular season that would be quite the goal for me."

The Stars lead the NHL in scoring at 3.2 goals per game. Seguin is tied for fourth in the league with 73 points and seventh in goals with 33. Dallas currently leads the Blues by two points atop the Central and the Blackhawks by four. The Stars are +550 to win the West.

This Week's Games To Watch

St. Louis at Washington, Saturday: It's the Blues' only trip to the nation's capital this season. That Seguin injury for Dallas could help St. Louis more than any team as it appears to be the top threat in the Central Division with the Blackhawks in a funk right now. Goalie Brian Elliott returned to the lineup and made his first start Saturday since suffering an injury on Feb. 22, He shut out the Canucks. The Capitals have very little to play for at this point as they are going to finish with the most points in the NHL. They can clinch the top seed in the East this week and remain Cup favorites at +400. Thus, you might see the team put up a stinker or two the rest of the way. That was the case Sunday night in a 6-2 loss to Pittsburgh. St. Louis and Washington haven't played yet. They close the regular season against one another on April 9.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Jets won 4-1/2-0 in their last two games.
-- Pittsburgh won six of its last seven games. Red Wings won three of last four.
-- Minnesota won last four games, allowing seven goals. Colorado won five of last seven.
-- Dallas Stars won three of their last four games.
-- Maple Leafs won five of their last six games.
-- Tampa Bay won last three games, scoring 13 goals in their last two. Florida won three of its last four road games.
-- Washington won four of its last five games. Blues won their last three, allowing zero goals.
-- Nashville won four of its last five games.
-- Edmonton won three of its last four road games.
-- Flyers won seven of their last ten games. Arizona won five of its last seven.

Cold teams
-- Buffalo is 0-4 in game following its last four wins.
-- San Jose lost 1-0/6-3 in its last two games.
-- Anaheim lost six of its last nine games. Senators lost three of last four.
-- Rangers lost three of their last four road games. Montreal lost five of last seven.
-- Carolina lost five of its last six games. Islanders lost their last six road games.
-- Boston lost its last five games, outscored 18-6.
-- Blue Jackets lost five of their last seven games.
-- Kings lost their last three games, outscored 11-4.
-- Blackhawks lost six of their last seven games. Calgary lost three of its last four.

Series records
-- Jets won eight of last ten games with Buffalo.
-- Penguins won three of last four games with Detroit.
-- Avalanche lost eight of last ten games with Minnesota.
-- Dallas Stars lost five of last seven games with San Jose.
-- Ducks won five of last seven games with Ottawa.
-- Rangers lost four of last five games with Montreal.
-- Islanders lost last three games with Carolina.
-- Bruins won four of last five games with Toronto.
-- Lightning lost three of last four games with Florida.
-- Blues won 4-3/4-1 in last two games with Washington.
-- Columbus is 6-4 in its last ten games with Nashville.
-- Kings won their last four games with Edmonton.
-- Blackhawks won three of last four games with Calgary.
-- Flyers won five of last seven games with Arizona.

Totals
-- Under is 5-1-2 in last eight Winnipeg games.
-- Six of last seven Penguin-Red Wing games went over.
-- Under is 6-2-1 in last nine Minnesota-Colorado games.
-- Last five Dallas-San Jose games went over the total.
-- Five of last six Ottawa games stayed under the total.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Ranger-Montreal games.
-- Five of last seven Islander-Carolina games went over.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Boston games.
-- Three of last four Tampa Bay games went over total.
-- Last three St Louis games stayed under the total.
-- Six of last seven Columbus-Nashville games stayed under.
-- Over is 5-1-1 in last seven Edmonton-LA games.
-- Eight of last ten Chicago-Calgary games stayed under.
-- Six of last seven Arizona games stayed under the total.

Back-to-backs
-- Islanders are 6-3 in last nine games if they played night before.
-- Tampa Bay is 4-2 in last six games if it played night before.
-- Blues won four of last five games if they played night before.
-- Washington is 9-3 if it played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (38-33) at Nets (20-51)

Date: March 26, 2016 6:00 PM EDT

Playing significantly inferior teams has helped the Indiana Pacers in their battle at the bottom of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and they face another one Saturday night.

Yet, the woeful Brooklyn Nets just showed they're capable of beating any team in the East, and there's a chance the Pacers will play them without Paul George.

This is the only game on the road of Indiana's final nine in March, part of an easy remaining schedule for a team trying to claim a playoff berth. The Pacers (38-33) are seventh in the East but have Detroit and Chicago within two games of them. Only three of their final 11 games come against teams with winning records, and they've won nine straight against sub-.500 opponents.

They lost close games to division leaders Toronto and Oklahoma City last week before taking advantage of this week's matchups with league-worst Philadelphia and a New Orleans team missing its top six scorers. Still, Indiana led by only four in the final minute of that eventual 92-84 victory over the last-place Pelicans.

"A win is a win right now," point guard Ty Lawson said. "We'll get the wins any way we can get them. We're in a playoff run trying to move up in the standings, so we've got to win any way we can."

Indiana got a scare when George left in the third quarter with a bruised right leg, the same one he broke in August 2014. He's considered day to day, though the Pacers might be cautious with their leading scorer Saturday - especially with another game 24 hours later against Houston.

"I just got kneed," George said. "Nothing too serious, hopefully."

Indiana has won six straight over the Nets when George plays, including two this season. Brooklyn (20-51) won two of three meetings last season when he was sidelined.

The Nets own the second-worst record in the East but stunned conference-leading Cleveland 104-95 on Thursday after limiting the Cavaliers to 12 fourth-quarter points - none by LeBron James.

"Our intensity was up, we had a lot more bounce on the court than we normally have," interim coach Tony Brown told the team's official website.

One player providing a spark was third-year guard Shane Larkin, who had 16 points and seven assists in his first start since early January. Larkin will remain a starter for the rest of the season as the Nets evaluate their younger talent.

"I just want to take advantage of the opportunity," Larkin said.

He won't be the only Brooklyn player getting one. Brown said he would sit veterans Brook Lopez and Thaddeus Young for some games so younger players could get more time.

Since the beginning of 2012, the Nets are 1-6 against Indiana when Lopez doesn't play. He's averaged 22.3 points in the past four meetings.

The Pacers have a youngster of their own making an impact. Myles Turner had 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds Thursday on his 20th birthday. The 6-foot-11 forward also blocked three shots for the second consecutive game.

'Turner is becoming a big-time threat,' coach Frank Vogel said. 'He is improving and is getting a lot better defensively. We're asking him to guard a lot of different people."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (48-23) at Pelicans (26-45)

Date: March 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors are trying to bounce back from a frustrating loss that ended with their top two scorers unable to play.

It's a scenario the New Orleans Pelicans have become quite accustomed to.

Seeking to avoid their first three-game skid in four months, the Raptors conclude a trying road trip with Saturday night's matchup with the injury-riddled Pelicans.

After gaining ground on Cleveland in the race for the East's No. 1 seed by winning four straight prior to this three-game trip, Toronto (48-23) has fallen 2 1/2 games behind the Cavaliers following defeats at Boston and Houston. The Raptors began the trek with one of their poorest offensive showings in Wednesday's 91-79 loss to the Celtics, then faltered in the fourth quarter in Friday's 112-109 setback to the Rockets.

After falling behind 92-80 after Houston opened the final period on a 13-2 run, the Raptors had any comeback hopes dashed after DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry were both ejected in the final three minutes for arguing with the officials.

"We can't lose our two best players and expect to win," coach Dwane Casey said. "The word we used before the game was discipline and we didn't have it down the stretch. That's something we have to learn. Every game is not going to be a piece of art and you have to win ugly sometimes and if we kept our guys together down the stretch, kept churning, we would have been right there in the game."

The Raptors also couldn't overcome an off night from Lowry, who shot 4 of 19 after being rested against Boston.

'I personally didn't play well at all.'

DeRozan is in a slump as well, shooting 38.8 percent over his last five.

Toronto figures to have less trouble against a battered Pelicans team set to play its fourth consecutive game without Anthony Davis (knee surgery) and Ryan Anderson (groin). New Orleans (26-45) also may not have Jrue Holiday for a second straight due to a toe injury.

With Holiday out and Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon also done for the season, the Pelicans were minus their top five scorers in Thursday's 92-84 loss at Indiana.

New Orleans has lost 11 of 14 but has been mostly competitive despite the injury bug, with several role players stepping up in increased roles. Alexis Ajinca posted a season-high 22 points and nine rebounds against Indiana and Luke Babbitt had 23 in Tuesday's 113-99 loss to Miami. Tim Frazier, signed to a 10-day contract last week, scored a career-high 18 against the Pacers and is averaging 14.6 points in five games since joining the team.

"I thought we came out and competed, played hard," forward Alonso Gee said following Thursday's loss. "They made some big shots at the end. But we were in it until the end of the game and I thought we played hard the whole time."

The Pelicans did have Anderson, Holiday and Gordon but still shot just 36.6 percent in a 100-81 loss at Toronto on Nov. 13.

Toronto will be aiming for its third season sweep of New Orleans in four years. The Pelicans won each of last season's two matchups but have lost seven of the last nine overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (36-35) at Magic (29-43)

Date: March 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

This was supposed to be an easy stretch of the schedule for the Chicago Bulls, one that would help bolster their chances of reaching the playoffs.

After being swept in a home-and-home set against one of the league's also-rans, however, the visiting Bulls look to rebound Saturday night against the sputtering Orlando Magic before the schedule takes a major turn.

Chicago (36-35) was percentage points ahead of Detroit for eighth place in the Eastern Conference on Tuesday, but after back-to-back losses to New York coupled with the Pistons pushing their winning streak to five, the Bulls have dropped two games out of a playoff spot.

Chicago's losses to a New York team 13 games under .500 came after it opened a favorable homestand with wins over Brooklyn, Utah and Sacramento.

'These are two extremely tough losses,' Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said after Thursday's 106-94 defeat at Madison Square Garden. 'I wish I could tell you it was one thing. If we want to have any chance of competing and playing after the regular season we have to find ways to get stops.'

Getting stops has been a major problem over the last two months for Hoiberg's team. The Bulls are yielding an average of 107.5 points in their last 26 games, allowing teams to reach the century mark 24 times. Opponents reached triple digits in 22 of their first 45 games.

The Magic (29-43) rank in the bottom third of the league in scoring, but had 102 in a 13-point home win over the Bulls on March 2, and are averaging 107.6 points in their last eight in Orlando.

Still, Chicago has an advantage seeing as the Magic are mired in a six-game losing streak and will play the second half of a back-to-back. Orlando has lost four straight and nine of 11 in the second game on consecutive nights.

"We can't come out flat (Saturday) because we've been known to come out flat in back-to-backs," Elfrid Payton told the Magic's official website after Friday's 108-97 loss to Miami. "We have to make sure that we're ready to go."

Beating Orlando is crucial for the Bulls, who next host Atlanta on Monday before playing five of six on the road prior to a home date with Cleveland. Excluding the Magic, seven of their next eight are against teams currently in control of a playoff spot.

While stepping up defensively remains a priority for the Bulls, so is getting Jimmy Butler right. Butler, who missed the last meeting with Orlando because of a left knee strain, is clearly hampered by the injury, averaging 14.6 points on 38.0 percent shooting and 4.1 rebounds in playing the last seven games.

Pau Gasol is also dealing with a knee injury and is questionable after sitting out Thursday for the fifth time in seven games.

The Magic have injury problems of their own as Victor Oladipo (right wrist) and Ersan Ilyasova (right shoulder) sat out Friday after being hurt in Wednesday's loss to Detroit.

Like the Bulls, the Magic are also struggling mightily defensively, allowing an average of 110.1 points in their last 20 games, giving up at least 100 19 times. The only time they didn't let a team reach triple figures was when they held Chicago to 89.

In this season's two meetings, Orlando has limited Chicago to an average of 90.5 points and 38.2 percent shooting - 27.7 percent on 3s.

The Magic are 23-8 when holding teams to 101 points or fewer and 6-35 when allowing 102.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (43-30) at Pistons (39-34)

Date: March 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

After quieting some critics with their latest impressive win, the Detroit Pistons still feel they have more to prove.

An opportunity for further validation comes Saturday night, when the rolling Pistons host the Atlanta Hawks in a matchup of two of the East's hottest teams.

Detroit (39-34) has won a season-high five straight after opening a nine-game homestand with a 118-114 loss to the Hawks on March 16, enhancing its prospects for a first playoff berth since 2009. The first four came against sub.-500 opponents, but the Pistons were up to a rise in competition in Friday's 112-105 victory over surging Charlotte.

The streak has placed Detroit in a virtual tie with Indiana for seventh in the East, two games ahead of sliding Chicago.

"We're playing for something right now and we need to string together as many wins as possible," center Andre Drummond said. "We're doing a great job of doing that so far."

After gaining a measure of revenge against the Hornets, who won the previous two season meetings by a combined 35 points, Detroit next has a chance to atone for its lone defeat in its past nine outings at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Atlanta (43-30) presents a formidable challenge, having won seven of eight and 12 of 15 to move a half-game ahead of second-place Miami in the Southeast Division and a half-game in front of Boston for third in the East.

Defense has keyed the revival, with the Hawks holding opponents to 40.4 percent shooting and 29.6 percent on 3-pointers - both league bests - over that 15-game span. They stifled Milwaukee down the stretch of their latest win, forcing six fourth-quarter turnovers and causing the Bucks to miss 13 of their last 18 shots in Friday's 101-90 victory.

Milwaukee, first in the league in points in the paint, was outscored 58-42 in the lane.

'We made a concerted effort to protect the paint,' Jeff Teague said. 'We said we were going to live with them making outside shots.'

The Pistons are coming off a strong defensive performance of their own, limiting Charlotte to 36.5 percent inside the arc.

"We did a great job of pulling over and whenever I did go and help, somebody was back there to help me," Drummond said. "We were just on a string defensively."

Detroit has been making shots as well, averaging 110.4 points during its run. The league's worst free throw shooting team, the Pistons have gone 76.6 percent from the line over the streak.

Marcus Morris, who had 20 points against Charlotte, is 21 of 32 on 3-pointers over the last eight games. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is averaging 19.9 points over his last eight and returned from a one-game absence (illness) with 21 in Friday's win.

The Hawks overcame a 5 of 32 performance from long range against Milwaukee after recording at least 12 3s in six consecutive games. Teague and Kyle Korver were a combined 0 for 9, though Teague scored 12 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to help put the Bucks away.

Teague had eight fourth-quarter points and 22 overall in the March 16 win, Atlanta's second in three 2015-16 matchups with Detroit. He's averaging 21.0 points in the season series.

Drummond is averaging 20.3 points and 16.3 rebounds in the series and had 18 and 19 in Detroit's 106-94 road win in the Oct. 27 opener.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (51-21) at Knicks (30-43)

Date: March 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

If LeBron James really wants to play with Carmelo Anthony, Saturday night is as close as he'll get for a while.

For now, he might want to concentrate on how he and his current teammates can co-exist for 48 minutes.

Following another loss in which his team's effort was questioned, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers try to avoid going 0-for-2 on their trip to the Big Apple against Anthony's New York Knicks.

Rather than the focus being on Cleveland's tight race with Toronto for the Eastern Conference's top seed, most of the recent attention around the Cavaliers (51-21) has centered on James' social media habits.

Shortly after pointing out that he was preparing to stay away from such distractions as the playoffs neared, James found himself in the midst of a big one due to the Wednesday publication of an article based on a February interview. The four-time MVP admitted to wanting to play with friends Anthony, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul at some point before their careers end, a diversion so odd that general manager David Griffin addressed it with James before the day was out.

The air may have been cleared, but the Cavaliers' on-court problems are lingering. Cleveland followed its 113-104 victory over Milwaukee on Wednesday with a dud in Brooklyn a night later, as Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and J.R. Smith shot a combined 14 for 46 (30.4 percent) in a 104-95 loss.

"Tonight we took a step backwards, and we can't afford to do that late in the season like this," said James, who had 30 points on 13-of-16 shooting but was scoreless in the fourth quarter.

"What bothers me is our effort sometimes. That's the only time I get a little frustrated because I understand the moment we have, and it's not given every year that you have a team like this where you have an opportunity to do something special."

James at least seems to be on the same page as his coach.

'The biggest thing for me is just competing for 48 minutes," Tyronn Lue said.

James won't have a chance for an on-court reunion with Wade or Paul unless one arises in the playoffs, so sharing the floor with Anthony will have to suffice for now.

They didn't get that chance in the most recent meeting, a 91-84 Cavs home win Dec. 23. Anthony sat out with a sprained right ankle as both Love and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds while James scored 24.

James outscored him 54-43 in two Cleveland victories in November. The Cavs have shot just 40.2 percent - 23.4 from 3 - against New York (30-43) this season, but have held the Knicks to an average of 84.7 points.

New York found offensive life much easier this week against a team fighting to make the playoffs. Porzingis had 29 points in a 115-107 win at Chicago on Wednesday, then had 19 and 10 boards while Anthony scored 26 in a 106-94 victory in Thursday's rematch at Madison Square Garden.

Porzingis hit five 3-pointers in the back-to-back - one fewer than he knocked down in his first eight games this month - as the Knicks went 27 of 55 from beyond the arc.

"I've been working a lot on my shot," Porzingis said. "The game is kind of getting easier for us, and we're finding our rhythm, I'm finding my rhythm and we're trying to be aggressive."

Irving was still recovering from knee surgery in the November trip to MSG, but he's been awfully assertive in previous visits. His 28.4-point average in five games there is easily his highest at any venue.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (35-37) at Timberwolves (24-48)

Date: March 26, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Utah Jazz have had contrasting performances in their two matchups with the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, and they were hardly at their best in their latest visit to the Target Center.

The Jazz will try for a better effort there Saturday night while moving back in control of a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference.

Utah (35-37) had one of its worst offensive performances this season in a 94-80 loss in Minnesota on Dec. 30, shooting 35.0 percent and finishing with 19 turnovers to just 15 assists. The Jazz connected at 52.6 and went 10 of 25 from 3-point range with 24 assists to 14 giveaways in a 103-90 victory over the Timberwolves (24-48) on Jan. 29.

They're now facing Minnesota twice in the next week. Their matchup with the Timberwolves on Friday is among their six home games in the final nine contests.

First, the Jazz will seek to wrap up a season-high five-game road trip with a winning record. They dropped to 2-2 on the trek with a 113-91 loss to Northwest Division-champion Oklahoma City on Thursday, allowing the Thunder to score 32 points off their 18 turnovers.

Utah is averaging 19.7 miscues in its last three games.

"We sit here and say it - we have to not turn it over," coach Quin Snyder said. "There's nothing, there's no magic potion or drill."

That loss helped keep the Jazz in a virtual tie with Dallas for the final playoff spot in the West. The Mavericks currently own the tiebreaker with a superior conference record.

The Jazz can leapfrog that idle team by earning a sixth win in eight games in Minnesota. They'll face a Timberwolves team, though, that's averaging 113.0 points on 50.6 percent shooting in its last six games.

Minnesota shot 53.1 percent while pulling out a 132-129 double-overtime win in Washington on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 27 points and Zach LaVine had 25, including a 3-pointer to force the second extra period.

"It just shows the integrity of our team, to go out there and continuously fight no matter what happens during the game," said Towns, averaging 27.3 points and shooting 59.5 percent in his last four contests.

Towns is averaging 28.5 points while connecting at 69.7 percent in his two games against Utah, his highest scoring mark against any team. He had 32 points on 13-of-17 shooting in the January meeting and LaVine had 19 while making nine of 12 shots.

Utah's Derrick Favors had 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting in that one and sat out the game at the Target Center because of back spasms.

Trey Burke had 23 points that night and is averaging 25.5 in his last four games in Minnesota. The point guard scored a team-best 17 points in 12 minutes Thursday, his first appearance in four games.

Utah's starters combined for 34 points and only Rodney Hood reached double figures with 11.

The Timberwolves are seeking to match a season-high three-game win streak, set Nov. 23-27.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (61-11) at Thunder (50-22)

Date: March 26, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

If everything plays out as projected, the Oklahoma City Thunder would meet the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Thunder didn't appear ready for that matchup earlier this month in San Antonio and won't get a true test Saturday night at home as the Spurs are set to rest at least five key players.

Oklahoma City (50-22) has a 5 1/2-game cushion over the Los Angeles Clippers for the third spot in the West, the highest the Thunder can reach. San Antonio (61-11) still isn't out of the race for the conference lead and the NBA's No. 1 overall seed, but Golden State has a four-game lead with time running out.

That might lead to the Thunder and Spurs fighting it out in a best-of-seven series for the right to take on the defending champs. They split a pair of conference finals matchups in the past four seasons.

In the latest preview to that possible meeting, San Antonio held Oklahoma City to 38.3 percent shooting in a 93-85 victory March 12.

The Thunder, who matched a season low for points, have averaged 118.0 points on 51.5 percent shooting in winning six in a row since, one shy of matching a season high Jan. 12-22. They connected at 54.2 percent in a 113-91 rout of Utah on Thursday, their third straight home victory since a 1-4 stretch there.

Oklahoma City has won in 10 of the last 12 visits from San Antonio, including the postseason, claiming a 112-106 home victory in the season opener Oct. 28.

"It's just another game. It's just another opportunity to keep building the habits that we've built these last couple weeks," forward Kevin Durant said. "It means nothing. I'm sure it means nothing to those guys. It's not a playoff game. It's just another opportunity to get better."

The Spurs obviously have the same feeling that this is just "another game" as LaMarcus Aldridge, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are scheduled to rest. Kawhi Leonard will remain out because of a bruised right quad suffered in a 112-88 win over Miami on Wednesday.

Starting guard Danny Green as well as reserves Boris Diaw and Patty Mills joined Leonard on the bench in Friday's 110-104 victory against visiting Memphis. Aldridge scored 32 points on 12-of-16 shooting after contributing just eight Wednesday.

The Spurs have dropped two of three on the road since a season-best six consecutive wins there.

"We better put our defensive hats on (Saturday)," guard Kevin Martin said. "I'm sure they're back (in Oklahoma City) waiting on us and excited for the opportunity."

Martin played one season for the Thunder in 2012-13 alongside their stars Durant and Russell Westbrook, who had a string of three consecutive triple-doubles snapped Thursday.

The Thunder point guard has six of his 15 triple-doubles in the last 10 games. He has never recorded one in 38 all-time matchups with the Spurs, including the playoffs, failing to register more than eight rebounds in any of those games.

Westbrook had a team-best 33 points in the matchup in October but had 19 with nine turnovers in the loss in San Antonio.

Durant had eight assists in the latest game against the Spurs and has continued to share the ball, averaging 7.3 assists in his last seven games - 2.6 more than in his first 58 contests.

Durant also scored 28 points in the last matchup and has at least 20 in a career-best 57 consecutive games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hornets (41-31) at Bucks (30-43)

Date: March 26, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

The Charlotte Hornets remain well within range of home-court advantage for a first-round playoff series and could bolster their chances during an advantageous stretch in their schedule.

The Hornets will try to bounce back from a loss on their four-game trip by extending their recent road dominance against the scuffling Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.

Charlotte (41-31) dropped one game behind fourth-place Boston and fifth-place Miami in the Eastern Conference with Friday's 112-105 defeat to Detroit. The Hornets couldn't overcome a 26-point deficit in the fourth quarter, and Kemba Walker was the only player to score more than 11 points with 29.

"We've just got to move on from it. We've got another game (Saturday)," center Al Jefferson said. "We are still where we want to be. We just have to play better. We have to have a better intensity to start the game. In that first half, we just didn't have it."

Charlotte will next take on two teams that are well out of playoff contention in its next three games, with a home-and-home set against league-worst Philadelphia beginning Tuesday.

The Hornets, 17-5 in their last 22, will try to avoid a slip-up by sending Milwaukee (30-43) to a fifth consecutive defeat. The Bucks shot 41.7 percent in a 101-90 loss in Atlanta on Friday after topping 52.0 percent in each of their previous three games and had 16 assists with 16 turnovers.

"Guys are trying to do it themselves and sometimes that happens," coach Jason Kidd said. "Moving the ball, trusting one another. Tonight we just didn't trust one another."

Charlotte, a winner in eight of 11 on the road, has prevailed in each of its last four visits to Milwaukee and claimed a 98-95 victory there Feb. 19. Walker scored 25 points and Cody Zeller had a career-high 23 while making nine of 12 shots.

Walker has shot a combined 55.6 percent in his last six games in Milwaukee and has totaled 52 points in the past two.

Charlotte has won two of the three overall meetings with the Bucks and will seek to claim the season series for the third straight time. Milwaukee will try to force a split while avoiding a tie of its season-high five consecutive losses Jan. 28-Feb. 5.

"(The Bucks) have a lot of length. They have a lot of young talent," Zeller said. "We're going to have to come out with more energy than we did (against Detroit)."

The Bucks are averaging 90.0 points in their last three home games - 12.7 fewer than in their first 32 - and lost 94-85 to Utah on Sunday despite shooting 52.3 percent.

Khris Middleton is averaging 21.0 points against Charlotte this season but has shot worse than 40.0 percent in two of those games. Middleton, averaging 18.1 points, has a combined 19 in his past two games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (42-30) at Suns (20-52)

Date: March 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Boston Celtics got the momentum they desired ahead of a challenging five-game Western Conference road trip. Kicking that off against one of the league's worst teams gives them a strong chance to keep it going.

With a stretch of three games against likely playoff teams looming, the Celtics will try to capitalize on a meeting with the Phoenix Suns on Saturday night.

Boston (42-30) has followed a four-game slide with three straight wins after beating Atlantic Division-leading Toronto 91-79 on Wednesday.

"It's big," said guard Isaiah Thomas, who is averaging 25.7 points during the win streak. "We wanted some confidence and momentum going into this tough West Coast trip and we got it. We wanted these three games and we got them."

The Celtics enter the trip tied with Miami for fourth in the East, one-half game behind Southeast Division-leading Atlanta.

While reaching the playoffs for a second straight season seems to be a formality, Boston has already secured a winning record for the first time in three seasons under coach Brad Stevens.

"I feel like there's real progress. And it's pretty consistent progress," Stevens said. "But ... you don't sign up to come to the Boston Celtics to win 42 games. So we've got a long way to go."

The trip poses some potentially valuable tests for the Celtics. After facing the Suns, they'll meet the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland - two teams likely headed for the playoffs - before visiting league-leading Golden State, which is 34-0 at home.

"I don't really look at it as the next chunk of the schedule," Stevens told the team's official website. "I just look at it as now we go to Phoenix and play a game."

Boston won 115-110 in its most recent visit to the desert Feb. 23, 2015, and beat the Suns 117-103 at home Jan. 15 with Marcus Smart registering 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his only triple-double.

Thomas has totaled 40 points on 11-of-27 shooting with 12 assists in his first two games against the Suns since Phoenix dealt him to Boston on Feb. 19, 2015.

The Celtics have made 47.5 percent from 3-point range in those two meetings, and they lead the East with 105.8 points per game.

That bodes well matching up against a Phoenix team that ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring defense (107.7).

The Suns (20-52) have lost six of their last nine games and are giving up 114.8 in those defeats after falling 116-94 at Sacramento on Friday.

Devin Booker had 26 points, but also committed a season-high nine turnovers.

"Personally, it was one of the worst games I've had this year," the rookie guard said. "It was evident with all the turnovers I had. I feel like that's why we started off so bad. But I'll take this one. That's what's good about the NBA. We play again tomorrow night."

Booker is averaging 22.8 points over the last 10 games, a major increase from his 12.9 season mark. He only had nine points while missing 7 of 9 from the field at Boston.

Mirza Teletovic led Phoenix with 22 points off the bench in that matchup, but he's been limited to 9.2 on 34.8 percent shooting over the last five.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (9-63) at Trail Blazers (37-36)

Date: March 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

One of the only low points for the Portland Trail Blazers during a hot streak through January and February was a blowout loss at Philadelphia.

The Trail Blazers look to avoid a new rock bottom on their current cold spell and a disheartening season sweep at the hands of the league-worst 76ers on Saturday night.

An 18-4 stretch from Jan. 10-March 1 jolted Portland (37-36) into solid postseason standing, which it still holds despite a 4-8 mark over the last three-plus weeks.

However, the sixth through ninth places in the Western Conference are packed tightly and the Trail Blazers could drop from the top of that list to the bottom - and out of the playoffs - with nine games left on the schedule.

Portland was worse than only two teams, Golden State (19-3) and San Antonio (18-3), during its run earlier this year but is without back-to-back wins since. It salvaged a split of a key home-and-home set with Wednesday's 109-103 win over Dallas before falling victim to a buzzer-beater in Thursday's 96-94 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers.

Chris Paul inbounded a ball through the legs of a leaping Mason Plumlee with 1.1 seconds left and J.J. Redick drained the winner from just inside the 3-point line, keeping the race for the West's final three spots tight between the Trail Blazers, Mavericks, Houston and Utah.

"Tough way to lose," Damian Lillard said. "We put ourselves in position to win a road game against a really good team and they come up with a really, really tough shot to win it. It happens."

The upside is the conclusion of a stretch of 12 of 15 games away from home, which resulted in a 7-8 record and eight losses in the final nine road games. The Blazers play seven of their final nine at Moda Center, where they've won 14 of 17.

Lillard finished with 18 points and eight assists against the Clippers, making only 4 of 16 shots and 2 of 8 from long range - similar shooting woes to the January loss against Philadelphia (9-63).

The 76ers pulled out a shocking 114-89 win Jan. 16 after Lillard shot only 4 for 18 and had 14 points while backcourt mate C.J. McCollum finished 6 of 18 for 13 points.

That marked Portland's third-largest margin of defeat this season, and it sets the Sixers up with a chance for their first season sweep of the Blazers since 2008-09 while going for their second win in Portland in six tries.

However, much of Philadelphia's production in the latest meeting came inside from Jahlil Okafor, who has been out since Feb. 29 and will miss the rest of the season following knee surgery.

The Sixers are 1-12 without their rookie center and have lost seven straight during a 1-20 stretch. They are still searching for their 10th win to avoid matching their 1972-73 team for the worst record in an 82-game season.

The latest loss might have been more heartbreaking than that of Portland after Denver's Emmanuel Mudiay controlled a loose ball before sinking a 36-foot heave at the buzzer to drop the 76ers 104-103 on Wednesday.

It was Philadelphia's 11th straight road defeat.

"That is a cruel loss," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website. "I bleed for the guys. They put in fantastic days, they deserve a win, and we didn't get one tonight."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Saturday, March 26 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Boston visits Phoenix on Saturday night, and that brings me back to the 2015 NBA trade deadline in a deal that altered the directions of the Celtics and Suns franchises. On that deadline day, the Suns traded guard Isaiah Thomas to Boston and Goran Dragic to the Heat while acquiring Brandon Knight from Milwaukee. Big mistake. Knight's an OK player, but Thomas is on a very team-friendly contract and has blossomed into an All-Star in Boston. All the Suns got back for him from Boston was Cleveland's 2016 first-round draft pick, which will be near the bottom of the first round, and journeyman Marcus Thornton (now with Wizards). The Suns figured they were set at guard with Eric Bledsoe and Knight and that Thomas was just a good sixth man. Suns GM Ryan McDonough, who came from the Boston organization, has since admitted dealing Thomas was a mistake. Boston could finish as high as third in the East this season led by Thomas, while the Suns have the fourth-worst record in the West.

Pacers at Nets (TBA)

Indiana won a second straight Thursday, 92-84 over New Orleans. On his 20th birthday, rookie Myles Turner had 24 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. However, Paul George left in the third quarter with a bruised right leg -- the same leg he gruesomely broke in August 2014. George appears to have avoided anything serious but certainly is in doubt here. Brooklyn ended a three-game losing streak with a pretty surprising 104-95 win over visiting Cleveland on Thursday. The Nets used a late 14-0 run for the upset. Shane Larkin had 16 points and seven assists for the Nets in his return to the starting lineup. The youngster will start the rest of the season so the Nets can see what they have. Indiana has won the first two meetings this season by an average of 10.5 points per game.

Key trends: The road team is 5-1 against the spread in the past six meetings. The "over/under" is 6-1 in the past seven.

Early lean: Nets if George is out.

Bulls at Magic (TBA)

Orlando was in Miami on Friday again without center Nik Vucevic. Victor Oladipo was questionable with a wrist injury. Chicago somehow got swept in a home-and-home by the Knicks on Thursday in New York, 106-94. Sometimes that team looks like it doesn't care. "We're playing against teams that are not playing for anything and we're just laying down." Taj Gibson said after. Pau Gasol missed the game with knee inflammation, so he's questionable here. These teams have split two low-scoring meetings, each winning at home.

Key trends: The Bulls are 0-6 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 6-0 in Orlando's past six in the second of a back-to-back.

Early lean: Bulls and under, whether Gasol plays or not.

Raptors at Pelicans (+9, 206.5)

Toronto was in Houston on Friday looking to avoid back-to-back losses. With this the second of a back-to-back, you might see the Raptors rest one of DeMar DeRozan or Kyle Lowry (who was to play Friday after missing the last game). New Orleans lost 92-84 in Indiana on Thursday playing without just about everyone you have ever heard of on that team. The starters were: Toney Douglas, Alonzo Gee, Dante Cunningham, Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca. Yikes! Toronto beat visiting New Orleans 100-81 on Nov. 13. The Raptors lost last season in the Big Easy.

Key trends: The Raptors have covered nine of the past 12 in the series. The over 21-4-1 in the Pelicans' past 26 playing on one day of rest.

Early lean: New Orleans is a D-League team right now, but I can't give that many points with Toronto coming off a back-to-back. Go over.

Hawks at Pistons (pick'em, 204)

Atlanta hosted Milwaukee on Friday and Detroit hosted Charlotte. Atlanta leads the season series vs. Detroit 2-1 and has won nine of the past 13 meetings. Detroit won the most recent one 118-114 at home on March 16. Andre Drummond is averaging 21.5 points and 16.3 rebounds against Atlanta this season, while Jeff Teague is averaging 21.0 points against the Pistons.

Key trends: The Hawks are 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 4-0 in the past four.

Early lean: Pistons and over.

Cavaliers at Knicks (+8.5, 204.5)

I thought Cleveland might rest a guy or two in the second of a back-to-back Thursday in Brooklyn, but everyone was on the court physically if not mentally in a 104-95 loss. LeBron James could be seen yelling at his own bench during the fourth quarter after a Nets make. He's clearly not happy right now. But perhaps he should look inward as James was 13-for-14 from the floor for 30 points in the first three quarters but scoreless in the fourth. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were a combined 11-for-36 from the field. New York completed the home-and-home sweep of Chicago with a 12-point win at the Garden on Thursday. Carmelo Anthony had 26 points and now gets to face his good buddy LeBron. New York has completed all 17 back-to-backs this season, finishing 8-9. New York is 0-3 vs. Cleveland and hasn't scored more than 86 points.

Key trends: The Cavs are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 6-0 in the past six.

Early lean: Assuming Cavs got a wake-up call Thursday. Give the points and definitely under.

Jazz at Timberwolves (+3, 200.5)

Minnesota was in Washington on Friday. Utah lost 113-91 in Oklahoma City on Thursday. Gordon Hayward, who averages 20 points, was held to six on 2-for-6 shooting. Jazz starters had just 34 combined points in the second of a back-to-back. Utah turned it over 18 times and it led to 32 Thunder points. These teams have split this season, each winning at home.

Key trends: The Jazz are 6-2 ATS in the past eight in Minnesota. The under is 5-2-1 in the previous eight meetings there.

Early lean: Love Utah ... and under.

Spurs at Thunder (TBA)

No ABC Primetime Game this week opposite the Elite Eight, so this is on NBA TV instead. San Antonio hosted Memphis on Friday with Kawhi Leonard in doubt. I'd be shocked if Gregg Popovich doesn't rest him and a couple of others here. It really means nothing for the Spurs. OKC routed the tired Jazz on Thursday for its sixth straight win. Kevin Durant had 20 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Russell Westbrook probably would have had a fourth straight triple-double if he didn't sit out the fourth quarter with the game in hand. He had 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. These teams have split two meetings, each winning at home.

Key trends: San Antonio is 2-10 ATS in the past 12 in OKC. The under is 7-2 in the past nine there.

Early lean: Wait on the Spurs' lineup, but I actually think Thunder roll here regardless. Just doesn't matter to San Antonio.

Hornets at Bucks (+2.5, 204.5)

Charlotte was in Detroit on Friday and Milwaukee in Atlanta looking to end a three-game losing streak. Charlotte leads the season series 2-1 and has won four straight in Milwaukee. Most recent meeting was a 98-95 Hornets road win on Feb. 19. The Hornets were down 13 in the third quarter. Charlotte has won eight of its last 10 games against Milwaukee overall.

Key trends: The road team is 8-0 ATS in the past eight meetings. The under is 4-0 in the past four.

Early lean: Hornets and under.

Celtics at Suns (+7.5, 216)

Phoenix was in Sacramento on Friday. Boston won a third in a row Wednesday, 91-79 over Toronto. Thomas had 23 points. He has scored 20 or more points in 11 straight games. The victory ensured that Boston would finish with at least a .500 record -- its first since coach Brad Stevens took over three years ago. Boston beat Phoenix 117-103 at TD Garden on Jan. 15 in the first meeting behind 19 points from Thomas. Marcus Smart had 10 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds, becoming the first Celtics player to record a triple-double off the bench since Art Williams on Jan. 6, 1971.

Key trends: The road team is 6-2 ATS in the past eight. The over is 6-2 in the Suns' past eight at home.

Early lean: Celtics and over.

76ers at Trail Blazers (-13, 217)

Philly dropped a seventh straight Wednesday, 104-103 in Denver on a fluke buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Emmanuel Mudiay. Robert Covington, who missed the previous six games with a concussion, had 16 points for the Sixers. Nerlens Noel missed the game with a right knee contusion. Portland lost 96-94 at the Clippers on Thursday on a buzzer-beater. Damian Lillard scored 18 points in the loss. The Blazers ended a stretch playing 12 of 15 road games. Philadelphia upset visiting Portland 114-89 on Jan. 16 behind 25 points and 10 rebounds from Jahlil Okafor, now out for the season. Portland has won four of its past five games against the 76ers at the Moda Center.

Key trends: The Sixers are 4-11 ATS in their past 15 road games vs. teams with a winning home record. The over is 7-2 in Portland's past nine at home.

Early lean: Sixers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Saturday's hot teams
-- Indiana won six of its last nine games (4-2 last 6AF).
-- Hawks won seven of their last eight games (5-1 last 6AU). Detroit won its last five games (16-5-1 lst 21HF).
-- Cavaliers won seven of their last ten games (0-4 last 4AF). Knicks won their last two games, by 8-12 points (2-6 last 8HU).
-- Utah won six of its last eight games (5-2 last 7AF). Minnesota won its last two games, but needed double OT to win last night (5-2 last 7HU).
-- Spurs won eight of last nine games, may be resting several guys here. Thunder won their last six games.
-- Charlotte won seven of its last ten games (4-1 last 5AF).
-- Celtics won their last three games (7-3 last 10AF).
-- Portland won its last three home games (11-3 last 14HF).

Cold teams
-- Nets lost seven of their last nine games (5-2 last 7HU).
-- Toronto lost last two games by 12-3 points (2-5 last 7AF). Pelicans lost seven of their last nine games (6-4 last 10HU).
-- Chicago lost three of its last four road games. Orlando lost its last six games overall.
-- Bucks lost five of their last six games (1-4 last 5HU).
-- Suns lost six of their last nine games (2-6 last 8HU).
-- 76ers lost their last seven games (4-3 last 7AU).

Series records
-- Pacers won seven of their last nine games with Brooklyn.
-- Raptors won seven of last nine games with New Orleans.
-- Bulls are 5-3 in their last eight games with Orlando.
-- Hawks won five of last seven games with Detroit.
-- Knicks lost their last five games with Cleveland.
-- Jazz won five of last seven games with Minnesota.
-- Spurs won five of last seven games with Oklahoma City.
-- Hornets won eight of last ten games with Milwaukee.
-- Celtics won last two games with Phoenix by 5-14 points.
-- 76ers lost six of their last nine games with Portland.

Totals
-- Six of last seven Indiana-Brooklyn games went over.
-- Five of last six Toronto games stayed under total.
-- Last six Orlando games stayed under if it played night before.
-- Five of last six Atlanta-Detroit games went over total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland games went over total.
-- Six of last seven Utah games stayed under the total.
-- Four of last six Oklahoma City games went over total.
-- Last four Charlotte-Milwaukee games stayed under.
-- Five of last seven Boston games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Philly games stayed under the total.

Back/backs
-- Toronto covered five of its last seven if it played night before.
-- Orlando is 4-7 in its last 11 games if it played night before.
-- Hawks covered last three games if they played night before. Detroit covered its last seven games if it played night before.
-- Minnesota is 3-7 in last ten games if it played night before.
-- Spurs are 9-5 vs spread (14-0SU) if they played night before.
-- Charlotte covered four of last six if it played night before. Milwaukee is 12-6 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Phoenix is 4-9 in last 13 games if it played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sooners (28-7) at Ducks (31-6)

Date: March 26, 2016 6:09 PM EDT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Lon Kruger and Dana Altman are headed to Scotland in July for the latest golfing adventure in their three-decade-long friendship.

'We're still doing that, I guess, regardless of what happens tomorrow,' Kruger said with a wry smile Friday.

Indeed, the coaches first have a date in Orange County on Saturday, and it won't be quite as much fun for either of them.

Altman's top-seeded Oregon Ducks (31-6) are facing Kruger's second-seeded Oklahoma Sooners (28-7) in the West Region final for a spot in the Final Four.

Kruger and Altman hoped they would never have to coach against each other, and they had managed to avoid it throughout their parallel careers. But with two powerhouse teams heading into a landmark game for both programs, this coaching collision is unavoidable.

'When the pairings came out a couple weeks ago, I talked to Coach,' Altman said Friday. 'We just said at that time that if we're fortunate to get to this point, at least one of us is going to go to the Final Four.'

Their friendship came out of a calculated acquisition by Kruger in 1986 when he hired Altman to join his staff at Kansas State. Kruger wanted Altman's youthful energy and smarts - but he really wanted Mitch Richmond and a handful of Altman's other players on the nation's top-ranked junior college team in Missouri.

Their three years together led to three NCAA Tournament berths and the start of an enduring bond.

'We've got a handful of coaches that are best friends, and certainly Dana is one of them,' Kruger said.

Kruger reached the 1994 Final Four with Florida, but hasn't been back since. Altman has never reached the Final Four in a quarter-century in charge of four programs.

The West finale is both a test and a celebration of their careers. The coaches have built remarkably similar teams, with both relying on deep, balanced rosters of athletic players surrounding an elite scorer: Oklahoma's Buddy Hield and Oregon's Dillon Brooks.

'Both clubs prefer the (high) pace,' Kruger said. 'They prefer the tempo. We certainly are better when we're able to go. I think they are, too.'

Some more things to consider in these schools' first meeting in 75 years:

---

UP ON OREGON: Saturday is a historic time for the Ducks, who won the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles to earn the first No. 1 seed in school history. The Ducks have rolled into the regional final with a school-record 31 wins, but they realize they can't reach their first Final Four since 1939 in a building likely to be packed by their West Coast fan base.

UP ON OKLAHOMA: The Sooners' core four of Hield, Ryan Spangler, Jordan Woodard and Isaiah Cousins will start its 104th consecutive game together, along with 36 straight starts by Khadeem Lattin. OU is after its first Final Four trip since 2002. 'We ride and fight all together, so I think ending on a good note would be special for us,' Hield said.

STOPPING HIELD: The Oklahoma starters' collective experience and togetherness is remarkable in the modern game. The Ducks are appropriately impressed, but they're also determined to defend the perimeter against Hield and his teammates, who have the second-best 3-point shooting percentage in the nation (.426). 'We haven't seen a team like this with a core group that's been there for all four years, and we've never seen a player who shoots the ball like Buddy Hield,' Brooks said. 'We're really going to have to run them off the line and not let them get easy baskets.'

JUICY HISTORY: These schools actually met in the first NCAA Tournament back in 1939, when Oregon beat Oklahoma in the West Region final in a game played on Treasure Island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Oregon went on to win the national title. The schools met again in the 1940-41 season, and they haven't met since then.

MITCH'S FOOTPRINTS: Richmond led the two coaches' Wildcats to the Elite Eight, and Altman landed his first Division I head coaching job a year later at Marshall. A year after that, Altman replaced Kruger at K-State when Kruger left for Florida. Richmond's son, Phil, is a walk-on at Oregon. Mitch Richmond attended Thursday's games to watch both of his former coaches. 'I owe so much of my career to Coach Kruger, but I probably owe more to Mitch,' Altman said.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (32-5) at Jayhawks (33-4)

Date: March 26, 2016 8:49 PM EDT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Though the NCAA Tournament is something of a spring ritual for Kansas and Villanova, their recent visits have been cut short.

So Saturday night's Elite Eight appearance might have a new feel to it for both schools.

Kansas, the tournament's No. 1 overall seed, is making its first Elite Eight appearance since 2012, when the Jayhawks reached the NCAA championship game before losing to Kentucky. Second-seeded Villanova hasn't played in a regional final since 2009, when the Wildcats reached the Final Four.

As different as this extended stay might feel, both teams believe they are here because of experience and lessons learned from previous disappointments. They have been so impressive in the tournament, this showdown seemed almost inevitable.

Villanova coach Jay Wright even compared it to a heavyweight fight on Friday.

'Both of us are playing our best basketball right now, and both of us have played pretty well during the season,' Wright said. 'It's one-seed, two-seed and teams that I think feel very good about how they're playing. So I would say that's a heavyweight matchup.'

The Wildcats (32-5) have won three tournament games by an average of 24 points, including Thursday night's 23-point drubbing of No. 3 Miami in the Sweet 16. Villanova is shooting nearly 60 percent from the field in the tournament.

'They're on fire right now,' said Kansas coach Bill Self, who quickly noted that his Jayhawks (33-4) have been just as dominant.

Kansas needed a first-half rally against No. 5 Maryland before routing the Terps 79-63. Their performance didn't surprise Self, who has often seen his team's experience pay off this season.

Asked if it Saturday's matchup feels any different, Jayhawks forward Landen Lucas said, 'It does, but we've experienced so many pressure moments in games and situations like this this season. We know what it's like to come out and compete at a high level, and we'll get that done.'

---

Some other things to watch in Saturday's South Region final:

BETTER DEFENSE: Villanova needed to shoot well against Miami because it allowed the Hurricanes to make 53 percent from the field in the victory. Kansas might not shoot as many 3-pointers as Miami, but the Wildcats know the Jayhawks are just as capable of lighting up the scoreboard. 'We're aware of how well we're playing offensively,' Villanova senior center Daniel Ochefu said, 'but defensively, we have a lot of room to get better. We have to make ourselves accountable, and that's how we'll get better in games.'

COOL HAND LUCAS: Kansas junior forward Landen Lucas is averaging a double-double through three NCAA games, 12 points and 10.3 rebounds. He had season highs of 14 points and 11 rebounds against Maryland, reinforcing his growing status as the Jayhawks' glue guy. 'That's a credit to my team,' he said. 'They give me the ball in good position. The way I score is off of those guys.'

JENKINS' STRETCH RUN: Villanova junior forward Kris Jenkins has been rolling during the postseason, averaging 17.8 points in the Big East Conference and NCAA Tournaments. 'I always believe the next one's going in,' said Jenkins, who made 5 of 6 from long range and finished with 21 points and nine rebounds against Miami. 'I always keep that mentality.'

ELLIS ISLAND: Kansas senior forward Perry Ellis matched a season high with 27 points against Maryland and has scored at least 20 points in seven of eight games. Villanova figures to focus on him, but other teams have tried that as well and he's still getting good numbers. 'I'm just trying to do whatever I can to win,' he said. 'Playing aggressive is something I'm not worried about. Just trying to win.'

THE SERIES: Kansas has won three of five against Villanova, including in the 2008 Sweet 16 en route to its third NCAA title. But the Wildcats have the most recent victory, a 61-57 win in the 2013 Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Oklahoma vs. Oregon: Elite Eight betting preview

No. 2 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 1 Oregon Ducks (-1, 151)

Game to be played at Honda Center, Anaheim, CA


Oregon defeated Oklahoma on its way to winning the first NCAA Tournament title in 1939, and the top-seeded Ducks will need to go through the No. 2 Sooners again Saturday at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. if they hope to return to the Final Four for the first time in 77 years. Oregon will need to find someone to guard Buddy Hield, the two-time Big 12 player of the year who comes in averaging 25.1 points, while Oklahoma will face a similar challenge against Oregon leading scorer Dillon Brooks, who has combined for 47 points in the last two West Region games.

These teams have two common opponents this season in Baylor and Washington State, but the results shed little light on which team might have the edge in this game. Oklahoma beat Baylor by 10 points and two points in conference play, the Ducks knocked off the Bears by seven points in the second game of the season and each blew out Washington State in their only meetings. Both teams faced their biggest challenges of this tournament in the second round, as Oregon needed to rally from seven points down in the final five minutes against No. 8 Saint Joseph's before winning 69-64, the same day Oklahoma held off No. 10 VCU 85-81. The Sooners came back to hammer No. 3 Texas A&M in the Round of 16, a couple hours before the Ducks also posted a 14-point victory against No. 4 Duke.

TV: 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: The first Elite Eight matchup of the Tournament opened at a Pick and the early action was on Oklahoma, moving the line to Sooners -1. Since then however, action has come back on Oregon, moving back to a Pick then to Ducks -1. Check out the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Oregon is still a phony No. 1 seed, and they've had an easy path to the Elite 8. They are taking a big step-up in class here against Oklahoma and the Sooners have the offense to match the Ducks. That wasn’t the case in Oregon’s other three games so far." - Steve Merril.

ABOUT OREGON (28-6, 13-20 ATS, 15-18 O/U): Both teams feature exceptional supporting casts to go with their leading scorers, but Oregon might have a little more skill in that area. Elgin Cook is a 6-foot-6 forward like Brooks, but prefers to play more on the inside, where he's averaging 15 points and 8.7 rebounds in the tournament. Tyler Dorsey had a strong finish to the regular season, but the freshman guard has struggled with his offensive efficiency during the tournament, and the Ducks feature two elite shot blockers in Chris Boucher and Jordan Bell, who might end up being the difference in this outcome.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (28-7, 21-13 ATS, 15-19 O/U): The Ducks won't come close to matching the Sooners when it comes to chemistry among its starting five, as Hield, Jordan Woodard, Ryan Spangler and Isaiah Cousins have started the last 102 games together. Woodard is having the second-best tournament showing on the team behind Hield, averaging 18 points through the first three games while shooting 9-for-16 from 3-point range. Cousins is the player who needs to pick up his production, as the third starting guard for the Sooners was held to a season-low two points against Texas A&M after shooting 1-for-8 from the floor, though he did contribute eight assists.

TRENDS:

* Oklahoma covered its last game, but is 3-11 ATS in its last 14 games.
* Oregon is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 NCAA Tournament games.
* Under is 11-2 in Oklahoma's last 13 games overall.
* Under is 7-3 in Oregon's last 10 games overall.

CONSENSUS: The public is fairly split for the West Region final, with 54 percent of the wagers on the No. 1 seed Ducks. As for the total, 66 percent of wagers think the result will go Over.

 

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Villanova vs. Kansas: Elite Eight betting preview

No. 2 Villanova Wildcats vs. No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks (-2.5, 145.5)

Game to be played at KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY

Saturday's matchup between Kansas and Villanova features the two teams that perhaps have been more impressive than any other in this NCAA Tournament. Yet, the top-seeded Jayhawks and second-seeded Wildcats are vying for one spot in the Final Four when the teams clash in Louisville to determine the South Region champion.

Leading up to this star-studded matchup that features impact players ranging from freshmen to seniors, Kansas has won its first three games by 26, 12 and 16 points, while Villanova has throttled opponents by 30, 19 and 23 to this point in the tournament. "They're a red-hot team right now," Kansas coach Bill Self said to reporters. "But, honestly, we've been playing pretty well ourselves." Self is looking to get his Jayhawks to the Final Four for the first time since 2012, while the Wildcats have not reached the national semifinals since 2009. "My first responsibility is to these guys. I would love to see them play in the Final Four," said Villanova coach Jay Wright, whose team has won 15 of its last 17, although Kansas has captured 17 games in a row.

TV: 8:49 p.m. ET, CBS

LINE HISTORY: Kansas, the South's No. 1 seed, opened as 2.5-point favorites for the regional final over second-seeded Villanova. The early action was on the Wildcats, moving the number to Jayhawks -2, before bouncing back to the opening number and that is where the line currently sits. Check out the complete line history here.

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Villanova has shot the lights out in their three tournament games, so regression has to set in at some point. Kansas has yet to be challenged, and their opponent here is very good. But the Jayhawks have an excellent defense that should prevent the Wildcats from shooting a high percentage once again." - Steve Merril.

ABOUT VILLANOVA (32-5, 18-17-1 ATS, 19-16-1 O/U): The Wildcats put on a shooting clinic in their 93-69 victory over Miami (Fla.) in the Sweet 16, connecting on 62.7 percent of their shots from the field, 10-of-15 from the 3-point line and 18-of-19 from the foul line. "If any team is shooting the way we're shooting right now, they'll easily be the most dangerous team in the country," Villanova forward Daniel Ochefu said to reporters after scoring 17 points, joining three of his teammates in double-figures. "But hopefully, we'll keep shooting like that, so we can keep playing the way we are." Fellow senior Ryan Arcidiacono scored 21 points against the Hurricanes and is shooting just over 65 percent from the field (10-of-16 from the arc) in his final NCAA Tournament, while Kris Jenkins is 8-of-11 from long range over the last two games.

ABOUT KANSAS (33-4, 24-11 ATS, 13-21-1 O/U): The Jayhawks defeated the Wildcats in the 2008 Sweet 16 en route to winning the national championship and will have a good chance to top Villanova again if senior Perry Ellis can duplicate his effort against Maryland on Thursday (season high-tying 27 points). Ellis is averaging 23 points in the tournament and leads the team at 17.2 points on the season, but that elusive Final Four is one win away - as Self noted when he said, “This is why (Ellis) came back to school." Kansas desperately needs more production out of its bench, as the Jayhawks reserves combined to shoot 2-of-9 versus the Terrpains and the unit once again will be without sharpshooter Brannen Greene (back spasms).

TRENDS:

* Villanova is 9-2 ATS in its last 11 games after scoring more than 90 points in its previous game.
* Kansas is 14-3 ATS in its last 17 games overall.
* Over is 10-2 in Villanova's last 12 games overall.
* Under is 12-3-1 in Kansas' last 16 games vs. a team with a winning percentage above .600.

CONSENSUS: Bettors are backing Kansas in the South Region Final, with 62 percent of wagers on the Jayhawks. As for the total, bettors are strongly on the over, with 75 percent of wagers on it.