BRAD WILTON
Sunday comp play is to "lay it" with the Warriors as they make stop # 2 of 4 in a row away from Oakland.
Stop # 1 on Friday night saw the Dubs paste the Rockets by 17 in Houston, as Golden State has now won 6 in a row straight up, and they have covered in each of their last 4 wins - claiming them all by double-digits.
Orlando has won just twice in their last 9 games straight up, and they have gone just 4-5 against the spread in that span.
Golden State is on a 6-game series win streak over Orlando, and they have covered in 4 of the 6 wins.
As long as the Warriors stay interested, this game should not be close.
Lay the road lumber as Golden State adds another victory to their road tour.
2* GOLDEN STATE
Sunday comp play is to "lay it" with the Warriors as they make stop # 2 of 4 in a row away from Oakland.
Stop # 1 on Friday night saw the Dubs paste the Rockets by 17 in Houston, as Golden State has now won 6 in a row straight up, and they have covered in each of their last 4 wins - claiming them all by double-digits.
Orlando has won just twice in their last 9 games straight up, and they have gone just 4-5 against the spread in that span.
Golden State is on a 6-game series win streak over Orlando, and they have covered in 4 of the 6 wins.
As long as the Warriors stay interested, this game should not be close.
Lay the road lumber as Golden State adds another victory to their road tour.
2* GOLDEN STATE
Soccer: EPL Notebook - Week 22
By Chris David
Future Market
After this weekend, there will only be 16 weeks left in the Premier League season and oddsmakers at 5Dimes.eu still have Chelsea listed as the odds-on favorite at minus-165 (Bet $100 to win $60). Right behind the Blues are Liverpool (6/1) and Tottenham (7/1), who are both within striking distance. Arsenal (11/1), Manchester City (14/1) and Manchester United (21/1) haven’t been ruled out by the oddsmakers but they all face uphill battles.
Week 22 Slate
All times listed in Eastern Time Zone
Sunday, Jan. 22
Leicester City at Southampton (NBCSN, 7:00 a.m.)
Burnley at Arsenal (NBCSN, 9:15 a.m.)
Hully City at Chelsea (NBCSN, 11:30 a.m.)
Sunday Chalk
The Premier League has three games on tap for Sunday and the home team has been installed as a heavy favorite in all of the games. When looking at the visitors below, it’s hard to make a case for them knowing the trio is a combined 1-5-23 on the road this season.
Southampton vs. Leicester City: The Foxes won’t be repeating as EPL champions and they could be in trouble of staying up. Southampton is the weakest of the three favorites on Sunday but they have notched four of its six wins this season at St. Mary’s Stadium and Leicester remains winless (0-3-7) on the road. The total on this game is listed at 2 and the ‘under’ (+125) might be worth a look. They played to a scoreless draw in October plus the Saints haven’t been able to score at home (10 goals) and Leicester has only managed eight away goals.
Arsenal vs. Burnley: It’s really amazing that Burnley sits in the 10th place despite only earning one point (0-1-8) on the road this season but a great home mark (8-1-3) has helped the cause. The Clarets have been outscored 20-3 on the road and they’ll be facing an Arsenal team that has gone 8-1-3 at Emirates Stadium this season. The Gunners are unbeaten (4-1-0) in their last five league matches versus Burnley, which includes a 1-0 road win on Oct. 2.
Chelsea vs. Hull City: The Blues are laying a heavy price (-600) against the Tigers (+1650) and while anything is possible, it’s tough to argue for the ‘dog in this spot against the league leaders. The Blues dropped Hull 2-0 on the road back in October and have now win five straight league games in this series. The total is hovering around 3 goals and shaded high (-120) but Chelsea has been almost perfect as an ‘over’ lean (9-1) at Stamford Bridge this season. The Blues have tallied 28 goals at home and scored three-plus in six games.
By Chris David
Future Market
After this weekend, there will only be 16 weeks left in the Premier League season and oddsmakers at 5Dimes.eu still have Chelsea listed as the odds-on favorite at minus-165 (Bet $100 to win $60). Right behind the Blues are Liverpool (6/1) and Tottenham (7/1), who are both within striking distance. Arsenal (11/1), Manchester City (14/1) and Manchester United (21/1) haven’t been ruled out by the oddsmakers but they all face uphill battles.
Week 22 Slate
All times listed in Eastern Time Zone
Sunday, Jan. 22
Leicester City at Southampton (NBCSN, 7:00 a.m.)
Burnley at Arsenal (NBCSN, 9:15 a.m.)
Hully City at Chelsea (NBCSN, 11:30 a.m.)
Sunday Chalk
The Premier League has three games on tap for Sunday and the home team has been installed as a heavy favorite in all of the games. When looking at the visitors below, it’s hard to make a case for them knowing the trio is a combined 1-5-23 on the road this season.
Southampton vs. Leicester City: The Foxes won’t be repeating as EPL champions and they could be in trouble of staying up. Southampton is the weakest of the three favorites on Sunday but they have notched four of its six wins this season at St. Mary’s Stadium and Leicester remains winless (0-3-7) on the road. The total on this game is listed at 2 and the ‘under’ (+125) might be worth a look. They played to a scoreless draw in October plus the Saints haven’t been able to score at home (10 goals) and Leicester has only managed eight away goals.
Arsenal vs. Burnley: It’s really amazing that Burnley sits in the 10th place despite only earning one point (0-1-8) on the road this season but a great home mark (8-1-3) has helped the cause. The Clarets have been outscored 20-3 on the road and they’ll be facing an Arsenal team that has gone 8-1-3 at Emirates Stadium this season. The Gunners are unbeaten (4-1-0) in their last five league matches versus Burnley, which includes a 1-0 road win on Oct. 2.
Chelsea vs. Hull City: The Blues are laying a heavy price (-600) against the Tigers (+1650) and while anything is possible, it’s tough to argue for the ‘dog in this spot against the league leaders. The Blues dropped Hull 2-0 on the road back in October and have now win five straight league games in this series. The total is hovering around 3 goals and shaded high (-120) but Chelsea has been almost perfect as an ‘over’ lean (9-1) at Stamford Bridge this season. The Blues have tallied 28 goals at home and scored three-plus in six games.
NHL roundup: Capitals extend point streak to 13 games
By The Sports Xchange
DALLAS -- Jay Beagle's goal at 19 seconds of overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars at AmericanAirlines Center on Saturday.
Washington won the opening faceoff in overtime and Beagle drove hard to the net to finish off a pass from Evgeny Kuznetsov. Washington extended its point streak to 13 games (11-0-2) and won in Dallas for the first time since the 2008 season.
Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie scored power-play goals in the third period to force overtime for the Capitals while Andre Burakovsky scored the game's first goal. Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves for Washington.
Adam Cracknell, Patrick Eaves and Jamie Benn scored for Dallas. Kari Lehtonen made 18 saves.
Devils 4, Flyers 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Rookie Miles Wood drew a game-changing penalty and recorded the first two-goal game of his NHL career to lead surging New Jersey past struggling Philadelphia.
Kyle Palmieri and Pavel Zacha also recorded goals and Michael Cammalleri picked up two assists to give the Devils their fourth win in their last six games (4-1-1). Goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who started for the second straight night in place of an ill Corey Schneider, turned aside 35 shots.
Rookie Travis Konecny scored for Philadelphia, which was returning from a bye week and is 3-9-3 since its 10-game win streak in December. The Flyers allowed four or more goals in five straight games and in nine of their last 12 overall.
Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Markus Hannikainen scored his first NHL goal as Columbus knocked off Carolina.
Scott Hartnell scored the game-winning goal -- his second of the night -- after receiving a tape-to-tape pass from linemate Sam Gagner near the midway point of the third period. Hannikainen slid a rebound past Carolina goaltender Michael Leighton at 4:49 of the first period as Columbus improved to 4-5-0 since winning 16 straight games.
Sebastian Aho netted a power-play goal and defenseman Justin Faulk scored his ninth goal of the season for the Hurricanes, who lost 7-1 to Pittsburgh on Friday night. Leighton made 17 saves.
Sabres 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
MONTREAL --- Zach Bogosian scored the overtime winner to lift Buffalo over Montreal.
Brian Gionta and Cody Franson also scored for the Sabres. Artturi Lehkonen and Phillip Danault connected for the Canadiens. Robin Lehner made 36 saves for Buffalo while Carey Price stopped 35 shots for Montreal.
The Sabres came close to ending it in the dying seconds of regulation, but Price stood tall on a partial break by Matt Moulson before following it up with a perfectly timed flash of the glove on Rasmus Ristolainen.
Wild 5, Ducks 3
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Ryan Suter celebrated his birthday in grand style, setting up the tying goal and scoring the game-winner less than a minute later as Minnesota rallied past Anaheim.
Erik Haula and Jason Zucker each had two goals -- Zucker's second coming on a late breakaway -- and Devan Dubnyk had 26 saves for the Wild. It was Minnesota's second victory over the Ducks in the past two weeks.
Stefan Noesen, Cam Fowler and Corey Perry scored for Anaheim, which lost starting goaltender John Gibson to an upper-body injury late in the first period. The Ducks are 5-2-1 in their last eight games, with both regulation losses against the Wild.
Sharks 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- David Schlemko scored his second goal of the season 1:18 into overtime to give San Jose its fourth straight victory.
Schlemko crashed the net to punch home a rebound of Logan Couture's second shot of overtime. Melker Karlsson and Joel Ward scored for the Sharks, who visit Colorado on Monday.
Francois Beauchemin and Mikhail Grigorenko scored for the Avalanche. Rookie goaltender Spencer Martin made 27 saves in his NHL debut for Colorado.
Senators 3, Maple Leafs 2 (SO)
TORONTO -- Tom Pyatt scored the decisive goal in the shootout for Ottawa.
Toronto took a 2-1 lead on a goal by Matt Martin in the third period only to have the Senators tie the game with 1:11 to play on a power play on a goal by Mike Hoffman.
Bobby Ryan scored in regulation and in the shootout for Ottawa, which finished 3-0-0 on its three-game road trip. Tyler Bozak scored for the Maple Leafs (21-14-9), who lost two in a row.
Oilers 7, Flames 3
CALGARY, Alberta -- Jordan Eberle had two goals and two assists and goaltender Laurent Brossoit picked up his first NHL win as Edmonton blasted Calgary.
Brossoit made 38 saves in his first NHL start this season and seventh career game. Anton Slepyshev, Mark Letestu, Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (empty net) also scored for the Oilers.
Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan and Lance Bouma scored for the Flames. Edmonton chased Calgary goaltender Chad Johnson by scoring on three of its first four shots.
Jets 5, Blues 3
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Bryan Little scored twice and Ondrej Pavelec improved to 2-0 since being recalled from the minors as Winnipeg stopped St. Louis.
Pavelec, who made 34 saves, was recalled from the AHL Manitoba on Tuesday. Blake Wheeler, Nik Ehlers and Mark Scheifele also scored for the Jets.
The Blues hit the scoreboard with defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk scoring twice and Paul Stastny providing the other. Pheonix Copley, playing in only his second NHL game, turned aside 24 shots for the Blues.
Islanders 4, Kings 2
NEW YORK -- Anders Lee scored his second goal of the game with 10:29 remaining in the third period as New York improved to 2-0-0 under interim coach Doug Weight.
Lee recorded his fourth two-goal game of the season, the ninth of his career and the second straight versus Los Angeles. John Tavares and Nick Leddy set up both Lee goals while Tavares and Jason Chimera also scored for the Islanders.
Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty scored in the opening 4:06 of the third period for the Kings. Peter Budaj made 32 saves for Los Angeles, which dropped its third straight and lost for the fifth time in eight games.
Coyotes 5, Lightning 3
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Radim Vrbata matched a career high with four points (a goal and three assists) as Arizona snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over struggling Tampa Bay.
Rookie Christian Fischer became the 11th Coyotes player to score in his NHL debut this season. Martin Hanzal, Tobias Rieder and Michel Stone also scored for Arizona, which got 44 saves from Mike Smith. Smith is 5-0-2 when saving 40 or more shots.
Cedric Paquette, Vladislav Namestnikov and Ondrej Palat scored for Tampa Bay, which is 2-7-1 in its last 10 games. Ben Bishop stopped 12 of 17 shots for the Lightning before he was pulled after two periods in favor of Andrei Vasilevskiy (six saves).
By The Sports Xchange
DALLAS -- Jay Beagle's goal at 19 seconds of overtime lifted the Washington Capitals to a 4-3 victory over the Dallas Stars at AmericanAirlines Center on Saturday.
Washington won the opening faceoff in overtime and Beagle drove hard to the net to finish off a pass from Evgeny Kuznetsov. Washington extended its point streak to 13 games (11-0-2) and won in Dallas for the first time since the 2008 season.
Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie scored power-play goals in the third period to force overtime for the Capitals while Andre Burakovsky scored the game's first goal. Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves for Washington.
Adam Cracknell, Patrick Eaves and Jamie Benn scored for Dallas. Kari Lehtonen made 18 saves.
Devils 4, Flyers 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Rookie Miles Wood drew a game-changing penalty and recorded the first two-goal game of his NHL career to lead surging New Jersey past struggling Philadelphia.
Kyle Palmieri and Pavel Zacha also recorded goals and Michael Cammalleri picked up two assists to give the Devils their fourth win in their last six games (4-1-1). Goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who started for the second straight night in place of an ill Corey Schneider, turned aside 35 shots.
Rookie Travis Konecny scored for Philadelphia, which was returning from a bye week and is 3-9-3 since its 10-game win streak in December. The Flyers allowed four or more goals in five straight games and in nine of their last 12 overall.
Blue Jackets 3, Hurricanes 2
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Markus Hannikainen scored his first NHL goal as Columbus knocked off Carolina.
Scott Hartnell scored the game-winning goal -- his second of the night -- after receiving a tape-to-tape pass from linemate Sam Gagner near the midway point of the third period. Hannikainen slid a rebound past Carolina goaltender Michael Leighton at 4:49 of the first period as Columbus improved to 4-5-0 since winning 16 straight games.
Sebastian Aho netted a power-play goal and defenseman Justin Faulk scored his ninth goal of the season for the Hurricanes, who lost 7-1 to Pittsburgh on Friday night. Leighton made 17 saves.
Sabres 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)
MONTREAL --- Zach Bogosian scored the overtime winner to lift Buffalo over Montreal.
Brian Gionta and Cody Franson also scored for the Sabres. Artturi Lehkonen and Phillip Danault connected for the Canadiens. Robin Lehner made 36 saves for Buffalo while Carey Price stopped 35 shots for Montreal.
The Sabres came close to ending it in the dying seconds of regulation, but Price stood tall on a partial break by Matt Moulson before following it up with a perfectly timed flash of the glove on Rasmus Ristolainen.
Wild 5, Ducks 3
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- Ryan Suter celebrated his birthday in grand style, setting up the tying goal and scoring the game-winner less than a minute later as Minnesota rallied past Anaheim.
Erik Haula and Jason Zucker each had two goals -- Zucker's second coming on a late breakaway -- and Devan Dubnyk had 26 saves for the Wild. It was Minnesota's second victory over the Ducks in the past two weeks.
Stefan Noesen, Cam Fowler and Corey Perry scored for Anaheim, which lost starting goaltender John Gibson to an upper-body injury late in the first period. The Ducks are 5-2-1 in their last eight games, with both regulation losses against the Wild.
Sharks 3, Avalanche 2 (OT)
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- David Schlemko scored his second goal of the season 1:18 into overtime to give San Jose its fourth straight victory.
Schlemko crashed the net to punch home a rebound of Logan Couture's second shot of overtime. Melker Karlsson and Joel Ward scored for the Sharks, who visit Colorado on Monday.
Francois Beauchemin and Mikhail Grigorenko scored for the Avalanche. Rookie goaltender Spencer Martin made 27 saves in his NHL debut for Colorado.
Senators 3, Maple Leafs 2 (SO)
TORONTO -- Tom Pyatt scored the decisive goal in the shootout for Ottawa.
Toronto took a 2-1 lead on a goal by Matt Martin in the third period only to have the Senators tie the game with 1:11 to play on a power play on a goal by Mike Hoffman.
Bobby Ryan scored in regulation and in the shootout for Ottawa, which finished 3-0-0 on its three-game road trip. Tyler Bozak scored for the Maple Leafs (21-14-9), who lost two in a row.
Oilers 7, Flames 3
CALGARY, Alberta -- Jordan Eberle had two goals and two assists and goaltender Laurent Brossoit picked up his first NHL win as Edmonton blasted Calgary.
Brossoit made 38 saves in his first NHL start this season and seventh career game. Anton Slepyshev, Mark Letestu, Connor McDavid, Oscar Klefbom and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (empty net) also scored for the Oilers.
Matthew Tkachuk, Sean Monahan and Lance Bouma scored for the Flames. Edmonton chased Calgary goaltender Chad Johnson by scoring on three of its first four shots.
Jets 5, Blues 3
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Bryan Little scored twice and Ondrej Pavelec improved to 2-0 since being recalled from the minors as Winnipeg stopped St. Louis.
Pavelec, who made 34 saves, was recalled from the AHL Manitoba on Tuesday. Blake Wheeler, Nik Ehlers and Mark Scheifele also scored for the Jets.
The Blues hit the scoreboard with defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk scoring twice and Paul Stastny providing the other. Pheonix Copley, playing in only his second NHL game, turned aside 24 shots for the Blues.
Islanders 4, Kings 2
NEW YORK -- Anders Lee scored his second goal of the game with 10:29 remaining in the third period as New York improved to 2-0-0 under interim coach Doug Weight.
Lee recorded his fourth two-goal game of the season, the ninth of his career and the second straight versus Los Angeles. John Tavares and Nick Leddy set up both Lee goals while Tavares and Jason Chimera also scored for the Islanders.
Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty scored in the opening 4:06 of the third period for the Kings. Peter Budaj made 32 saves for Los Angeles, which dropped its third straight and lost for the fifth time in eight games.
Coyotes 5, Lightning 3
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Radim Vrbata matched a career high with four points (a goal and three assists) as Arizona snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over struggling Tampa Bay.
Rookie Christian Fischer became the 11th Coyotes player to score in his NHL debut this season. Martin Hanzal, Tobias Rieder and Michel Stone also scored for Arizona, which got 44 saves from Mike Smith. Smith is 5-0-2 when saving 40 or more shots.
Cedric Paquette, Vladislav Namestnikov and Ondrej Palat scored for Tampa Bay, which is 2-7-1 in its last 10 games. Ben Bishop stopped 12 of 17 shots for the Lightning before he was pulled after two periods in favor of Andrei Vasilevskiy (six saves).
Preview: Rangers (29-16) at Red Wings (20-19)
Date: January 22, 2017 12:30 PM EDT
The playoffs won't begin for 2 1/2 months, but the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings understand the importance of racking up points now.
Two "Original Six" teams looking to build off some recent solid play meet for the second time this season as the Rangers take on the Red Wings on Sunday in Detroit.
After giving up 16 goals during a three-game skid, New York (29-16-1) received two goals from Michael Grabner and 23 saves from Henrik Lundqvist en route to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Rick Nash said New York must continue playing a strong all-around game.
"It seems like lately we have been having a good game then a bad one," Nash said on Saturday. "We kind of want to put some streaks together, so it's very important to kind of bring that momentum from Toronto and bring it into Detroit and do a lot of the same things."
New York, which fell 2-1 to the Red Wings on Oct. 19 at Madison Square Garden, has dropped seven of its last eight in Detroit, including three overtime losses. Each of the last eight games in the Motor City has been decided by one goal.
"It's a tough building to play in, Joe Louis Arena, and we need to be ready right off the start there," Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said Saturday.
The Rangers will visit "The Joe" for the final time on March 12. The Red Wings are scheduled to move into new Little Caesars Arena this fall.
Grabner has been red-hot for the Rangers this month, leading the team with seven goals and nine points in seven games. New York is 15-2-0 when Grabner records a point, but 14-13-1 when held scoreless.
He has not had a point through nine career games in Detroit.
A tweet from the Rangers attributed to coach Alain Vigneault stated that he expects to have the same lineup in Detroit that faced the Maple Leafs. That indicates Lundqvist will start in goal.
Lundqvist is 0-1-2 with a 3.94 goals-against average all time in Detroit. He needs one win to reach 20 for the 12th straight season.
Like the Rangers, Detroit (20-19-7) has rebounded from a three-game losing streak earlier in the month. The Red Wings are 3-0-1 in their last four after losing 3-2 in overtime to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
"I think we've been playing pretty good. We got seven out of eight points. If we keep playing like that and keep getting points like that, we will be happy," said Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg, who has three assists in his last two home games versus New York.
Zetterberg has struggled over the last nine games, totaling two goals and one assist. Despite the slump, he leads Detroit with 22 helpers and is tied with Thomas Vanek for the team lead in scoring with 31 points.
Despite losing on Friday, Petr Mrazek impressed coach Jeff Blashill with a 34-save performance.
"He looks like he's on top of his game. He's got a swagger, he's on top of the crease, he's making lots of good plays, so I think he's trending in the right direction," Blashill said Friday.
In his only career appearance against New York, Mrazek stopped 23 of 25 shots in a 3-2 overtime win on March 12.
Date: January 22, 2017 12:30 PM EDT
The playoffs won't begin for 2 1/2 months, but the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings understand the importance of racking up points now.
Two "Original Six" teams looking to build off some recent solid play meet for the second time this season as the Rangers take on the Red Wings on Sunday in Detroit.
After giving up 16 goals during a three-game skid, New York (29-16-1) received two goals from Michael Grabner and 23 saves from Henrik Lundqvist en route to a 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
Rick Nash said New York must continue playing a strong all-around game.
"It seems like lately we have been having a good game then a bad one," Nash said on Saturday. "We kind of want to put some streaks together, so it's very important to kind of bring that momentum from Toronto and bring it into Detroit and do a lot of the same things."
New York, which fell 2-1 to the Red Wings on Oct. 19 at Madison Square Garden, has dropped seven of its last eight in Detroit, including three overtime losses. Each of the last eight games in the Motor City has been decided by one goal.
"It's a tough building to play in, Joe Louis Arena, and we need to be ready right off the start there," Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said Saturday.
The Rangers will visit "The Joe" for the final time on March 12. The Red Wings are scheduled to move into new Little Caesars Arena this fall.
Grabner has been red-hot for the Rangers this month, leading the team with seven goals and nine points in seven games. New York is 15-2-0 when Grabner records a point, but 14-13-1 when held scoreless.
He has not had a point through nine career games in Detroit.
A tweet from the Rangers attributed to coach Alain Vigneault stated that he expects to have the same lineup in Detroit that faced the Maple Leafs. That indicates Lundqvist will start in goal.
Lundqvist is 0-1-2 with a 3.94 goals-against average all time in Detroit. He needs one win to reach 20 for the 12th straight season.
Like the Rangers, Detroit (20-19-7) has rebounded from a three-game losing streak earlier in the month. The Red Wings are 3-0-1 in their last four after losing 3-2 in overtime to the Buffalo Sabres on Friday.
"I think we've been playing pretty good. We got seven out of eight points. If we keep playing like that and keep getting points like that, we will be happy," said Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg, who has three assists in his last two home games versus New York.
Zetterberg has struggled over the last nine games, totaling two goals and one assist. Despite the slump, he leads Detroit with 22 helpers and is tied with Thomas Vanek for the team lead in scoring with 31 points.
Despite losing on Friday, Petr Mrazek impressed coach Jeff Blashill with a 34-save performance.
"He looks like he's on top of his game. He's got a swagger, he's on top of the crease, he's making lots of good plays, so I think he's trending in the right direction," Blashill said Friday.
In his only career appearance against New York, Mrazek stopped 23 of 25 shots in a 3-2 overtime win on March 12.
Preview: Bruins (23-20) at Penguins (29-11)
Date: January 22, 2017 3:00 PM EDT
Evgeni Malkin is a man of his word.
After Pittsburgh Penguins was beaten soundly in Detroit 6-3 on Jan. 14, the superstar center told reporters the Penguins, then in the midst of a three-game losing streak, would rebound.
"These next three games, we should win," Malkin proclaimed to reporters in Detroit after that defeat.
The Penguins did win their next three games and will try to extend that streak to four when they host the Boston Bruins on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena.
Malkin has been a major part of Pittsburgh's winning streak. He has six points (four goals, two assists) in the past three games. A scoring streak of six games pushed him into second place in the NHL's scoring race with 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (55 points).
The Penguins' offensive surge goes beyond Malkin. They have averaged 6.3 goals per game during the winning streak and have gotten ample secondary scoring. Left winger Conor Sheary (four goals, two assists) and center Jake Guentzel (one goal, two assists) each have three-game scoring streaks. In Friday's 7-1 road win against the Hurricanes, the Penguins had 13 players record a point.
"We've certainly been encouraged with the way our team is trending right now because I think we're becoming a much more difficult team to play against," head coach Mike Sullivan said to the media following practice Saturday. "I think we're getting contributions from throughout our lineup. We're not necessary trying to outscore teams. We're just trying to play the game the right way and when we do that, we have enough talent on our team that we're going to generate offense."
The Bruins enter the contest with a three-game losing streak of their own. Following a 1-0 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, Boston coach Claude Julien was asked if he fears for his job security.
"Well, I'm not into shock journalism," Julien said at TD Garden in response to a question from CSN New England. "So I'll stay away from that question, if you don't mind."
Following practice Saturday, Julien did address the question.
"I didn't feel it was the appropriate time for me to answer that," Julien said. "After a game, your emotions are pretty high so I wasn't getting into that. But to be honest with you guys, my job is to coach a hockey club. Am I worried about my job? No I'm not because it's not my job to worry about it."
"I think my job is to coach this team and try to do everything I can. And if I become one of the reasons that we're not doing well, well then I think management has to make that decision. It's not my decision to make."
Penguins left winger Scott Wilson is expected to play after leaving Friday's win at 5:39 of the third period with a suspected arm injury. Saturday, Wilson was optimistic he will play Sunday.
"I feel great this morning," Wilson said following practice. "Shocked at how good I felt this morning actually. I'll be ready to go tomorrow."
Date: January 22, 2017 3:00 PM EDT
Evgeni Malkin is a man of his word.
After Pittsburgh Penguins was beaten soundly in Detroit 6-3 on Jan. 14, the superstar center told reporters the Penguins, then in the midst of a three-game losing streak, would rebound.
"These next three games, we should win," Malkin proclaimed to reporters in Detroit after that defeat.
The Penguins did win their next three games and will try to extend that streak to four when they host the Boston Bruins on Sunday at PPG Paints Arena.
Malkin has been a major part of Pittsburgh's winning streak. He has six points (four goals, two assists) in the past three games. A scoring streak of six games pushed him into second place in the NHL's scoring race with 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists) behind Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (55 points).
The Penguins' offensive surge goes beyond Malkin. They have averaged 6.3 goals per game during the winning streak and have gotten ample secondary scoring. Left winger Conor Sheary (four goals, two assists) and center Jake Guentzel (one goal, two assists) each have three-game scoring streaks. In Friday's 7-1 road win against the Hurricanes, the Penguins had 13 players record a point.
"We've certainly been encouraged with the way our team is trending right now because I think we're becoming a much more difficult team to play against," head coach Mike Sullivan said to the media following practice Saturday. "I think we're getting contributions from throughout our lineup. We're not necessary trying to outscore teams. We're just trying to play the game the right way and when we do that, we have enough talent on our team that we're going to generate offense."
The Bruins enter the contest with a three-game losing streak of their own. Following a 1-0 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, Boston coach Claude Julien was asked if he fears for his job security.
"Well, I'm not into shock journalism," Julien said at TD Garden in response to a question from CSN New England. "So I'll stay away from that question, if you don't mind."
Following practice Saturday, Julien did address the question.
"I didn't feel it was the appropriate time for me to answer that," Julien said. "After a game, your emotions are pretty high so I wasn't getting into that. But to be honest with you guys, my job is to coach a hockey club. Am I worried about my job? No I'm not because it's not my job to worry about it."
"I think my job is to coach this team and try to do everything I can. And if I become one of the reasons that we're not doing well, well then I think management has to make that decision. It's not my decision to make."
Penguins left winger Scott Wilson is expected to play after leaving Friday's win at 5:39 of the third period with a suspected arm injury. Saturday, Wilson was optimistic he will play Sunday.
"I feel great this morning," Wilson said following practice. "Shocked at how good I felt this morning actually. I'll be ready to go tomorrow."
Preview: Blue Jackets (30-10) at Senators (24-15)
Date: January 22, 2017 5:00 PM EDT
OTTAWA -- Coming off a shootout victory that gave them a 3-0 record on a six-day road trip, the Ottawa Senators have a big decision to make before facing the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre.
Do they ask goalie Mike Condon to make his 22nd consecutive appearance, or do they give him a break and rookie Chris Driedger his first career NHL start?
"I'll take to my people and see where we're at," coach Guy Boucher said after the Senators outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday night at Air Canada Centre. "We'll make a decision tomorrow.
"(Condon) has proven he's got great character."
Condon has been especially good the last two games, stopping 73 of 75 shots. But when they host the Blue Jackets, the Senators will be playing less than 19 hours after getting off the ice in Toronto, their final stop in a road trip that began when they flew out of Ottawa on Monday.
"Those long week road trips do wear you out," Boucher said. "The reality is, tomorrow we're going back home and now we've got to face the top team in the league, again. At least they played tonight also."
The Blue Jackets, who lost 2-0 to the Senators in Columbus on Thursday, did bounce back with a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. But it was a home ice victory they weren't especially proud of.
Columbus was outshot 37-20, managing only two shots in the second period.
"It's nice to win a game when you don't play a complete 60 minutes," said Scott Hartnell, who scored twice for Columbus. "That second period was just terrible hockey from us."
Coach John Tortorella maintained his team would have had "no chance" if not for the play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
"We're a very young hockey club," Tortorella said. "I know we don't know how to continue the standard that we want to play at, when the league is getting better. I don't think we totally know how to do that yet. That's part of our job (as coaches) to continue to teach that. I didn't help our club tonight."
Boucher did help his team with a surprising decision in the shootout, and it's a card he will no doubt play again moving forward.
After using Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and Erik Karlsson in the first three rounds, he sent Tom Pyatt out with a chance to win the game.
Pyatt, a third-line winger who has just 33 goals in 289 NHL games, had never before taken a shootout chance in North America, although he did perform the duty on occassion while playing for Boucher in Switzerland.
He smooth put a move on Maple Leafs goalie Frederick Anderson before flipping the puck just under the crossbar.
"I' 1/8ve been delaying and delaying it," Boucher said of his decision to use Pyatt. "He's been our best in practice. I should have never delayed it. I had him in my mind from the beginning of the year.
"I'm not smart because I could have done it before. It was something I knew was a weapon. I thought, why not here?"
Date: January 22, 2017 5:00 PM EDT
OTTAWA -- Coming off a shootout victory that gave them a 3-0 record on a six-day road trip, the Ottawa Senators have a big decision to make before facing the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday at Canadian Tire Centre.
Do they ask goalie Mike Condon to make his 22nd consecutive appearance, or do they give him a break and rookie Chris Driedger his first career NHL start?
"I'll take to my people and see where we're at," coach Guy Boucher said after the Senators outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Saturday night at Air Canada Centre. "We'll make a decision tomorrow.
"(Condon) has proven he's got great character."
Condon has been especially good the last two games, stopping 73 of 75 shots. But when they host the Blue Jackets, the Senators will be playing less than 19 hours after getting off the ice in Toronto, their final stop in a road trip that began when they flew out of Ottawa on Monday.
"Those long week road trips do wear you out," Boucher said. "The reality is, tomorrow we're going back home and now we've got to face the top team in the league, again. At least they played tonight also."
The Blue Jackets, who lost 2-0 to the Senators in Columbus on Thursday, did bounce back with a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday. But it was a home ice victory they weren't especially proud of.
Columbus was outshot 37-20, managing only two shots in the second period.
"It's nice to win a game when you don't play a complete 60 minutes," said Scott Hartnell, who scored twice for Columbus. "That second period was just terrible hockey from us."
Coach John Tortorella maintained his team would have had "no chance" if not for the play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.
"We're a very young hockey club," Tortorella said. "I know we don't know how to continue the standard that we want to play at, when the league is getting better. I don't think we totally know how to do that yet. That's part of our job (as coaches) to continue to teach that. I didn't help our club tonight."
Boucher did help his team with a surprising decision in the shootout, and it's a card he will no doubt play again moving forward.
After using Bobby Ryan, Kyle Turris and Erik Karlsson in the first three rounds, he sent Tom Pyatt out with a chance to win the game.
Pyatt, a third-line winger who has just 33 goals in 289 NHL games, had never before taken a shootout chance in North America, although he did perform the duty on occassion while playing for Boucher in Switzerland.
He smooth put a move on Maple Leafs goalie Frederick Anderson before flipping the puck just under the crossbar.
"I' 1/8ve been delaying and delaying it," Boucher said of his decision to use Pyatt. "He's been our best in practice. I should have never delayed it. I had him in my mind from the beginning of the year.
"I'm not smart because I could have done it before. It was something I knew was a weapon. I thought, why not here?"
Preview: Canucks (22-19) at Blackhawks (29-14)
Date: January 22, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks appear to have a bit of a goaltending dilemma on their hands.
With starter Corey Crawford struggling and backup Scott Darling fresh off his second shutout of the season, coach Joel Quenneville faces a decision about who he will rely on in net Sunday when the Vancouver Canucks visit the United Center.
Quenneville remained non-committal on who would start against Vancouver. The Canucks are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games, but have won two straight after Friday night's 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers in which captain Henrik Sedin became the first player in franchise history to reach 1,000 career points.
Darling played well earlier this season when Crawford missed 10 games after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. In Friday's 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins that was decided by Marian Hossa's late goal, Darling staked his claim for more playing time with 30 saves.
Darling hasn't allowed more than a goal in each of his last 11 starts while Crawford has surrendered three or more in six of his last seven appearances.
"(Darling) certainly helped himself in a big way with a big game and a big 60 minutes," Quenneville told reporters after Friday's victory, according to the Chicago Tribune. "That first 20 (minutes), he definitely kept us in the game. They get one or two early, and we could've been behind the whole game. He put us in a good spot late and did what he had to do. He was big in the net."
Despite his strong play, Darling isn't necessarily looking to usurp Crawford as the Blackhawks' primary goalie.
"I don't know if you guys know who my goalie partner is, but he's one of the best in the world, hands down, no arguments," Darling told reporters on Friday, according to the Tribune. "I'm just pretty happy to get any games I can."
Vancouver got its own strong performance in net against the Panthers. While Sedin contributed a goal to the victory which got him to the 1,000-point plateau, Ryan Miller made 34 saves on 35 shot attempts to help preserve the victory. Miller was coming off a perfect 30-save win against Nashville, which propelled him into Friday's win when the Canucks pulled out the victory despite being outshot by Florida.
Sedin's goal, which knotted the game at 1, was the story, however, as the veteran became the seventh active player to reach 1,000 career points. Sunday's game will include two of the seven as Chicago's Hossa is also on the list. Hossa notched his 500th career goal for the Blackhawks earlier this season.
The Vancouver bench cleared after the goal as Sedin became only the 38th player in NHL history to register all 1,000 points with the same franchise.
"When I saw my teammates come on the ice, I lost it a little bit," Sedin told reporters after Friday's victory.
"It was very special. If I retired today, I think that was the most memorable moment for me as a player."
Date: January 22, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Blackhawks appear to have a bit of a goaltending dilemma on their hands.
With starter Corey Crawford struggling and backup Scott Darling fresh off his second shutout of the season, coach Joel Quenneville faces a decision about who he will rely on in net Sunday when the Vancouver Canucks visit the United Center.
Quenneville remained non-committal on who would start against Vancouver. The Canucks are 6-1-3 in their last 10 games, but have won two straight after Friday night's 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers in which captain Henrik Sedin became the first player in franchise history to reach 1,000 career points.
Darling played well earlier this season when Crawford missed 10 games after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. In Friday's 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins that was decided by Marian Hossa's late goal, Darling staked his claim for more playing time with 30 saves.
Darling hasn't allowed more than a goal in each of his last 11 starts while Crawford has surrendered three or more in six of his last seven appearances.
"(Darling) certainly helped himself in a big way with a big game and a big 60 minutes," Quenneville told reporters after Friday's victory, according to the Chicago Tribune. "That first 20 (minutes), he definitely kept us in the game. They get one or two early, and we could've been behind the whole game. He put us in a good spot late and did what he had to do. He was big in the net."
Despite his strong play, Darling isn't necessarily looking to usurp Crawford as the Blackhawks' primary goalie.
"I don't know if you guys know who my goalie partner is, but he's one of the best in the world, hands down, no arguments," Darling told reporters on Friday, according to the Tribune. "I'm just pretty happy to get any games I can."
Vancouver got its own strong performance in net against the Panthers. While Sedin contributed a goal to the victory which got him to the 1,000-point plateau, Ryan Miller made 34 saves on 35 shot attempts to help preserve the victory. Miller was coming off a perfect 30-save win against Nashville, which propelled him into Friday's win when the Canucks pulled out the victory despite being outshot by Florida.
Sedin's goal, which knotted the game at 1, was the story, however, as the veteran became the seventh active player to reach 1,000 career points. Sunday's game will include two of the seven as Chicago's Hossa is also on the list. Hossa notched his 500th career goal for the Blackhawks earlier this season.
The Vancouver bench cleared after the goal as Sedin became only the 38th player in NHL history to register all 1,000 points with the same franchise.
"When I saw my teammates come on the ice, I lost it a little bit," Sedin told reporters after Friday's victory.
"It was very special. If I retired today, I think that was the most memorable moment for me as a player."
Preview: Predators (22-17) at Wild (29-10)
Date: January 22, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- On Friday night, the Nashville Predators were playing the second of back-to-back road games and still managed a win in Edmonton to go 3-1-0 so far on their five-game road swing.
They conclude the road trip on Sunday night against the Minnesota Wild, and this time the tables are turned.
The Predators had Saturday off and will be well rested, in contrast to the Wild, who will be playing the second game of a back-to-back after a dramatic 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks at home on Saturday night.
A Predators win would just be more confirmation that things are going well for the team on this journey west.
"I've liked every game on the road trip so far," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said after the 3-2 shootout win over the Oilers. "What's impressive about it is when you play the night before sometimes you get a team sitting here waiting for you, you're in the building and you're dealing with other things, a late night, travel."
Nashville has gotten a boost lately from the return of star defenseman P.K. Subban, who played versus the Oilers after missing the previous 16 games with an upper-body injury.
"It's been about five, maybe six weeks that I've been in a game, so it's been a while but I felt pretty comfortable out there," Subban said after the game against the Oilers. "I think sometimes I could've done a little bit more, but I just wanted to keep the game simple today and get my feet under me and just build slowly."
The Wild's recent run to the top of the NHL standings didn't happen slowly. Since Dec. 1, Minnesota is now 19-2-2 after Saturday's late come-from-behind victory over Anaheim.
It was the latest in a string of comebacks for Minnesota, which reached 30 wins in just 45 games, a franchise best.
"We've been coming back all year and we've talked about not changing anything, not trying to press for it, but just sticking with our game and see what happens and just getting more pucks to the net," said Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who had 26 saves on Saturday. "I say it time and again, but these guys allow me to just stay with it regardless of how the game's going, knowing that I gotta make the next save because we're very capable of coming back."
It will be the third meeting of the season between the Central Division opponents and the first in Minnesota. The Wild won 5-2 and 3-2 in overtime in Nashville earlier in the season, but the Predators have won four of their last five games in Minnesota.
And having Subban back is a good omen on a few levels for Nashville. In 2011, when he was playing for the Montreal Canadiens, Subban became the first defenseman in history to have a hat trick against the Wild.
Date: January 22, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- On Friday night, the Nashville Predators were playing the second of back-to-back road games and still managed a win in Edmonton to go 3-1-0 so far on their five-game road swing.
They conclude the road trip on Sunday night against the Minnesota Wild, and this time the tables are turned.
The Predators had Saturday off and will be well rested, in contrast to the Wild, who will be playing the second game of a back-to-back after a dramatic 5-3 win over the Anaheim Ducks at home on Saturday night.
A Predators win would just be more confirmation that things are going well for the team on this journey west.
"I've liked every game on the road trip so far," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said after the 3-2 shootout win over the Oilers. "What's impressive about it is when you play the night before sometimes you get a team sitting here waiting for you, you're in the building and you're dealing with other things, a late night, travel."
Nashville has gotten a boost lately from the return of star defenseman P.K. Subban, who played versus the Oilers after missing the previous 16 games with an upper-body injury.
"It's been about five, maybe six weeks that I've been in a game, so it's been a while but I felt pretty comfortable out there," Subban said after the game against the Oilers. "I think sometimes I could've done a little bit more, but I just wanted to keep the game simple today and get my feet under me and just build slowly."
The Wild's recent run to the top of the NHL standings didn't happen slowly. Since Dec. 1, Minnesota is now 19-2-2 after Saturday's late come-from-behind victory over Anaheim.
It was the latest in a string of comebacks for Minnesota, which reached 30 wins in just 45 games, a franchise best.
"We've been coming back all year and we've talked about not changing anything, not trying to press for it, but just sticking with our game and see what happens and just getting more pucks to the net," said Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, who had 26 saves on Saturday. "I say it time and again, but these guys allow me to just stay with it regardless of how the game's going, knowing that I gotta make the next save because we're very capable of coming back."
It will be the third meeting of the season between the Central Division opponents and the first in Minnesota. The Wild won 5-2 and 3-2 in overtime in Nashville earlier in the season, but the Predators have won four of their last five games in Minnesota.
And having Subban back is a good omen on a few levels for Nashville. In 2011, when he was playing for the Montreal Canadiens, Subban became the first defenseman in history to have a hat trick against the Wild.
Grand Salami - January
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
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 6 - - -
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
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
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 6 - - -
1/24 10 - - -
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
NHL
Sunday’s games
Home side won eight of last nine Ranger-Red Wing games; Detroit won four of last six in series overall, winning last three played here by combined score of 8-5. Under is 6-1-2 in last nine series games. New York lost three of last four games but won five of its last six games on road. Over is 8-2 in their last ten games. Detroit won its last three home games, won three of last four games overall— five of their last seven games went over.
Bruins won seven of last nine games with Pittsburgh; winning three of last four played here. Last three series games went over total. Boston lost its last three games, outscored 11-5; three of their last four road games went over total. Pittsburgh scored 19 goals in winning its last three games; they won last four home games. Six of Penguins’ last eight games went over the total.
Ottawa won six of last eight games with Columbus; they blanked the Blue Jackets 2-0 in Ohio three days ago. Teams split last four games played here. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Columbus lost three of last four road games, is 4-5 in nine games since their 16-game winning streak ended. Four of their last five games stayed under. Ottawa won five of its last six games, but is 2-3 in last five at home. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games.
Islanders were outscored 16-5 in losing last four games with Philly; Under is 3-2-1 in last six series games played here. Flyers won their last three visits to Brooklyn. Philly lost last seven road games, nine of last 11 overall; over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Islanders won four of last five games, outscoring last three opponents 11-2. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games.
Blackhawks won last three games with Vancouver, holding Canucks to total of five goals; under is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Vancouver lost lost 3-1/4-0 in last two visits to Windy City. Canucks won last two games 1-0/2-1, but lost last three road games. Eight of their last ten games stayed under the total. Chicago won six of its last eight games, four of last five on road; over is 4-1-1 in their last six games.
Minnesota won six of last nine games with Nashville, in series where road team won seven of last ten series games. Predators won two of last three visits to Twin Cities. Third road game in four nights for Nashville, which won five of its last six games. Five of their last six games went under the total. Minnesota won six of its last seven games but split its last four home games. Over is 9-1-1 in their last eleven games.
Sunday’s games
Home side won eight of last nine Ranger-Red Wing games; Detroit won four of last six in series overall, winning last three played here by combined score of 8-5. Under is 6-1-2 in last nine series games. New York lost three of last four games but won five of its last six games on road. Over is 8-2 in their last ten games. Detroit won its last three home games, won three of last four games overall— five of their last seven games went over.
Bruins won seven of last nine games with Pittsburgh; winning three of last four played here. Last three series games went over total. Boston lost its last three games, outscored 11-5; three of their last four road games went over total. Pittsburgh scored 19 goals in winning its last three games; they won last four home games. Six of Penguins’ last eight games went over the total.
Ottawa won six of last eight games with Columbus; they blanked the Blue Jackets 2-0 in Ohio three days ago. Teams split last four games played here. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Columbus lost three of last four road games, is 4-5 in nine games since their 16-game winning streak ended. Four of their last five games stayed under. Ottawa won five of its last six games, but is 2-3 in last five at home. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games.
Islanders were outscored 16-5 in losing last four games with Philly; Under is 3-2-1 in last six series games played here. Flyers won their last three visits to Brooklyn. Philly lost last seven road games, nine of last 11 overall; over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games. Islanders won four of last five games, outscoring last three opponents 11-2. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games.
Blackhawks won last three games with Vancouver, holding Canucks to total of five goals; under is 3-1 in last four series games played here. Vancouver lost lost 3-1/4-0 in last two visits to Windy City. Canucks won last two games 1-0/2-1, but lost last three road games. Eight of their last ten games stayed under the total. Chicago won six of its last eight games, four of last five on road; over is 4-1-1 in their last six games.
Minnesota won six of last nine games with Nashville, in series where road team won seven of last ten series games. Predators won two of last three visits to Twin Cities. Third road game in four nights for Nashville, which won five of its last six games. Five of their last six games went under the total. Minnesota won six of its last seven games but split its last four home games. Over is 9-1-1 in their last eleven games.
NBA roundup: Leonard-led Spurs earn OT win over Cavs
By The Sports Xchange
CLEVELAND -- Kawhi Leonard capped his career-high, 41-point night with a dunk in the final seconds and the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 118-115 overtime victory Saturday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
LeBron James tied up Leonard for a jump ball with 13 seconds left and the Cavs down 3. James won the tip, but the ball was headed out of bounds when Kevin Love saved it and fired it behind his back inbounds. Leonard caught the pass and sprinted to the other end for the dunk and the clincher with four seconds left.
After LaMarcus Aldridge missed a pair of free throws in the final second of overtime and the Cavs called timeout, Love missed a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer that would've forced double overtime. Love shot just 3 of 11 from the 3-point line Saturday.
Pistons 113, Wizards 112
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Marcus Morris made a putback at the buzzer to give Detroit a victory over Washington at The Palace.
The Pistons, who gave away a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter, got off three shots during a wild scramble in the closing seconds before Morris' game-winner. Morris finished with a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Reggie Jackson had 19 points and eight assists and Tobias Harris supplied 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Pistons, who have won three straight. Joe Leuer scored 10 off the bench after missing the previous five games with a knee injury.
Pistons center Andre Drummond was held to three points because of foul trouble.
Hornets 112, Nets 105
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Nicolas Batum converted a four-point play and hit another 3-pointer in a span of 31 seconds down the stretch, and Charlotte pulled out a victory over Brooklyn at the Spectrum Center.
Batum hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and converted the free throw to give the Hornets the lead for good at 101-98 with 3:21 left. Then he hit another 3-pointer on the Hornets' next possession to push the lead to 104-98 with 2:50 remaining. The Hornets pushed the lead to nine from there and never let the Nets closer than five again.
The Hornets won their third straight after a recent five-game losing streak.
Hawks 110, 76ers 93
ATLANTA -- Philadelphia, which had won eight of its past 10 games, are no longer pushovers, but the 76ers remain foils for Atlanta.
Paul Millsap had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks took advantage of the absence of rookie standout Joel Embiid and 21 Philadelphia turnovers en route to victory.
The Hawks have won 13 of their past 14 games against the 76ers, including seven straight in Atlanta.
Trail Blazers 127, Celtics 123 (OT)
BOSTON -- Portland ended a four-game losing streak and rode star guard Damian Lillard to a victory over Boston in overtime.
Lillard, who had three points at halftime, scored 25 points after the break, seven of them in overtime, as the Trail Blazers handed the Celtics their second straight home loss.
Portland won despite 41 points by Boston's Isaiah Thomas, including 21 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Heat 109, Bucks 97
MIAMI -- Dion Waiters tied his career high with 33 points to lead the Miami Heat to their third straight win, beating Milwaukee at AmericanAirlines Arena.
It's the longest win streak of the season for the Heat.
Waiters' previous best this season was 28 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 26. He then missed the next 20 games due to a groin injury, and this was his first 20-plus scoring game since Memphis.
Miami also got 25 points from Goran Dragic and 16 points and 15 rebounds from Hassan Whiteside.
Suns 107, Knicks 105
NEW YORK -- Devin Booker poured in 26 points, including what turned out to be the game-winner, to give Phoenix a win over New York at Madison Square Garden.
Booker's backcourt mate, Eric Bledsoe, contributed 23 points and seven assists for the Suns. Center Tyson Chandler grabbed 16 rebounds, extending his streak to seven straight games with at least 15 rebounds, a team record.
Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 31 points but failed to score in the fourth quarter. Derrick Rose added 26 points.
Rockets 119, Grizzlies 95
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- James Harden posted another double-double with 29 points with 10 assists and forward Sam Dekker scored a career-high 30 points as Houston cruised to a victory over Memphis at FedExForum.
Harden did much of his damage at the foul line, where he was 11 of 12. He finished 7 of 9 from the floor and 4 of 6 from 3-point range. He also had six rebounds, three steals, and six turnovers. Dekker made 12 of 19 shots and was 6 of 11 behind the arc.
Center Marc Gasol led Memphis with 32 points.
Nuggets 123, Clippers 98
DENVER -- Nikola Jokic had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Wilson Chandler had 16 points and seven rebounds as Denver beat Los Angeles.
Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton scored 18 points apiece for Denver, which led by as many as 35 in the rout.
The Nuggets never trailed in winning for the fourth time in five games and kept up their strong offensive play. Denver shot 52.9 percent from the floor even with guard Emmanuel Mudiay going 0 for 8 before leaving in the third quarter with lower back soreness.
Jazz 109, Pacers 100
SALT LAKE CITY -- George Hill scored a season-high 30 points in his first game against his former team and Utah ran away with a victory over Indiana.
Gordon Hayward added 27 points while Rudy Gobert chipped in 19 points and 11 rebounds for Utah. The Jazz won a season-best sixth straight game.
Paul George, Thaddeus Young and Jeff Teague scored 19 points apiece to lead Indiana. The Pacers trailed wire to wire despite cutting Utah's lead to a basket at one point in the third quarter.
Bulls 102, Kings 99
CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade scored 30 points and made several defensive stops in the fourth quarter, and Chicago held on for a win over Sacramento.
Jimmy Butler added 23 points for the Bulls. Chicago snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 14-9 on its home court.
Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins led all scorers with 42 points and 14 rebounds. Sacramento has lost five games in a row for the first time this season.
By The Sports Xchange
CLEVELAND -- Kawhi Leonard capped his career-high, 41-point night with a dunk in the final seconds and the San Antonio Spurs held on for a 118-115 overtime victory Saturday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
LeBron James tied up Leonard for a jump ball with 13 seconds left and the Cavs down 3. James won the tip, but the ball was headed out of bounds when Kevin Love saved it and fired it behind his back inbounds. Leonard caught the pass and sprinted to the other end for the dunk and the clincher with four seconds left.
After LaMarcus Aldridge missed a pair of free throws in the final second of overtime and the Cavs called timeout, Love missed a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer that would've forced double overtime. Love shot just 3 of 11 from the 3-point line Saturday.
Pistons 113, Wizards 112
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Marcus Morris made a putback at the buzzer to give Detroit a victory over Washington at The Palace.
The Pistons, who gave away a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter, got off three shots during a wild scramble in the closing seconds before Morris' game-winner. Morris finished with a game-high 25 points and 11 rebounds.
Reggie Jackson had 19 points and eight assists and Tobias Harris supplied 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Pistons, who have won three straight. Joe Leuer scored 10 off the bench after missing the previous five games with a knee injury.
Pistons center Andre Drummond was held to three points because of foul trouble.
Hornets 112, Nets 105
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Nicolas Batum converted a four-point play and hit another 3-pointer in a span of 31 seconds down the stretch, and Charlotte pulled out a victory over Brooklyn at the Spectrum Center.
Batum hit a 3-pointer, was fouled and converted the free throw to give the Hornets the lead for good at 101-98 with 3:21 left. Then he hit another 3-pointer on the Hornets' next possession to push the lead to 104-98 with 2:50 remaining. The Hornets pushed the lead to nine from there and never let the Nets closer than five again.
The Hornets won their third straight after a recent five-game losing streak.
Hawks 110, 76ers 93
ATLANTA -- Philadelphia, which had won eight of its past 10 games, are no longer pushovers, but the 76ers remain foils for Atlanta.
Paul Millsap had 22 points and 10 rebounds as the Hawks took advantage of the absence of rookie standout Joel Embiid and 21 Philadelphia turnovers en route to victory.
The Hawks have won 13 of their past 14 games against the 76ers, including seven straight in Atlanta.
Trail Blazers 127, Celtics 123 (OT)
BOSTON -- Portland ended a four-game losing streak and rode star guard Damian Lillard to a victory over Boston in overtime.
Lillard, who had three points at halftime, scored 25 points after the break, seven of them in overtime, as the Trail Blazers handed the Celtics their second straight home loss.
Portland won despite 41 points by Boston's Isaiah Thomas, including 21 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Heat 109, Bucks 97
MIAMI -- Dion Waiters tied his career high with 33 points to lead the Miami Heat to their third straight win, beating Milwaukee at AmericanAirlines Arena.
It's the longest win streak of the season for the Heat.
Waiters' previous best this season was 28 points against the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 26. He then missed the next 20 games due to a groin injury, and this was his first 20-plus scoring game since Memphis.
Miami also got 25 points from Goran Dragic and 16 points and 15 rebounds from Hassan Whiteside.
Suns 107, Knicks 105
NEW YORK -- Devin Booker poured in 26 points, including what turned out to be the game-winner, to give Phoenix a win over New York at Madison Square Garden.
Booker's backcourt mate, Eric Bledsoe, contributed 23 points and seven assists for the Suns. Center Tyson Chandler grabbed 16 rebounds, extending his streak to seven straight games with at least 15 rebounds, a team record.
Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 31 points but failed to score in the fourth quarter. Derrick Rose added 26 points.
Rockets 119, Grizzlies 95
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- James Harden posted another double-double with 29 points with 10 assists and forward Sam Dekker scored a career-high 30 points as Houston cruised to a victory over Memphis at FedExForum.
Harden did much of his damage at the foul line, where he was 11 of 12. He finished 7 of 9 from the floor and 4 of 6 from 3-point range. He also had six rebounds, three steals, and six turnovers. Dekker made 12 of 19 shots and was 6 of 11 behind the arc.
Center Marc Gasol led Memphis with 32 points.
Nuggets 123, Clippers 98
DENVER -- Nikola Jokic had 19 points and 10 rebounds and Wilson Chandler had 16 points and seven rebounds as Denver beat Los Angeles.
Danilo Gallinari and Will Barton scored 18 points apiece for Denver, which led by as many as 35 in the rout.
The Nuggets never trailed in winning for the fourth time in five games and kept up their strong offensive play. Denver shot 52.9 percent from the floor even with guard Emmanuel Mudiay going 0 for 8 before leaving in the third quarter with lower back soreness.
Jazz 109, Pacers 100
SALT LAKE CITY -- George Hill scored a season-high 30 points in his first game against his former team and Utah ran away with a victory over Indiana.
Gordon Hayward added 27 points while Rudy Gobert chipped in 19 points and 11 rebounds for Utah. The Jazz won a season-best sixth straight game.
Paul George, Thaddeus Young and Jeff Teague scored 19 points apiece to lead Indiana. The Pacers trailed wire to wire despite cutting Utah's lead to a basket at one point in the third quarter.
Bulls 102, Kings 99
CHICAGO -- Dwyane Wade scored 30 points and made several defensive stops in the fourth quarter, and Chicago held on for a win over Sacramento.
Jimmy Butler added 23 points for the Bulls. Chicago snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 14-9 on its home court.
Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins led all scorers with 42 points and 14 rebounds. Sacramento has lost five games in a row for the first time this season.
How to get rich betting NBA back-to-back scenarios
By JOE FORTENBAUGH
Ask yourself a simple question before we dive into this week’s column: Have you come across a single NBA analyst, former player, friend or even twitter troll who has predicted anything but a Golden State-Cleveland showdown in this season’s NBA Finals?
While I’m virtually certain that Planet Earth contains at least one human being who believes that, perhaps, the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets will prevent us from the championship trilogy we appear destined to enjoy, the fact remains that the Warriors and Cavaliers boast such ridiculously impressive resumes that very few would be willing to bet against either team making it back to the NBA Finals.
Entering Wednesday night’s slate of action, Golden State and Cleveland ranked in the top five in the NBA in scoring, three-point percentage and a bevy of other statistical categories. But interestingly enough, there is one wagering category in which both the top seed in the Western Conference and the top seed in the Eastern Conference rank in the bottom five of the Association.
Boys and girls, if you plan to bet against the Warriors or Cavaliers, do it when either team is on the second half of a back-to-back stretch.
As of the close of business on Tuesday, January 16, LeBron James and the Cavaliers are just 2-6 against the spread this season when playing the second half of a back-to-back. As for Kevin Durant and the Warriors, Golden State is an abysmal 1-6 ATS in the second half of a back-to-back situation this season. Only Indiana (1-6 ATS) comes close to matching Golden State’s ATS futility as it pertains to this particular scenario.
A litany of reasons exist as to why certain teams struggle while others thrive when playing the second half of a back-to-back. Resting starters or established veterans, long travel, late nights and a lack of sleep are just a few of the possible reasons when it comes to the “why.” But now that we’re officially halfway through the 2016-2017 NBA season, it’s time to take a good, long look as to which teams excel and which clubs falter in this situation so we can better position ourselves to gain a potential edge over the bookmakers.
Entering Wednesday night, there were exactly 248 instances in which an NBA team played the second half of a back-to-back scenario this season:
Overall record straight-up: 101-147 (.407)
Overall record against the spread: 116-128-4 (.475)
At first glance, there really isn’t much to get excited about here. If we had bet against every single team every time they were playing in the second half of a back-to-back, we would barely have broken even up until this point.
But what if we were betting ON the top five clubs and AGAINST the bottom five franchises?
Top five teams in second half of a back-to-back: 33-10 ATS (.767)
Bottom five teams in second half of a back-to-back: 8-30 ATS (.210)
Granted, there was no way to know at the beginning of the season which teams would rank in the top five and which squads would rank in the bottom five at the midway point of the 2016-2017 NBA campaign. However, this should serve as useful information moving forward, as betting ON the top five and AGAINST the bottom five in the second half of a back-to-back has produced a combined record of 63-18 ATS this season (.777).
NBA teams in the second half of a back-to-back this season
*All records updated as of Wednesday, January 18.
Miami Heat: 7-1 ATS (2-6 SU)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 6-1 ATS (4-3 SU)
San Antonio Spurs: 6-2 ATS (7-1 SU)
Houston Rockets: 7-3 ATS (9-1 SU)
Memphis Grizzlies: 7-3 ATS (8-2 SU)
Atlanta Hawks: 6-3 ATS (6-3 SU)
Orlando Magic: 6-3 ATS (3-6 SU)
Toronto Raptors: 4-2-1 ATS (3-4 SU)
Los Angeles Clippers: 5-3 ATS (5-3 SU)
Phoenix Suns: 4-3 ATS (3-4 SU)
Boston Celtics: 5-4 ATS (6-3 SU)
Chicago Bulls: 5-5 ATS (4-6 SU)
New York Knicks: 4-5 ATS (1-8 SU)
Utah Jazz: 4-5-1 ATS (6-4 SU)
Sacramento Kings: 3-4-1 ATS (2-6 SU)
Los Angeles Lakers: 4-6 ATS (3-7 SU)
Brooklyn Nets: 2-3-1 ATS (0-6 SU)
Charlotte Hornets: 3-5 ATS (3-5 SU)
Denver Nuggets: 3-5 ATS (2-6 SU)
Oklahoma City Thunder: 3-5 ATS (2-6 SU)
Philadelphia 76ers: 3-5 ATS (1-7 SU)
Washington Wizards: 3-5 ATS (1-7 SU)
Portland Trail Blazers: 3-6 ATS (3-6 SU)
New Orleans Pelicans: 3-6 ATS (3-6 SU)
Dallas Mavericks: 2-5 ATS (0-7 SU)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 2-6 ATS (3-5 SU)
Detroit Pistons: 2-6 ATS (2-6 SU)
Milwaukee Bucks: 2-6 ATS (2-6 SU)
Golden State Warriors: 1-6 ATS (6-1 SU)
Indiana Pacers: 1-6 ATS (1-6 SU)
Here’s your rundown of back-to-back scenarios to monitor as we head into the weekend:
SATURDAY
Trail Blazers at Celtics (5:00pm ET): Portland is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Blazers are 3-6 ATS.
Nets at Hornets (7:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
76ers at Hawks (7:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
Bucks at Heat (7:30pm ET): Milwaukee is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Bucks are just 2-6 ATS.
Rockets at Grizzlies (8:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
Pacers at Jazz (9:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
Kings at Bulls (9:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
SUNDAY
Suns at Raptors (6:00pm ET): Phoenix is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Suns are 4-3 ATS.
Nuggets at Timberwolves (7:00pm ET): Denver is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Nuggets are just 3-5 ATS.
By JOE FORTENBAUGH
Ask yourself a simple question before we dive into this week’s column: Have you come across a single NBA analyst, former player, friend or even twitter troll who has predicted anything but a Golden State-Cleveland showdown in this season’s NBA Finals?
While I’m virtually certain that Planet Earth contains at least one human being who believes that, perhaps, the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics, San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets will prevent us from the championship trilogy we appear destined to enjoy, the fact remains that the Warriors and Cavaliers boast such ridiculously impressive resumes that very few would be willing to bet against either team making it back to the NBA Finals.
Entering Wednesday night’s slate of action, Golden State and Cleveland ranked in the top five in the NBA in scoring, three-point percentage and a bevy of other statistical categories. But interestingly enough, there is one wagering category in which both the top seed in the Western Conference and the top seed in the Eastern Conference rank in the bottom five of the Association.
Boys and girls, if you plan to bet against the Warriors or Cavaliers, do it when either team is on the second half of a back-to-back stretch.
As of the close of business on Tuesday, January 16, LeBron James and the Cavaliers are just 2-6 against the spread this season when playing the second half of a back-to-back. As for Kevin Durant and the Warriors, Golden State is an abysmal 1-6 ATS in the second half of a back-to-back situation this season. Only Indiana (1-6 ATS) comes close to matching Golden State’s ATS futility as it pertains to this particular scenario.
A litany of reasons exist as to why certain teams struggle while others thrive when playing the second half of a back-to-back. Resting starters or established veterans, long travel, late nights and a lack of sleep are just a few of the possible reasons when it comes to the “why.” But now that we’re officially halfway through the 2016-2017 NBA season, it’s time to take a good, long look as to which teams excel and which clubs falter in this situation so we can better position ourselves to gain a potential edge over the bookmakers.
Entering Wednesday night, there were exactly 248 instances in which an NBA team played the second half of a back-to-back scenario this season:
Overall record straight-up: 101-147 (.407)
Overall record against the spread: 116-128-4 (.475)
At first glance, there really isn’t much to get excited about here. If we had bet against every single team every time they were playing in the second half of a back-to-back, we would barely have broken even up until this point.
But what if we were betting ON the top five clubs and AGAINST the bottom five franchises?
Top five teams in second half of a back-to-back: 33-10 ATS (.767)
Bottom five teams in second half of a back-to-back: 8-30 ATS (.210)
Granted, there was no way to know at the beginning of the season which teams would rank in the top five and which squads would rank in the bottom five at the midway point of the 2016-2017 NBA campaign. However, this should serve as useful information moving forward, as betting ON the top five and AGAINST the bottom five in the second half of a back-to-back has produced a combined record of 63-18 ATS this season (.777).
NBA teams in the second half of a back-to-back this season
*All records updated as of Wednesday, January 18.
Miami Heat: 7-1 ATS (2-6 SU)
Minnesota Timberwolves: 6-1 ATS (4-3 SU)
San Antonio Spurs: 6-2 ATS (7-1 SU)
Houston Rockets: 7-3 ATS (9-1 SU)
Memphis Grizzlies: 7-3 ATS (8-2 SU)
Atlanta Hawks: 6-3 ATS (6-3 SU)
Orlando Magic: 6-3 ATS (3-6 SU)
Toronto Raptors: 4-2-1 ATS (3-4 SU)
Los Angeles Clippers: 5-3 ATS (5-3 SU)
Phoenix Suns: 4-3 ATS (3-4 SU)
Boston Celtics: 5-4 ATS (6-3 SU)
Chicago Bulls: 5-5 ATS (4-6 SU)
New York Knicks: 4-5 ATS (1-8 SU)
Utah Jazz: 4-5-1 ATS (6-4 SU)
Sacramento Kings: 3-4-1 ATS (2-6 SU)
Los Angeles Lakers: 4-6 ATS (3-7 SU)
Brooklyn Nets: 2-3-1 ATS (0-6 SU)
Charlotte Hornets: 3-5 ATS (3-5 SU)
Denver Nuggets: 3-5 ATS (2-6 SU)
Oklahoma City Thunder: 3-5 ATS (2-6 SU)
Philadelphia 76ers: 3-5 ATS (1-7 SU)
Washington Wizards: 3-5 ATS (1-7 SU)
Portland Trail Blazers: 3-6 ATS (3-6 SU)
New Orleans Pelicans: 3-6 ATS (3-6 SU)
Dallas Mavericks: 2-5 ATS (0-7 SU)
Cleveland Cavaliers: 2-6 ATS (3-5 SU)
Detroit Pistons: 2-6 ATS (2-6 SU)
Milwaukee Bucks: 2-6 ATS (2-6 SU)
Golden State Warriors: 1-6 ATS (6-1 SU)
Indiana Pacers: 1-6 ATS (1-6 SU)
Here’s your rundown of back-to-back scenarios to monitor as we head into the weekend:
SATURDAY
Trail Blazers at Celtics (5:00pm ET): Portland is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Blazers are 3-6 ATS.
Nets at Hornets (7:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
76ers at Hawks (7:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
Bucks at Heat (7:30pm ET): Milwaukee is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Bucks are just 2-6 ATS.
Rockets at Grizzlies (8:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
Pacers at Jazz (9:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
Kings at Bulls (9:00pm ET): Both teams are on the second half of a back-to-back in this matchup.
SUNDAY
Suns at Raptors (6:00pm ET): Phoenix is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Suns are 4-3 ATS.
Nuggets at Timberwolves (7:00pm ET): Denver is on the second half of a back-to-back. In those situations this season, the Nuggets are just 3-5 ATS.
Preview: Warriors (37-6) at Magic (18-27)
Date: January 22, 2017 12:00 PM EDT
The moment it happened was still kind of shocking. Here was an All-Star driving into the lane and losing the ball, losing the ball at the hands of a nondescript, little-known defender. These are not run-of-the-mill players. These are the best the league has to offer.
And to do so against a relatively nondescript team such as the Orlando Magic and a young, up-and-coming player like Aaron Gordon is still surprising.
The league is still getting to know this 21-year-old who wowed the basketball world with his athleticism in last year's All-Star dunk contest. And quickly, for those who watch enough, they are beginning to see him put that athleticism and talent to work on the defensive end against some of the league's best perimeter players.
The next challenge? All-Star Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors, who come to town for a Sunday afternoon matinee.
That is a challenge Gordon is looking forward to as he expects to be the one guarding the former league MVP throughout the game.
"It's going to be fun. It's going to be a lot of fun," Gordon said. "It's still a five-man defensive scheme. There is going to be a lot of switching going on. I'm very trusting in my team that we are going to get the job done."
According to NBA.com's stats database, Gordon is stellar defensively. Opponents are shooting 40.8 percent on field goal attempts he defends, nearly four percentage points lower than the league average.
Observationally, Gordon turned in some monster performances. That includes frustrating Giannis Antetokounmpo into 17 points on 6-for-17 shooting before fouling out with 4 1/2 minutes to play on a charge drawn by Gordon in Friday's Magic victory.
Durant though presents a new challenge. As does the entire Warriors team.
Durant is beginning to find his rhythm and footing, averaging 28 points per game while shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from beyond the arc in his last nine games.
But the Warriors have pushed themselves to the top of the league once again thanks to their defense. Golden State is first in the league in defensive rating, giving up 101.1 points per 100 possessions.
They used that defense to rout the offensively minded Houston Rockets 125-108 on Friday. The 3-point happy Rockets shot only 7 for 35 , leading to the loss.
"We have to defend like that," coach Steve Kerr told the San Francisco Chronicle after the game. "That's what we have to hang our hat on. Because if we can get stops, then we can get out and run. We're pretty tough to stop in transition."
The Warriors' defense puts even further pressure on offenses to perform at a high level and keep the Warriors' offensive weapons from getting out in transition. Their own defense is a tool that makes life harder for their opponents in seemingly every game. It is all part of the challenge of battling the Warriors.
Durant is known for his gaudy scoring numbers, but is no slouch defensively. Similar to Gordon, opponents are shooting 40.9 percent on field goals against him, a 4.5 percentage-point difference from the league average.
Date: January 22, 2017 12:00 PM EDT
The moment it happened was still kind of shocking. Here was an All-Star driving into the lane and losing the ball, losing the ball at the hands of a nondescript, little-known defender. These are not run-of-the-mill players. These are the best the league has to offer.
And to do so against a relatively nondescript team such as the Orlando Magic and a young, up-and-coming player like Aaron Gordon is still surprising.
The league is still getting to know this 21-year-old who wowed the basketball world with his athleticism in last year's All-Star dunk contest. And quickly, for those who watch enough, they are beginning to see him put that athleticism and talent to work on the defensive end against some of the league's best perimeter players.
The next challenge? All-Star Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors, who come to town for a Sunday afternoon matinee.
That is a challenge Gordon is looking forward to as he expects to be the one guarding the former league MVP throughout the game.
"It's going to be fun. It's going to be a lot of fun," Gordon said. "It's still a five-man defensive scheme. There is going to be a lot of switching going on. I'm very trusting in my team that we are going to get the job done."
According to NBA.com's stats database, Gordon is stellar defensively. Opponents are shooting 40.8 percent on field goal attempts he defends, nearly four percentage points lower than the league average.
Observationally, Gordon turned in some monster performances. That includes frustrating Giannis Antetokounmpo into 17 points on 6-for-17 shooting before fouling out with 4 1/2 minutes to play on a charge drawn by Gordon in Friday's Magic victory.
Durant though presents a new challenge. As does the entire Warriors team.
Durant is beginning to find his rhythm and footing, averaging 28 points per game while shooting 57.8 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from beyond the arc in his last nine games.
But the Warriors have pushed themselves to the top of the league once again thanks to their defense. Golden State is first in the league in defensive rating, giving up 101.1 points per 100 possessions.
They used that defense to rout the offensively minded Houston Rockets 125-108 on Friday. The 3-point happy Rockets shot only 7 for 35 , leading to the loss.
"We have to defend like that," coach Steve Kerr told the San Francisco Chronicle after the game. "That's what we have to hang our hat on. Because if we can get stops, then we can get out and run. We're pretty tough to stop in transition."
The Warriors' defense puts even further pressure on offenses to perform at a high level and keep the Warriors' offensive weapons from getting out in transition. Their own defense is a tool that makes life harder for their opponents in seemingly every game. It is all part of the challenge of battling the Warriors.
Durant is known for his gaudy scoring numbers, but is no slouch defensively. Similar to Gordon, opponents are shooting 40.9 percent on field goals against him, a 4.5 percentage-point difference from the league average.
Preview: Lakers (16-31) at Mavericks (14-29)
Date: January 22, 2017 3:30 PM EDT
DALLAS -- The Los Angeles Lakers won't have D'Angelo Russell for Sunday's game against the Dallas Mavericks and for the next one to two weeks.
The Lakers announced Saturday night that Russell underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with an sprained MCL in his right knee. He also has a calf strain and bone bruise suffered in Friday's impressive win over the Indiana Pacers.
The point guard did not travel with the team, which said he will be re-evaluated in one week and sidelined for up to two weeks.
Russell was injured about a minute into the game when he tripped while running a pick-and-roll. He left the game and didn't return.
While the Lakers (16-31) went on to win the game, they certainly don't want to be without their second-year quarterback for long. The Lakers are 3-10 this season when Russell has sat out with an injury.
After Friday's game, Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters that he didn't believe the injury to be serious.
"I don't think it's as bad as I initially thought," Walton said. "When I saw him go down I was pretty worried, but he said he felt all right when I checked on him at halftime."
Russell echoed his coach's thoughts.
"The awkward position I fell in caused a little pain," said Russell, who remained on the floor for several minutes in obvious pain. "But I'm all right. It's just sore."
Russell's absence should open the door for Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams to absorb his minutes as the Lakers shoot for consecutive wins for the first time since Nov. 12.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks (14-29) are looking to avoid a three-game skid on the heels of a season-best three-game win streak. They've lost consecutive games to Miami and Utah by a total of nine points.
Dallas also got more bad news on the injury front during Friday's overtime loss to the Jazz, losing point guard J.J. Barea, an offensive catalyst off the bench. Barea, who has already missed two chunks of the season due to calf injuries, again will be out for a period of time with a left calf strain.
He hurt himself going up for a jumper late in the game.
"After a shot, I went to step to the side and I think I ran into the fans behind me and the fans sitting down," Barea told reporters following the game. I looked back, but nobody touched me. When I went to step, that's when I knew something was wrong with my calf."
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said he expects Barea to be out weeks and not just a matter days.
Joining Barea on the sidelines for Sunday's game is center Andrew Bogut, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury. In what should be more of a small-ball lineup against the Lakers than the Mavs saw against the Jazz and center Rudy Gobert, who had 27 points and 25 rebounds, Mavs guard Seth Curry, will likely be the beneficiary of extra minutes.
Date: January 22, 2017 3:30 PM EDT
DALLAS -- The Los Angeles Lakers won't have D'Angelo Russell for Sunday's game against the Dallas Mavericks and for the next one to two weeks.
The Lakers announced Saturday night that Russell underwent an MRI and was diagnosed with an sprained MCL in his right knee. He also has a calf strain and bone bruise suffered in Friday's impressive win over the Indiana Pacers.
The point guard did not travel with the team, which said he will be re-evaluated in one week and sidelined for up to two weeks.
Russell was injured about a minute into the game when he tripped while running a pick-and-roll. He left the game and didn't return.
While the Lakers (16-31) went on to win the game, they certainly don't want to be without their second-year quarterback for long. The Lakers are 3-10 this season when Russell has sat out with an injury.
After Friday's game, Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters that he didn't believe the injury to be serious.
"I don't think it's as bad as I initially thought," Walton said. "When I saw him go down I was pretty worried, but he said he felt all right when I checked on him at halftime."
Russell echoed his coach's thoughts.
"The awkward position I fell in caused a little pain," said Russell, who remained on the floor for several minutes in obvious pain. "But I'm all right. It's just sore."
Russell's absence should open the door for Jordan Clarkson and Lou Williams to absorb his minutes as the Lakers shoot for consecutive wins for the first time since Nov. 12.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks (14-29) are looking to avoid a three-game skid on the heels of a season-best three-game win streak. They've lost consecutive games to Miami and Utah by a total of nine points.
Dallas also got more bad news on the injury front during Friday's overtime loss to the Jazz, losing point guard J.J. Barea, an offensive catalyst off the bench. Barea, who has already missed two chunks of the season due to calf injuries, again will be out for a period of time with a left calf strain.
He hurt himself going up for a jumper late in the game.
"After a shot, I went to step to the side and I think I ran into the fans behind me and the fans sitting down," Barea told reporters following the game. I looked back, but nobody touched me. When I went to step, that's when I knew something was wrong with my calf."
Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said he expects Barea to be out weeks and not just a matter days.
Joining Barea on the sidelines for Sunday's game is center Andrew Bogut, who has missed the last four games with a hamstring injury. In what should be more of a small-ball lineup against the Lakers than the Mavs saw against the Jazz and center Rudy Gobert, who had 27 points and 25 rebounds, Mavs guard Seth Curry, will likely be the beneficiary of extra minutes.
