Sunday 11/8/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: N.Y. Giants at Tampa Bay

When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, November 8, 2015
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

After being gashed for seven touchdown passes last week, the New York Giants could see a key cog return to the defensive line on Sunday when they visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Veteran Jason Pierre-Paul is in line to make his season debut following a horrific fireworks attack in July, perhaps aiding an ailing pass defense that failed to harass Drew Brees in New York's 52-49 shootout loss last week.

Pierre-Paul registered a team-high 12.5 sacks last season for the Giants, who have mustered a league-low nine in 2015. Coach Tom Coughlin hasn't publicly divulged if the former South Florida star will have a happy homecoming on Sunday, only saying "if he's ready, we'll play him. If he's not ready, then we'll take more time." Tampa Bay's Jameis Winston is hardly in the stratosphere of Brees, but the top overall pick has thrown four touchdown passes to help his team win two of its last three games. Winston didn't throw an interception for the third straight contest as the Buccaneers bounced back from surrendering a 24-point lead to post a 23-20 overtime victory over NFC South-rival Atlanta last week.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Giants -2.5. O/U: 48

ABOUT THE GIANTS (4-4): Although bested by Brees on the scoreboard, Eli Manning's career-high six-touchdown performance drew rave reviews - with three of those scores ending up in the hands of Odell Beckham Jr. The duo could be in for another solid outing if Manning repeats his previous effort versus Tampa Bay as the veteran quarterback threw for a personal-best 510 yards and three scores in a 41-34 victory in 2012. Beckham, who reeled in eight receptions for 130 yards against New Orleans, shares the league lead in touchdown receptions (seven) with Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald and New England tight end Rob Gronkowski.

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS (3-4): After struggling in each of the previous two seasons, Doug Martin could enjoy a field day facing a Giants defense that is yielding a league-high 427.5 yards per contest. Martin was held to just 71 versus the Falcons after amassing 365 in his previous three for Tampa Bay, which is fourth in rushing (131.3 yards per contest) this season. The Buccaneers may need to lean on Martin with wideout Vincent Jackson (knee) in line to miss his second straight contest and tight end Austin Sefarian-Jenkins (shoulder) likely to be out for his sixth.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Tampa Bay WR Mike Evans has been held to just three catches in three of his last four outings.

2. New York's Will Tye will get the start as fellow TE Larry Donnell (neck) was ruled out on Thursday.

3. The Giants are a league-best plus-10 in turnovers.

PREDICTION: Giants 31, Buccaneers 16

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Atlanta at San Francisco

When: 4:05 PM ET, Sunday, November 8, 2015
Where: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California


The Atlanta Falcons have lost two of three with an ugly victory sandwiched in between and would like to get back on track heading into their bye week when they travel to San Francisco to face the struggling 49ers on Sunday. The Falcons hardly can afford another loss if they want to keep pace with undefeated Carolina in the NFC South race.



Four turnovers were the Falcons’ undoing in a 23-20 overtime loss to Tampa Bay last week, and they’ve had a whopping 12 giveaways in their last four contests. The 49ers have had other problems on offense – they haven’t committed a turnover in four games but totaled only 331 yards and nine points in consecutive lopsided losses. The offensive woes have led to a number of changes, as Blaine Gabbert will replace Colin Kaepernick as the starting quarterback Sunday without the services of tight end Vernon Davis, who was traded to Denver this week. The Falcons won four straight regular-season meetings with the 49ers before suffering a 34-24 loss at San Francisco in the most recent clash in 2013.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Falcons -7. O/U: 44.5



ABOUT THE FALCONS (6-2): Atlanta racked up a season-high 496 yards last week, including a season-best 395 through the air, but the turnovers continue to present a major concern. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are one of the most difficult quarterback-receiver duos in the league to shut down, but they combined for three turnovers against the Buccaneers - with each losing a fumble and Ryan throwing his seventh interception. Atlanta ranks 10th in the league in total defense and has been outstanding against the run all season, and the secondary has come together to help hold two straight opponents under 200 yards passing.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (2-6): Kaepernick’s demotion is no surprise with the 49ers ranking last in the NFL in total offense and scoring, but he hasn’t had much help from the ground game lately with the team’s top three running backs injured. Gabbert was a first-round pick and went 5-22 as a starter for Jacksonville but has appeared in only one game since his last start in Week 5 of the 2013 campaign. The offense hasn’t gotten much help from the defense, either, as San Francisco ranks 28th in total defense and has forced only eight turnovers all season.



EXTRA POINTS

1. The Falcons have topped 100 yards rushing in six straight games, their longest streak since an eight-game run spanning the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

2. Atlanta WR Roddy White has recorded at least 100 yards receiving in four straight games against the 49ers, including the playoffs.

3. San Francisco WR Anquan Boldin has caught a touchdown pass in four straight meetings the Falcons, including the postseason.



PREDICTION: Falcons 30, 49ers 13

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Denver at Indianapolis

When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, November 8, 2015
Where: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Peyton Manning returns to the familiar confines of Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday as the undefeated Denver Broncos face Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts. Manning could make his happy homecoming a memorable one as he can surpass Brett Favre (186) for the most regular-season victories while 284 passing yards are needed to move past the longtime Green Bay quarterback (81,838) in that department.

Manning threw for a season-high 340 yards as the Broncos maintained their unblemished record at the Packers' expense with a 29-10 rout last week. Denver's last loss came in the divisional playoffs at the hands of Indianapolis, which hardly looks like a postseason team in 2015 despite sharing first-place honors in the weak AFC South with Houston. Luck threw three of his league-high 12 interceptions on Monday, as the Colts suffered their third straight loss with a 29-26 overtime setback to Carolina. The defeat had consequences as the team fired offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton the following day and handed play-calling responsibilities to associate Rob Chudzinski.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Broncos -5. O/U: 45

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (7-0): Denver's new version of the Orange Crush defense is an impressive one, as it leads the league in sacks (29), scoring (16 points) and passing yards (171.9) per contest. The Broncos also saw their beleaguered rushing attack get on track as Ronnie Hillman rushed for a pair of touchdowns while C.J. Anderson added a season-high 101 yards and a score. Coach Gary Kubiak insisted this week that both backs will continue to split carries against Indianapolis' 28th-ranked rushing defense.

ABOUT THE COLTS (3-5): Luck may find the going tough against the top-ranked passing defense, which held two-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers to just 77 yards last week. T.Y. Hilton isn't certain to be on the field on Sunday after missing his second straight practice due to a foot injury. Fellow wideout Andre Johnson has shown signs of life after a sluggish beginning in his first season in Indianapolis, and needs just 15 yards to pass Cris Carter (13,899) for 11th place all-time.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Denver acquired former Pro Bowl TE Vernon Davis from San Francisco on Tuesday.

2. Undefeated within its division, Indianapolis has lost all five contests outside the AFC South.

3. Kubiak has struggled mightily while coaching against the Colts, posting a 1-12 all-time mark.

PREDICTION: Broncos 31, Colts 17

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Philadelphia at Dallas

When: 8:30 PM ET, Sunday, November 8, 2015
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas

The Dallas Cowboys have lost five games in a row but still have a pulse in the division race thanks to the pedestrian state of the NFC East. That being said, the Cowboys are pretty much in a must-win situation when they host the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night in a matchup that marks the return of DeMarco Murray to Dallas.

Murray, who led the league in rushing with 1,845 yards for the Cowboys last season before he was allowed to walk as a free agent, had a dismal performance in a 20-10 loss to Dallas in September, rushing for two yards on 13 yards. "There (are) no regrets on my part and no regrets on their part," Murray said. "I respect those guys. Great organization, spent a lot of time there, but I'm here now." Dallas quarterback Tony Romo suffered a broken collarbone in the Week 2 win over the Eagles and his team hasn't won since. While Philadelphia is coming off a bye, Dallas' losing streak reached five with a 13-12 home defeat to Seattle.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Eagles -2.5. O/U: 44

ABOUT THE EAGLES (3-4): Philadelphia appeared to turn a corner with a pair of decisive wins over New Orleans and the New York Giants, but the momentum stalled in a 27-16 loss at Carolina as Sam Bradford was limited to 205 yards and failed to throw a TD pass for the first time. Murray has elevated his game with 260 rushing yards over the past three games, but he has been outperformed by fellow free-agent signee Ryan Mathews, who has run for 35 more yards on 32 fewer carries. Bradford has tossed six interceptions in the past three games and was picked off twice by the Cowboys in Week 2.

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (2-5): Dallas' backfield is in disarray as Murray's expected replacement, Joseph Randle, was released this week amid reports of behavioral issues and the fact that he was faced a league-mandated suspension. Darren McFadden erupted for 152 yards in a loss to the Giants on Oct. 25, but he was held to 64 yards on 20 carries by a Seattle defense that also spoiled the return of wideout Dez Bryant, who had two catches for 12 yards in his first game since suffering a broken bone in his foot. Matt Cassel has thrown for 324 yards with one TD and three picks in two starts.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The road team has won the last five games in the series.

2. Bryant had six catches for 114 yards and three TDs in his last game against Philadelphia.

3. Eagles WR Jordan Matthews had six catches for 80 yards and a score in Week 2.

PREDICTION: Eagles 23, Cowboys 20

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CAPPERS ACCESS

Bills
Packers
Broncos
Eagles

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (11-3) at Red Wings (7-5)

Date: November 08, 2015 3:00 PM EDT

Although coach Jeff Blashill wasn't completely satisfied with the latest effort, the Detroit Red Wings have kept their past two opponents relatively quiet while matching their longest win streak of the season.

That Red Wings defensive corps will get one of its most significant tests Sunday with a visit from the high-powered Dallas Stars.

Detroit (7-5-1) has allowed one goal in each of its past two games, beginning with a 2-1 victory over potent Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The Red Wings followed with a 2-1 overtime win in their second victory over former coach Mike Babcock in Toronto on Friday.

Petr Mrazek nearly shut out the Maple Leafs until Dion Phaneuf's goal with 1:01 left in regulation. Jakub Kindl's clinched Detroit's third consecutive victory in the extra period.

"I didn't think our D played at the level we need them to play at tonight. It caused us a little bit of strife to get out of our end," Blashill said. "I think our D are better than they played tonight, I think they'll be better on Sunday. They're going to have to be."

The Red Wings' attempt at its first four-game win streak since January will come against a Stars team that's scored 50 goals in 14 games and four or more in nine contests, including each of its back-to-back victories.

Dallas (11-3-0) didn't need much production from league scoring leaders Jamie Benn or Tyler Seguin for a 4-1 victory Friday in Carolina. Seguin did record an assist to extend his point streak to seven games.

Patrick Sharp sparked a three-goal third period, and Dallas is among the league leaders with 18 goals in the final 20 minutes of regulation.

"We've been a lot better in the third periods this year than we were last year," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Some of it is patience, timely scoring, and we had a good look right at the beginning of the third period. I thought the third was a real good period."

Sharp also got "nicked up," according to Ruff, when he ran into the net while scoring his goal. Antoine Roussel is expected to return from an upper-body injury that kept him out Friday.

"I don't think (Sharp) is going to be out. There's a possibility, though," Ruff said.

Detroit has proved the more dynamic team while winning three in a row over the Stars, scoring a combined 17 goals. The teams played a wild 7-6 overtime game in their latest meeting Feb. 21 in Dallas.

They totaled six goals in the third period, with the Wings netting four and Kindl providing a pair.

The currently injured Pavel Datsyuk (ankle) had two goals and two assists. Seguin didn't play in that game because of a knee injury while Benn had a goal and an assist en route to the league's scoring title.

Benn, though, has just three points in his last seven games versus Detroit, and Seguin has two goals in five career matchups.

Captain Henrik Zetterberg, who scored his 300th goal Friday, has six goals and 10 assists while helping Detroit go 9-1-1 in its last 11 in the series. He has two goals and five assists in his past five home matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (5-4) at Devils (5-5)

Date: November 08, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

After getting a long cross-country trip off to an undesired start, the Vancouver Canucks have little time to rest before taking on one of the Eastern Conference's hottest teams.

While the New Jersey Devils look to maintain their strong recent play, the Canucks attempt to shake off a tough loss when the teams face off Sunday night.

New Jersey (7-5-1) lost its first four games under new coach John Hynes but has raised its play since, winning seven of nine and dealing defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago a 4-2 defeat in Friday's opener of a three-game homestand. Lee Stempniak, Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac all scored first-period goals and added assists to support Cory Schneider's 27 saves.

Zajac has sparked the surge with six goals in eight games, including four in the last four. The two-way center also has played a key role on an improved penalty-killing unit that's 10 for 11 over the past five games after yielding eight goals in the first eight.

'I think we are coming to expect that we want to beat every team,' Schneider said. 'You can't just feel good or get up for certain games. You have to get up for all of them and we are developing that mentality right now.'

Schneider, who's allowed two goals or less in four straight outings, should have no problems being motivated if he plays Sunday, having been traded by the Canucks to New Jersey in June 2013. Hynes said he's pondering using backup Keith Kinkaid, however, with Schneider having started 10 consecutive games.

Kinkaid last played on Oct. 13, stopping 17 of 18 shots in a 3-1 loss to Nashville.

Schneider has faced his former team four times since the trade, losing three despite a 2.21 goals-against average. He made 21 saves in a 4-2 victory at Prudential Center on Feb. 20, halting the Canucks' six-game series winning streak.

Vancouver (6-4-4) comes in having lost back-to-back games in regulation for the first time this season following Saturday's 3-2 defeat in Buffalo. The Sabres' Rasmus Ristolainen spoiled Ryan Miller's return to First Niagara Center and denied the Canucks a point by breaking a 2-all tie with 16.8 seconds left.

Miller, the Sabres' career leader in wins and games played by a goaltender, made just 19 saves in a game Vancouver owned a 37-22 shot advantage.

'That's a tough one,' forward Daniel Sedin said. 'We deserved better.'

Henrik Sedin had a goal to extend his point streak to five games and Chris Higgins also scored in his second game back from a fractured foot. Daniel Sedin has two goals and four assists over his last six.

Vancouver began a season-high seven-game trip and entered 4-0-1 on the road.

Miller, who had 20 saves in a 3-2 home defeat to Pittsburgh on Wednesday, owns a 0.97 GAA over a three-game winning streak against New Jersey and has allowed one goal or less in six of his seven starts at the Prudential Center. He's started 13 of the Canucks' first 14 games, however, so Richard Bachman could draw the nod in the second of a back-to-back.

Bachman made 28 saves in a 4-3 win at Arizona in his lone start on Oct. 30.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bruins (6-6) at Islanders (7-4)

Date: November 08, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

A comeback win on the road against the New York Islanders last month got the Boston Bruins started on their longest win streak so far this season.

That success might seem like a fading memory for the Bruins after their recent performance.

Boston will try to avoid a fourth consecutive loss in its return to Brooklyn on Sunday while the Islanders will seek to earn just their second win in six games.

Boston (6-6-1) scored four consecutive goals after the first period Oct. 23 en route to a 5-3 victory over the Islanders. The Bruins would eventually get their run of victories to four while producing a 6-0-1 streak that was snapped with a 5-3 loss to Dallas on Tuesday.

They've since endured back-to-back road defeats after winning their first five games there and lost 4-2 to Montreal on Saturday. David Krejci's cross-checking penalty led to David Desharnais' tiebreaking power-play goal with 1:08 remaining.

Brad Marchand's roughing penalty in the second period Thursday in Washington led to a 5-on-3 power play that let the Capitals take a two-goal lead in a 4-1 victory.

"If you're going to go in the right direction I think it's important that our leaders lead the way the right way," coach Claude Julien told the league's official website. "Really, really bad penalties there and the (Canadiens seem) to find ways to win. Right now, I'd say we're finding ways to lose."

Boston has been outscored 13-6 in its past three games with Tuukka Rask in net for two contests. Jonas Gustavsson started Saturday and was charged with two of the Canadiens' three goals in the third period.

The Bruins have failed to hold on to one-goal leads in each of their last three games.

The Islanders (7-4-3) also allowed Montreal to score a trio of third-period goals in its latest game, a 4-1 loss Thursday. They've tallied eight goals in a 1-2-2 stretch after registering 28 while winning six of their prior seven games with the lone loss coming against Boston.

New York would appear to have a better chance of getting back on track soon with leading scorer John Tavares ending a three-game absence because of an illness Thursday.

The Islanders captain had five goals and six assists in his first eight games, registering an assist in the loss to Boston, but didn't have a point for a third consecutive contest Thursday. He has five goals and five assists in his past seven meetings with the Bruins.

"He worked hard and he had some really good chances around the net, especially in the second period," coach Jack Capuano told the team's official website. "He could have had one or two goals tonight. That's been a bit of an issue for our team. We're not scoring many goals."

Rask has given up three goals on 85 shots in back-to-back wins against the Islanders. He made 39 saves in a 2-1 victory in Boston on Feb. 7 in his latest matchup, but has allowed eight goals on 49 shots in his two games this month.

Boston center Patrice Bergeron has seven goals and five assists in his last 12 matchups with the Islanders. Jimmy Hayes has four goals and two assists in six career meetings.

New York's Kyle Okposo has three goals and eight assists in his last six games against Boston, but he has one goal in his past five overall.

The Bruins are 11-2-1 in their last 14 road games against the Islanders.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (5-9) at Blackhawks (7-6)

Date: November 08, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Blackhawks will certainly be glad to have Marian Hossa back, though their biggest struggles have come at the defensive end without Duncan Keith.

The defending champions might be able to change that against the Edmonton Oilers, who had a difficult time scoring in their first game without Connor McDavid.

With Hossa expected to return, the Blackhawks will try to avoid a third consecutive loss and post their seventh win in eight home games Sunday night against the banged-up Oilers.

Hossa, who was third on the team with 61 points in 2014-15, had one goal and three assists in Chicago's first 11 games before missing the past three with a lower-body injury.

Coach Joel Quenneville now believes the veteran winger is ready to return, which could bode well since Hossa has four goals and nine assists in his last eight games versus Edmonton.

Patrick Kane has picked up the offense, scoring a goal for the third straight game while extending his point streak to nine in Friday's 4-2 loss at New Jersey. He also has a six-game point streak at home against the Oilers (5-9-0), totaling three goals and seven assists.

Chicago, however, hopes to tighten things up defensively after allowing 20 goals while going 1-3-1 over their past five games. The absence of Keith - who averaged 24:21 of ice time in the six games he played - has left a gaping hole on the blue line since he underwent knee surgery Oct. 20, and Michael Rozsival has yet to play because of a lower-body injury.

Corey Crawford could be back between the pipes for the Blackhawks (7-6-1) despite going 0-1-1 with a 6.44 goals-against average in his last two starts. That's partly because he's stopped 94 of 97 shots over the last three of a four-game winning streak against the Oilers.

"With the injuries we have, we've got to get the puck deep and play better in our own end as well to help our goalies," defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson told the team's official website.

Chicago returns home after dropping to 0-5-0 when giving up the first goal. It had won six straight at home before blowing a three-goal lead in Wednesday's 6-5 overtime loss to St. Louis.

The Oilers have scored first in each of their last two games, though defenseman Oscar Klefborn's second-period tally was all they could muster in Friday's 2-1 home loss to Pittsburgh. Winger Jordan Eberle made his season debut after missing the first 13 games with a shoulder injury, but Justin Schultz (back), Lauri Korpikoski (head) and Rob Klinkhammer (leg) remain sidelined.

Edmonton had totaled 31 goals over its previous nine games but also missed McDavid, who could miss up to three months after suffering a broken collarbone Tuesday. The No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft was second on the team with five goals and seven assists.

"Hopefully it's going to turn around," Klefborh told the team's official website. "You start to play good against teams that are very hot in the league and stick with it and get more pucks to the net."

The Oilers hope to avoid their fifth loss in seven games as they begin a four-game road swing. They're 0-2-1 in their last three at Chicago and 1-5-1 in their last seven meetings overall.

Goaltender Cam Talbot has played well against the Blackhawks, going 2-1-0 with an 0.67 GAA in three career starts dating to his time with the New York Rangers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Dallas Stars won five of their last six games. Detroit won its last three, allowing five goals.
-- Devils won seven of their last nine games.

Cold teams
-- Vancouver lost seven of its last ten games.
-- Bruins lost their last three games, scoring six goals. Islanders lost four of their last five.
-- Edmonton lost five of its last seven games. Chicago lost four of its last five.

Series records
-- Red Wings won four of last five games with Dallas.
-- Canucks won six of last seven games with New Jersey.
-- Islanders lost four of last five games with Boston.
-- Oilers lost six of last seven games with Chicago.

Totals
-- Last four Dallas-Detroit games went over total; last one was 7-6.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Vancouver-New Jersey games.
-- Over is 10-2-1 in last thirteen Boston games.
-- Five of last six Edmonton-Chicago games went over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (1-4) at Knicks (2-4)

Date: November 08, 2015 3:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) - Kobe Bryant always loved the history at Madison Square Garden, even before he made some of his own.

There's so much to soak in, from the famous faces sitting courtside to the jerseys of great players that hang overhead.

'I always try to take a look around, always try to kind of embrace the moment and kind of feel the energy a little,' Bryant said. 'I always try to make it a point to do that. Is it a little different this time around? Yeah.'

That's because this time could be the last time.

The Lakers visit the New York Knicks on Sunday afternoon, Bryant's first game at MSG in nearly three years. And if his 20th season is indeed his last in the NBA, it will be his final trip to a building he loves performing in perhaps more than any other.

He's done it as well as anybody. His average of 30.7 points in 15 games is the highest among active players, and his 61 points there on Feb. 2, 2009, remains the record for a visitor.

And when he takes the floor Sunday, the memories of that night, maybe his first All-Star Game in 1998, and others will come rushing back. And just as quickly, Bryant will push them aside again.

'You think about it a little bit, but I block all that stuff out, just go out and play,' Bryant said.

The Lakers (1-4) opened a five-game road trip Friday night across the East River in Brooklyn by picking up their first win, 104-98. Bryant insisted afterward that if he does play beyond this season, it would be in Los Angeles.

Knicks President Phil Jackson, Bryant's coach on five championship-winning teams, said before the season he didn't believe this would be Bryant's last, but that perhaps it would be his last in purple and gold.

'How many times do I have to say it?' the 37-year-old said. 'I've said it so many times. I'm here, I'm a Laker for life. I'm not playing anywhere else no matter what. It's just not going to happen. I bleed purple and gold, and that's just how it's going to be.'

Even if this is Bryant's swan song, he doesn't want one of those farewell tours where teams he's spent two decades battling honor him. To Bryant, the best way to honor him is to try to beat him.

'I really just appreciate the game the way it's been played over the years and I appreciate the competition, so it's like, the biggest sign of respect to me would be to approach it just like it was any other game and try to kick our butt just like it was any other game,' he said. 'Those are the things that I hold extremely dear.'

Knicks fans may want to beat him, but many will cheer him. It's always been that way in New York and that was proven again Friday night in Brooklyn, where he received such loud applause that Los Angeles coach Byron Scott said one Nets player told him it felt like a road game.

Scott expects more of the same Sunday.

'When you talk about New York, they are basketball fans, big time,' Scott said. 'They love greatness and they're going to show their appreciation. No matter if they don't like you as a team or not, they love great players.'

Bryant will see a great player in a Knicks uniform who hasn't performed that way in the early going. Carmelo Anthony is shooting 36.6 percent from the field during New York's 2-4 start after finishing with 17 points and five turnovers in Friday's 99-92 loss to Milwaukee.

The Knicks never led against the Bucks, and they're really struggling behind the arc at MSG. New York is shooting 21.2 percent from 3-point range there, making just 14 of 66 attempts.

Anthony has averaged 32.0 points in three home games against the Lakers in a Knicks uniform, all New York wins.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (3-3) at Cavaliers (5-1)

Date: November 08, 2015 3:30 PM EDT

For someone who said a few days into the season that he wanted to play all 82 games, LeBron James' goal already appears to be in jeopardy.

After taking a knee to the quad late in the Cavaliers' fifth straight victory, James isn't certain to be on the floor Sunday as Cleveland tries to avoid another lethargic first half against a visiting Indiana Pacers team that appears fully recovered from a tough start.

Back issues kept James out of five of the Cavaliers' seven preseason games and at least briefly had him in question for the opener, but he played in that 97-95 defeat at Chicago and has played at least 30 minutes in each subsequent game as Cleveland (5-1) hasn't lost.

He delivered his best overall performance in Friday's 108-102 win over Philadelphia, pouring in 23 points in the second half to finish with season highs of 31 and 13 assists. But James also got kneed in the thigh when going up for a layup in the fourth quarter, afterward admitting he felt sore.

"Probably a lot worse (Saturday)," said James, who on Oct. 30 told reporters he intended on playing in all 82 games. "Probably be around-the clock-treatment trying to get ready for Sunday. Hopefully it doesn't stop me from playing with the quick turnaround with us having an early game."

Whether he plays or not, Cleveland could use a wake-up call early in games - something James said veteran James Jones provided at halftime Friday night by laying into the team. The Cavaliers have trailed through two quarters in three straight games, a combined minus-14 differential in two against the 76ers and another against New York. They're shooting 41.3 percent in the first 24 minutes this season and an NBA-best 51.4 percent after the break.

"I don't like how we've started the last three games," James said. "We've got to do a better job of that. We can't do it on Sunday against a team that's pretty good in Indiana, so we've got to change our approach a little bit."

The Pacers (3-3) probably felt that way after allowing an average of 105.0 points in three October losses. But they're 3 for 3 in November and allowing just 89.0 points per game after holding Miami to 38 after halftime Friday in a 90-87 victory.

Indiana's turnaround has coincided with Paul George finding his footing. George averaged 16.8 points and shot 33.3 percent in his first four games but has totaled 62 points and gone 22 of 45 from the field in the last two.

"I think I'm getting more comfortable with the offense," George told the team's official website. "(Friday), from the tip I got a quick layup and felt good from there on. And then I got rolling in the second half."

He wasn't kidding. George had 21 of his 32 - his highest-scoring regular-season game since putting up 35 on Feb. 19, 2014 - after the break.

"When you see a guy rolling, you've got to milk the cow when the cow is there," guard George Hill said. "When a guy is rolling like that, you've got to keep feeding him until that well is dry."

George's production helped make up for the Pacers' second straight game without C.J. Miles, who tweaked his ankle Tuesday in Detroit. Rodney Stuckey left in the second half Friday with an ankle injury, leaving both players questionable to face the Cavs.

Indiana could especially use Miles, who totaled 39 points in two home wins over Cleveland last season.

The Cavaliers have won 12 straight against Indiana in Cleveland when James suits up for them dating to his second season in the NBA.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raptors (5-1) at Heat (3-3)

Date: November 08, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

Now that they've made an early statement as one of the Eastern Conference's top teams, the Toronto Raptors are hoping to learn from their first setback.

With the best start in club history behind them, the Raptors will try to cap their road swing in positive fashion Sunday night with their third straight win against the Miami Heat.

Toronto trailed by 10 points after one quarter Wednesday before storming back for a 103-98 win at Oklahoma City to open 5-0 for the first time. The club overcame a 15-point first quarter Friday, but was outscored 28-18 in the fourth en route to a 92-87 loss at Orlando.

The two-time defending Atlantic Division champions would like to put an end to the troubling run of slow starts in the last of this four-game trip, having gone a combined 8 for 41 from the field to total 28 points in the opening 12 minutes of their last two games. That could be a difficult task against the Heat, who have outscored their opponents 48-31 in the first quarter of their last two contests.

"We're a winning team (now)," guard DeMar DeRozan, who scored a game-high 23 against the Magic, told the team's official website. "Teams are going to be going after us. Good thing that it's early. We can learn from it and try to get another one back on Sunday."

The key could be on the offensive end. Toronto shot just 23 percent in the first half versus Orlando and finished at a season-low 34.9 percent overall. The Raptors also have shot 15 for 54 (27.8 percent) from 3-point range on the trip after going 5 for 23 on Friday.

Kyle Lowry, DeMarre Carroll and Luis Scola went a combined 12 for 30 (30.0 percent) against the Magic. Lowry has gone 11 for 30 over his last two games, while Carroll is 8 for 33 on the road swing.

"Again it's our starts," coach Dwane Casey said. "We've got to come out and play with force on the offensive end. Not only the start, throughout the game."

The Raptors had dropped 16 straight versus Miami - which had LeBron James in most of those games - before taking the last two of the three meetings in 2014-15. DeRozan has averaged 24.0 points on 51.4 percent shooting in his past four visits to American Airlines Arena.

Although they've alternated between wins and losses over their first six games, the Heat have allowed an average of 90.3 points on 40.4 percent shooting in their last four. They also rank among the league's leaders in defending the 3-point line, limiting opponents to 28.6 percent.

Miami has turned its focus to a seven-game homestand following Friday's 90-87 loss at Indiana.

"All I'm thinking about is getting out of here as quickly as we can, get our rest and get ready for a big one in our building to kick that thing off," coach Erik Spoelstra said.

After averaging 22.2 points on 49.4 percent shooting in his first five games, Dwyane Wade had nine on 4-of-15 shooting versus Indiana. He totaled 55 points in the two losses to the Raptors last season.

Chris Bosh, who had 21 points and 11 rebounds Friday, didn't play in either of those meetings while dealing with blood clots in his lungs. Miami is 11-0 when he plays against his former team.

Gerald Green isn't expected to return after he was hospitalized for an undisclosed illness.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (3-3) at Thunder (3-3)

Date: November 08, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

Mired in their first lull of the young season, the Oklahoma City Thunder hope an opponent they've usually handled in recent years can get them going again.

The Thunder take a three-game losing streak into Sunday night's return to Chesapeake Energy Arena, where the Phoenix Suns haven't won in nearly five years.

After averaging 122.7 points during a 3-0 start under new coach Billy Donovan, Oklahoma City (3-3) has been held under 100 in consecutive defeats to Toronto and Chicago that followed Monday's 110-105 setback at Houston. An inability to prevent points at key moments has been perhaps the bigger issue, as the Thunder were outscored in the fourth quarter in losing all three by six or less.

The Bulls shot 60 percent in the final period during Thursday's 104-98 win at the United Center, one day after the Thunder couldn't hold an eight-point lead with under five minutes left in a 103-98 home loss to the Raptors.

Oklahoma City is allowing 108.7 points per game overall and also ranks near the bottom of the league with 12.8 turnovers forced per game. The Thunder induced only six against Chicago.

'We have to figure it out. We've got to get stops," Thunder forward Kevin Durant said. "We have to buckle down and do it.'

The Thunder have less concerns on the offensive end with a healthy Durant and Russell Westbrook combining for 57 points per game. Durant had 33 on Thursday and is shooting 42.5 percent from 3-point range.

Oklahoma City will have to make strides defensively to avoid a fourth consecutive loss, as Phoenix (3-3) is 3-0 when scoring over 100 points and 0-3 when failing to reach that mark.

The Thunder have scored 102 or more in 17 of their last 18 meetings with the Suns and have won 14 of 17 in the series. They've been especially dominant at home, with Phoenix having dropped eight straight in Oklahoma City since a 113-110 victory on Dec. 19, 2010.

Durant averaged 33.5 points and was 7 of 13 on 3s in two wins over Phoenix last season, while Westbrook averaged 30.0 to help the Thunder take three of four 2014-15 matchups.

The Suns have endured an up-and-down start as well, as a just-completed two-game homestand will attest. After recording 27 assists and going 14 of 23 from long range in Wednesday's 118-97 rout of Sacramento, they were held to 40.2 percent shooting overall with a season-low 14 assists in Friday's 100-92 loss to Detroit.

"We're definitely still trying to learn each other's game," forward Markieff Morris said. "We're six games in and we've just got to put it together more. We've got to have better starts to the second half and the beginning of the game."

The Suns were done in by a poor finish last time out, as the Pistons were 9 of 11 from the field during a 33-point fourth quarter.

Though the offseason addition of center Tyson Chandler has improved the Suns' interior defense and rebounding, they've allowed opponents to make 36.5 percent of their 3-point attempts. The Thunder are shooting a league-best 39.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Thunder center Steven Adams will be a game-time decision after exiting Thursday's game with back soreness.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (4-1) at Trail Blazers (4-2)

Date: November 08, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

For the time being, the rebuilding process in Portland is off to a good start.

Things have begun well for the Detroit Pistons, too.

Both look to continue their early success Sunday night, when the Trail Blazers try for a fourth consecutive victory by maintaining their recent dominance of the visiting Pistons.

A three-game winning stretch might seem modest, but considering Portland (4-2) lost four starters from a group that reached the playoffs each of the past two seasons, some early optimism has bloomed.

'We've just got to keep on going, and keep playing hard,' said two-time All-Star Damian Lillard, who has become the centerpiece of the franchise. 'That's where our strength is.'

The Blazers displayed that strength in Thursday's 115-96 win over Memphis. Lillard scored 27 and backcourt mate C.J. McCollum had 20 as Portland shot 50.6 percent and took control by outscoring the Grizzlies 72-48 in the second and third quarters.

"We know we have to come out and fight, be a scrappy team," said forward Meyers Leonard, who shook off a sore ankle to score 14 points in 27 minutes. "Nothing will be handed to us, especially this year."

Portland's averaged 109.7 points on 49.8 percent shooting in the last three games after scoring 98.0 and hitting 43.9 percent of its shots in the first three. While Lillard is among the league leaders at 27.3 points per contest, McCollum is averaging 22.2 in his third season and first as a starter.

'They're a young team, they're athletic,' Memphis coach David Joerger said.

The Blazers have held their last two opponents to fewer than 100 points after each of the previous three topped that mark.

"We're happy with where we're at but we understand, and I'll say it over and over again, it's about the process," Leonard said. "It's about the grind. Just believe in each other."

The grind continues against Detroit (4-1), which has dropped seven straight at Portland and 11 of 13 overall in the series. However, the Pistons are trying to win five of their first six for the first time since 2007-08 and record their first 3-0 road start since 2005-06.

Tied atop the Eastern Conference at 92.2 points allowed per contest, Detroit held Phoenix to 40.2 percent shooting and shot 49.3 percent in Friday's 100-92 victory. Reggie Jackson had 23 points and Marcus Morris scored 20 against his former team as the Pistons successfully regrouped from Tuesday's 94-82 loss to Indiana.

The Pistons, who lost 17 of their final 21 road games last season, began a stretch of six games in 10 days out west.

"Feels great to start off this way," Jackson, averaging 21.7 points in his last three games, told the Pistons' official website. "It's a tough six-game road trip. We got the first one. We can't worry about the third, fourth, fifth or sixth. We've got to focus on the second."

Detroit's Andre Drummond was held to fewer than 18 points for the first time by finishing with 12 on Friday, but pulled down 17 rebounds - which slightly brought down his league-leading average to 19.0. Drummond's totaled 32 points and 33 rebounds in two games at Portland.

Lillard had 28 points, went 9 of 12 from the field and recorded nine assists in last season's 118-99 home win over Detroit.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Soccer: EPL Best Bets - Week 12
By Chris David

Week 11 Recap

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

Champions-Europa Recap

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

Top 4

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fearless Predictions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tottenham riding 10-game unbeaten streak into NLD
Andrew Avery

One of the Premier League's biggest rivalries kicks off Sunday as Arsenal hosts Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby.

While the Gunners are second in the table on 25 points, Spurs have been in excellent form in their own right and have gone undefeated in their previous 10 matches (five wins, five draws).

Arsenal heads in off a 5-1 thumping courtesy Bayern Munich in Champions League action midweek, while Tottneham survived a scare from Anderlecht in Europa League courtesy a late Mousa Dembele winner.

Arsenal is currently -145 in 1X2 markets at Pinnacle Sports, while Spurs are +427 and the Draw is +321.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL Betting Notes - Week 20
By David Schwab

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

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

Sunday, Nov. 7

Saskatchewan Roughriders (2-15 SU, 4-13 ATS) vs. Montreal Alouettes (6-11 SU, 7-9-1 ATS)
Point-spread: Montreal -9
Total: 48 ½

Game Overview

There is nothing but pride on the line for Saskatchewan in its season finale, but I think even that ship has sailed with its current four-game losing streak both SU and ATS. The Roughriders’ defense has been porous all season long with a points-allowed average of 31.7 that is dead-last in the league, but this has climbed to 38.3 points during the recent four-game slide.

Montreal’s playoffs chances officially dissipated with last week’s loss, but this team has been sliding since late September with just one win either SU or ATS in its last six contests. The Alouettes did allow 40 points their last time out, but this is still one of the better defenses in the CFL with a points-allowed average of 21.9.

Betting Trends

Montreal has gone 8-1 SU in its last nine home games against Saskatchewan and the total has stayed UNDER in 15 of its last 17 games at home in this inter-division clash. One of the Roughriders’ rare wins this season came in a 33-21 victory against Montreal as two-point home underdogs that tripped-off the Alouettes’ current six-game meltdown.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

CFL

Week 20 games

Saskatchewan (2-15) @ Montreal (6-11)-- Roughriders lost last four games, all by 11+ points; last win was 33-21 (+2) at home vs Montreal six weeks ago; home side won last five series games. Riders lost last three series games, by 11-5-31 points; they're 1-6-1 vs spread on the road this season, with six of eight losses by 15+ points. Montreal lost five of last six games, is 2-4 as a favorite. Under is 7-4 in last 11 series games, 3-1 in last four Montreal games, 1-5 in Saskatchewan's last six.


Saskatchewan Roughriders
Montreal Alouettes 9, 48.5

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapped by Chatsworth Consortium at Flamboro Downs

Always check program numbers.
Odds shown are morning line odds.


Race 2 - Post: 6:20 - 1 mile. PACE - Class Rating: 78 - Purse:$5200 - HORSES & GELDINGS - CLAIMING $7500.


CONSORTIUM CHOICES


Chatsworth Consortium

# 4 LOST IN PANSLATION 4/1


# 3 HELLSAPOPPIN 7/5


# 5 NJS TRICK PISTOL 7/1


If you want a very good play here, feast your eyes on LOST IN PANSLATION. Post 4 has been winning at an above average percentage, suggesting respectable probability of success in this event. Don't count out this race horse, especially with Macdonald in the sulky. In the top three percent is solid. HELLSAPOPPIN - This entrant looks very good. Look at the 78 average TrackMaster Speed Rating. The wagering panel noted a very strong affair out of this interesting entrant last time. Looking for a repeat of that to score. NJS TRICK PISTOL - We're not going to pass on this gelding given one of the strongest driver/conditioner statistics around. The trainer/horse combination figures point out that this duo are solid in the money finishers when working as a team.