Thursday 1/12/17 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sabres (16-15) at Lightning (19-19)

Date: January 12, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning are just one point apart in the NHL standings, out of the playoff picture but headed in different directions as they try to stay in the wild-card hunt in the second half of the season.

The Lightning (19-19-4) have lost four straight and allowed 22 goals in those games -- they allowed six or more goals just once in their first 38 games, but now have done it three times in the last four -- while the Sabres (16-15-9) are 3-0-1 in their last four.

"We want to be a relentless, aggressive, fast, hard team to play against, that keeps coming at you for 60 minutes," Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said Wednesday. "That's when we're at our best. We're getting there."

The Lightning are at the other extreme, struggling defensively in front of goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who started 10 straight games since Ben Bishop was sidelined. Tampa Bay went 4-1-1 in the first six, but has lost the last four, and Bishop is expected to return either Thursday or Friday against the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets.

"This is the most difficult stretch we've had since we've been here. It's not a lot of fun," Lightning associate coach Rick Bowness said Wednesday. "There's only one way out of it. You've got to work your way out of it."

The Lightning will try to do that in a difficult stretch -- after Columbus on Friday, they play six straight on the road, including games against three teams atop divisions in the Western Conference in Chicago, San Jose and Anaheim. Having a break over the last three days gave Tampa Bay a rest it has sorely needed.

"I just think that a couple of days off has given the guys some fresh legs," Bowness said. "Tired bodies are a little more rested."

One advantage the Lightning can hope to make the most of is their power play, which is the second-best in the NHL, converting on 23.5 percent of their chances. That will go up against a weak spot for Buffalo, which ranks last in the league in penalty kill, allowing goals on 26 percent of opposing power plays.

The Lightning's struggles on defense may need to be addressed before the trade deadline -- in reaching the Eastern finals last year, they ranked fifth in the NHL with 2.41 goals allowed per game; this year, they've dropped to 25th, allowing 2.98, despite largely the same lineup in goal and on the blue line.

Buffalo is scoring more, with three players tied for the team lead at 27 points in right wing Kyle Okposo (team-best 12 goals), defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen (team-best 24 assists) and 21-year-old center Sam Reinhart, who has nine goals. The Sabres will be without goalie Robin Lehner, who is ill and didn't make the trip, so it's likely Anders Nilsson in net against Tampa Bay.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canadiens (26-10) at Wild (25-9)

Date: January 12, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Montreal Canadiens scored seven times in beating the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday and are fifth in the league in goals per game. The Minnesota Wild are just ahead, fourth in the league with 3.13 goals per game.

The two teams will likely have a hard time finding the back of the net as they meet Thursday in Minnesota.

The Wild, coming off a West Coast swing in which they went 2-0-1, will likely have goaltender Devan Dubnyk between the pipes for a matchup with Montreal's Carey Price.

Price is considered by many as the top goaltender in the NHL, and he backs up the talk with a 2.12 goals-against average (sixth in the league) and .928 save percentage (fifth). Dubnyk, however, holds the statistical advantage this season with league-bests 1.80 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.

Dubnyk was named to his second straight All-Star Game on Tuesday and he's won 12 of his past 13 games as Minnesota has climbed to within four points of Central-leading Chicago.

"You don't do that for 82 games ever," Dubnyk told the Minneapolis Star Tribune of his first 27 starts. "There's always going to be some lulls. And fortunately, two of the three (tough starts in the past four games) we were able to score five and six goals, so we'll take those.

"But, it's nice to get out there and remember what it feels like to give up one, and not four."

Dubnyk had not allowed four goals all season until Dec. 29 against the Islanders. But he gave up four goals in three straight games before allowing just one against the Anaheim Ducks s Minnesota finished its strong West coast swing. The Wild still won two of the three games in which Dubnyk allowed four goals.

"This is, if not the toughest, for sure, one of the toughest trips every year," Minnesota center Mikko Koivu told the Star Tribune. "All three teams, they play hard, they play good two-way hockey."

Strong two-way hockey has defined the Wild and Canadiens.

Minnesota has the fourth-most goals per game and is allowing the second fewest per game (2.13). The Canadiens are fifth in scoring at 3.12 goals per game and fifth in the fewest allowed (2.38).

In the first game of the back-to-back, Montreal got two goals each from Phillip Danault and Artturi Lehkonen. Danault scored a highlight-reel goal in skating the length of the ice and weaving between four defenders before scoring with a quick shot.

"You don't see those types of goals very often in the NHL," coach Michel Therrien told NHL.com. "For the young kid, it's good for his confidence. He's playing really well. There's a reason we put him out there. He was always a good skater, he can move the puck and protect the puck well and he's responsible at both sides of the ice."

Danault has stepped up as the No. 1 center with the Canadiens deal with a glut of injuries. Montreal is playing without forwards Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, David Desharnais and Andrew Shaw, and defenseman Andrei Markov.

"For us, I'll say that we want to play our game," Therrien told NHL.com after Wednesday's game. "We want to play a fast-paced game and we want to dictate from the start and move on from our last game (a 4-1 home loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday). And this is what we did. First shift set the tone of the game and we went from there."

Al Montoya earned the win in net on Wednesday with 23 saves, setting up the Price-Dubnyk matchup.

It will be the second time the two teams, and goalies, will meet. The Wild won 4-2 in Montreal on Dec. 22 as Eric Staal scored a shorthanded goal.

Coincidentally, Montoya is 5-0 against Minnesota with six goals allowed, while Price is 4-4 in his career against the Wild with a 2.51 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in eight starts.

Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau, with three days off since beating Anaheim, gave his older players Wednesday off.

"I thought (Tuesday's practice) was a real good day," Boudreau told the Star Tribune, "and (today) was sort of an experiment. I don't know how it's going to work or if it's not going to work. But with all the games that we've got now, ... so we wanted to give a couple of our older players and/or guys that get a lot of ice time a little bit of a break today and see how it works out for (Thursday's) game and whether it's something we'll continue to do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bruins (22-17) at Predators (18-16)

Date: January 12, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

The Nashville Predators ended a frustrating first half of the season with an emphatic bang, one they hope will serve as a springboard to improvement.

The second half begins Thursday night when the Boston Bruins arrive at Bridgestone Arena for the teams' first meeting of the year. Boston is eager to cap an already successful road trip on a high note.

The Bruins (22-17-5) are coming off a 5-3 win Tuesday night in St. Louis that improved their record to 2-0-1 on a four-game journey. Boston led 4-0 just 1:31 into the second period, the Bruins wound up outshooting the Blues 39-17 as Brad Marchand tallied twice.

Meanwhile, Nashville (18-16-7) won in the most dramatic fashion imaginable Tuesday night. Calle Jarnkrok scored the first overtime short-handed goal in franchise history at 4:58, delivering a stunning 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks.

"We found a way to win in OT," said Predators coach Peter Laviolette, whose team was 1-7 prior to Tuesday night in games decided past regulation. "Hopefully, we can learn something from this. OT is weird. They get a penalty and go on the power play but we scored the game-winner."

The result was just Nashville's third win in its past 11 home games, a big reason why the team is just 7-8-4 since Dec. 3 and currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture.

However, the Predators continue to battle injuries in addition to inconsistency. They skated without All-Stars P.K. Subban (upper body) and James Neal (upper body) on Tuesday night, as well as Colin Wilson (lower body). Viktor Arvidsson returned Tuesday from a two-game absence caused by an upper-body injury, but he was not part of practice on Wednesday, raising concerns about his availability for the Boston game.

With so many injuries to deal with, Nashville is plugging third- and fourth-liners into bigger roles. One taking advantage of additional ice time is the bruising Austin Watson, who has scored goals in consecutive games while supplying good defense and a physical presence.

"He's been playing fast, playing physical for us," Laviolette said of Watson. "He's been chipping in on offense. He's been going to the hard areas in the paint where you score goals."

Watson's marker against Vancouver was a classic example. He worked his way to the net's front and was in prime position to collect the rebound of Mike Fisher's errant point shot for a goal 35 seconds into the second period.

If the Predators are to win their final home game before a five-game trip, they probably will need more than two goals against Boston. Led by Marchand's 15 goals and 23 assists, and David Pastrnak's 19 goals, the Bruins can explode in any game despite averaging just under 2.5 goals per game.

"I think the guys are really buying into trying to play hard here," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "There's a lot of pride in our dressing room, and we just got to keep showing it."

Julien's biggest concern going into this one is injuries to his defense corps. Adam McQuaid (upper body) and Colin Miller (lower body) were knocked out in the third period at St. Louis, leaving the Bruins with just four defensemen. McQuaid could play Thursday night, but Miller is doubtful.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Wings (17-18) at Stars (17-17)

Date: January 12, 2017 8:30 PM EDT

DALLAS -- Consistency is proving elusive this season for both the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars, a trend the former Central Division rivals hope to begin reversing when they meet at American Airlines Center on Thursday night.

Detroit (17-18-6) came away with a point from a 4-3 overtime loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago on Tuesday, but that point wasn't the only positive to result from that narrow defeat.

Forward Justin Abdelkader, who missed the previous six weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament, returned to finish a minus-1 in 8:41 of ice time.

"I felt all right. I didn't play a ton of minutes," Abdelkader said. "Your timing's always a little off coming back into a game like that. Tried to keep it simple for the most part. It's going to be a process to get back, get the legs underneath you, the timing. It's definitely fun to be back out there."

Defenseman Mike Green also returned from an upper-body injury to play his first game since Dec. 17. He had an even rating in 24:07 of ice time.

The Red Wings, who are 10-8-3 on the road, are set to conclude a seven-game road trip on which they are 2-3-1. They were on the power play for only nine seconds against the Blackhawks, a tough break for a unit which hasn't converted its past 55 road opportunities, a streak dating back to Oct. 19.

Detroit still generated 36 shots on goal against Chicago, a number that second-year coach Jeff Blashill really can't quibble with.

"I thought we played a good hockey game. We got to keep grinding here and find a way to get two points on Thursday," Blashill said.

Another plus was the 39-save performance Detroit got from Petr Mrazek in goal, a showing that might earn him a second consecutive nod in net on Thursday evening.

"I thought Petr was very good," Blashill said. "I thought he made big saves. I can see his confidence growing."

Forward Tomas Tatar also scored his ninth goal of the season against the Blackhawks. Even though Tatar didn't take the ice during a Wednesday afternoon practice in Dallas, Blashill said Tatar would be good to go for Thursday's game.

Dallas (17-17-8) returned home and didn't practice Wednesday after a 1-2-0 road trip, a run that concluded with a 2-0 loss at Anaheim on Tuesday. One night earlier, the Stars defeated the Kings 6-4 in Los Angeles.

The Stars, who have allowed 127 goals this season, tied for the second most in the NHL, got a strong performance Tuesday from goaltender Antti Niemi, who stopped 36 of the 38 shots he faced.

"I thought Antti played well for us, gave us a chance," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said.

For a team already without captain and key offensive cog Jamie Benn (foot), injuries were again a factor for Dallas.

Young defenseman Jamie Oleksiak left the game in the second period with a hand injury. Veteran forward Patrick Eaves, Dallas' No. 2 goal scorer with 14 goals, was checked hard into the boards and had to leave the game in the third period.

"Oleksiak's going to be out a little bit of time. I don't know how much, Ruff said. "Eaves I think will be OK, just caught the corner of the door."

The timing of Oleksiak's injury couldn't be worse. After sending fellow young defenseman Patrik Nemeth to AHL Texas on Friday on a conditioning assignment, the Stars now have just six healthy defensemen for Thursday's game, meaning Stephen Johns, a healthy scratch against Anaheim, will draw back in against Detroit.

However, one positive that could result from the Oleksiak injury is that it could allow the Stars to take Benn off injured reserve should he be ready to return. Benn did not play on the road trip, seeing his last action Dec. 31, but he is said to be closer to returning.

Once again, Ruff and the Stars must make do as several of their regulars are recovering from injuries, something of a regular occurrence this season.

"Of course, when we're playing, we're not thinking about (our injury woes)," Niemi said. "But it's tough losing top guys from our lineup. I think we just got to work harder and play our system."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Devils (16-18) at Oilers (21-15)

Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

EDMONTON, Alberta -- Taylor Hall is doing what he was expected to do when the New Jersey Devils acquired him last summer. He's tied for the team lead in points, even though he's missed nine games.

Adam Larsson is doing exactly what the Oilers expected of him when he was acquired from the Devils. He's a solid first-pairing defenceman that Edmonton badly needed.

Really, it's a trade that is working out for both teams. But, when the Devils visit Rogers Place Thursday night, Hall's return to the city in which he began his professional career will be the game story.

Hall, who the Oilers selected first overall in the 2010 draft, was traded to the Devils last July for Larsson. This season, Hall has 25 points in 32 games for New Jersey.

Hall had 328 career points in 381 career games as an Oilers, putting him 17th on the franchise's all-time scoring list.

"For Taylor to come back here, and he obviously had roots here for many years, I'm sure it's not easy," said Oilers coach Todd McLellan. "The fans here, the organization, the coaches and even his teammates obviously appreciated all the things he did for us during his time here -- and we recognize that and welcome him back. But, when it's time to play, it's time to play."

"He's a good player, it was tough to see him go," said Oilers right-winger Jordan Eberle, who has known Hall when he was 10 years old. "But I think we're better as a team -- and he's doing well there. It will be interesting to see him play."

When speaking to reporters, Hall, though, spoke about the game in Edmonton not as a standalone event, but as the first of a massive four-game road trip for a team near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.

"We're playing some teams that have some offense, are obviously going to pose a big challenge for us," said Hall. "This is a road trip that's probably going to define our season, and make or break it."

The trip got off to an ominous start. The team's charter to Edmonton was delayed five hours after the tow vehicle bumped the nose of the airplane the Devils were on.

The Devils go into Edmonton on a three-game losing streak, including a 2-1 overtime loss to the Oilers Saturday at Newark's Prudential Center. That game was only close because of the play of Devils netminder Cory Schneider, who stopped 41 shots.

"This road trip is about getting our game back," said Devils coach John Hynes. "We've lost three games. ... So we have to get some things in order in our game and we have to a better job than we did in the last couple of games to be able to find a way to win games and get points."

Since Saturday's win over New Jersey, the Oilers have lost two in a row.

The Oilers can't afford another slow start. Their two-game losing streak can be attributed to poor first-period efforts. In Sunday's loss to Ottawa, they were down 2-0 by the 13:43 mark. In Tuesday's loss to San Jose, the Oilers gave up a goal just 1:39 into the game.

"Not really ready to go, too slow, turnovers, no execution early in the game, then put your foot on the gas and go after a team," is how McLellan categorized his team's last two efforts.

So, while Hall's return to Edmonton will create a buzz at Rogers Place, the Oilers can't afford to get swept up in the moment and be on their heels for the first few shifts of the game.

On Wednesday, the Oilers recalled center Jujhar Khaira from their AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif., sending center Anton Lander the other way. Khaira had two assists in 15 games with the Oilers in 2015-16.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (22-13) at Avalanche (13-25)

Date: January 12, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

DENVER -- The Colorado Avalanche hope to end their five-day break the same way it started -- with a win on home ice.

Those have been rare for Colorado, which ended a 10-game winless streak at Pepsi Center with a 2-1 overtime win against the New York Islanders on Friday. That preceded the team's five-day hiatus that every NHL team will experience before the end of February.

Now the Avalanche (13-25-1) are back to work and have a tough task ahead when they host the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. The Ducks are in strong playoff contention and playing like a postseason team. They are coming off a 2-0 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday and have won four of their past five games.

Goaltender Josh Gibson got his third shutout of the season and second in four games in the win over the Stars, which preceded a two-game trip that ends in Arizona on Saturday night.

The good news for Anaheim (22-13-8) is it might get back forward Ryan Getzlaf. He has been out since sustaining a lower-body injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on New Year's Day but tested it before Tuesday's game. The Ducks decided to hold him out for one more game in the hopes that he will be available against Colorado.

"I feel pretty good," Getzlaf told The Orange County Register. "For the most part, there's a couple little things here and there that still have to come along. I don't know if that's just tentativeness or if it's actual pain and those kinds of things. So we'll see."

Colorado's break ended with a 4 p.m. local time practice at its practice facility on Wednesday. It was the first time the public could watch Nathan MacKinnon on the ice after he was named the team's representative to the NHL All-Star Game. It is his first time being an NHL All-Star.

The honor is a little consolation in a season that has gone south for the Avalanche since they were 9-9-0 in November. Friday's win was their first at Pepsi Center since beating the Los Angeles Kings on Nov. 15, and the frustration was apparent for the players.

"It was a long time coming," MacKinnon said after the victory over the Islanders. "It's been tough at home, it's been tough in general, obviously. Wins haven't been easy to get, and obviously we have a lot of work to do still, but it definitely feels good to win."

Anaheim has two All-Star Game representatives -- forward Ryan Kesler and defenseman Cam Fowler.

The Ducks are trying something new on this two-game road trip. While it has become vogue for teams to host "dad trips" when players' fathers join the team on the road, Anaheim is hosting a "siblings trip" to Colorado and Arizona.

The Ducks are accompanied by a group of 14 that includes eight sisters, five brothers and one mother.

"We think it's an opportunity for their families to experience what the 'prized one' in the family is doing for a living," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle told the team website. "I'm sure they're all excited and hopefully they have a good time and we have some success, where the players take on the motto of win one for my brother or my sister or my mother."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (21-15) at Kings (20-17)

Date: January 12, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- The St. Louis Blues and the Los Angeles Kings meet Thursday at Staples Center as both attempt to get back on track after poor home performances in their previous contests. The game is second of their three-game season series, with the Blues capturing a 1-0 victory on Oct. 29 with Jaden Schwartz scoring the lone goal.

The Blues (21-16-5) ended a six-game home stand on a sour note with a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. They posted a 3-3-0 record on the stand and have played mediocre hockey since early December, going 7-8-2 since Dec. 3 primarily due to poor defensive play and goaltending (24 goals against in their last 7 games).

The Los Angeles game is the start of a three-game California road trip that includes visits to Anaheim and San Jose and concludes Sunday as the team tries to find consistency in their play.

"We win one and then we get away from our game," said captain Alex Pietrangelo after the Boston loss. "Mentally, we were ready to play from the start. I think we're making bad decisions with the puck and other teams are taking advantage of it."

St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock pointed to starting goaltender Jake Allen's struggles as an additional reason for the team's recent play. Allen was pulled in the Boston loss after surrendering three goals on 11 shots and is feeling the pressure as the number one goaltender after Brian Elliott was dealt to Calgary in the offseason. His .904 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average are career-worst numbers.

"He's not stopping the puck right now," said Hitchcock. "Probably some of it is confidence, for him it the first time that things have not gone smoothly in his career, he's going to have to battle like the rest of us. We can help out too by playing better in front of him."

The Kings (20-17-4) have similar challenges, losing two of their first three games of a seven-game home stand to sub-.500 teams, the Detroit Red Wings and Dallas Stars. In their 6-4 loss to Dallas Monday, Los Angeles had poor performances from their defense (Alec Martinez and Jake Muzzin registered -4 ratings) and goaltending (Peter Budaj surrendered 5 goals on 22 shots before being pulled in the third period) continuing a long stretch of inconsistent play.

Since Dec. 1, the Kings have an 8-7-3 record as they continue to struggle to produce offensive consistently. Their 102 goals rank third worst in the Western Conference, only ahead of the cellar-dwelling Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche. Only 2017 All-Star Game selection Jeff Carter (22 goals) and Tanner Pearson (11 goals) have registered double-digit goals and speculation has surfaced that the organization is pursuing trade options to prop up its floundering offense.

"Jeff Carter has been carrying this team and it seems if he doesn't get a goal no one steps up and fills that void," said forward Jordan Nolan. "We win two, win three, then lose two, lose three. It's starting to get a little old. We're starting to get to crunch time here."

Since winning Stanley Cup titles in 2012 and 2014, every season holds high expectations for Los Angeles and, with them presently outside the top three Pacific Division qualifiers for an automatic playoff qualification, the sense of urgency around the team is dialing up during this home stand. They have a solid 12-6-1 home record and the importance of finishing this stretch of home game strong with nine road games in their next 10 games following their Jan. 18 game against the San Jose Sharks.

"We have to put a stretch of wins together," said captain Anze Kopitar. "We still have four game at home, so we have to make sure we take care of business. We're not as nearly consistent as we need to be."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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 - - -
1/13 7 - - -
1/14 12 - - -
1/15 4 - - -
1/16 7 - - -
1/17 9 - - -
1/18 5 - - -
1/19 8 - - -
1/20 6 - - -
1/21 11 - - -
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 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Thursday’s games

Canucks won three of last four games with Philly; they won three of last five games in this building. Under is 2-0-2 in last four series games. Vancouver lost three of last four games on road but won six of last eight overall; under is 6-1-1 in their last eight games. Flyers lost seven of last eight games, are 2-2 in last four at home; their last two home games went over.

Penguins won four in row, six of last seven games with Ottawa, splitting last four games played here. Five of last six series games went over total. Penguins had 5-game win streak snapped last night in Washington; they lost three of last four road games. Over is 6-2 in Penguins’ last eight games. Senators lost four of last five games, split last six at home; three of their last four games stayed under the total.

Lightning won eight of last nine games with Buffalo; under is 5-1-4 in last ten series games. Sabres lost four of last five visits to Bay Area. Buffalo won three of last four games overall but lost four of last six on road; over is 5-3 in their last eight games. Tampa Bay was outscored 22-9 in losing its last four games; they lost three of last four home games. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games.

Minnesota won its last four games with Montreal; Canadiens lost last three games in Twin Cities, all by one goal. Over is 5-2-2 in last nine series games. Montreal won its last four road games and four of last five games overall; over is 3-0-1 in their last four games. Minnesota won 14 of last 16 games overall, eight of last nine at home. Over is 6-1-1 in their last eight games.

Predators won three of last four games with Boston; over is 4-2-2 in last eight series games. Bruins lost four of last five visits to Music City. Bruins lost three of last five games overall; they are 3-4 in last seven road games. Three of their last four games went over. Nashville lost six of its last nine games, four of last five at home. Four of their last six games stayed under the total.

Red Wings won seven of last nine games with Dallas, winning last four games in this building. Last three series games stayed under total. Detroit lost four of its last five games; over is 6-3-1 in their last ten games- this is their 7th straight road game. Dallas Stars lost four of last five games overall; they’re 2-3 in last five home games. Three of their last four games went over.

Devils lost three of last four games with Edmonton; five of last six series games stayed under the total. New Jersey lost three of its last five visits here. Devils were outscored 9-3 in losing last three games overall, but they won last two road games. Four of Jersey’s last five games stayed under total. Edmonton lost four of last six overall; they lost last two home games. Three of Oilers’ last four games went over.

Colorado won three of last four games with Anaheim;; under is 5-2 in last seven series games. Ducks won three of last four visits to Denver. Anaheim won four of its last five games; they allowed total of four goals in last four games, all of which stayed under total. Avalanche lost five of last six games; they scored total of nine goals in last five games. Last three Colorado games stayed under the total.

Blues won their last three games with Los Angeles, allowing total of two goals; St Louis lost three of last four games in Staples Center. Last four series games stayed under. Blues are 4-0 in game following their last four losses; they’re 1-3 in last four road games- this is their first road game in three weeks. Kings are 3-5 in their last eight games, splitting last four home games; under is 7-2-1 in last ten series games (0-2 in last two).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Rockets' nine-game win streak halted
By The Sports Xchange

MINNEAPOLIS -- Andrew Wiggins scored 28 points and Karl-Anthony Towns posted his ninth straight double-double with 23 points and 18 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves held on to beat the Houston Rockets 119-105 on Wednesday night.
Ricky Rubio had 10 points and tied his career high and a franchise best with 17 assists in the Timberwolves' second straight win.
Brandon Rush had 12 points on four 3-pointers in his first start for Minnesota and Shabazz Muhammad added 20 points off the bench.
The Timberwolves (13-26) were without third-leading scorer Zach LaVine.
James Harden had 33 points, six rebounds and 12 assists for Houston (31-10), which had its league-best, nine-game winning streak snapped. Ryan Anderson added 18 points, but the Rockets shot 41.4 percent from the floor and 15 of 42 on 3-pointers.

Thunder 103, Grizzlies 95
OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook collected his 18th triple-double to lead Oklahoma City to a victory over Memphis at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook tallied 24 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists. The 18 triple-doubles is the most by any player since Magic Johnson during the 1981-82 season.
Enes Kanter poured in 19 points and 13 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 16 points on 5 of 10 shooting as the Thunder improved to 24-16. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 22 points and six assists. Chandler Parsons and Zach Randolph each scored 14 points.

Celtics 117, Wizards 108
BOSTON -- Isaiah Thomas did it again. The Celtics' little big man, struggling through a tough shooting night, scored eight consecutive points in 47 seconds, 14 in 4:24 in the fourth quarter, igniting undermanned Boston to a victory over Washington.
In addition to propelling his team to its fifth win in six games, Thomas, who high-fived boxing great Floyd Mayweather after one of his fourth-quarter bombs, got a measure of revenge against Washington's John Wall.
Thomas thought he should have been player of the month for December, but the award went to Wall. On Wednesday, Thomas scored 38 points, 20 in the fourth quarter, and added six rebounds and five assists. Wall scored a season-low nine points to go along with 10 assists and seven rebounds. He shot 4 of 21 from the floor.

Trail Blazers 102, Cavaliers 86
PORTLAND, Ore. -- CJ McCollum scored 21 of his 27 points in the second half, and Allen Crabbe came off the bench for 24 points as Portland hammered Cleveland.
McCollum hit the 25-point barrier for the seventh consecutive game, and Crabbe was 9 of 11 from the field as the Trail Blazers won a second straight game for the first time since early December.
LeBron James collected 20 points and 11 rebounds, and Kevin Love had 17 points and eight boards for the Cavaliers, who lost for the second straight time and are 2-2 on their six-game road trip. Cleveland shot a season-low 34.1 percent from the field, including 9 of 30 (30 percent) from 3-point range.

Clippers 105, Magic 96
LOS ANGELES -- J.J. Redick scored 22 points, and Los Angeles topped Orlando to win its fifth in a row.
Chris Paul contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists and DeAndre Jordan collected 20 rebounds and 10 points for the Clippers. Jordan grabbed 20 or more boards in a game for the sixth time this season, which leads the NBA.
Aaron Gordon scored 28 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including 4 of 7 from long distance for the Magic, who lost their fourth straight and the sixth out of their past seven. Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who lost to the Clippers for the seventh consecutive time.

76ers 98, Knicks 97
PHILADELPHIA -- T.J. McConnell nailed a short jumper at the buzzer, lifting Philadelphia to a victory over New York, which saw Derrick Rose return after an unexcused one-game absence.
McConnell, a second-year man, connected from the left baseline, capping a rally that saw the Sixers erase a 10-point deficit in the final 2:29.
Joel Embiid scored 21 points to lead Philadelphia. Carmelo Anthony led New York with 28, and Rose added 25.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (20-18) at Nuggets (14-23)

Date: January 12, 2017 3:00 PM EDT

The Denver Nuggets might be losing a home game at Pepsi Center, but the way they are playing, switching venues might be a good thing.

Even if it is across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Nuggets, losers of five straight, "host" the Indiana Pacers at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday. The NBA Global Game counts as a home game for Denver, and that might be true -- in a way. Four players on the roster are from Europe, so this is as close to an NBA home game for many of those players.

"It will be a true honor and a great experience to represent both the Nuggets and the NBA in London as part of the NBA Global Games in 2017," forward Danilo Gallinari, who is from Italy, told the team website. "Our entire team and organization are looking forward to this opportunity to showcase our league to fans overseas."

This is the seventh regular-season NBA game to be played in London and the first since last Jan. 14, when the Toronto Raptors beat the Orlando Magic.

The Pacers (20-18) are trending in a different direction than the Nuggets (14-23). Indiana has won five straight, thanks in part to a commitment to share the ball. The Pacers recorded at least 23 assists in each of the past seven games to move above the .500 mark.

Point guard Jeff Teague has been the catalyst in the recent success. He had 17 assists in a win over the Chicago Bulls on Dec. 30 and added a double-double with 21 points and 15 assists in a victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Jan. 5.

The recent winning streak has the Pacers feeling good, and they are enjoying their time in London. They went sightseeing to noted tourist attractions such as Big Ben and Westminster Abbey and dined at Kensington Palace.

Once the ball tips at 8 p.m. local time Thursday, the Pacers plan on being all business.

"We don't want to lose sight of what this trip was about," Paul George told The Indianapolis Star before the team's practice Wednesday in London. "This trip is to come over here and win a game. It just so happens we play it here in London. That's really what that focus has been, to keep this groove going."

While Indiana wants to keep grooving, the Nuggets want to get out of their rut. They had predictable losses during the streak to the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs, but home losses to the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings have hurt their dream of making it to the playoffs for the first time in four years.

They will need to play better defense if they want to snap their skid. The Nuggets have allowed opponents to score an average of 123.8 points the past five game, with all five opponents scoring at least 120 points.

"We can't be a team that just relies on our offense to pick up our defense," Denver coach Michael Malone said after a recent loss. "We have to bring our defense every night regardless if you're making shots."

Denver players also toured London, taking in the sights between practices. The Nuggets should be close to full strength if Nikola Jokic has recovered from the illness that kept him out of the Saturday loss at Oklahoma City and if Kenneth Faried's back holds up.

They will need everybody if they want to stop two streaks in London -- their losing streak and Indiana's winning streak.

"It's definitely getting frustrating," Denver forward Wilson Chandler said. "We've got to figure out some way to get out of it, and it's going to be on the defensive end."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (15-24) at Nets (8-29)

Date: January 12, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The New Orleans Pelicans held their breath when Anthony Davis took a hard foul and crashed into the front row of the stands at Madison Square Garden Monday.

Opposing defenders hold their breath and hope for the best each time Davis touches the ball near or around the rim.

Other than hope, there is little stopping Davis this season and the center looks to have another stellar performance if he plays Thursday night when the Pelicans visit the Brooklyn Nets.

Davis is listed as questionable with a left hip injury he sustained from a flagrant two foul from New York forward Kyle O'Quinn in the closing minutes of the third quarter of a 110-96 win. Davis hit two free throws after getting fouled and exited the game with 40 points and 18 rebounds.

"Sore, sore," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said of Davis' condition after the star did not do much in practice Wednesday. "We weren't going to have him do a whole lot today. He'll get treatment all day today and then tomorrow morning we'll see how he feels."

The Pelicans did not need the 23-year-old to play the fourth as they turned in one of their best games from start to finish.

"I was being aggressive," Davis said. "I know where we are as a team, what we're trying to do as a team. I just tried to come out aggressive. That was it."

Davis' aggressiveness resulted in his fifth game with 40 points this season, his 25th double. He came within four of his career high for rebounds and finished 14 of 22 from the floor.

Davis' performance helped the Pelicans (15-24) win for the fifth time in their last eight games. During one of the Pelicans' best stretches of the season, he is averaging 26.8 points, 16.1 rebounds and shooting 51.2 percent (80 of 166).

"When he's playing at a high level, it shows where our team is at," New Orleans rookie guard Buddy Hield said.

Despite Davis getting 40 points and over 15 rebounds in the same game for the sixth time, the Pelicans still are digging out of a 2-10 start, which morphed into a 9-20 hole before the current improvement.

If he plays, Davis will be looking for his first 30-point game against the Nets. In six games against Brooklyn, Davis is averaging 18 points with three double-doubles and has yet to score more than 24 points against the Nets.

He will also be looking to help the Pelicans continue playing somewhat improved defense. Monday was the 15th time, New Orleans allowed less than 100 and it is 9-6 when doing so.

"We have to play the way we played (tonight on the rest of the road trip). I thought we were efficient offensively. Our defense has been pretty solid the last two or three weeks. I've been happy with that, but we've struggled offensively (recently)," Gentry said."

The Nets (8-29) are on their second seven-game losing streak of the season and their fourth since the start of last season. Brooklyn is 4-25 in its last 29 games and 1-12 in its last three since a 10-point win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 14.

Brooklyn has led the league in pace most of the season but its offense is faltering at times to go along with the league's worst scoring defense (114.1 points per game). Since beating the Lakers, the Nets have been held under 100 six times and shot less than 45 percent eight times.

The latest instance was a 117-97 wire-to-wire loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. The Nets shot 40.2 percent and committed 18 turnovers.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 20 points and Bojan Bogdanovic added 16 but there was little other help offensively. While Lopez and Bogdanovic were a combined 13 of 24 from the floor, the rest of the team shot 34.9 percent (22 of 63).

It marked the seventh straight game where the Nets did not get two players with at least 20 points and also was Brooklyn's 18th double-digit loss.

"They had more energy, especially the first half and they outworked us," Lopez said. "And the numbers clearly show it."

Trevor Booker did not play due to a left hip contusion but is expected to play Thursday. Booker is Brooklyn's top rebounder at nine per game and a rebounding percentage of 17.3.

Without him, the Nets were outrebounded 33-22 in the first half and 53-48 overall Tuesday. Even when Booker is on the court, rebounding is among the many issues plaguing the Nets, who are 3-22 when getting outrebounded.

"I just keep harping on this, but I think rebounding is a team thing," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Where we are, I think we have to rebound better as a team, so not on person."

New Orleans is 5-0 against the Nets since Feb. 9, 2014. Last season, Jrue Holiday hit the game-winner with one second left in a 105-103 home win on Jan. 30 and Tim Frazier totaled 19 points and 13 assists in a 106-87 win at Brooklyn on April 3.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (19-20) at Knicks (17-22)

Date: January 12, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- Derrick Rose and Joaquin Noah will get another shot at their former team when the New York Knicks host the Chicago Bulls on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

With the Bulls (19-20), Rose was the MVP in 2011 and Noah was the league's Defensive Player of the Year for the 2013-14 season. The duo was part of an offseason makeover by the Knicks, who haven't made the playoffs in three seasons.

The Knicks (17-22) won the first meeting, 117-104, in Chicago on Nov. 4. Rose scored 15 points and dished out 11 assists, while Noah recorded 16 points and nine rebounds.

But that is ancient history. New York has dropped nine of its last 10 games and the news surrounding Rose hasn't been positive. He never showed up for the game against New Orleans on Monday at the Garden, a 110-96 loss, leaving his teammates and coach Jeff Hornacek holding the bag on his unexcused absence.

Rose returned to practice on Tuesday and offered an explanation.

"It was a family issue," Rose said. "It had nothing to do with the team or basketball. That's the first time I ever felt like that emotionally and I had to be with my family."

He returned on Wednesday, scoring 25 points in the Knicks' 98-97 buzzer-beater loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the second quarter, New York led by as much as 17 points. Philadelphia stormed back on a 15-3 run to close the half and started the third quarter on a 13-4 run. It erased a 13-point deficit in the final 8:49 of the game.

"We have to go out and win the next one and keep our heads up," Rose said.

The 76ers had lost 78 straight games when trailing by 15 or more points.

"It's a tough way to lose," said Hornacek. "We let them (Philadelphia) come right back. We weren't able to finish it."

Carmelo Anthony poured in 28 points, passing Robert Parrish for the 26th on the all-time scoring list with 23,337 points. Charles Barkley is 25th at 23,757.

The Bulls are dealing with their own issues at guard. Chicago will have a rejuvenated Rajon Rondo on Thursday. Rondo, who played 27 minutes in Tuesday's 101-99 loss to the Washington Wizards, was coming off a five-game benching by Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg.

"I got a slight explanation from another guy on the (coaching) staff," Rondo said. "The guy told me that he was saving me from myself.

"Save me from myself?" he said. "I've never heard that before in my life. I guess he was trying to do the best thing for me."

Rondo finished with 12 points on 6-for-13 shooting, six assists, four rebounds, three steals and two turnovers in 27-plus minutes.

The Bulls will need that kind of production from their mercurial guard as they may be without Jimmy Butler and Nikola Mirotic, who both missed the Washington game with illnesses.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (15-27) at Spurs (30-8)

Date: January 12, 2017 8:30 PM EDT

SAN ANTONIO -- The San Antonio Spurs will look to make amends for a rare poor defensive game and are expected to be back at full strength when the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Alamo City on Thursday.

The Spurs are coming off a 109-007 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday that snapped a nine-game home winning streak. The defeat was uncharacteristic in that San Antonio did not make the defensive stops in the endgame that it is noted for.

Despite the subpar work on the defensive end, San Antonio (30-8) had a final shot to win. Reserve guard Maun Ginobili's 3-pointer from the corner with one second to play caromed off the side of the backboard and out of bounds as the horn sounded.

"Our problem on (Tuesday) started with our individual defense," Spurs center Pau Gasol said. "(The Bucks) ran the same two plays about 80 percent of the time, and they scored effectively.

"We're supposed to be a pretty good defensive team, and that doesn't come from just one player, and not two players, but the entire team working together and being in sync on the floor. A guy can score one time, maybe twice, on a certain play, but that's it. We just let it keep rolling and paid the price."

The Spurs placed six players in double-figure scoring, led by the 30-point performance by forward Kawhi Leonard. It was Leonard's ninth game of 30 or more points this season. San Antonio played against Milwaukee without star forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who was out due to a stomach illness.

"We have to play better leading up to the end of the game so it doesn't come down to if you make or miss a final shot," Spurs reserve forward David Lee said. "At the end of the game, they hit a couple of tough shots that were contested, and we missed a few that were wide open. We had a couple of stretches when we didn't play our best defense."

The Lakers (15-27) head to San Antonio off a disheartening 108-87 home loss Tuesday to the Portland Trail Blazers in which Los Angeles scored just 30 points in the second half. The defeat snapped a modest two-game winning streak for the Lakers, who have won four times in their past 10 games.

Portland outscored the Lakers 23-12 in the third quarter while outshooting them 43.5 percent to 21.7 percent in the period. No Los Angeles player scored more than four points in the quarter as the starters combined for only six points.

"We just went flat," Los Angles guard Nick Young said. "The energy wasn't there in the second half. It got tough for us. It wasn't anything they were doing. We just didn't have the energy."

Lakers coach Luke Walton was displeased with how his players focused on the offensive end.

Only three Los Angeles players scored in double figures against Portland. Luol Deng finished with a team-high 14 points, 13 of which came in the first half, when the Lakers forged a 57-55 lead.

"We aren't winning games when one guy scores 40," Walton said. "We had nights like that, too, and we lose. I thought we played a good first half, so what happened after that was very unexpected. We've made some great progress the past few weeks, so we can't let the way we played (Tuesday) affect us. We just have to move on."

The teams are meeting for the second time this season. San Antonio beat the Lakers 116-107 at Staples Center on Nov. 18 in the first matchup. Los Angeles has lost eight straight games to San Antonio and hasn't won the season series against the Spurs since 2008-09.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (11-27) at Suns (12-26)

Date: January 12, 2017 10:00 PM EDT

The NBA returns to Mexico City for the third consecutive year Thursday night when the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns duel for the second time in eight days.

The game will represent the 25th anniversary of NBA games in Mexico City, with the Mavericks having teamed with the Houston Rockets to play the first, a preseason game in 1992.

Since then, one game (San Antonio vs. Minnesota) was cancelled due to smoke in the Mexico City Arena, but the action picked up again on Nov. 12, 2014, when the Rockets returned to defeat the Timberwolves 113-103 in a regular-season game.

Last season, the Boston Celtics beat the Sacramento Kings 114-97 south of the border.

This year, the NBA has scheduled two games for Mexico City. The Suns will play "host" to them both, with the Spurs facing Phoenix on Saturday night.

"We're very much looking forward to this experience," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said at practice Wednesday. "The people are delightful; the arena is beautiful. I think this will be a close game."

One of the great unknowns is the effect of the altitude in the Mexican capital, which stands at 7,200 feet above sea level. Denver, at 5,200 feet, has the highest altitude on the regular NBA trail.

The Suns prevailed at sea level last Thursday thanks to better 3-point shooting. Phoenix connected on 7 of 17 (41.2 percent) in the 102-95 win, while Dallas struggled through a 9-for-29 night (31 percent).

The fact that the game was decided from beyond the arc was no surprise. The Mavericks (40.3 percent) and Suns (38.2 percent) rank last and second to last, respectively, in the league in defending the 3-pointer.

Suns center Tyson Chandler, whose international experience includes winning gold at the 2012 London Olympics, hopes the clubs can put on a show and maybe make some new fans.

"You never know who's watching; you never know what kid is going to have a spark in his brain that's going to push him to try and make it to our league one day," Chandler said Wednesday, according to the Arizona Republic. "I feel like that's why the Dirk (Nowitzkis) and Tony Parkers and Pau Gasols and Marc Gasols and all the other foreign players we have, I think it all came from the Barcelona trip back in the (1992) Olympics. A lot of kids watched that, and all of a sudden, years later we had a flood of Europeans.

"It's an opportunity for us to showcase."

The NBA will be showcasing the teams with the two worst records in the Western Conference, the 12-26 Suns and the 11-27 Mavericks. However, the records didn't stop the clubs from playing an exciting contest last week, a game that wasn't decided until Suns guard Eric Bledsoe scored seven of his 26 points in the final two minutes to help Phoenix gain an edge.

The Mavericks had won four in a row in the rivalry before last week's defeat.

A matchup with the Mavericks means a bit of a reunion for Suns coach Earl Watson, 37. In a 13-year NBA career that ended in 2014, Watson was teammates with three current Dallas players -- starting guards Deron Williams (one season with the Mavericks) and Wesley Matthews (one season with the Portland Trail Blazers), and backup Devin Harris (two seasons with the Mavericks).

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (18-22) at Warriors (33-6)

Date: January 12, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors will have to deal with an elite big man for the third consecutive game Thursday night when they host Andre Drummond and the Detroit Pistons.

Two days after having successfully silenced Sacramento Kings star DeMarcus Cousins (17 points, 10 rebounds) in a 117-106 road win on Sunday night, the Warriors got steamrolled by the Miami Heat's Hassan Whiteside to the tune of 28 points and 20 rebounds on Tuesday.

The Warriors, playing on their home court, were able to prevail again, but it wasn't easy. The Heat led into the third quarter before eventually running out of gas in a 107-95 loss.

"Hassan Whiteside is a handful," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after watching the young standout record his sixth career 20-20 game. "Whether he's scoring inside or not, he's a threat in there and you have to honor that."

Drummond did Whiteside one better in the rebound column when the Warriors and Pistons met last January in Detroit. With 14 points and 21 rebounds, he recorded his fifth career double-double in seven matchups with Golden State.

The Warriors signed Zaza Pachulia in the offseason to help combat big-time interior forces such as Drummond, and their first meeting this season was a Golden State success. Drummond was held to 15 points and nine rebounds in a 119-113 Warriors win in Detroit last month.

The rematch will take place in Oakland as Detroit's third game on a five-city trip. Already, it's been an unusual venture.

The trip opener got delayed one night when snow prevented the clubs from arriving in Portland on time.

The Pistons responded well, edging the Trail Blazers 125-124 in two overtimes Sunday night.

Detroit then appeared to be well on its way to a second consecutive road win before blowing a nine-point, fourth-quarter lead in a 100-94 loss at Sacramento on Tuesday.

Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy was thoroughly disappointed afterward.

"They outrebounded us by 11, we gave them 13 threes and our ball movement was just ridiculous in the second half," he told reporters after watching his team squander an 18-point lead. "We're playing everything one-on-one and wouldn't pass the ball. That's why we ended up where we are."

Cousins won his matchup with Drummond, outscoring his rival 24-9 and outrebounding him 13-12. Cousins also had six assists in the win, while Drummond made things tough on his opponent with seven blocks.

The trip doesn't get any easier for the Pistons. They will play three games in the next four days, including a rough Golden State/Utah back-to-back the next two nights.

The Pistons gave the Warriors a battle in their previous meeting. It took 32 points by Kevin Durant, 25 by Stephen Curry and a 12-assist, 10-rebound double-double by Draymond Green for Golden State to scratch out the win.

Pachulia contributed seven points, seven rebounds and a steal to the win in 19 minutes.

The veteran big man had eight points, six rebounds and three assists in his matchup with Whiteside on Tuesday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

The NBA has done a fabulous job marketing its sport globally and it's far more popular around the world than the NFL, NHL or Major League Baseball are -- although part of that is basketball is a more universal game, too. But the league's efforts to draw new fans continues with a game in London on Thursday between the Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets. The game will mark both teams' first trip to the United Kingdom and the league's seventh regular-season game in London. Not sure why they chose those clubs, but Denver is full of international players. It's technically a home game for the Nuggets. Bettors benefit because it's a rare weekday start time of 3 p.m. ET and will be shown on NBA TV.

Pacers vs. Nuggets (TBA)

Indiana won a fifth straight game Saturday, 123-109 over the Knicks. The Pacers haven't scored fewer than 111 points in the winning streak. The Pacers used a 14-2 run at the start of the second quarter to pull away from New York. Monta Ellis played wearing a protective face mask for a broken nose suffered last Tuesday at Detroit. Denver has lost five in a row following a 121-106 defeat in Oklahoma City on Saturday. The Nugs have given up at least 121 points in each loss. Emmanuel Mudiay was 0-for-9 and scoreless vs. the Thunder. Indiana has lost seven straight games away from home to Denver for what that's worth.

Key trends: The Pacers are 0-3-1 against the spread in the past four meetings. The "over/under" is 6-0 in Indiana's past six after a win.

Early lean: This is TBA because Denver's Nikola Jokic and Kenneth Faried are battling an illness and questionable, as are Gary Harris (groin) and Danilo Gallinari (ankle).

Pelicans at Nets (TBA)

New Orleans ended a three-game losing streak Monday with a 110-96 win at the Knicks but nearly saw disaster as Anthony Davis was shoved into the crowd on a flagrant foul and eventually left with a bruised hip. He had 40 points and 18 rebounds in less than 30 minutes before going out. Brooklyn dropped its seventh straight Tuesday, 117-97 to Atlanta. The Nets never led. Trevor Booker, the team's leading rebounder, did not play due to a bruised left hip. It wouldn't have mattered. New Orleans swept Brooklyn last year.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 9-1 in the Nets' past 10 vs. teams with a losing record.

Early lean: Wait on Davis.

Bulls at Knicks (TBA)

First of a TNT doubleheader. New York was in Philadelphia on Wednesday and Derrick Rose was back with the team after going AWOL and somehow only fined. I will be very interested to hear the Garden crowd when he's introduced here. Assuming, you know, Rose shows up. Chicago played without Jimmy Butler (illness), Nikola Mirotic (illness) and Dwyane Wade (rest) on Tuesday in Washington and actually hung tough in a 101-99 loss. Rajon Rondo played for the first time since Dec. 30 and had 12 points. He was good enough to likely get back into the rotation. New York won in Rose's return to Chicago on Nov. 4, 117-104. Rose had 15 points and 11 assists while fellow former Bull Joakim Noah had 16 points and nine rebounds.

Key trends: The Bulls are 1-4 ATS in their past five at the Knicks. The over is 7-2-1 in the past 10 meetings.

Early lean: Wait on Butler.

Lakers at Spurs (TBA)

Los Angeles' two-game winning streak ended in a 108-87 home loss to Portland on Tuesday. The Lakers were up two at halftime but were just 5-for-23 shooting in the third. They had just 30 second-half points overall, one fewer than they scored in the second quarter. Luol Deng led the Lakers with 14 points. San Antonio had a three-game winning streak end in a 109-107 home defeat to Milwaukee on Tuesday. Manu Ginobili's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was way off. LaMarcus Aldridge sat it out with a stomach bug. San Antonio won in Los Angeles in the first meeting this season, 116-107 on Nov. 18. The Spurs have won six straight in the series.

Key trends: The Lakers are 3-1-1 ATS in their past five in San Antonio. The over is 5-0 in the past five meetings.

Early lean: Wait on Aldridge.

Mavericks at Suns (-2.5, 203.5)

What, you thought London was the only international game on Thursday's schedule? This one is in Mexico City but not at an unusual time (10 p.m. ET) and will be shown on ESPN. Dallas dropped a third straight Monday, 101-92 in Minnesota. Harrison Barnes scored 30 points for the Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki had 26, playing more than 30 minutes for the first time this season. Andrew Bogut missed the fourth quarter with an injured hamstring. Phoenix had a rare two-game winning streak snapped in a 120-116 loss to Cleveland on Sunday. Eric Bledsoe scored 31 points and Devin Booker had 28 for the Suns, who were down as many as 22. Phoenix visited Dallas last Thursday and won 102-95 behind 26 points from Bledsoe.

Key trends: The Mavs are 10-4 ATS in their past 14 after a win. The under is 5-1 in the Suns' past six.

Early lean: Suns and under.

Pistons at Warriors (-13, 216)

Second TNT game. Detroit's two-game winning streak ended in a 100-94 loss in Sacramento on Tuesday. The Pistons led by as many as 18 points and were up nine entering the fourth, when they were only 7-for-20 from the field. Andre Drummond had nine points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks but was 1-for-6 from the free-throw line. Golden State won its second consecutive game Tuesday, 107-95 over Miami. Stephen Curry had 24 points, nine assists and eight rebounds on a night the Warriors were rather sluggish and played without Klay Thompson (rest). Golden State won in Detroit 119-113 on Dec. 23 and has taken the past six at home in the series.

Key trends: The Warriors are 0-5 ATS in their past five at home. The under is 5-1 in the past six meetings.

Early lean: Pistons and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Indiana-Denver are playing over in London today. Nuggets are 8-2 in last ten games with Indiana; underdogs are 7-1-1 vs spread in last nine series games— over is 7-3 in last ten. Pacers won/covered their last five games, four of which were at home. Last six Indiana games went over total. Nuggets lost their last five games (1-4 vs spread); they’re 2-6 in last eight games away from home. Last five Denver games went over.

Pelicans won their last five games with Brooklyn, winning by 20-19 points in last two games here; over is 8-2 in last ten series games. New Orleans lost three of last four games; they’re 3-8SU in last 11 road games. 1-1 as road favorites. Five of their last six games stayed under the total. Nets lost their last seven games, are 9-8 as home underdogs. Under is 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Pelicans had two nights off in NYC after playing Knicks, not always a good thing.

Knicks won/covered four of last five games with Chicago; Bulls lost by 16-12 points in last two visits to Manhattan. Over is 7-2-1 in last ten series games. Chicago lost last two games but covered four of last five; they’re 8-8 as road underdogs, covering last three tries. Three of their last four games stayed under. New York lost nine of last ten games, including last four in row at home. Over is 7-4 in their last eleven home games.

Spurs won their last six games with the Lakers but LA covered three of last four; Lakers lost last three visits to Alamo, by 14-22-4 points. Last five series games went over total. LA lost their last five road games; they’re 4-9 in last 13 games as a road underdog. Four of Lakers’ last five road games went over. San Antonio won seven of last nine games, is 8-1 vs spread in last nine home tilts. Over is 7-2 in their last nine games.

Mavericks won four of last five games with Phoenix; teams split last four games played here. Last three series games stayed under total. Dallas lost its last three games but is 4-2 vs spread in last six road games- they’re 7-4 in last 11 games as a road underdog. Suns won three of last four home games (4-0 vs spread); they’re 2-4 as home favorites. Five of their last six games stayed under the total.

Golden State won nine of last ten games with Detroit but Pistons covered three of last four; Detroit lost last four visits to Oakland (2-2 vs spread). Five of last six series games stayed under the total. Pistons lost four of last six road games, are 5-10 as road underdogs. Four of their last five games went over total. Golden State won six of last seven games but covered just one of last six games. Over is 4-2 in their last six home games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

In the Paint - Week 10
By Joe Williams

Trouble Bruin
UCLA slipped up 89-87 in Oregon on Dec. 28, but they have rebounded with three straight victories. However, the Bruins have been struggling against the number lately, going 0-5 ATS over the past five games after a 9-0 ATS run from Nov. 20 to Dec. 17. After a favorite of 19 or more points, UCLA is just 2-5 ATS. Getting into league play isn't good for UCLA, as they're just 1-10 ATS in their past 11 league games. UCLA is also a dismal 1-5 ATS in their past six outings on the road. Remember that for UCLA's next two games at Colorado on Jan. 12, and at Utah on Jan. 14.

Top of the ACC
Florida State has ascended to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference, and they'll remain on the top of the heap for the foreseeable future after blasting Duke 88-72 in a battle of Top 10 clubs in Tallahassee on Tuesday night. The Seminoles have now rattled off 12 consecutive victories, last tasting defeat Nov. 24 against Temple on a neutral site court. FSU has covered four in a row, and eight of their past 10 games. They're also a perfect 5-0 ATS in their past five instances as a favorite or 10 or fewer points. They have a big test at North Carolina on Saturday afternoon. FSU passed their first big road test of the season, winning on New Year's Eve at Virginia by a 60-58 count as nine-point underdogs.

Big East Clash
Butler will head to Omaha on Wednesday for a Big East clash against Creighton. The Bulldogs have rebounded nicely with a three-game win and cover streak following a shocking loss at St. John's on Dec. 29. Butler enters 4-0-1 ATS in their past five games as an underdog, and 8-2 ATS in their past 10 league games. They're also 10-3-1 ATS in their past 14 games on the road. Creighton has been money as a home favorite, going 9-3 ATS in their past 12 games. They're also 22-7 ATS in their past 29 games as a favorite and 10-4 ATS in their past 14 overall at home. Like Butler, Creighton has been cover kings within the league, going 21-9-1 ATS in the past 31 Big East affairs. The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six in this series, with the 'under' 4-1 in the past five.

Duck, Duck...Lose
Oregon has been on a roll to kick off the Pac-12 schedule, going a perfect 4-for-4 straight up and against the number. That includes road wins at Washington and Washington State in the past two outings. In fact, Oregon has won the past three games by an average of 24.7 points per game. Next up will be a game against Oregon State on Saturday, a team playing horrible basketball this season. The Beavs have started out 0-4 in the Pac-12, and they're just 1-9 straight up over the past 10 outings. Their poor offense is the reason for their struggles, and they won't be able to do much against an Oregon scoring defense which ranks 36th in the natiuon (64.5 PPG) while holding the opposition to just 38.8 percent from the field, which is 20th in the country.

Mary, Mary...Why You Buggin'?
St. Mary's has been on quite the roll, winning eight straight games since their only setback of the season at home against Texas-Arlington back on Dec. 8. However, the Gaels have been hurting bettors at the window, posting a rather marginal 3-3-1 ATS mark over the past seven games after opening the season 4-1 ATS in the first five games. St. Mary's hopes to stay hot on the road, as they head to Portland first before a showdown at Gonzaga. The Gaels are 4-0 SU and 3-1 ATS in four road outings this season, and the 'under' is 3-1 in those games away from home.

Other Teams to Watch

Fordham heads to Davidson on Wednesday looking to turn things around. They have dropped three in a row, and nine of the past 10 since a 5-1 start. The Rams are also just 0-7-1 ATS over the past eight games.

Idaho State has been a good team to pick on lately. They have dropped four in a row straight up, and they're 0-5 ATS over the past five outings. If you want to make money, the 'under' is also 6-0 in their past six games, as the Bengals rank 321st in the nation in scoring offense at just 65.4 points per game.

Long Beach State has rattled off victories in four of their past six games, but they're struggling against the number. The 49ers are 0-5 ATS over the past five outings.

Northeastern of the Colonial Athletic Association will host Drexel Thursday night, as they look for their eight straight win. During the streak they have a win at Michigan State, as well as at Harvard, Oakland and Vermont. They also pushed aside the Dragons of Drexel by a 75-70 score in overtime on Jan. 2, just covering a 4 1/2-point number. The Huskies are 6-0 ATS in their past six outings, and the 'under' has hit in four of their past five.

Northern Iowa has been a fairly dependable team in the past few years for bettors. UNI is dependable this season, too, but for different reasons. The Panthers have dropped six straight overall, and they're 0-7 ATS over the past seven games while going 1-11 ATS over the past 12 outings.

Tulane has dropped five straight after their 80-59 setback against Memphis on Sunday, and they have posted a dismal 0-4 ATS mark over the past four games, and a 1-7 ATS record over the past eight. Total bettors have been cashing in on the Green Wave, too, as the 'over' is 5-2 over the past seven outings.

UTEP has really struggled in Conference USA play, dropped their first three league games. The Miners have dropped 12 in a row since their last win against Western Michigan way back on Nov. 18, and UTEP is 0-6 ATS over the past six outings.

Wofford hosts Furman Saturday in SoCon play. The Terriers haven't been ticking off many victories lately, dropping three in a row, and four of the past five. However, Wofford has been money against the spread, going 9-1 ATS over the past 10 outings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (14-2) at Miami Florida Hurricanes (11-3)

Date: January 12, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey says his Irish had "no answer" for the intensity Miami's veteran club displayed in sweeping both meetings of the two teams last season.

"I think we have been treated kind of like boys," he said, "because we weren't able to step up to that."

But the roles will be reversed when the 20th-ranked Irish (14-2, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) and unranked Hurricanes (11-3, 1-1 ACC) square off Thursday in Coral Gables. Tipoff time for the nationally telecast affair (ESPN) is 7 p.m. ET.

"Now we're a little bit older, a little more experienced," Brey said, "and our challenge is to meet that intensity on the road on Thursday."

Brey will start two seniors and three juniors as the Irish go for a sixth consecutive win. It's a group that not only is more mature, but key players like leading scorer and rebounder forward Bonzie Colson (16.8 ppg, 10.8 rpg), senior guard Steve Vasturia (15.0 ppg), senior forward V.J. Beachem (14.6), and junior guard Matt Farrell (14.0) have been honed by the experience of back-to-back runs to the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA Tournament.

The Irish have been overpowering foes with an offense that averages over 82 points a game and shoots 47 percent from the field overall and over 40 percent from 3-point range, the latter tops in the ACC.

Vasturia is 32-of-74 (43.2 percent from behind the arc and Farrell 33-of-79 (41.8), and they don't even lead the team. Sophomore guard Matt Ryan has hit 26 of his 55 long-range tries (47.3 percent) of the bench.

"Those guys are so proficient offensively they can come down the floor and shoot from 30 feet and it's a good shot," Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. "Or they can drive to the basket and they've got a contested layup and it's still a good shot.

"Most teams don't have the offensive skills that Notre Dame's team has."

Larranaga will counter with a lineup that features two freshmen, guard Bruce Brown (10.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg) and forward Dewan Huell (7.1 ppg); a junior, guard Ja'Quan Newton (15.2 ppg); and two seniors, guard/forward Davon Reed (14.0 ppg) and forward Kamari Murphy (7.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg).

The Hurricanes are coming off a 15-point loss at Syracuse but have won 21 in a row at home dating back to a 78-77 loss to Northeastern on Nov. 27, 2015. They are 8-0 at home this season, including an 81-63 win over North Carolina State in their league opener, and have won their last 11 ACC outings at the Watsco Center.

It will be the only home game for the Hurricanes over a stretch of five games including last week's loss at Syracuse. They are at Pittsburgh Saturday and at Wake Forest and Duke after that.

The Irish are playing the first of three consecutive road games with a trip to Virginia Tech Saturday and Florida State next Wednesday.

"This is tough stretch for us," Brey said.