Thursday 1/21/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

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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 2 10.5 9 UNDER
1/2 12 61.5 63 OVER
1/3 4 21 22 OVER
1/4 5 27 17 UNDER
1/5 8 43.5 46 OVER
1/6 5 26.5 23 UNDER
1/7 7 38.5 29 UNDER
1/8 6 31.5 34 OVER
1/9 10 53 47 UNDER
1/10 6 30 32 OVER
1/11 4 20.5 22 OVER
1/12 8 42.5 45 OVER
1/13 4 21.5 20 UNDER
1/14 8 42.5 37 UNDER
1/15 6 31 31 PUSH
1/16 10 52 48 UNDER
1/17 7 35 34 UNDER
1/18 5 26.5 26 UNDER
1/19 8 42.5 50 OVER
1/20 3 15.5 10 UNDER
1/21 10 - - -
1/22 6 - - -
1/23 11 - - -
1/24 5 - - -
1/25 6 - - -
1/26 9 - - -
1/27 4 - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 No games scheduled - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

Count me among the many who expected the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks to take a step back this season. Sure, they'd still make the playoffs because that's not all that tough in the NHL, especially in the Western Conference where there are two fewer teams than in the East. But I certainly didn't expect the Hawks to be one of the league's best regular-season teams and a top Stanley Cup contender again after losing the likes of Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp, among others, off last year's team for salary-cap reasons.

But clearly GM Stan Bowman knows what he's doing (other than giving Bryan Brickell a big extension a couple of years ago). In the trade for Saad, Bowman landed gifted second-line center Artem Anisimov. He has solidified that position, which has been a weak spot on the Hawks for years. Anisimov has 15 goals and 10 assists and has helped second-line right wing Patrick Kane get off to the best start of his career. The Hart Trophy favorite leads the NHL with 29 goals and 69 points. Bowman also got Russian KHL player Artemi Panarin on a low-cost, low-risk two-way contract, and he's your Calder Trophy favorite with 43 points (16 goals).

Last week, Bowman made sure to keep his incredibly successful head coach happy by signing Joel Quenneville to a three-year extension. He deserved a monster raise with those three Cups, and the $50 million deal that Mike Babcock got from the Maple Leafs this past offseason changed the financial landscape for coaches across the NHL.

The Hawks enter Tuesday's game at Nashville on an 11-game winning streak, which has tied the 2012-13 team for the longest in franchise history. They haven't lost since a 2-1 defeat at home to Carolina on Dec. 27 that dropped Chicago to 20-13-4. The Hawks were 13 points behind Central Division-leading Dallas then. Now Chicago has a three-point cushion atop the division and leads the West with 66 points. If you are wondering, the NHL record winning streak is 17 games, set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins.

Chicago is back up to the second-favorite to win the Stanley Cup at +500, behind only Eastern Conference-leading Washington (+400). The Hawks are now +300 favorites to win the West. The team has quality wins over Pittsburgh (twice) and Montreal (twice) during the streak. But Chicago has had a fairly beneficial schedule. The Blackhawks are just -110 favorites for Tuesday's game at Nashville. They are 2-1 vs. the Preds this season but lost the only meeting in Tennessee, 5-1 on Dec. 10. It should be said that No. 1 goaltender Corey Crawford, having his best season, got that night off.

The schedule gets much tougher for Chicago after Tuesday. It visits Tampa Bay on Thursday night in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch; the Hawks beat the visiting Lightning 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 24. The next night, Chicago goes to Atlantic Division-leading Florida; Chicago beat the visiting Panthers 4-3 on Oct. 22. And then St. Louis visits the Windy City in an NBC national TV game on Sunday night. I don't expect Chicago gets through that Florida Swing with the winning streak intact, however.

Here are some other games to watch this week:

Vancouver at Boston, Thursday: The Canucks got some bad news in that star Henrik Sedin is likely out until after the All-Star break with an upper-body injury that came courtesy of a first-period hit from the Islanders' Mikhail Grabovski on Sunday. Grabovski received a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct but no suspension. Sedin has nine goals and 28 assists this season. Expect some payback on Grabovski on March 1 when the Canucks see the Isles again. Boston thinks it might have center David Krejci back for this game. He has been out since Dec. 27 with an upper-body injury. Krejci practiced with the team Monday for the first time since then.

Anaheim at Washington, Friday: The Ducks continue to limp around near the bottom of the Pacific Division and on the fringes of the playoff race but still haven't made a major shakeup of the vastly disappointing team. There has been some talk the team was looking to acquire young Jonathan Drouin, the No. 3 overall pick in 2013, from Tampa Bay as Drouin has requested a trade and is currently in the AHL. Anaheim was involved in a trade with Pittsburgh over weekend, but I don't think it solves the team's offensive problems. The Ducks got forward David Perron and defenseman Adam Clendening for forward Carl Hagelin. Perron scored in his Duck debut Sunday, a 3-2 loss to the Kings. The Capitals might clinch the Metropolitan Division by mid-February as they have a 17-point lead entering the week. They are going to be the East's top seed barring an epic collapse. The Caps could get back defenseman John Carlson here. He has missed 11 games with a lower-body injury. Carlson had six goals and 27 points in 34 games prior to the injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Bruins won last three games, allowing four goals. Vancouver is 6-0 in game following its last six losses.
-- Senators won last two games, 5-3/4-3. Devils won their last two, 2-0/4-2.
-- Flyers won five of their last seven games.
-- Chicago won its last twelve games. Tampa Bay won its last six.
-- San Jose won five of its last six games.
-- Kings won three of their last four games.

Cold teams
-- Flames lost four of their last five games. Blue Jackets lost five of last seven.
-- Penguins lost five of their last seven games.
-- Toronto lost five of last six games. Carolina lost its last two games, 3-2/5-0.
-- Nashville lost six of its last seven games. Winnipeg lost four of its last six.
-- Edmonton lost five of its last seven games. Dallas Stars lost seven of their last eight.
-- Arizona lost its last three games, outscored 7-3.
-- Minnesota lost eight of its last ten games.

Series records
-- Flames lost five of last six games with Columbus.
-- Canucks won four of last six games with Boston.
-- Devils won four of last five games with Ottawa.
-- Flyers won their last eight games with Pittsburgh.
-- Hurricanes won four of last five games with Toronto.
-- Lightning lost their last four games with Chicago.
-- Predators lost three of last four games with Winnipeg.
-- Edmonton lost four of last six games with Dallas.
-- Sharks won five of last seven games with Arizona.
-- Kings won three of last four games with Minnesota.

Totals
-- Over is 6-2-1 in last nine Columbus games.
-- Under is 4-0-2 in last six Boston games.
-- Under is 5-2-1 in last eight New Jersey games.
-- Under is 7-3 in last ten Philly-Pittsburgh games.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Toronto games.
-- Eight of last nine Chicago-Tampa Bay games stayed under.
-- Seven of last nine Winnipeg-Nashville games stayed under.
-- Over is 6-3-1 in last ten Dallas games.
-- Over is 10-3-1 in last fourteen San Jose games.
-- Under is 5-0-1 in last six Minnesota games.

Back-to-backs
-- Minnesota is 2-7 if it played the night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

Chicago BlackHawks at Tampa Bay Lightning January 21, 7:30 EST

When Chicago visits Tampa Bay the teams will look to continue a solid 'Under' trend for bettors. In the past nine meetings the Blackhawks and Lightning have played 8 'Under' and 1 'Over'. Although Lightning have averaged 4.5 goals/game the past four, it's never easy scoring on Chicago as they've allowed 2 or less in nine of the last ten on the ice going 5-2-3 'Under'. Lightning 11-5 'Under' after putting 5 or more between the pipes were sticking with the series 'Under' trend.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

PGA Tour Picks: CareerBuilder Challenge Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
by Alan Matthews

I took a much-needed vacation last week so didn't preview the Sony Open, the second and final tournament of the Hawaii Swing. And that's probably good I didn't because I guarantee you that I wouldn't have even mentioned in passing Fabian Gomez, who was the winner of the first full-field event of 2016.

Gomez, from Argentina, beat American Brandt Snedeker on the second playoff hole. Gomez deserved it considering he shot a final-round 8-under 62, which included a string of seven straight birdies at one point. He had 10 overall on the day, including on the par-5 18th to get into the playoff. He was four shots out of the lead when he began his round. The victory was the second of Gomez's career with his first at last season's St. Jude Classic. Gomez joins Roberto de Vicenzo, Jose Coceres and Angel Cabrera as multiple winners from Argentina on the PGA Tour. The win also gives a huge boost to Gomez's chances of playing for his country in the Rio Olympics later this summer.

So I have no betting recap for you from that one. For the opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions the week before, I didn't even like Jordan Spieth for a Top 10 as he admitted to being a bit burned out a few weeks ago. So of course he dominated with an eight-shot win. The 22-year-old already has seven Tour wins. Only Tiger Woods has won that many times before age 23. I did hit on all three Top-10 picks at the Hyundai: Dustin Johnson (my projected winner) Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka.

This week, the Tour begins the West Coast Swing with the longest tournament name on Tour, something right out of NASCAR: the CareerBuilder Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation. Yeah, I'm not typing all that so we will just stick with CareerBuilder Challenge. It's held at PGA West in LaQuinta, Calif. Spieth is over in Abu Dhabi this week (Rickie Fowler too) and so are pretty much all of the top Europeans.

So I suppose the main story line here is the season debut of Phil Mickelson. Late last year, the struggling Lefty (he gets the capital L) dropped Butch Harmon as his swing coach after eight year and replaced him with Andrew Getson. The Aussie is an instructor at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., where many Tour pros belong. Getson played 10 years on various Tours around the world but never made the PGA Tour. Mickelson, a 42-time winner, hasn't won since the 2013 British Open and has just five Top-10 finishes since. He wasn't a factor in any of last year's final three majors. Mickelson has won every tournament that has been part of the West Coast Swing in his career. He won this tournament in 2002 & '04.

Expect plenty of scoring here. The last four winners (since it changed to four rounds from five) have shot 22 under, 28 under, 25 under and 24 under on the three courses this tournament is staged. All players finish Sunday on the Stadium Course (and play one of first three rounds there). The Nicklaus Tournament Course is making its first appearance in the rotation.

Last year this was called the Humana Challenge, and I correctly called Bill Haas as the winner. He finished with a two-putt par on the par-5 18th to win by a shot. Matt Kuchar, Charley Hoffman, Sung Joon Park, Brendan Steele and Steve Wheatcroft all finished one shot back. Haas also won this tournament in 2010 for his first Tour victory.

Golf Odds: CareerBuilder Challenge Favorites

Patrick Reed is the +850 favorite. He won here in 2014 while setting the tournament record of 28-under 260 and was 25th last year. Reed was second in the Hyundai two weeks ago and didn't play the Sony. He has finished in the Top 10 in his past six events overall.

Kuchar is +1600. As noted above, he was one of those runner-ups last year. He finished 13th last week in Hawaii. Kuchar also was second here in 2010.

The favorites are rounded out by Zach Johnson (+1800), Haas (+2500) and Ryan Palmer (+2500). Johnson was ninth last week and 21st at the Hyundai. He missed the cut here last year but was third in 2014. You know Haas' track record here. He also was a playoff loser in 2011. Palmer was T13 last week and has Top 10s in his past three trips here, including a runner-up in 2014. Mickelson is +3300 if you are wondering.

PGA Tour Picks: CareerBuilder Challenge Expert Betting Predictions

For a Top-10 finish, I'm going with Reed (-120), Palmer (+250) and Haas (+260). Don't see it happening with Lefty (+300). Head-to-head, I like Jason Bohn (-110) over Webb Simpson (-120), Jason Dufner (-115) over Robert Streb (-115), Haas (-105) over Johnson (-125), Billy Horschel (-115) over Luke Donald (-115), Reed (-135) over Kuchar (+105), Kevin Na (-115) over Mickelson (-115), and Steele (-115) over Marc Leishman (-115).

Go with Reed at +700 as the top American and John Senden at +600 as top Australian. I'm throwing some long-shot money on Charley Hoffman at +4000 to win because he won here in 2007 and was second last year. But Reed is my main guy.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pistons (23-19) at Pelicans (14-27)

Date: January 21, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The New Orleans Pelicans are in the midst of one of their best stretches but will have to figure out how to keep winning without one of their starting guards.

Eric Gordon is expected to miss at least a month, and the Pelicans will try to ease into his lengthy absence by continuing their recent mastery over the Detroit Pistons.

New Orleans (14-27) earned its third win in four games and shot 50.6 percent in a 114-99 victory against Minnesota on Tuesday. The Pelicans shined from 3-point range again, going 10 for 23, and are connecting at 43.1 percent in the last four.

Anthony Davis scored 35 points in his fourth game since returning from a bruised back, but New Orleans lost Gordon to a fractured right ring finger. The shooting guard, averaging 14.9 points, is expected to miss up to six weeks after undergoing surgery, ending his streak of 90 consecutive games played.

Injuries have been a way of life for the Pelicans this season, and only Alonzo Gee has a chance to appear in all 42 games Thursday.

"It's an opportunity for somebody else to step up," guard Jrue Holiday told the team's official website. "Obviously it stinks, because it seems like every year somebody is getting hurt (on the Pelicans' roster), with a pretty big injury. We're going to have to fight through adversity again."

Holiday, averaging 13.7 points and 5.0 assists, is expected to start in Gordon's place. He has totaled 42 points in his last two games while shooting 59.3 percent and has a combined 38 assists in his past four.

Holiday will try to help the Pelicans to a seventh consecutive win over Detroit (23-19) and seventh in a row at home. New Orleans hasn't lost to the Pistons on its own floor since Dec. 5, 2007.

Detroit is coming off its highest-scoring regulation game of the season, Wednesday's 123-114 victory in Houston. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Marcus Morris had 22 points apiece while helping the Pistons overcome Andre Drummond's woes from the free-throw line.

Drummond set an NBA record by missing 23 shots from the stripe on a franchise-record 36 attempts. He was fouled 21 times as the Rockets tried to take advantage of his 35.5 free-throw percentage, the league's worst among qualifying players, but Drummond made six of 12 tries in the fourth quarter.

"I'm not going to miss them all," he said. "I've worked on it enough where I'm going to build a rhythm and over time I ended up getting one."

Drummond went a combined 1 for 2 from the line in last season's two games against the Pelicans, including an 88-85 loss in New Orleans on March 4.

Davis totaled 66 points, 23 rebounds and 12 blocked shots in those matchups. He had 39 - four shy of tying his career high - in the home victory.

Brandon Jennings is averaging 23.8 points in his last five games against the Pelicans but is still working his way back from a ruptured left Achilles, averaging 6.3 points in 11 contests since missing the season's first two months.

Detroit hasn't defeated the Pelicans since Feb. 4, 2012.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Clippers (27-14) at Cavaliers (29-11)

Date: January 21, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Cleveland Cavaliers are headed back home for a challenging pair of games after boosting their confidence by polishing off one of the league's worst teams.

The Los Angeles Clippers won't have Blake Griffin on the court but will feature the league's best 3-point shooter in J.J. Redick.

LeBron James will play in Cleveland for the first time since suffering the worst home loss of his career as the Cavaliers look to end Redick and the Clippers' six-game road win streak.

This difficult week for Cleveland (29-11) began with an embarrassing 132-98 loss to Golden State on Monday in a NBA Finals rematch. Two more difficult home games are on tap against Los Angeles (27-14) and then Chicago on Saturday.

In between, the Cavaliers got a much-needed breather Wednesday with a 91-78 victory at Brooklyn. James and Kevin Love each scored 17 points and sat out the fourth quarter, with Love also grabbing 18 rebounds and logging a team-high 31 minutes.

"For us, we haven't earned anything," James said. "We just got to go out and prove ourselves to each other, it's not about what everybody else thinks, it's about what we need for each other to get better every night. I think tonight it was very easy to look each other in the face and know that we got better tonight."

That effort should have Cleveland rested enough to face a Clippers team once again without Griffin (23.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg) as he recovers from a partially torn left quadriceps tendon. The five-time All-Star, though, is traveling with the club on this five-game trip.

Los Angeles is 10-1 in this stretch without Griffin, with Redick averaging 20.2 points and shooting 58.6 percent on 3-pointers.

Redick is shooting 50.0 percent from beyond the arc after he connected at a career-best 43.7 percent a season ago. His 0.473 points per touch leads all NBA starters.

"I'm learning to be more patient as the game goes on and balance that with aggressiveness," Redick said.

Redick turned in the first 40-point game of his career Monday in a 140-132 overtime victory over Houston. He made 9 of 12 3-pointers as the Clippers set a franchise record by sinking 22.

"You could show up sometimes in a gym without defense and not make that many," coach Doc Rivers said. "It's just we have guys who can make 3s."

Center DeAndre Jordan returned after missing two games with pneumonia and finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds for his ninth straight double-double. Chris Paul had 28 points and 12 assists.

Paul will face Kyrie Irving for the sixth time, with the Cavaliers winning four of five. Irving has averaged 18.6 points and 5.4 assists while Paul is averaging 14.2 points and 12.4 assists in those matchups.

The Clippers are on a challenging road trip that features the three Eastern Conference division leaders, New York and Indiana.

"This is a good road trip 'cause it's hard," Rivers said. "It's not a lot of easy games on this trip. You have to go out and play and play well to win. The teams that we're going out to play don't lose a lot at home."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Grizzlies (24-19) at Nuggets (16-26)

Date: January 21, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Memphis Grizzlies just hit a season high-water mark with the return of their point guard, and they have a clear opportunity to keep climbing over the next month and a half.

With Mike Conley back, the Grizzlies open an extended softer stretch of schedule when they visit the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night - though that first game comes at an arena where they haven't won often since the turn of the century.

Memphis' struggles in Denver date to its days as the Vancouver Grizzlies in the late 1990s to early 2000s. The Grizzlies are 5-32 there all-time, including 3-26 at the Pepsi Center.

Memphis (24-19), though, has won three straight and five of six meetings in the series, the latest a 91-84 win Jan. 8.

That opened a 5-1 homestand for the Grizzlies, who improved to five games over .500 for the first time this season with Monday's 101-99 victory over New Orleans.

Marc Gasol, Courtney Lee, Matt Barnes and Jeff Green each scored 16 points, while Conley had 15 and 10 assists in his return from a sore left Achilles that kept him out six games.

The Grizzlies, who won the last three on their longest home stretch of the season, play only two of their next 19 games against teams that entered Wednesday with winning records.

"Guys don't care if you're beating good teams or teams that don't have a great record," coach Dave Joerger told the team's official website. "I think wins are wins. I think guys' confidence is going up."

The Grizzlies - losers of seven of nine away from home - have been one of the top defensive teams in the league since Dec. 14, allowing 95.2 points per game in 18 contests.

Along with the excellent play at that end, Memphis has been buoyed by better 3-point shooting. After making 31.9 percent from beyond the arc through 40 games, the Grizzlies have hit 48.9 percent in the past three.

They made eight or more 3-pointers in two of those contests, something that happened twice in the previous 23.

Conley, who didn't play Jan. 8, hit three 3s against the Pelicans while Barnes and Lee each made two. Barnes is 8 for his last 13 from behind the arc.

Denver (16-26) is among worst teams in the league at defending the 3-point shot at 38.1 percent. The Nuggets have lost two of three and are 3-2 on their eight-game homestand.

They held one of the best offensive teams in the NBA in Oklahoma City to 42.3 percent shooting Tuesday, but the Thunder won 110-104. Denver allowed 16 offensive rebounds and 17 second-chance points while turning the ball over 18 times.

The Nuggets lost the battle of the boards 52-48, falling to 0-13 when they are outrebounded.

"The key to becoming a good defensive team is not only defending but finishing your possession with a gang rebound," coach Mike Malone said. "Think about it. They got 97 shots up, we only got 83 up. That's because of their offensive rebounding, second-chance opportunities and all of our turnovers."

Danilo Gallinari scored 27 points, but only seven came after halftime. Gallinari scored 29 against the Grizzlies earlier this month but has averaged 12.5 in 11 career matchups.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawks (26-17) at Kings (18-23)

Date: January 21, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

The Atlanta Hawks and Sacramento Kings will both attempt to extend win streaks in their next matchup, but history is squarely on the side of one of them.

The Hawks go for a 16th consecutive victory against the Kings on Thursday night in Sacramento.

Atlanta (26-17) earned a third straight win in the opener to a four-game road trip Wednesday, topping Portland 104-98. Kent Bazemore and Paul Millsap each provided 23 points as the Hawks avoided a third consecutive road loss.

The Kings (18-23) matched their longest win streak this season by also earning a third consecutive victory, 112-93 against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. With 36 points, DeMarcus Cousins scored 29 or more for the eighth time in nine games since Jan. 1, and his 16 rebounds gave him 10 or more in eight consecutive contests.

"DeMarcus has shown at a high, high level that he's an All-Star," coach George Karl said. "Is there a better center playing basketball right now in the NBA? I don't think there is. ... I don't know anybody that's playing at this level right now, and I hope the NBA recognizes it and gives him an opportunity to play in Toronto (at the All-Star Game)."

Cousins had 24 points and 12 rebounds in Atlanta on Nov. 18 as the Kings failed to end the league's longest active losing streak versus one opponent, falling 103-97.

Atlanta has won seven straight in Sacramento since a 119-107 loss Feb. 20, 2008, which was also the Hawks' last overall defeat in the series. The Kings have dropped four of six at home since winning seven of nine, and they have allowed an average of 116.2 points in the past five contests on their own court.

Atlanta, meanwhile, has yielded an average of 88.3 points in its last three overall games after giving up 107.3 per game in its previous seven contests.

"When our defense is where it needs to be on any given night, we will be tough to beat," Bazemore said. "Our offense gets a lot of the glory but it was our defense that kept us in the game (Wednesday)."

The Hawks played just enough defense to keep from blowing a late 11-point lead over Sacramento in November. Millsap made a key shot with 15.7 seconds left while finishing with 23 points and a season high-tying 16 rebounds.

Dennis Schroder contributed 22 points - two shy of matching his career high - but hasn't been at his best entering this matchup. He totaled 14 points while missing 15 of 21 shots in his past two games.

Millsap has scored 20 or more points in four of his last five games and has shot 58.9 percent in his past seven contests. Bazemore's performance Wednesday followed a five-game stretch in which he averaged 8.4 while shooting 39.0 percent.

Jeff Teague is averaging 19.4 points and 11.2 assists in his last five games against Sacramento, but was forced to miss the latest matchup because of an ankle injury.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (36-6) at Suns (13-30)

Date: January 21, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The matchup everyone is looking forward to awaits San Antonio at the end of its three-game road swing. The Spurs, however, insist they're only focused on the opponent directly in front of them.

San Antonio will be missing its star point guard Thursday night, though it has been the team's defensive effort that has made life miserable for the Phoenix Suns.

With Tony Parker out, the Spurs look to keep pace with league-best Golden State - as well as the best start in franchise history - by extending their winning streak to 12.

After winning their 33rd straight home game - 112-83 over Dallas on Sunday - San Antonio will take on the Suns and Los Angeles Lakers before Monday's highly anticipated matchup with the Warriors.

The Spurs (36-6) have moved within a couple of games of Golden State while winning their last 11 by an average of 17.5 points. However, they aren't ready to think about their looming showdown as they look to match the 2010-11 team for the best 43-game start in franchise history.

"We're taking it one game at a time. Golden State is not our next game, so we don't worry about what other teams are doing," guard Danny Green said. "Right now, we have to worry about Phoenix."

San Antonio has won 17 of the past 21 meetings with the Suns, but will be short-handed after Parker left Sunday's game due to hip soreness. It's the same injury that forced him to miss two games earlier this month.

Parker had given a spark by totaling 55 points in his previous two games

The Spurs, who allow an NBA-low 89.6 points per game, hope to keep locking down defensively against Phoenix after limiting Dallas to a season-low 35.8 percent shooting.

Kawhi Leonard had 24 points, 13 rebounds and helped San Antonio hold the Suns to a then-season-low point total in a 112-79 win Dec. 30. The Spurs had limited Phoenix to its previous low in a 98-84 victory Nov. 23.

"There are always things we can do better offensively and defensively," Green said. "We can be more consistent and try to do it every play."

The Suns needed a 33-point fourth-quarter outburst Feb. 28 to avoid setting the franchise record for fewest points in a 101-74 loss to San Antonio in the most recent meeting in Phoenix. However, they did set the team mark with 24 first-half points.

San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge, who had 23 points Sunday, did not play in the first meeting but finished with 21 and 12 rebounds in December.

That matchup was part of a tailspin in which Phoenix (13-30) has averaged 96.6 points on 42.5 percent shooting while dropping 14 of 15. The banged-up Suns shot a season-low 34.6 percent in their fifth straight loss Tuesday, 97-94 to visiting Indiana.

Markieff Morris is questionable after suffering a strained shoulder, while Mirza Teletovic is uncertain due to a sprained ankle. T.J. Warren (knee) and Jon Leuer (back) might also be sidelined.

'There's no excuse," forward P.J. Tucker said. "We've got five guys that can play, we've got to out and play together and play hard.'

Rookie Devin Booker shined with a season-high 32 points, becoming the third-youngest player (19 years, 81 days) in NBA history to record a 30-point game. He's averaged 16.9 points over his last eight.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday's NBA Essentials
By Tony Mejia

Clippers at Cavaliers – 8:05 ET

While it was nice for the Cavs to break through with a win in Brooklyn to rid themselves of the stench from Monday’s 132-98 home loss to Golden State, they return to the scene of the crime. They’ll face an elite team again, giving them an opportunity to truly move forward.

LeBron James preached the need to ensure one loss not derail the bigger picture, but there’s no question the rout lingered. Cleveland altered its routine for the Nets game, hanging around the facility to watch film and air out grievances with one another. There were immediate results in Brooklyn, as Kevin Love rebounded from his worst game of the season against the Warriors (3 points, 6 boards) with one of his most productive (17 points, 18 boards).

Kyrie Irving played just 21 minutes against the Nets and hit four of seven shots, but he and Love will really be tested by Chris Paul and his pick-and-roll brilliance. Although Blake Griffin will remain out for L.A.’s next two games as he aims to return from a partially torn tendon in his left quad, the Clippers have won 11 of 12 games without him. They’re 9-3 ATS in those games, but were an underdog in only two contests, winning both outright. The Cavs are 15-2 at home, but just 8-9 against the number.

Cleveland swept this series last year and has lost to the Clippers only once at the Q since 2002-03. James has never lost to the Clips in the building.


Pistons at Pelicans (-1.5, 203.5) – 8:05 ET

New Orleans head coach Alvin Gentry has shown he won’t hesitate to utilize the Hack-a-Shaq strategy if it suits him, so we might get another dose of Andre Drummond missed free throws here.

The Pistons center went 13-for-36 from the line in Wednesday’s 123-114 win over the Rockets, playing just 23 minutes as head coach Stan Van Gundy felt he couldn’t have him out there anymore. Drummond, who leads the NBA averaging 15.0 rebounds per game, is an elite rim protector and a lock to make his first All-Star appearance, but he’s down to 35.5 percent from the charity stripe and needs to improve to keep from becoming a liability in helping teams hang around in games.

Detroit had lost three of four prior to last night’s victory in Houston, but has seen shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope really begin to break through. He’s scored 20 or more points six times in his last 10 games, the first time he’s done that in his entire pro career. He’ll likely be a problem for Tyreke Evans, who has returned after missing games due to knee pain, an issue he’s trying to play through. Fellow wing Eric Gordon has been lost four-to-six weeks after fracturing the ring finger on his shooting hand.

The Pelicans have won three of four games but have only beaten one team with a winning record all month. Anthony Davis comes off a 35-point game, his highest output since Nov. 28. New Orleans has won its last six against the Pistons, who they’ll see again in Auburn Hills on Feb. 21.


Grizzlies (-1.5, 194.5) at Nuggets – 9:05 ET, ESPN

Memphis PG Mike Conley returned from a six-game absence due to an Achilles injury, dishing out 10 assists and scoring 16 in a 101-99 home win over the Pelicans. The Grizzlies will be playing on the road for the first time since Jan. 6 and have only won once in their last five away from Memphis. They’ve lost seven of nine to fall to 8-12 on the road this season, which includes a 9-10-1 mark ATS.

Despite just getting Conley back, the Griz have won five of six and will be favored on the road on Saturday at Minnesota in addition to being favored slightly here.

The Grizzlies are hoping to finally get into a groove in what’s been a rocky season by their standards. Between improved health and better on-floor chemistry, Memphis looks primed to make a run if it can take care of business on this short trip since it will return to face three teams with losing records at home to close out January.

Denver lost at Fed Ex Forum 91-84 on Jan. 8 in the first meeting between these teams. The Nuggets have won three of the last five outright and covered in four of the games, coming off a 110-104 home loss to OKC. Their last four games have all gone over the posted total. They’ve dropped five of the last six against the Grizzlies.


Hawks at Kings (-1, 218.5) – 10:05 ET

DeMarcus Cousins scored 36 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to record his eighth consecutive double-double. He’s notched nine in his last 10 games, averaging 30.6 points and 13.4 boards over a span that has produced six Kings’ victories. NBA assist leader Rajon Rondo dropped another 17 dimes and has a streak of at least 10 in nine consecutive games he’s played in. Rudy Gay has scored in double-figures in every game this month, shooting over 53 percent from the field and averaging 19.3 points. By every definition of the term, Sacramento has itself a Big Three.

The Thunder and Clippers are among the Kings’ victims this month, with those wins coming on the road. George Karl’s team will start a three-game home stretch against the Hawks and will be looking to even their record at 11-11 at Sleep Train Arena. Sacramento is 8-13 ATS at home.

Atlanta pulled out a 104-98 nationally-televised win at Portland on Wednesday night, increasing its Southeast Division lead to three games over slumping Miami. Paul Millsap and Kent Bazemore, the Hawks starting forwards, each scored 23 points on 15-for-25 shooting (60 pct). Every member of the team’s starting lineup connected on a 3-pointer as they ended up shooting 10-for-24 from beyond the arc.

The Hawks have won and covered in five of their last seven games. Neither PG Jeff Teague or Bazemore participated in Atlanta’s 103-97 home victory over the Kings on Nov. 18, covering a 2.5-point spread. It was the Hawks’ 15th consecutive victory over Sacramento, which will be trying to end a streak that dates back to 2008.


Spurs (-14, 200.5) at Suns – 10:35 ET

San Antonio puts its NBA-high 11-game winning streak on the line against Phoenix, a team it has already defeated twice, albeit at home. The Spurs won and covered in both wins, prevailing by a combined margin of 47 points. This will be the first leg of a back-to-back that continues at Staples Center against the lowly Lakers on Friday, so it remains to be seen how Gregg Popovich handles his rotation.

PG Tony Parker, who is nursing a sore right hip, has already been ruled out. Patty Mills will get the start, backed by third-year guard and D-League standout Ray McCallum.

As a road favorite of 9.5 or more, the Spurs are a perfect 4-0 straight up and against the spread, beating the Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and 76ers by a combined margin of 128 points, which includes a 129-68 demolition of Philly but also features wins of 25 or more in the three other games. They take care of business against teams they’re expected to dominate. Though they failed to cover at home against the Cavs, San Antonio is 8-3 against the number during its current winning streak and 21-8-1 ATS over the last 30 since Nov. 21. While it’s not quite the run Atlanta went on last year, the Spurs have truly been impressive considering they’ve been favored in every single one of those games.

In fact, San Antonio has laid points in every single game this season except for a season-opening loss at Oklahoma City, which is remarkable in its own right. The Suns have only been favored once in their last 11 games and have lost 14 of 15. They’re 4-11 ATS in those contests

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Thursday, January 21 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

I actually feel sorry for the New Orleans Pelicans. There's a lot of talent on that team, to the point where I believe it could be maybe the fifth-best in the West behind Golden State, San Antonio, Oklahoma City and the L.A. Clippers if the Pelicans could just get healthy all at once. But that never seems to happen and injury has struck again. Guard Eric Gordon can't stay on the court, and now he has been lost for 4-6 weeks after fracturing his right ring finger. Despite being devastated by injuries this season, the Pelicans are still only four games out of the final playoff spot. But why bother straining to get the No. 8 and get swept by Golden State? Start shutting guys down soon, get a lottery pick and then come back in full force next season.


Clippers at Cavaliers (TBA)

This is your TNT opener and will have live betting at sportsbooks. Cleveland is in the second of a back-to-back after playing at Brooklyn on Wednesday. While the Nets shouldn't be much of a challenge for the Cavs, I am very interested to see how they play here back at home in wake of Monday's home destruction by Golden State. The Clippers beat Houston 140-132 in OT on Monday for their 11th win in 12 games. J.J. Redick, who has really been on fire lately, had a career-high 40 points. The Clips made a franchise-record 22 3-pointers. Redick tied a team records with nine. Clips center DeAndre Jordan returned after missing two games with an illness and had 16 points and 15 rebounds. First meeting of season between Clippers and Cavaliers.

Key trends: The Clippers are 5-0 against the spread in their past five road games. The Cavs are 7-1 ATS in their past eight vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" has gone under in four of the past five meetings.

Early lean: I suppose the TBA is for the chance Blake Griffin returns from injury. That's not likely, however. I expect a Cavs win here but wait until after their Nets result in case of injury.

Pistons at Pelicans (-1, 202.5)

Detroit was in Houston on Wednesday. New Orleans beat the visiting Timberwolves 114-99 on Tuesday but obviously lost Gordon, who is averaging 14.9 points per game. Anthony Davis had 35 points as the Pelicans rallied from a 17-point deficit. Expect Jrue Holiday to move back into the starting lineup for Gordon. Holiday had 19 points vs. Minnesota. New Orleans swept Detroit last year and Davis averaged 33.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 6.0 blocks. The Pistons have lost six straight in the series overall.

Key trends: Detroit is 2-5 ATS in its past seven in the second of a back-to-back. New Orleans is 1-4 ATS in its past five at home. The over is 11-5 in New Orleans' past 16 at home.

Early lean: Pelicans and over.

Grizzlies at Nuggets (+2, 194.5)

Memphis won a third in a row Monday with a 101-99 win over New Orleans. Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee missed a free throw with 3.5 seconds left, but Memphis center Marc Gasol was able to get a hand on the rebound and tipped it away where no Pelicans were to corral and potentially get possession and a tying or winning shot off. Mike Conley had 15 points and 10 assists for the Grizz. He had missed the previous six games due to injury. Denver lost 110-104 at home to Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Center Jusuf Nurkic dressed but did not play. He had missed the previous two games with a left knee injury. Grizzlies won first meeting of the season with Nuggets, 91-84 in Memphis on Jan. 8. Conley missed that one.

Key trends: The home team is 8-3 ATS in the past 11 meetings. The under is 6-0 in the past six.

Early lean: Grizzlies and under.

Hawks at Kings (pick'em, 218.5)

Atlanta was in Portland on Wednesday and Sacramento at the L.A. Lakers. So I'd say advantage Kings there. The Hawks beat visiting Sacramento 103-97 on Nov. 18. Paul Millsap had 23 points and 16 rebounds and the clinching shot with 15.7 seconds left. Atlanta was without starters Jeff Teague and Kent Bazemore. DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points and 12 rebounds, but the Kings turned it over 20 times. Rajon Rondo had a triple-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Atlanta has won 15 straight games over the Kings.

Key trends: The Kings are 1-5 ATS in their past six at home. The Hawks are 6-0 ATS in the past six in Sacramento. The over is 13-3 in the past 16 meetings.

Early lean: Kings and over.

Spurs at Suns (TBA)

This is the TNT nightcap and it could be a slaughter, although be aware the Spurs do play again Friday night at the Lakers so Coach Gregg Popovich could be up to his tricks here. San Antonio won an 11th straight on Sunday, 112-83 over Dallas. However, point guard Tony Parker left in the third quarter with right hip soreness. He recently missed two games with that problem, and I could see him getting this weekend off since the Spurs don't need him to beat the Suns or Lakers. Phoenix lost a fifth consecutive Tuesday, 97-94 at home to Indiana. Devin Booker had a career-high 32 points for the Suns, who lost for the 14th time in 15 games. Booker is the third-youngest player in NBA history with a 30-point game. You may have heard of the other two guys: LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Phoenix lost starting forward Markieff Morris to a shoulder injury and he sat out the second half. So monitor his status. San Antonio is 2-0 vs. Phoenix this season, winning both easily.

Key trends: The Spurs are 5-2 ATS in the past seven in Phoenix. The under is 6-0 in the past six meetings.

Early lean: I'd take double-digit points here actually, especially if no Parker.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday's hot teams
-- Pelicans won three of their last four games (4-7HF).
-- Clippers won 11 of last 12 games (3-2AU). Cavaliers won nine of their last 11 games (7-5 last 12HF).
-- Memphis won five of its last six games (5-3AF).
-- Hawks won five of their last seven games (5-4AU). Kings won their last three games (1-4 last five HF).
-- Spurs won their last eleven games (12-5AF).

Cold teams
-- Detroit lost three of last five games (7-6AU).
-- Denver lost last three games, by 3-7-6 points (5-2-1 last 8HU).
-- Suns are 1-14 in last 15 games, covering twice in last 8 games.

Series records
-- Pistons lost their last six games with New Orleans.
-- Clippers lost five of last seven games with Cleveland.
-- Grizzlies won five of last six games with Denver.
-- Hawks won last 10 games with Kings, covered last eight.
-- Spurs won their last five games with Phoenix.

Totals
-- Four of last five Detroit games went over total.
-- Three of last four Cleveland games stayed under.
-- Last five Memphis games went over the total.
-- Seven of last eight Atlanta-Sacramento games went over.
-- Last six San Antonio-Phoenix games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Detroit is 0-4 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Cleveland is 2-5-1 vs spread if it played night before.
-- Hawks are 1-3 vs spread on road if they played nite before. Kings are 6-3 vs spread if they played night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Spurs the choice'

Going back to the well is something that those in basketball betting have no problem doing, especially when it continues to offer up winning plays. In this case, the play involves streaking San Antonio Spurs against struggling Phoenix Suns.

San Antonio clicking on all cylinders have reeled off eleven straight victories (8-3 ATS) behind a stingy defense holding opponents to 92.2 per/contest with the offense dropping a whopping 109.7 points/game. On the other side, struggling Suns hit the court on a 1-14 (4-11 ATS) skid netting just 96.6 points/game while allowing opponents 109.3 per/contest.

The Spurs off a 112-83 hammering of Mavericks have shown a penchant for keeping pedal-to-metal as they're 11-4 ATS off a win with the margin of victory a solid 16.0 points/game. Spurs have also been great bets lately as double digit chalk cashing 12-of-15 tickets (12-3 ATS). Another positive for San Antonio backers, the Spurs have cashed 6-of-7 against the betting line as road favorites vs a team with a losing record including 3-0 ATS laying double digits.

As always, laying double digits is cause to ratchet up the tension for a sports handicapper. However, in this case, the numbers add up well enough to conclude that San Antonio is the right choice.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Three spot bets the wiseguys are looking to wager this week
By BEN BURNS

Spot bets are classic handicapping practices that have proven profitable no matter what sport you're betting. Whether it's a team looking past this week's opponent, one coming off a hard-fought victory, or a rough patch of schedule, bettors can find value picking their spots. Covers Expert Ben Burns points out his favorites:

Letdown spot

The Los Angeles Clippers watched the Golden State Warriors take apart the Cleveland Cavaliers Monday night and smell blood in the water with the schedule taking them to Cleveland Thursday night. After an intense overtime win at Houston Monday, the Clippers have two full days to recover and game plan for LeBron & Co.

That big matchup leaves Los Angeles open to a letdown spot the very next night. Following Thursday’s showdown with the Cavaliers, L.A. heads to the Big Apple to play the New York Knicks Friday. The Knicks also needed overtime to win Monday, edging Philadelphia and host Utah Wednesday before a day off Thursday. With L.A. coming off a huge matchup on short rest, there could be added value on the home side at MSG Friday.

Lookahead spot

The Villanova Wildcats have a Big East Saturday showdown against Providence this week, a battle between two ranked teams that will go a long way in deciding how the conference trickles down. But before the Wildcats host the Friars, they have to make the trip next door to New Jersey Wednesday.

Villanova visits Seton Hall in a possible lookahead spot for Jay Wright’s kids. The Pirates, while not ranked, are no pushovers. Seton Hall is 8-1 at home with a 5-3 ATS record in those lined games. The Pirates have had the Wildcats’ number in recent home dates with Villanova, going 4-1 ATS in their last five against their Big East rivals inside the Prudential Center.

Schedule spot

Sometimes a road trip can be a good thing, especially when it pertains to a team struggling at home. Getting out of town can take some of the pressure off the club, which is something the Minnesota Wild are hoping for with their current four-game road swing, which opened with a 3-0 shutout loss in Nashville Saturday - extending their losing skid to four games.

Since then, the Wild have had some time to refocus and travel to the left side of the country for three games against West Coast teams. Minnesota picks up in Anaheim Wednesday, then faces Los Angeles Thursday, before closing this trek in San Jose Saturday. The Wild opened the season with a similar stretch, playing at Arizona, L.A. and Anaheim in a period of four days, going 1-1-1 in that span.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hawkeyes (14-3) at Scarlet Knights (6-13)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Iowa has earned its highest AP ranking in 14 years, but it's using the bad taste of an exhibition loss in November as motivation.

At least on paper, the No. 9 Hawkeyes' longest league winning streak in 46 years doesn't seem likely to end Thursday night at reeling Rutgers.

Iowa finished off a season sweep of then-No. 4 Michigan State with last Thursday's 76-59 road win before cruising to an 82-71 home victory over Michigan on Sunday for its fifth double-digit win in six games.

Now the Hawkeyes have a chance to move into a first-place tie with Indiana by winning their first six Big Ten games for the first time since 1986-87. They've won 11 consecutive league games dating to last season, the program's longest such run since taking 14 in a row in '69-70.

The success has earned the Hawkeyes (14-3, 5-0) their highest ranking since they were also No. 9 early in the 2001-02 season. However, they aren't taking anything for granted on their trip to Piscataway, New Jersey.

"Every time you line up against a top-10 team you want to beat them," senior Mike Gesell told Iowa's official website. "Going into their place, (Rutgers) is going to be hungry. We have to bring our game."

The Scarlet Knights (6-13, 0-6) hope to dig their way out of the Big Ten basement after losing their last five games by an average of 31.4 points.They've also dropped 21 straight league games, including the tournament.

It's the conference's longest slide since Northwestern lost 28 in a row - including the tourney - from 1999-2001.

Still, Iowa is pointing to a 76-74 home loss to Division II Augustana in a Nov. 6 exhibition game as proof that anything can happen - particularly in Big Ten play - if the team isn't prepared.

"The Augustana loss in the preseason shows every night you have to bring it," Gesell said. "(Rutgers) is a good team and you can lose to anybody on any given night. Top to bottom, the Big Ten is the best conference in college basketball, so you can't take a night off, especially on the road."

The Scarlet Knights were outrebounded 63-23 and outscored 30-9 in second-chance points in Monday's 107-57 loss to No. 22 Purdue that marked the worst home defeat in team history. Corey Sanders, the league's leading freshman scorer at 14.2 per game, finished with a season-high 23 points.

Rutgers has been undersized without frontcourt players Shaquiile Doorson, Ibrahima Diallo, Deshawn Freeman and Jonathan Laurent. Doorson (foot), Diallo (foot) and Freeman (knee) are out for the season.

'I guess we just come together and somehow pray, I guess, because they are a better team in the rankings," sophomore D.J. Foreman said.

The Scarlet Knights are last in the 14-team Big Ten with a minus-5.6 rebounding margin, while the Hawkeyes rank 10th at plus-1.1. Iowa's Jarrod Uthoff is one of three players nationally with at least 315 points, 100 rebounds and 50 blocks, and the 6-foot-9 senior is averaging 22.0 points in his last four games.

Junior guard Peter Jok, second on the team with 13.9 points per game, has totaled 39 while hitting 7 of 11 from 3-point range in the last two.

Uthoff had 14 points in an 81-47 home win over Rutgers on Feb. 19, the first meeting since the opening round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (13-4) at Razorbacks (9-8)

Date: January 21, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

(AP) - John Calipari and his Kentucky Wildcats face a major challenge: Find a way to stop getting bullied before the heralded squad drops completely out of the Top 25.

The Wildcats have tumbled to No. 23 in the rankings after rising to No. 1 on Nov. 23.

They've trailed by large margins, blown double-digit leads and along the way lost some of the intimidation opponents once felt when playing big, bad Kentucky.

There's still time for Kentucky to correct things, but Calipari says the time is now.

'Whatever is holding you back from high-energy play, you gotta figure it out,' he said earlier this week. 'We're facing teams that are playing like their lives depend on it. We've got to be a desperate team also.'

The Wildcats (13-4, 3-2 SEC) are looking up at several teams in the standings and their fervent fan base is wondering if these Wildcats are similar to the 2012-13 team that missed the NCAA Tournament or the squad that followed a year later.

Kentucky stumbled into the 2014 NCAAs as a No. 8 seed but found its resolve and reached the championship game. The hope is this team will eventually jell as well - sooner rather than later.

'We just have to play games the way we play in practice,' said freshman guard Jamal Murray, Kentucky's top scorer at 17.8 points per game. 'It comes down to how much we want it as a team, and how well we jell together.'

Developing a strong, consistent post presence is one of the first steps they must take.

Freshman Skal Labissiere (7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds) was expected to fill that role but has been outmuscled on both ends and often looked unwilling to mix it up.

The 6-foot-11 Haitian played just eight minutes in Saturday's 75-70 loss at Auburn - Kentucky blew a 12-point second-half lead - and forced 6-8 senior forward Alex Poythress and 6-9 junior Marcus Lee to handle the load inside. Though Poythress is the more physical of those two, he's undersized, and both players have been susceptible to fouls.

Labissiere said Wednesday that practicing against Lee, 7-foot Australian Isaac Humphries and 6-10 New Zealand newcomer Tai Wynyard has made them all better.

'My confidence is coming back up,' Labissiere said.

Kentucky's bright spot has been a guard-oriented lineup led by sophomore floor leader Tyler Ulis (14.4 points, 6.1 assists), freshman Isaiah Briscoe (10.7 ppg) and Murray.

Good as that guard trio has been, former player Winston Bennett believes the Wildcats need a post option if they hope to go deep in postseason. And given their current inside struggles, he said it's time to play Humphries and Wynyard more.

'You've got to put those guys in the fire at some point and see what they can do,' Bennett said. 'At the very least, they give you five fouls (each). They're big bodies, so they can hold post position where Skal can't, Alex can't or Lee can't.'

Whatever Calipari's strategy, Kentucky needs to quickly embrace it.

In league filled with opponents hungry to exploit Kentucky's vulnerabilities, the Wildcats must adapt better to hostile environments such as Arkansas' Bud Walton Arena, the site of Thursday night's SEC matchup against the Razorbacks (9-8, 3-2).

'They understand that teams are excited to play Kentucky, but we have to have more excitement and energy to play them,' Wildcats assistant John Robic said.

Kentucky's last visit to Fayetteville in 2014 ended with Arkansas winning 87-85 in overtime on a buzzer-beating dunk by Michael Qualls.

The Wildcats' tournament prospects might look shaky at the moment, but Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said they still remain a threat.

'You bring in another crew, but it's still Kentucky,' Anderson said. ' ... So, they're coming off a loss, we're coming off of a loss, so we're going to get their best shot. I know that, and hopefully we're going to give them our best shot as well.'

The Razorbacks fell 76-74 at LSU on Saturday to snap a three-game winning streak, with Craig Victor's put-back basket with 4.2 seconds being the difference.

Leading scorer Anthlon Bell had 19 points for Arkansas - first in the SEC with 83.8 points per game - and has averaged 20.5 in his last four games. However, Moses Kingsley (16.9 ppg) managed 11 and Dusty Hannahs (16.0) had eight on 3-of-10 shooting.

Kentucky has taken the last two meetings, being ranked No. 1 in both. Arkansas, though, has won the last three meetings in Fayetteville.

"When the Hogs and the 'Cats play, it's always a tremendous basketball game," Anderson said, "and I expect nothing less on Thursday."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Buckeyes (12-7) at Boilermakers (16-3)

Date: January 21, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Purdue coach Matt Painter anticipated having an advantage in the paint and on the glass when freshman big man Caleb Swanigan committed to join 7-footers A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas.

It's safe to say the last two performances exceeded even his expectations.

Back-to-back blowouts have the 22nd-ranked Boilermakers feeling confident again as they look to beat visiting Ohio State for just the second time in nine meetings Thursday night.

Purdue (16-3, 4-2 Big Ten) ranks among the national leaders with a plus-12.6 average rebound differential and has outrebounded every opponent this season. The 6-foot-9 Swanigan leads the conference with 8.9 boards per game and grabbed 13 to go along with 12 points in Monday's 107-57 romp at Rutgers.

The Boilermakers held a 63-23 rebounding advantage while posting their most lopsided win ever in Big Ten play. Hammons and Haas combined for 11 rebounds in limited duty as Purdue's starters didn't play for the final 14 minutes.

Painter's team committed only four turnovers, its fewest since having three against Indiana on Feb. 4, 2012.

'We wanted to make an effort to try to get on the glass and establish ourselves there,' Painter said. 'Our guys gave a great effort and showed a lot of discipline not having a turnover the first half."

In their previous game, the Boilermakers outrebounded Penn State 42-25 in a 74-57 victory last Wednesday, recovering from a surprising 84-70 loss Jan. 10 to an Illinois team that still has only one victory in conference play.

Swanigan had 13 points and nine rebounds against the Nittany Lions, then posted his sixth double-double against the Scarlet Knights to tie for the Big Ten lead.

'I feel like things were going our way (Monday),' Swanigan said. 'As a team it might have been our best game as a whole entire unit. It's easy to agree with that because the whole team played well and we can just keep feeding off this.'

Ohio State (12-7, 4-2) also routed Rutgers recently, but that win has been bookended by blowout defeats. It fell 85-60 at now-No. 25 Indiana on Jan. 10 and had no answer for then-No. 3 Maryland's offense in a 100-65 loss Saturday.

The Terrapins shot 62.7 percent from the field, the highest the Buckeyes have allowed since Michigan State shot 73.3 percent Feb. 7, 2004. Ohio State trailed by as many as 42 and shot 37.3 percent for its second-lowest mark of the season.

It was just the third time the Buckeyes, who missed 12 of their first 13 second-half shots, had a worse shooting percentage than their opponent. Keita Bates-Diop scored a team-high 15 points for Ohio State, which had 13 turnovers and seven assists.

"We have a lot to work on," said Jae'Sean Tate, who finished with 12 points. "Consistency, effort, playing harder, and all the little things that you don't need talent for. (Maryland is) a very good team. They finished plays and kept the pace going the whole game. We need that same team effort. All of us, one through 12. We have to focus and get back to it."

The Buckeyes won the last meeting 65-61 on March 1 despite 16 points from Hammons and 15 from Rapheal Davis. Ohio State's only loss in the last nine matchups came in its last visit to West Lafayette, when Davis scored 20 points in Purdue's 60-58 win Feb. 4.

Hammons has averaged 13.4 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.6 blocks in the last five meetings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trojans (15-3) at Ducks (14-4)

Date: January 21, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Oregon's 18-game home win streak and 10-game run over Southern California figure to be severely tested Thursday night.

That's because the No. 21 Trojans are one of college basketball's biggest surprises as they look to defeat the Ducks for the first time in seven seasons.

Southern California (15-3, 4-1 Pac-12) finished last in the conference last season and is now in the hunt for first place as easily one of the nation's most improved teams. The Trojans are one of the conference's highest scoring teams at 84.6 points per game while shooting a league-best 41.1 percent on 3-pointers.

"They've got a very talented team," Oregon coach Dana Altman told the Ducks' official website. "We knew they were going to be good; we tried to get some of those players, felt like they had tremendous upside.

"They're moving along very quickly. They've gotten good real quick."

Oregon (14-4, 3-2) hasn't lost at home since falling 80-62 to then-No. 7 Arizona on Jan. 8, 2015. The Ducks have won every meeting with the Trojans since losing both in 2008-09.

USC has already surpassed its conference road win total from over the last two seasons by improving to 2-1 in such games with last Wednesday's 89-75 victory that ended UCLA's 12-game conference home win streak.

It also moved the Trojans into the Top 25 for the first time since Nov. 17, 2008.

Jordan McLaughlin scored 23 and Chimezie Metu - who was recruited by Oregon - came off the bench for 21 as USC built an 18-point halftime lead and held off a series of runs by the Bruins.

'Every single game we've done a better job closing down the lead when we're up,' said guard Katin Reinhardt, one of four Trojans with at least 32 3-pointers. 'We didn't let up in the second half. Every time they made a run we countered it, locked in defensively and knocked shots down.'

The Trojans have no real superstar and instead feature a team-oriented approach with six players averaging between 10.6 and 13.5 points. It's a similar formula employed by another one of the nation's biggest surprises that also has the same initials as the Trojans - No. 24 South Carolina, which has five players averaging at least 10.8 points.

USC has used the "SC" from its name to dub its style of play "Slam City" as a play on words from coach Andy Enfield's "Dunk City" teams from Florida Gulf Coast. Metu has 28 dunks and Julian Jacobs 20.

"They're really athletic, like us," Ducks forward Dillon Brooks said. "It's going to be a fast-paced tempo, up and down."

Brooks is looking forward to his matchup with USC freshman Bennie Boatwright, a 6-foot-10 forward who leads the team with 35 3-pointers.

"He's a stretch four, so I've got to switch channels," Brooks said. "I'll try to get physical with him, because he's a freshman and we'll see how he reacts to that."

Oregon saw a three-game win streak end with Sunday's 91-87 defeat to Colorado. Brooks scored 21 points for the second straight game and freshman guard Tyler Dorsey added 19.

The Ducks, who yield 66.3 points per game to rank in the conference's top half, allowed their highest point total of the season.

'We scored enough points," Altman said. 'We just didn't guard anybody.'

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (15-3) at Cardinal (10-6)

Date: January 21, 2016 11:00 PM EDT

Parker Jackson-Cartwright helped alleviate the pain of Arizona's disastrous trip to Southern California, and his next assignment comes with a visit to the northern part of the state.

After helping the 12th-ranked Wildcats extend the longest active home winning streak in the nation, the sophomore point guard will try to help them snap their first road skid in nearly two years Thursday night against Stanford.

Arizona (15-3, 3-2 Pac-12) suffered its first two conference losses on its trip to UCLA and USC from Jan. 7-9, falling 87-84 to the Bruins before a 103-101 quadruple-overtime loss to the Trojans - handing the Wildcats their first losing streak away from home since February 2014.

It only got worse when it was announced freshman standout Allonzo Trier broke his hand in the marathon defeat, sidelining him four to six weeks.

Trier had become the Wildcats' top offensive option by averaging 18.3 points on 53.4 percent shooting in eight games before his injury, including 19.3 in his three Pac-12 games.

Left without a hefty chunk of its offense, Arizona turned to another young guard in Jackson-Cartwright. He followed his career-high 11 assists during a 99-67 win over Washington on Jan. 14 with 13 points, one off his career best, and seven assists in Saturday's 90-66 blowout of Washington State - the Wildcats' 49th straight win at home.

'I thought the story of this weekend was Parker,' coach Sean Miller said. 'He played the best basketball of his career in back-to-back games.'

Jackson-Cartwright never finished with more than seven assists in 50 games entering last week, and he had scored in double figures just twice. He turned the ball over three times in 50 minutes between the two games.

The Wildcats shot a season-high 60.3 percent against the Huskies and followed at 54.2 versus the Cougars, and they combined to make 18 of 31 3-pointers - helping soften the blow of their first two road losses. Arizona, 2-2 in true road games, shot 44.8 percent at UCLA and scored only 73 points in regulation at USC.

The Wildcats, though, have won five consecutive games at Stanford as part of 11 in a row in this series dating to March 2009. They can match their longest current winning streak against a Pac-12 opponent, equaling the 12 straight victories they own against Utah.

Stanford (10-6, 3-2) has won four of its last five home games and has taken two of three in conference play. The latest was a 77-71 win over California on Jan. 14, netting coach Johnny Dawkins his 100th win at Maples Pavilion about a week after he picked up his 150th victory overall.

Rosco Allen finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcus Allen chipped in 16 points and 10 boards for his first double-double.

Marcus Allen, a junior guard, scored 10 of his points in the final 5 1/2 minutes, all on free throws.

"He's growing right before our eyes," Dawkins said. "I thought during that six-minute stretch, Marcus was outstanding."

Stanford is one of the best teams defensively in the Pac-12 but has shot 39.4 percent in conference play while averaging 67.6 points - exactly what it gives up.