Thursday 11/10/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wild (6-4) at Penguins (9-2)

Date: November 10, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau was more than understated when he assessed the current play of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the reigning Stanley Cup champion and the Wild's opponent Thursday night.

"Yeah, they're OK," Boudreau said Wednesday, the last day of a four-day break for Minnesota.

Right now, the Penguins (9-2-2) are more than OK -- they've gained a point in seven straight games (6-0-1) and they're coming off a 4-3 win Tuesday over the very young and very fast Edmonton Oilers, who couldn't hold an early 3-1 lead.

That's been a trend for the Penguins, who've rallied to win four times recently despite being down by multiple goals.

As usual, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was right in the middle of it, despite being held without a point for the first time this season. Crosby's dangerous speed game allowed the Penguins to catch up to the fast-starting Oilers, and Boudreau knows that could mean trouble for the Wild, even though they're currently the NHL's top defensive team.

Before losing their last two games, 2-1 to Buffalo and 1-0 to Colorado, the Wild won three straight games, all by shutout.

"He's the best player in the world," Boudreau said of Crosby. "And the best player in the world in any sport (is a challenge) ... the way he's playing right now, he's hard to handle.

"But they have a lot of other players," he said, mentioning Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Chris Kunitz. "There's a reason why they won the Cup."

It's also a reason why there's been no Stanley Cup letdown for the Penguins. Their Crosby-led arsenal of scorers produced nine goals in the last two games, and they look comfortable regardless of whether Stanley Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray (3-0) or former starter Marc-Andre Fleury (6-2) is in net. Murray started the last two games."

"He made timely saves for us, and you look around the league, and that's what separates winning from losing," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of Murray making a succession of key saves in the third period Tuesday. "I thought he was real solid in the third period."

And Boudreau didn't even mention forward Conor Sheary, the breakout rookie of a season ago who scored their first and last goals against Edmonton, including the game-winner in the final two minutes.

The challenge for Crosby on Thursday might be that there's no immediate head-to-head young star matchup for him. On Tuesday, it was 2015 No. 1 draft pick Connor McDavid, who was more than impressive by setting up three speed-driven goals -- even if it was Crosby who got the win.

On Saturday, it will be the Toronto Maple Leafs and 2016 No. 1 pick Auston Matthews, who, like McDavid earlier in the week, is certain to get tossed a ton of questions about that it will be like to oppose Crosby for the first time.

"You get up for games like that," Crosby said after the Oilers game.

The Wild and Penguins haven't played for 11 months. The Penguins won both games last season, including a 3-1 road win on Dec. 26 that was their fourth in a row over Minnesota.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Canucks (5-8) at Red Wings (7-6)

Date: November 10, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks had one of their better performances in a while on Tuesday night.

It resulted in road wins for both teams that snapped winless streaks.

After snapping their respective winless skids, the Canucks visit the Red Wings Thursday at Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit (7-6-1) recorded a 3-2 shootout victory over the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 to end a five-game winless skid (0-4-1). Three of those defeats were by one goal and three occurred after the Red Wings scored first.

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill called Wednesday night's win the team's most complete game in a long time.

"As we went into overtime I thought it was important for us to get two points just because I thought we played a pretty good game," he said. "We played some games where it's kind of gone the other way, so it was good for us to get two points here."

Andreas Athanasiou's breakaway goal in the third period tied the game at 2-2 and he scored the only goal of the shootout. He is tied with Thomas Vanek, Darren Helm and Dylan Larkin for the team lead with four goals.

"I thought he did a good job staying on it all night," Blashill said. "I thought he was engaged all night, I thought he was winning puck battles all night. When he's that, he's a very talented player. When he's competing at that high level this is what you get out of him. He's an excellent player that can break a game open out of nothing."

It was also Detroit's first win in Philadelphia since 1997 (0-11-1), when they beat the Flyers in two games in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Red Wings outshot the Flyers 35-25 on Tuesday and Jimmy Howard made 23 saves. Tomas Tatar got the other goal.

Forward Tyler Bertuzzi made his NHL debut after being recalled from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League. He was plus-1, with a shot in 9:57of ice time.

Bertuzzi is the nephew of former Canuck and Red Wing Todd Bertuzzi.

While the Red Wings were stopping their skid, the Canucks ended a nine-game (0-8-1) losing streak with a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday. The Canucks had been outscored 32-12 during the streak, which followed four straight wins to begin the season.

"It's a team game so everyone has to chip in," said Canucks left wing Loui Eriksson, who had zero goals in 13 games before Tuesday. "I think everyone did that tonight. We knew we were playing a good team."

Alexandre Burrows scored twice in the third period for Vancouver. Henrik Sedin and Sven Baertschi each had a goal and an assist for the Canucks, who had 11 players get a point.

"I thought we played the right way," said Burrows, who had not scored in 10 games. "We did a lot of good things defensively at the lines. We pressured a really good team, a fast team, and on the D side, we made some good plays, good reads."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Blues (7-4) at Predators (4-5)

Date: November 10, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

It might come as news to the NBC Sports Network studio crew that spent part of Wednesday night's post-game show panning Pekka Rinne's effort this season, but the Nashville Predators' goalie isn't the reason they're off to a 4-5-3 start.

Rinne's save percentage of .922 is 15th in the league, which isn't exactly Carey Price territory but sure beats February of last season, when he was 37th among 43 qualified goalies in save percentage. What's more, Rinne was in vintage form Tuesday night, kicking out 33 shots in a 3-1 win over Ottawa.

That included one of the season's best saves anywhere, his stop on Bobby Ryan's wrister six minutes into the game that appeared headed for the net's open half until Rinne kicked it out with his left pad.

"Between he and Carey, they've got to be among the best goaltenders in the league," said defenseman P.K. Subban, Price's teammate in Montreal until an offseason trade landed him in Nashville. "When he's on, he's on, and he's been on all season."

The Predators will ask Rinne to be on again Thursday night when they host the St. Louis Blues in game three of a four-game homestand. It's the first meeting between the Central Division rivals, who are both in chase mode behind the Chicago Blackhawks.

St. Louis is at a scheduling disadvantage in this one, as it played Wednesday night and fell 2-1 in overtime to Chicago in a game that reeked of a playoff classic instead of an early November contest. The Blues (7-4-3) scored with 2:11 left in regulation to force the extra period, but were denied the extra point 25 seconds into overtime on Artemi Panarin's wrister as a power play ended.

An inability to score has hampered St. Louis in its last eight games. It's 3-4-1 in that span, a record which one might consider flattering since it's tallied just 13 times.

"We've got to find ways to score," defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. "If we can keep getting to the net and causing more traffic, we're going to score more goals."

Pietrangelo took advantage of bodies in front of Chicago goalie Corey Crawford on the tying goal, as Jori Lehtera screened Crawford well enough for him to not get a bead on the shot. It caromed off Crawford and trickled into the net.

Otherwise, it was another night of flail to no avail for the Blues. Vladimir Tarasenko epitomized that, as he failed to elevate the puck on a Grade A chance near the end of a third-period power play and was robbed of a game-tying marker.

As for Nashville, it's also having trouble scoring goals, as it only has 31 in 12 games. But it did pot three Tuesday night against Ottawa's Craig Anderson, beating him with its first two shots of the second period.

"We had a lot of chances," defenseman Roman Josi said. "We played a really good game for three periods and got rewarded."

The Predators could see a familiar face in the other net. Former backup Carter Hutton might get the start in this one for St. Louis, as Jake Allen saved 28 shots in the loss to Chicago.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (7-6) at Canadiens (11-1)

Date: November 10, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

MONTREAL -- After a three-game offensive drought, the Los Angeles Kings appear to have once again found their scoring touch. Now they'll look to keep it going against a goaltender that hasn't allowed much to get by him.

The Kings arrive in Montreal having outscored their opponents 15-0 in their past three games, including a 7-0 rout of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night. On Thursday, they'll put it to the test against the Canadiens' Carey Price, who's been seeing a lot of pucks lately and stopping nearly all of them.

"A few lucky bounces here and there, but all in all it's starting to come together for us," Los Angeles center Jeff Carter said after the win in Toronto. "We just have to keep going with the way we have played."

Carter's five goals and nine points are tied for the team lead with winger Tanner Pearson and defenseman Alec Martinez, respectively.

Montreal (11-1-1) has won two in a row since being blown out by the Columbus Blue Jackets, but a large part of that has been due to their masked man. In their 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, the Canadiens allowed more than 40 shots for the third time in their past four games and gave up at least 35 for the fourth straight game.

Price, who is 8-0 on the season with a 1.63 goals-against average and .953 save percentage, has allowed just 13 goals to date. Four of those came in one game (Saturday against the Flyers), and it was the only time he's seen more than two goals get by him.

The Kings (7-6-0) are used to quality netminding, but these days it's been coming from an unlikely source. After starter Jonathan Quick was injured in Los Angeles' season opener and back-up Jeff Zatkoff suffered a groin injury on Oct. 22 during a morning skate, Peter Budaj has been handling the load. Budaj, who served as Price's back-up for three seasons (2011-12 to 2013-14) has started every game since Oct. 20 for Los Angeles.

"He's a veteran that's come in and has given us some stability. Hey, he's been in our organization -- this is our second year, so he's familiar with the organization," coach Darryl Sutter said of the goalie, who is 7-3-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average and .919 save percentage.

Even when they weren't winning or scoring, Sutter's group has made life easier on Budaj; he's only faced more than 26 shots once and has yet to face at least 30.

"When you're a high-possession team, you don't play very much is your own zone, and that means you have the puck more than the other team, and it allows you to take some pressure off your goalie," Sutter said. "I think we take great pride in not getting a lot of shots against, giving up a lot of shots. And with that, that's the quality part of it, too. That's the reason we've been able to win a lot of games the last few years."

Zatkoff is close to returning and is on the trip with the team.

After starting the season with four points in Montreal's first four games, center David Desharnais has struggled to generate much since, held without a point in the past nine games. He's mustered just eight shots on goal during that stretch, but none in the Canadiens' past two outings. He alternated with Philip Danault on a line with Max Pacioretty and Andrew Shaw at practice on Wednesday, but coach Michel Therrien wouldn't confirm if he would be scratched.

"I have to be better," Desharnais acknowledged. "I'm responsible for my own actions. Statistics have always been talked about during my career so if I don't have any points, obviously it's tough to stay in the line-up."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Ducks (6-5) at Hurricanes (3-5)

Date: November 10, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- This is the ideal time for the Carolina Hurricanes to make up some ground.

They sure need that as they begin a five-game homestand with Thursday night's game against the Anaheim Ducks at PNC Arena.

Carolina coach Bill Peters said the schedule sets up well, particularly with some breaks between games.

"There's a lot of things to build on," Peters said. "There's a lot of things to dig in on."

The Hurricanes are 1-2-2 across their last five games, so they've been competitive if not producing many recent victories.

With the string of home games, Peters said it will be important to keep the team fresh, particularly after Saturday night's game is the fifth game in eight nights.

"Energy level is huge, especially as young as we are," Peters said. "Some of these guys (are) going through this for the first time."

The Hurricanes (3-5-4) have played some extra hockey, with three of their past four games going beyond regulation.

Anaheim (6-5-3), which lost in overtime Wednesday night at Columbus, is trying to successfully negotiate a road trip. The Columbus game marked the start of a three-game road swing.

"Back to backs are always tough," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. "Here we go, life on the road in the NHL."

Wednesday night included the season debut for Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm, who played more than 181/2 minutes at Columbus after an absence related to contract and visa issues. Lindholm was minus-1 in plus/minus rating, while also spend some time on power-play units.

"The whole idea is we've got to get him up to game speed as quickly as possible," Carlyle said prior to the game.

The Ducks trailed 2-0 before responding and earning the team point.

Anaheim, which is 2-0-1 in its last three games, also could be in line for a lineup change after recalling center Michael Sgarbossa from San Diego of the American Hockey League. He didn't play at Columbus, but he's on board for the trip.

The Hurricanes have altered some line combinations and they haven't ruled out some roster moves in mid-November.

"We want to get a look at some players," Peters said.

There could be changes out of necessity. Defenseman Justin Faulk missed Tuesday night's game with an undisclosed upper-body injury and his status might not be updated until early next week, Peters said.

Plus, left winger Bryan Bickell missed Wednesday's Carolina practice.

If there are significant lineup changes, it potentially puts a ding in Peters' quest to see more even performances across four lines. He said he wants the third and fourth lines to supply more in terms of offense.

"They have to do more than just check," he said. "They have to generate offense."

The Hurricanes rank fourth in the NHL with 105 takeaways. The Ducks had only one giveaway Wednesday night at Columbus.

Anaheim and Carolina will have a rematch next month on the West Coast.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Sharks (7-6) at Panthers (6-6)

Date: November 10, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

SUNRISE, Fla. -- It's not last season anymore.

That's obvious, of course, but what it means in a hockey context is that the San Jose Sharks (7-6-0) and the Florida Panthers (6-6-1) are battling to regain their form.

Both teams will be trying to rekindle that magic from last season on Thursday when the Sharks visit the Panthers. San Jose made the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in its history last season and Florida set the franchise record with 47 victories.

Recent events show signs of improvement.

The Sharks snapped a three-game losing streak by winning on the road and dominating one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, beating the Washington Capitals 3-0 on Tuesday.

"That win was big for us just to kind of right the ship for us a little bit," said Sharks goalie Martin Jones, who made 24 saves. "Everything kind of went our way."

For the Panthers, starting goalie Roberto Luongo broke a personal four-game losing streak by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Monday.

Even better for Florida is the fact that it is starting to get healthier.

Forward Jussi Jokinen, who has missed the past nine games due to a knee injury, is set to return on Thursday against the Sharks.

"He's ready to play," Panthers coach Gerard Gallant confirmed.

Florida center Nick Bjugstad, who has yet to play this season due to a broken hand, is set to return next week.

The Panthers also made a trade on Wednesday, acquiring former New York Rangers defenseman Dylan McIlrath, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound bruiser.

Florida dealt the Rangers a conditional seventh-round draft pick and 28-year-old defenseman Steven Kampfer, who has been a healthy scratch in 12 of 13 games this season. The Rangers sent Kampfer to their AHL affiliate, so he is a non-factor, for now at least.

McIlrath, 24, could actually help the Panthers. He was a first-round pick, No. 10 overall, in 2010, but has been unable to crack New York's lineup of top-seven defenseman.

Part of the problem for McIlrath is that he doesn't play the speed and puck-moving game the Rangers prefer. But with the Panthers, his toughness could be an asset if they indeed use him.

Interestingly, the Sharks played the power game all the way to their first Western Conference title last season. But then in the offseason, general manager Doug Wilson added speed by acquiring David Schlemko and Mikkel Boedker as free-agent signings.

Neither player has made much of an impact so far, combining for a total of just five points.

The Sharks were outstanding on the road last season with a 28-10-3 record. They are off to a 3-4-0 start in 2016-17, including that big win over Washington on Tuesday.

The Panthers will have a couple of advantages on Thursday that have nothing to do with personnel - they are home and did not have to travel. They also have one more day's rest in between games than San Jose.

Panthers backup goalie James Reimer played for San Jose last season, but is not expected to start on Thursday.

San Jose was fourth in the NHL in average goals per game last season, and the Sharks' power play is one of the most dynamic units in the NHL. That top unit includes forwards Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton, Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau along with defenseman Brent Burns at the point.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Islanders (5-6) at Lightning (7-5)

Date: November 10, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

TAMPA, Fla. -- The NHL schedule provides opportunities for quick revenge sometimes, and nine days after the Tampa Bay Lightning handed the New York Islanders a 6-1 loss on their home ice, the two teams square off again at Amalie Arena on Thursday.

The Islanders (5-6-2) ended a three-game losing streak with a 4-2 win Monday against Vancouver -- the Canucks' ninth straight loss -- while the Lightning hope to bounce back from a 3-1 loss at Florida on Tuesday that left them with a 7-5-1 record.

Tampa Bay eliminated the Islanders in five games in last year's conference semifinals, averaging 3.6 goals per game and winning four straight after losing Game 1. Their offense was on display in last week's rematch, with left wing Nikita Kucherov scoring two goals with two assists as the Lightning tagged goalies Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss for three goals each.

Special teams has been a big part of the Lightning's early success -- Tampa Bay ranks fifth in the NHL on power play, with a 25 percent (13/52) success rate, and they're seventh in the league on penalty kill, holding opponents scoreless 88 percent of the time.

"Our penalty kill has been pretty good the last couple of years. When you keep that cohesive unit, it's usually pretty beneficial," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "The other thing is we have good goaltending, which is always your best penalty kill."

Goalie Ben Bishop is just 5-4 to start the season, with a 2.90 goals-against average up considerably from last year's 2.06, which made him a Vezina Trophy finalist.

"We've really needed our special teams -- it's bailed us out of several games, especially when we've fallen behind," Cooper said.

The Islanders haven't been as fortunate on their special teams -- they rank 26th in power play, with just four goals in 37 opportunities (10.8 percent) and rank 25th on the penalty kill, stopping just 77 percent of their opponent's power plays.

Monday's win against Vancouver saw the long-awaited first goals for two new arrivals in left wings Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera, who had totaled just four assists in the Islanders' first 12 games, but both found the back of the net against the Canucks.

"Tampa will be a good test for us. It's nice to get on the road, spend some time with your teammates & build team chemistry," said Chimera, now 37 and in his 15th NHL season.

The Lightning hope to get promising forward Jonathan Drouin back soon from an upper-body injury that has now sidelined him the last three games. Their power play hasn't skipped a beat without him, but the offense as a whole could use a boost -- Kucherov is tied for fifth in the league with 15 points -- four goals and 11 assists, while center Steven Stamkos is just behind with 14 points, including seven goals. Center John Tavares leads the Islanders with 11 points on five goals and six assists.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jets (6-7) at Coyotes (5-7)

Date: November 10, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Coyotes have a simple but daunting task ahead of them on Thursday when they host the Winnipeg Jets at Gila River Arena.

The task is topping rookie Patrik Laine.

Laine, who was the second overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft, leads the league with 11 goals. The 18-year-old Finn is coming off his second career hat trick on Tuesday as the Jets demolished the Dallas Stars 8-2.

"It was unbelievable to score three goals again," said Laine, who also scored three goals on Oct. 19. "I'm proud of myself and I'm proud of our team. We played a really good game. Scoring eight goals, that doesn't happen every day. It was a special win."

Laine also added an assist in the victory over the Stars. If the Coyotes do stop Laine, they still have to contend with Mark Scheifele, who is tied for second in the NHL with eight goals and tops the league with 18 points after his two-goal, two-assist performance against the Stars.

But it is Laine, however, who is getting the lion's share of the headlines.

"Each game he's gotten better and better, and now you see him finishing his checks, too," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said. "What you saw in his first few games is that he doesn't want to make any mistakes, he doesn't want to get caught, he doesn't want to be a reason for an odd-man rush.

"What you're seeing now is, he's just learning the game now. Coming over when you're 18 years old, there's a lot to process, and Mark has been really good in the middle for him. You can feel it in the crowd. When he gets the puck from anywhere, you can feel it, the anticipation of the shot. Everybody on our bench has that same feeling."

Defenseman Tyler Myers notched two asissts versus Dallas in his return to the Jets after missing five games with a lower-body injury.

The Coyotes picked up a 4-2 victory Tuesday at the Colorado Avalanche. The Coyotes have won three of four and are 4-2 since enduring a five-game losing streak.

Defenseman Anthony DeAngelo scored a second-period goal in his NHL debut Tuesday with Max Domi credited with an assist.

"(Domi) wrapped it around (the goal) and they kind of collapsed, and I just tried to stay in the slot area," DeAngelo said on the Coyotes' official website. "It was a great pass and I just tried to put it on net."

He is the 10th player in Coyotes history to score a goal in his NHL debut.

"It was an awesome experience," DeAngelo said. "I settled down as the game went on. The first couple of shifts I was nervous, but it's just hockey once you get into it. I felt really good and the guys made me feel really comfortable."

DeAngelo was recalled Monday from the American Hockey League after defenseman Michael Stone was placed on the injured-reserve list with an upper-body injury.

The Coyotes rebounded from a 5-1 loss Friday at Anaheim to beat the Avalanche.

"We took a step forward," Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett said on the team's website. "The guys worked very hard. That's probably the closest thing to a complete game we've played all year. We got good contributions right throughout our lineup and ended up in a good win."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Thursday’s games

Bruins won seven of last ten games with Columbus, who lost three of last five visits to Boston. Under is 3-1-1 in last five games played here. Blue Jackets won four of last five games but lost three of last four on road; under is 8-1 in their last nine games. Boston won four of last six but lost three of last four home games; under is 3-2 in their last five games.

Penguins won six of last seven games with Minnesota, which was outscored 16-7 in losing last three visits here- over is 3-0 in last three series games played here. Wild lost 1-0/2-1 in last two games; they’re 2-3 in last five road games. Seven of last eight Minnesota games stayed under total. Penguins won six of their last seven games; over is 4-1-1 in their last six.

Anaheim won six of last eight games with Carolina; over is 3-1-1 in last five visits here. Ducks won three of their last four visits to Raleigh. Anaheim lost in OT at Columbus last nite; they’re 4-3 in last seven games, 2-3 in last five on road— four of their last six games stayed under. Carolina lost six of its last eight games; under is 3-1-2 in their last six. Hurricanes lost their last two home games.

Sharks won last two games with Florida after losing seven of previous eight meetings; San Jose lost three of last five visits here. Under is 4-1-1 in last six visits to Miami. Sharks lost three of their last four games; under is 9-0-1 in their last ten. Panthers won three of last four games at home. Over is 3-2 in their last five games.

Canucks snapped a 9-game skid with a win in NYC Tuesday; their last three games went over total. Vancouver lost six of last seven road games. Detroit won six of last nine games against the Canucks; under is 4-2-1 in last seven. Vancouver lost three of last four visits here. Red Wings lost five of their last six games; three of their last four home games went over.

Montreal is 11-2 this season and one of their losses was 10-0; they’re 8-0 at home. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six home games. Kings won five of last six games with Montreal (over 3-2-1). LA lost three of last five visits here; both their wins were shutouts. Kings won last three games, winning last two 7-0/5-0- they got shut out in three straight last week. Under is 7-1 in their last eight games.

Islanders lost last five games with Tampa Bay; over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. New York lost three of last four visits to Bay Area. Islanders lost five of last seven games; five of their last six games went over total. Nine of NY’s last ten games were at home. Lightning lost five of their last seven games; over is 3-1-1 in their last five.

Blues won five of last six games, in series where home side won six of last eight meetings. Under is 3-1-1 in last five series games. St Louis won two of last three visits to Music City. Blues lost four of last five road games; they lost at home in OT to Chicago last nite. Nashville lost five of last seven games; five of their last six games stayed under.

Home side won last five Winnipeg-Arizona games; Jets lost 4-1/4-2 in last two visits here. Three of last four series games went over the total. Winnipeg lost four of last six games; their last four games went over total. Arizona won four of its last six games; their last three home games all stayed under the total.

Calgary won three of last four games with Dallas; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Dallas Stars won three of last four visits here- they’ve lost six of last seven games overall, losing last games 8-2. Three of their last four games went over total. Flames lost four of their last five games, with four of those five staying under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (4-6) at Flames (5-8)

Date: November 10, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

CALGARY, Alberta -- The Dallas Stars have come to Calgary banged up physically to face an opponent that, like them, is fragile emotionally.

The Stars and Flames square off Thursday with each hoping the evening is the beginning of better times.

Dallas is coming off an 8-2 pasting by the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday for its sixth loss in seven games. The Flames, meanwhile, have lost four of their past five.

"This is pretty much rock bottom," Stars captain Jamie Benn told the Dallas Morning News after the lopsided loss.

"We all have to look in the mirror and figure it out."

The Stars continue a five-game road trip that began with an overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks and followed with a rout at the hands of the Jets that leaves them at 4-6-3 and in sixth place in the Central Division.

The Flames are 5-8-1 and also sixth in the Pacific Division. They return from a four-game road trip that saw them drop three contests and get outscored 16-5.

One big excuse for the Stars' woes is injuries and illnesses. Against Winnipeg they were missing six forwards, including Jason Spezza, who has missed two games with a lower body injury but could return against Calgary. Patrick Sharp, Ales Hemsky, Jiri Hudler, Mattias Janmark and Cody Eakin are also sidelined.

Spezza skated in Winnipeg Tuesday morning but head coach Lindy Ruff opted to keep him out for at least one more night.

"He skated but he's not close to 100 percent," Ruff told the Dallas Morning News. "But he's back on the ice, which is a good sign."

Things haven't been much better lately for Calgary under new coach Glen Gulutzen, who is already occupying a hot seat after only one month on the job in place of the fired Bob Hartley.

The rough start prompted Flames president Brian Burke to agree to a rare radio interview on Tuesday. Known in the past for his high profile in the media, Burke has remained somewhat in the background in Calgary the past two seasons. That changed this week when he offered his assessment of the current state of affairs.

"Our top guys are not getting it done. I'm not one for calling players out, but our top guys are not playing up to their level. It's that simple," he said.

Those top guys are winger Johnny Gaudreau and his center Sean Monahan, who both signed lucrative six-year contracts prior to 2016-17 but have thus far not delivered the goods. Gaudreau has two goals, eight points and a minus-11 rating through 14 games while Monahan has four goals, one lone assist and is a minus-10.

"Right now we're not good enough, Monahan told the Flames' website. "Me and Johnny know that. We've got to find a way to help this team produce offence. I mean, when you play big minutes, get opportunities on the power play and stuff like that, you've got to find a way to get it done."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA roundup: Walker helps Hornets improve to 6-1
By The Sports Xchange

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kemba Walker scored 21 points, and the Charlotte Hornets took control down the stretch to beat the Utah Jazz 104-98 Wednesday night.
Walker scored nine of his points in the final 3:59, including five straight in during a stretch in which the Hornets pulled out to a 98-91 lead. Charlotte trailed much of the game but led by as many as 10 in the closing minutes.
Marvin Williams scored 19 and had eight rebounds, hitting five 3-pointers while Frank Kaminsky and Marco Belinelli added 13 each as Charlotte won its fourth straight game and improved to 6-1.
Gordon Hayward led the Jazz with 29 points and Rodney Hood added 20.

Wizards 118, Celtics 93
WASHINGTON -- Otto Porter had a career-high 34 points and 14 rebounds as Washington took a 26-point lead in the first quarter and rolled past Boston.
John Wall scored 19 points and Trey Burke added 18 for Washington, which held a 34-8 lead after the first quarter.
Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points and Avery Bradley added 21 for the Celtics, who dropped their third in a row.

Hawks 115, Bulls 107
ATLANTA -- Thabo Sefolosha scored a season-high 20 points and sparked the defense as Atlanta held off Chicago down the stretch.
Dwight Howard had 18 points and 10 rebounds for Atlanta, which had eight players score in double figures. Paul Millsap added 16 points for the Hawks.
Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 39 points and Dwyane Wade added 25 for Chicago.

Pacers 122, 76ers 115 (OT)
INDIANAPOLIS -- Jeff Teague scored a season-high 30 points to help Indiana rally for an overtime victory over winless Philadelphia.
Paul George added 28 points and forced overtime by hitting a jumper with 3.9 seconds remaining in regulation. Al Jefferson added 18 and Myles Turner had 15 for Indiana, which trailed by five points with less than 90 seconds remaining.
Robert Covington led the 76ers with 23 points.

Knicks 110, Nets 96
NEW YORK -- Kristaps Porzingis matched a career high with four 3-pointers and scored 21 points as New York beat Brooklyn.
Carmelo Anthony scored 22 points for the Knicks (3-4), who allowed less than 100 points for the first time this season.
Justin Hamilton and Brook Lopez scored 21 points apiece for Brooklyn (3-5), which held a nine-point lead with 5:11 remaining in the third quarter.

Timberwolves 123, Magic 107
ORLANDO -- Zack LaVine scored a career-high 37 points and Minnesota never trailed in its victory over Orlando.
Andrew Wiggins added 29 points and Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 for the Timberwolves.
Nikola Vucevic led the Magic with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Elfrid Payton added 18 points for Orlando.

Raptors 112, Thunder 102
OKLAHOMA CITY -- DeMar DeRozan scored 37 points and Toronto handed Oklahoma City its first home loss of the season.
Kyle Lowry nearly had a triple-double as he totaled 19 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds.
Russell Westbrook nearly matched DeRozan by scoring 36 points. He also nearly had another triple-double as Westbrook had seven assists and seven rebounds.

Suns 107, Pistons 100
PHOENIX -- Eric Bledsoe scored 14 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and Phoenix kept Detroit winless on the road this season.
Bledsoe nearly had a triple-double as he had 11 rebounds and eight assists. Reserve Jared Dudley added 19 for the Suns, who placed six in double figures.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a team-high 27 points for the Pistons (4-4), who are now 4-0 at home and 0-4 on the road. Andre Drummond had 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Rockets 101, Spurs 99
SAN ANTONIO -- James Harden scored 24 points and distributed 15 assists to lead five Houston players in double figures as the Rockets held on for a victory over San Antonio.
Harden was called for a charge, giving the Spurs a final shot for the victory with 5.8 seconds remaining. San Antonio got the ball to Kawhi Leonard, who drove the lane. His layup was contested and bounced off the rim, and LaMarcus Aldridge missed on a put-back attempt at the buzzer.
Anderson added 20 points for the Rockets. Leonard led the Spurs with 34 points.

Clippers 111, Trail Blazers 80
LOS ANGELES -- Blake Griffin recorded 22 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, and Los Angeles recorded its biggest-ever margin of victory over Portland.
Chris Paul scored 19 points and handed out seven assists as the Clippers won their fourth in a row. DeAndre Jordan added 16 points, nine rebounds and three blocks. Clippers coach Doc Rivers, whose team leads the Western Conference, removed his starters with a little less than four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Shabazz Napier finished with 11 points to lead the Blazers. No Portland starter reached double figures. Damian Lillard, who missed nine of 10 shots, and CJ McCollum finished with eight points apiece. They combined to go 0 of 6 on 3-point attempts.

Warriors 116, Mavericks 95
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Klay Thompson poured in 18 of his 20 points in the first eight minutes, and Golden State spoiled the homecoming of Dallas' Harrison Barnes, both former Warriors.
Barnes matched his best-ever point total at Oracle Arena with 25 points, hitting eight of his 20 shots. He also found time for eight rebounds. Bogut didn't play.
Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 28 points, and Stephen Curry had 24 points and a team-high six assists. Justin Anderson had 16 points and Dwight Powell 14 points for the Mavericks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - November

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
11/1 12 66.5 57 UNDER
11/2 3 16.5 16 UNDER
11/3 12 65.5 65 UNDER
11/4 3 16 24 OVER
11/5 13 69 70 OVER
11/6 6 32 33 OVER
11/7 3 15 14 UNDER
11/8 10 55.5 60 OVER
11/9 3 15.5 11 UNDER
11/10 10 - - -
11/11 6 - - -
11/12 11 - - -
11/13 6 - - -
11/14 1 - - -
11/15 13 - - -
11/16 2 - - -
11/17 10 - - -
11/18 5 - - -
11/19 11 - - -
11/20 5 - - -
11/21 7 - - -
11/22 5 - - -
11/23 12 - - -
11/24 2 - - -
11/25 11 - - -
11/26 9 - - -
11/27 6 - - -
11/28 2 - - -
11/29 12 - - -
11/30 3 - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Thursday’s games

Bruins won seven of last ten games with Columbus, who lost three of last five visits to Boston. Under is 3-1-1 in last five games played here. Blue Jackets won four of last five games but lost three of last four on road; under is 8-1 in their last nine games. Boston won four of last six but lost three of last four home games; under is 3-2 in their last five games.

Penguins won six of last seven games with Minnesota, which was outscored 16-7 in losing last three visits here- over is 3-0 in last three series games played here. Wild lost 1-0/2-1 in last two games; they’re 2-3 in last five road games. Seven of last eight Minnesota games stayed under total. Penguins won six of their last seven games; over is 4-1-1 in their last six.

Anaheim won six of last eight games with Carolina; over is 3-1-1 in last five visits here. Ducks won three of their last four visits to Raleigh. Anaheim lost in OT at Columbus last nite; they’re 4-3 in last seven games, 2-3 in last five on road— four of their last six games stayed under. Carolina lost six of its last eight games; under is 3-1-2 in their last six. Hurricanes lost their last two home games.

Sharks won last two games with Florida after losing seven of previous eight meetings; San Jose lost three of last five visits here. Under is 4-1-1 in last six visits to Miami. Sharks lost three of their last four games; under is 9-0-1 in their last ten. Panthers won three of last four games at home. Over is 3-2 in their last five games.

Canucks snapped a 9-game skid with a win in NYC Tuesday; their last three games went over total. Vancouver lost six of last seven road games. Detroit won six of last nine games against the Canucks; under is 4-2-1 in last seven. Vancouver lost three of last four visits here. Red Wings lost five of their last six games; three of their last four home games went over.

Montreal is 11-2 this season and one of their losses was 10-0; they’re 8-0 at home. Under is 4-1-1 in their last six home games. Kings won five of last six games with Montreal (over 3-2-1). LA lost three of last five visits here; both their wins were shutouts. Kings won last three games, winning last two 7-0/5-0- they got shut out in three straight last week. Under is 7-1 in their last eight games.

Islanders lost last five games with Tampa Bay; over is 5-2-1 in last eight series games. New York lost three of last four visits to Bay Area. Islanders lost five of last seven games; five of their last six games went over total. Nine of NY’s last ten games were at home. Lightning lost five of their last seven games; over is 3-1-1 in their last five.

Blues won five of last six games, in series where home side won six of last eight meetings. Under is 3-1-1 in last five series games. St Louis won two of last three visits to Music City. Blues lost four of last five road games; they lost at home in OT to Chicago last nite. Nashville lost five of last seven games; five of their last six games stayed under.

Home side won last five Winnipeg-Arizona games; Jets lost 4-1/4-2 in last two visits here. Three of last four series games went over the total. Winnipeg lost four of last six games; their last four games went over total. Arizona won four of its last six games; their last three home games all stayed under the total.

Calgary won three of last four games with Dallas; over is 7-3 in last ten series games. Dallas Stars won three of last four visits here- they’ve lost six of last seven games overall, losing last games 8-2. Three of their last four games went over total. Flames lost four of their last five games, with four of those five staying under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (0-8) at Bucks (4-3)

Date: November 10, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- Center Anthony Davis is off to a fantastic start but not much else has gone right this season for the New Orleans Pelicans.

In search for their first victory, the Pelicans will look to get it in gear on Thursday night when they visit the Milwaukee Bucks.

Davis is fourth in the league with 30.9 points per game and among the league leaders in rebounds, steals, blocks and double-doubles. It hasn't amounted to much, though. The Pelicans are 21st in scoring, 24th in shooting, eighth in points allowed and 14th in opponents shooting percentage.

Put it all together and the result is a frustrating 0-8 record on the season.

"We still have breakdowns in the game plan, which you can't do from a mental standpoint," New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. "We have crucial turnovers at critical times in the game. We've just got to play better and smarter."

Part of New Orleans' problem so far stems from a short-handed roster. The Pelicans have been playing without three key starters: Tyreke Evans and Quincy Poindexter have been battling knee problems while J'Rue Holiday is out for personal reasons.

Gentry refused to use the personnel shortages as an excuse, however.

"We just have to play better," Gentry told reporters after the Pelicans' 102-94 loss at Sacramento Tuesday night. "There's just no way of getting around it. The effort is good and I talked to the guys about the fact that I love the way we are playing hard. But we all have to play smart. In some cases we are not playing smart."

The Bucks (4-3), meanwhile, will be looking to get back on track after their three-game winning streak was snapped Sunday night in Dallas, where poor shooting and lackluster defense doomed Milwaukee to an ugly 86-75 overtime loss.

"We just really played bad," forward Jabari Parker said. "Even in overtime, we only scored one point. We can't let that happen. We had to get them out of their groove and close it out to seal the deal."

Taking care of the ball has been something of a problem this season for the Bucks, who are allowing 18.1 points per game on 16.1 turnovers. The problem was evident again Sunday as Milwaukee gave up 21 points on 27 turnovers.

"We turned it over three straight times, and if you're going to win a game on the road in overtime, you can't turn the ball over," head coach Jason Kidd said.

The two teams met earlier this month in New Orleans with Milwaukee holding on late for a 117-113 victory to snap a 14-year losing streak in the Crescent City. Davis scored 35 points, but most of his points came from the free throw line - where he made 17 of 18 attempts. From the field, Davis went 9 of 21 while the Pelicans shot 43.9 percent as a team.

"We just wanted to make him work for it," Bucks center John Henson said.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, shot 48 percent from the floor and hit 10 of 32 3-point attempts while getting 24 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 21 from Jabari Parker.

"I think tonight was the first time we really trusted our offense," point guard Malcom Brogdon said. "We stuck to the game plan. We played like a team and battled through it,"

That loss dropped the Pelicans to 0-4 on the year.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wade's Bulls should be favored in Miami
By Tony Mejia

Dwyane Wade returns to South Florida for the first time in a Bulls uniform on Thursday, which should spark the Heat’s notoriously late-arriving crowd into making sure they’re in their seats for introductions.

Normally, Heat nation being situated prior to tip-off at American Airlines Arena would normally be an upset on par with Florida Gulf Coast over Georgetown, but there won’t be anything normal about the biggest sporting event of the year there. Because of who’s back in town, Miami fans paying their respects to the most revered player in franchise history is something that should be expected.

In fact, oddsmakers had to consider something that practically never comes into play when placing a number on this one: the visitors might wind up with a homecourt advantage.

Think that’s unlikely? Wade, just recently did something once considered impossible in the region. Upon leaving, he inspired debate over who that area’s all-time sporting icon was, Dan Marino, or him.


Bitter ending will drive former Heat icon

Miami is listed as only a 1.5-point favorite despite being off on Wednesday night while Chicago is playing a difficult game in Atlanta.

Don’t question whether he’ll have the juice to make it through games on consecutive nights, especially this early in the season.

"Even coming off a back-to-back, if my team don't have energy for that night, (it’s) going to be a problem," Wade told reporters after the Bulls destroyed Orlando on Monday. "I expect us to come in and give whatever we have. Go out there, and I want everyone to enjoy the environment, enjoy the moment. It's going to be a great environment to play in. I want our team, early in the season, to experience that kind of environment and try to seize it."

They’re planning a video montage for Wade and he’ll undoubtedly get a standing ovation, but it could go beyond that for him.

If anyone boos Wade when he’s introduced, they’ll be drowned out. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’s cheered every time he touches the ball. If the Bulls are down late and Wade squares off against Justise Winslow or Josh Richardson, terrific young second-year defenders he helped mentor as rookies, it wouldn’t be surprising if most Heat fans are cheering on the familiar No. 3 despite him now wearing the Bulls’ red and black.

This isn't like LeBron James returning to Cleveland, or for that matter Miami. It's not Dwight Howard playing in Orlando for the first time after breaking hearts. Those guys got booed. Throughout the years, players like Shaquille O'Neal, James Harden and Amar'e Stoudemire have returned to old stomping grounds to varying receptions. This won't be like that. This is in the same vein as Karl Malone returning to Utah, Allen Iverson to Philadelphia, Steve Nash to Phoenix, Kevin Garnett to Minnesota or Paul Pierce to Boston. Reverence will reign.

That should be worth a few points to the books,

Because of the way he left, walking away from a contract offer that should’ve come earlier and been more lucrative, many of the team’s fans saw Wade’s departure as him moving on so the franchise would. Upon signing with Chicago, he discussed the lure of coming home after commenting that it would’ve been nice to have felt more wanted. He'll turn 35 this January.

Wade left for a two-year deal worth $47 million that he can get out of after one season, so he got himself a raise over what the Heat offered, but there’s no question his decision to leave wasn’t financial. It was personal.

This is not just a sentimental return, but a revenge game,

Team president Pat Riley chose to turn the page. Given what has happened with Chris Bosh, it’s probably the right move to chalk this season up to rebuilding with youth and clearing cap space for a run at free agents next summer, but it had to hurt to see center Hassan Whiteside courted while he was asked to bide his time. The franchise leader in every major category except blocks and 3-pointers made was put on the backburner. Wade has gone out of his way to say how much he loves and respects Riley, but has made no secret he felt slighted.

Wade and Riley haven’t spoken since last season ended, which tells you how serious the Heat were about keeping him. He's talked to good friend Udonis Haslem. He's texted with head coach Erik Spoelstra and even former backcourt mate Goran Dragic, but the divide between him and Riley is apparently deep.

“I know who Pat is. It’s no secret to me,” Wade told reporters in Atlanta on Wednesday. “If you’re not with him, you’re against him. That’s just the way he is. You’ve got to understand that, man. I’m cool with it. I’m fine, 100 percent. I was there 13 years and I’ve seen a lot of video tributes. I’ve seen a lot of players come in and go out. And I’ve seen how he responded to them. And I know if you’re not with him, you’re against him.”

And I know, since Riley can’t get out there and guard him, being 50 years removed from his best days athletically, who this favors in this particular game. Wade, one of the most resilient players of his generation, a three-time champion who has thrived on grit as much as his talent, is going in attack mode.

Wade still has juice, too. He’s turned back the clock with a few springy dunks to christen his Homecoming and is averaging 16.9 points despite easing into the season by playing a career-low 28.1 minutes entering the Atlanta game. He’s shooting 43.5 percent from 3-points range and 89.7 percent from the free-throw line, numbers that can’t last but would blow out career-bests. Clearly, he’s locked in.

Heat fans, unlikely to be immune to nostalgia with the wounds still so fresh, are going to back him. “Let’s Go, Heat” will be audible, but there are going to be too many people in that building who’s heart strings are being pulled. This is Wade’s only appearance all season. The die-hards can boo him on his next visit. He’ll be back home in Wade County here. Fans will back him. He’ll bring it.

That’s why the Bulls should win. It’s why Miami shouldn’t be favored.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (6-2) at Nuggets (3-4)

Date: November 10, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets weren't a playoff team last year, but they played well against teams that did reach the postseason.

One of those clubs was the Golden State Warriors, who set a regular-season record with 73 wins. Included in that total was an overtime win at home against Denver on Jan. 2.

The Nuggets, however, beat the Warriors nearly two weeks later at home. They will want to repeat that success Thursday night when they host the Western Conference champs.

Denver isn't intimidated by the Warriors' imposing roster.

"We are better than last year, 100 percent," Nikola Jokic told the Denver Post. "We need to play better and get better at finishing games."

That was never more evident than Tuesday when the Nuggets lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, 108-107, on a buzzer-beater by Marc Gasol. Denver had the game won but kicked it away after Emmanuel Mudiay's dunk gave the Nuggets a 107-106 lead with 7.9 seconds left.

After forcing a turnover, Mike Miller threw away an inbounds pass, and that led to Gasol's heroics.

It was the Nuggets' second tough loss of the season. Denver (3-4) gave away an eight-point lead to the Portland Trail Blazers in the final 48 seconds and lost in overtime in its only home game to date.

"We've got to win them," Mudiay told the Post. "If we're that close, you don't want to come in second place."

The Warriors (6-2) know all about blowing leads. They had a 3-1 advantage in the NBA Finals, only to see the Cleveland Cavaliers rally to win Game 7 in Oakland, Calif., and steal the title.

Golden State won't match its 73-win total from last season. The Warriors won their first 24 games but are 6-2 this season after a 116-95 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. They are still working on integrating Kevin Durant into the rotation, and there have been some growing pains.

"It's a process. That word sucks, but it is what it is," Andre Iguodala told the San Francisco Examiner. "Everyone's making adjustments and everyone's trying to -- it's like kind of (a) feeling out type of thing. You have so much talent -- especially with one major guy who's new -- and you want him to be as comfortable as possible."

Golden State is still winning while the lineup finds a rhythm. After getting blown out by the San Antonio Spurs on opening night two weeks ago, the Warriors reeled off three straight road wins. The Thursday game was just their third at home, and they took care of business against the Mavericks.

Now it is the Nuggets who will try to take care of business. Thursday starts a stretch of nine of their next 12 games at home. They should get guard Will Barton back in the next few days, which means they will have a full, healthy roster for the first time this season, forcing coach Michael Malone to make tough decisions in the rotation.

"It's impossible to keep 15 guys happy, I realize that," Malone told the Post. "My goal is not to keep anybody happy. My goal is to win as many games as possible while trying to keep everybody at least understanding what their role is and how they can help this team."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Early hot takes can be dangerous
By Tony Mejia

Statement games have ruled the first few sips of the NBA season.

While not necessarily competitive, the blowouts have been like shots of Espresso, decisively powerful.

The Spurs crushed the Warriors, spoiling Kevin Durant’s regular-season debut at the new Superteam Arena. Instantly, the “Golden State isn’t going to rule basketball” crowd broke out in song and dance.

The Warriors then destroyed Oklahoma City last week, backing KD wholeheartedly in the team-building exercise of making sure Russell Westbrook didn’t leave Oracle happy with himself while wearing his photographer get-up.

Durant caught fire after a slow start and the Thunder were toast. It’s OKC’s only loss of the season through their first seven games, but somehow, the spin on it was that Westbrook is stuck with a bunch of role players. Never mind that it was the same team that had beaten the Clippers in L.A. the previous night, handing them their only loss thus far, but wild exclamations are easy to make this time of year.

So far, the season has been fun, carving out its niche despite a tremendous World Series and football. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah returned to Chicago and played conquering heroes on the same day the Cubs had their victory parade. Unfortunately for New York, that happens to be the Knicks best effort of the short season. The Bulls are 4-3, showing signs of cohesion and grit while also having put instances on display that why some observers feel their makeup will never work and Fred Hoiberg will wind up being the first coach fired.

It feels like Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Phoenix’s Devin Booker have made the greatest strides, set to earn a new level of stardom. Dirk Nowitzki looks a step slower. Some may say he’s done. Others swear Klay Thompson has forgotten how to shoot since he’s sporting about a 20 percent clip from beyond the arc.

You can make all those statements with a blanket asterisk that it’s far too early to make any real determinations. Instead, all we can do is capitalize on six early trends that will likely shake themselves out, but may be profitable for another few weeks.

Golden State isn’t going to win 63 games, much less 73. This could hold up. Durant’s flurry of 3-pointers against the Thunder produced a 122-96 rout in a performance no one in the league can touch, but that type of output can’t be depended upon. The Warriors lack of rim protection means they’re going to have to outscore teams on a nightly basis, so on nights where the 3-pointer isn’t falling, as was the case against the Lakers on Nov. 4, they’ll be vulnerable. Golden State has started 5-2, but scored 116 or more in four of the wins, a number higher than the NBA-high 112.9 points per game they average.

When they fail to reach that number, the Warriors are 1-2, which could be an issue all season since Zaza Pachulia is struggling to protect the rim and the only guy on the roster who can is named JaVale McGee. Golden State has surrendered a 123-point average in its two defeats and has a few dangerous road games ahead with Denver, Toronto, Boston, Milwaukee and Indiana on tap over the next few weeks. I told you to fade Golden State’s win total and stand by that choice, so I expect a few more eyebrow-raising defeats this month.

Boston can’t defend. The Celtics defensive rating has dipped to last in the league with Al Horford unavailable due to a concussion, and they have allowed 111.8 points per game, currently 28th in the NBA. Only Phoenix and Indiana have been worse. Horford is due back Wednesday, so their ability to defend teams should return to normal. The Celtics are plus-83 with him available and minus-53 without him, so between him and Jae Crowder getting back in the mix, look for the days of Boston giving up 77 points in a half to end. Crowder will be out another week-plus with an ankle injury, but is working to get back for the Warriors visit on Nov. 18. The Wizards, Knicks and Pacers are the next three up between now and next week, so Boston could be vulnerable since all are capable of getting multiple guys going offensively. Brad Stevens’ Celtics have already lost consecutive games and had four separate losing streaks of three games are more last season.

Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge can’t share the floor. ESPN’s Mark Stein pointed out that the Spurs have been outscored by 25 points in the 113 minutes these two new teammates have been out there at the same time. The sample size is small, but neither has gotten any faster over the years and there are teams capable of significantly exploiting them in the pick-and-roll. San Antonio has played teams like the Clippers, Jazz, Kings, Pelicans and Heat, who happen to have some of the NBA’s bigger, most athletic post threats, so that may be a factor as well. This should shake itself out as the season unfolds and the chemistry between the two improves, especially with Gregg Popovich and his staff on the case. In the short-term, it’s worth keeping an eye on. The Spurs will play the Rockets twice on Wednesday and Saturday, but sandwiched in between will be a meeting with Detroit’s Andre Drummond, the NBA’s top rebounder. Rematches with Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins and Miami’s Hassan Whiteside are on tap next week.

Anthony Davis has no help. No denying this one. Despite averaging 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game and opening the season with 95 points in the first two games, the Pelicans are an awful 0-7, joining the 76ers as the lone winless teams remaining. They badly miss point guard Jrue Holiday, who has taken an extended absence to tend to his wife after she underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. Replacement Tim Frazier is capable offensively, but small, which really limits New Orleans on defense. Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon are now in Houston, Tyreke Evans remains out, so guys like E’Twaun Moore, Solomon Hill, Langston Galloway and rookie Buddy Hield are filling in. All have holes in their game on the wing, and help isn’t coming any time soon. It’s tough to find yourself fading one of the best players on the planet nightly, but that’s what you should do most of the time until Holiday comes back. They’re 2-5 ATS entering a trip to Sacramento on Tuesday.

Tom Thibodeau won’t transform the Timberwolves overnight. It’s been painfully visible on his face that it hasn’t been a lot of fun watching his young team struggle to get stops and protect the rim. Going in, he knew he wouldn’t have skilled, willing defenders like Noah and Jimmy Butler to build around immediately, but it’s obvious Minnesota’s kids have a lot of work to do to get up to speed. Teams have shot 46 percent against them and have gotten to the line an average of 26 times per game, seventh-highest in the league. Thibs’ concepts are sublime and he’ll mold them into a solid unit, but it hasn’t helped matters nearly that Ricky Rubio got hurt, forcing rookie Kris Dunn into a heightened role. Dunn is going to be excellent and should be a strong defender, but there’s a learning curve ahead. Expect there to be more than a few instances ahead where the tremendously talented Towns, Andrew Wiggins and Zach LaVine wind up losing to inferior competition.

That’s worth keeping in mind since they’ll play two of the Eastern Conference’s worst teams, Brooklyn and Orlando, on the road this week, before opening a four-game home stretch where both L.A. teams, Charlotte and Philadelphia come to town, so they’ll be favored often. Eventually, the Wolves are going to be fine and will probably get it together enough to go on a run that allows them to compete for a playoff spot, so the next few weeks are going to be telling since this team needs to stop the bleeding.

The Wizards and Mavs stink now. While Minnesota’s 1-4 start has been surprising, there are some who feel we should get used to the stumbling that Washington and Dallas have done out of the gate. They’re stuck among the 76ers, Pelicans, Nets and Suns as two of the NBA’s worst teams record-wise through two weeks, but I’m not on board with the opinion that will last. Rick Carlisle and Scott Brooks are talented head coaches who will figure things out and have had obstacles emerge to stunt good starts. The Mavericks have seen Nowitzki limited by illness, Deron Williams dealing with a calf issue and are attempting to get newly acquired Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut acclimated. Brooks has had his Wizards relatively whole, but they’ve gone 0-3 on the road and are still looking to put it all together. The Mavs beat the Bucks for their first win before going out on the road for a four-game road swing that spans both coasts over the next week, while the Wizards have the Celtics and Cavs in town, so neither expected resurgence may come soon, but they’ll get things figured out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Bucks won last two games with New Orleans, after losing previous six; Pelicans are 3-2 in last five visits to Milwaukee. Over is 5-2 in last seven series games. New Orleans is 0-8, 1-3 as a road underdog, losing away games by 19-8-10-6 points- over is 5-3 in their games. Bucks won three of last four games; over is 5-2 in their last seven. Milwaukee is 1-1 as a home favorite.

Dwyane Wade returns to Miami here with Bulls, who lost last four games (0-4 vs spread) with Miami; seven of last nine series games stayed under total. Chicago lost by 18-8 points in last two visits here. Bulls lost in Atlanta last nite, their 4th loss in last five games; Chicago is 1-3 on road, 0-3 as a road underdog- four of their last five games stayed under. Heat lost four of last five games; favorites covered all three of their home games.

Golden State won four of last five games with Denver, but Nuggets are 5-1 vs spread in last six series games. Last six series games went over the total. Warriors won six of last seven games after crushing Dallas last nite; they’re 1-3 as a road favorite, winning away games by 23-6-8 points. Over is 4-3 in their games this season. Denver lost four of last six games; they lost only home game by hoop in OT to Portland. Over is 5-3 in their games.

Sacramento beat the Lakers seven games in a row (5-1-1 vs spread); LA lost its last five visits to the state capital, losing by 3-18-10-7-5 points (over 3-1 in last four). Lakers won three of last four games; they’re 3-1 as a road underdog- four of their last five games went over. Sacramento won its last two games after a 1-5 start; three of their last four games stayed under. Kings are 2-0 as a home favorite.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Lakers (4-4) at Kings (4-5)

Date: November 10, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO -- The Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers were expected to take little time settling into the bottom portion of the Western Conference standings this season.

Instead, they've spent the campaign's first two weeks stubbornly rebuking that conventional wisdom.

Not that they seem all that pleased with themselves heading into the first meeting at the new Golden 1 Center Thursday night.

"We can get better," Kings C DeMarcus Cousins told reporters after Sacramento's 102-94 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday. "We had some letups that you can't have."

Cousins' comments came on the heels of Sacramento's second straight victory. A third consecutive win would put the Kings (4-5) at .500 after 10 games, the second time in three seasons they will have had such an encouraging start. That 2014-15 campaign featured a 9-5 burst from the gate before things fell apart, a path these Kings are trying to avoid.

Without more consistent intensity and defensive execution, they will struggle to do so, coaches and players said.

"I kept getting ticked off about all the shots they were making," Kings coach Dave Joerger said after watching the Pelicans make 49 percent of their shots from the field in the second half, including 10 of 20 in the third quarter. "But I kept looking up, and the score was never getting away from us. Ninety-six possessions. That's not a slow-paced game."

Sacramento's defense has been sneaky good at times but it also has gone missing too.

The Kings have held three opponents under 100 points and won all three times. But they have surrendered an average of 107.0 points in their five losses. In all, they've allowed an average of 101.4 points in their first nine contests, down from a league-worst 109.1 per game last season and 13th among the league's 30 teams.

"It's not something that you can just come out and do," Cousins said. "It takes a lot of energy, but it also takes a mindset and a focus. We have to more consistent that way."

Lakers coach Luke Walton has conveyed a similar message about his team. Fresh off the worst three seasons in franchise history, Los Angeles proved a surprise in the first two weeks, putting together a three-game winning streak and showing off an offense that is tied for fifth in scoring (108.6 points per game). A win against the Kings will give the Lakers four wins in a five-game stretch for the first time since November 2013.

But Walton, the first-year coach who won two championships with the Lakers as a player, doesn't seem to be focused on wins and losses, so much as he is his team's growth.

"If we lose three in a row, all the stories will be the same, about a young team that's trying to figure it out," Walton told the Los Angeles Daily News. "I've said it from the beginning: We try not to get caught up in all that, not worry about that. Just focus on what we do as a group."

So far, the group has looked to one another to score. D'Angelo Russell, Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and Nick Young all are averaging at least 14 points per game. Williams, Luol Deng and Russell are also making at least 34 percent of their 3-pointers.

Cousins is averaging 25.5 points and has led Sacramento in scoring in seven of its nine games. He averaged 27 points and 11.3 rebounds in four games against Los Angeles last season.

Sacramento has won the last seven meetings with the Lakers. The Kings averaged 117 points in four games last season and swept the season series from Los Angeles for the first time.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

There are two homecoming games I am very much looking forward to this season. The first is Kevin Durant's initial game back in Oklahoma City on Feb. 11. I'm sure Durant will get some cheers, but there are a lot of people still angry he bailed on the franchise so there will be plenty of negativity. But it should only be positive on Thursday night when Dwyane Wade returns to Miami for the first time. Wade isn't just the greatest player in franchise history -- he gets the nod over LeBron James because James wasn't there long enough -- who led the Heat to three NBA titles, but Wade is probably the most beloved athlete in south Florida ever. It used to be Dan Marino, but of course he never led the Dolphins to a Super Bowl title. Wade never wanted to leave Miami but felt disrespected in contract negotiations and returned to his hometown of Chicago. I'm sure there will be a major video tribute for Wade and a huge ovation.

Pelicans at Bucks (-5.5, 209)

New Orleans remains the only winless team in the West following a 102-94 defeat in Sacramento on Tuesday. Anthony Davis had 34 points, eight rebounds and four blocks for the Pelicans, whose 0-8 start matches the 2004-05 team for the worst start in franchise history. Milwaukee has been off since an 86-75 OT loss in Dallas on Sunday. Giannis Antetokounmpo's long jumper at the buzzer missed, forcing overtime. Milwaukee had scored 117 or more points in three consecutive games for the first time since February 2009. Milwaukee was 2-0 last season vs. New Orleans. The Bucks won 103-92 at home, their first home victory vs. the Pelicans since 2012.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 1-4 against the spread in their past five road games. The "over/under" is 4-0 in the Bucks' past four at home.

Early lean: Bucks and over.

Bulls at Heat (-1.5, 198.5)

First of the TNT doubleheader. It's the second of a back-to-back for Chicago as it was in Atlanta on Wednesday. Wade might sit out some second games in 24 hours this season but obviously not this one. Wade said a communication breakdown between himself and team president Pat Riley was why he left. Wade said "things started changing" after LeBron returned to Cleveland in 2014 and Riley gave Chris Bosh a max contract yet never offered Wade one. Also, Charles Barkley will actually leave the TNT studio to join the game broadcast for this one. He does that a few times a season. Should be entertaining. Miami lost a second straight game Monday, 97-85 in Oklahoma City. Miami's Hassan Whiteside, who entered averaging 20 points and 14.2 rebounds, finished with five points on 1-for-9 from the field. He did have 12 boards. Dion Waiters, in his return to OKC, was also 1-for-9 from the field. The Heat won all four games vs. Chicago last year.

Key trends: The Bulls are 0-4 ATS in the past four meetings. The under is 7-2 in the previous nine.

Early lean: Heat and under.

Warriors at Nuggets (TBA)

A rare Thursday where Golden State will not be featured nationally on TNT. The Warriors are in the second of a back-to-back as they hosted Dallas on Wednesday. Wouldn't surprise me to see Steve Kerr sit a key guy or two here or at least limit minutes quite severely. Denver lost in Memphis on Tuesday, 108-107 on a buzzer-beater. Wilson Chandler sat with a left hamstring injury but was at the shootaround, so you could see him here. Golden State won three of four meetings last year vs. the Nuggets but lost the last one 112-110 in Denver.

Key trends: The Warriors are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 6-0 in those.

Early lean: Not sure why the TBA as Chandler wouldn't be worth that. Must be that Kerr could rest guys. Nuggets should get plenty of points, and I like them here.

Lakers at Kings (-4.5, 209.5)

The second TNT game. The Lakers are actually quite fun to watch this season -- and improved -- as it's no longer Kobe Bryant just playing 1-on-5 and taking a fadeaway jumper as the shot clock wound down. Los Angeles is off a 109-97 home loss to Dallas on Tuesday. Jordan Clarkson scored 22 points as the Lakers' three-game winning streak ended thanks in part to 17 turnovers. Sacramento can get to .500 here, which is pretty noteworthy for that franchise even this early in the season, as it has won two straight following an eight-point home victory over New Orleans on Tuesday. DeMarcus Cousins had 28 points and the team welcomed back presumed starting point guard Darren Collison from his eight-game suspension. He did come off the bench and had nine points and four assists. Collison might need a few games to get in shape before moving into the starting five for Ty Lawson unless Coach Dave Joerger suddenly likes what Collison does running the second unit. The Kings swept the 2015-16 series (4-0) vs. the Lakers for the first time in franchise history. Cousins averaged 27.0 ppg and 11.3 rpg in the four. Sacramento has won five straight at home in the series but in a different building.

Key trends: The Lakers have covered just one of the past eight meetings. The under is 5-1 in the Kings' past six vs. the West.

Early lean: Kings and under.