Thursday 12/8/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (8-14) at Wizards (7-13)

Date: December 08, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

WASHINGTON -- Neither the Denver Nuggets nor Washington Wizards will enter Thursday's first head-to-head matchup feeling upbeat.

The Nuggets (8-14) lost 116-111 Wednesday night on the road to a five-win Brooklyn Nets. At least Denver can take pride in rallying from a 29-point deficit as they outscored Brooklyn 48-24 over the final 17:56. Despite that late effort and closing within 111-109 with 16.9 seconds, the Nuggets lost for the fourth time in five games.

"I told our team at halftime that Brooklyn was on pace for 84 points in the paint, which just shows signs of no resistance, no fight," Denver coach Mike Malone said. "But I tell you, I am proud of our guys, getting down by 29 points and cutting it to three or four, whatever it was late. We got a couple of good shots that just didn't go down for us but we didn't roll over. Twenty-nine points didn't become 50 and I'm happy about that."

There was anything but happiness for the Wizards (7-13) following Tuesday's 124-116 loss to the Orlando Magic. John Wall scored a career-high 52 points, but had little help most of the game. The real issues for Washington, which has lost three of four, came defensively. The Magic set a season high for points in the win.

"Not even just defensive effort, just playing hard," Wall said. "Our job is to wake up and just play hard. Before you made it to the NBA or got a college scholarship, you played hard to get where you wanted to get to. To still be talking about playing hard. ... That's the easiest thing. Shouldn't have to do with any contracts or any money. Just come in and play basketball."

Asked why that isn't happening, Wall said, "I don't know. If I had the answers we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Orlando shot 51.8 percent overall from the field, 12 of 26 from beyond the arc and led by as many as 20 points.

"We have to be able to sustain a sense of urgency possession by possession," Brooks continued. "It was spotty at best. Until we do that, we're going to put ourselves in a bad position."

Wilson Chandler led the Nuggets with 27 points against the Nets. He also led the comeback, which began soon after Malone was ejected for arguing a foul with an official as Denver trailed by 21 points midway through the third quarter.

"When he got ejected, that was the plan, to try to get something going," Chandler said. "We were down. There was nothing happening and I think that kind of lit a fire under us."

Led by Chandler, the Nuggets' bench scored 70 points against the Nets, which is three less than the 73 the Magic's second unit scored against Wizards.

Denver averaged 116.5 points during a two-game sweep over Washington last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (12-11) at Grizzlies (15-8)

Date: December 08, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Zach Randolph is back with the Memphis Grizzlies, just as his late mother would have wanted.

The veteran power forward returned to the team Tuesday after a seven-game absence following the death of Mae Randolph on Thanksgiving Day. He came off the bench for 12 points and 14 rebounds in a 96-91 victory over Philadelphia, drawing a standing ovation when he entered the game in the second quarter.

"I heard it," Randolph told reporters afterward. "I appreciate the city and the love and support of the organization. It's meant a lot for the city to be behind me."

Randolph and his mother were very close. He grew up in a single-parent household in Marion, Ind.

"My mom was my father, too," Randolph said. "My mom was all I had. She was the rock of the family. It's tough, but I'm going to continue to go hard for her, and leave it all out there, and do it for her."

"It's important to get back to working. This is what my mother would want me to do. Don't sit around and be sad. So I'm doing it for her."

Memphis coach David Fizdale was glad to regain the services of Randolph. The Grizzlies, 15-8 heading into Thursday night's matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers at FedEx Forum, have been shorthanded for some time. Veteran point guard Mike Conley is out for at least another month with a lower back injury. Small forward Chandler Parsons has been out since Nov. 18 with a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for at least another week. Also missing are small forward James Ennis (calf), shooting guard Vince Carter (hip) and forward Brandan Wright (ankle).

Even with all the wounded, the Grizzlies have won four in a row and 10 of 13. In the win over Philadelphia, rookie guard Wade Baldwin stepped up with a season-high 11 points and forward JaMychal Green had his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

The Grizzlies will be looking to avenge a 100-94 loss to Portland on Nov. 6 in Memphis in a game in which the Blazers' CJ McCollum matched his career high with 37 points. McCollum has averaged 24.0 points in his past five games against Memphis and has scored at least 20 in each of those contests.

The Blazers saw the end of a three-game win streak -- and some improved defensive play -- in a 115-107 loss at Milwaukee Wednesday night at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

The Bucks shot .519 from the field, including .417 (10 for 24) from 3-point range, and took advantage of nine fourth-quarter turnovers by the Blazers (12-11). Milwaukee scored 34 points in the third quarter and 30 in the fourth.

"We're not a really good team right now," Portland coach Terry Stotts told the media afterward. We're finding our way."

Point guard Damian Lillard continued his offensive tear with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but scored just two points in the fourth quarter.

"We weren't as sharp as we needed to be on some possessions," Lillard said. "When you're against a team like that, with that kind of size and length, it's going to lead to turnovers."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (4-18) at Pelicans (7-15)

Date: December 08, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

NEW ORLEANS -- Their shared numbers are ugly and humbling.

At 4-18, the Philadelphia 76ers have the worst record in the NBA and have nine healthy players.

Losers of three straight games despite the presence of a league superstar, the 7-15 Pelicans own the sixth-worst record in the NBA and have the flesh wounds to prove it.

So when the Pelicans host the 76ers in a match of NBA bottom-feeders Thursday night at the Smoothie King Center, it's natural to assume the worst -- of both.

"It's very frustrating, to be honest with you," said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, whose team dropped a 110-108 double-overtime decision at home to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night despite Anthony Davis' 28 points and 17 rebounds in 48 1/2 minutes. "I just had higher expectations and thought that we would have fewer injuries, to be honest with you."

The Pelicans played without point guard Jrue Holiday in the Monday loss Memphis, and his absence was deeply felt. Holiday missed the first six weeks of the season while caring for his wife Lauren, who gave birth to their first child and then underwent successful surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.

When Holiday returned to the lineup, the Pelicans won a season-best five consecutive games at home, but Holiday sustained a turf toe injury during a Sunday night loss at OKC. The pain was so debilitating that Holiday could not push off on his left foot.

Holiday's status for the 76ers' game is uncertain.

"I didn't know how excruciating it could be," Holiday said on Wednesday. "People don't understand that when you hurt your toe, you can't do anything. If I could walk on my hands I would or if I could just cut it off it would be great."

Amputation might be considered going a little bit beyond the NBA's standard player's contract.

While Gentry is trying to plug leaks in his lineup -- guard E'Twaun Moore missed the Memphis game with a toe injury and forward Dante Cunningham has a broken bone in his leg -- he is hoping his players can soldier through.

Little irritants have blossomed into bigger problems. The Pelicans held solid leads against Memphis at the end of regulation and at the close of the first overtime period but allowed the Grizzlies to make big shots to extend the game.

Gentry took the blame for one late-game snafu -- he drew up an inbounds play that had the ball being thrown in from the opposite side of the court.

"One of them we drew up on the right side of the floor and the ball was on the left side," Gentry said. "I take full responsibility for that. I'm not going to dodge anything."

Davis leads the NBA in scoring (31.6) and blocks (2.81) and is sixth in rebounding (11.4), but his heavy lifting is beginning to wear him down. He also leads the NBA in minutes played (38.0).

"It's just unfortunate for him because to me, he's having an unbelievable, MVP season," Gentry said. "When I think about what he's done and the defenses he's faced and still the numbers he's put up -- not just offensive numbers but being able to lead the league in blocked shots and being really solid defensively -- it's unfortunate."

The Sixers had just nine players available in a 96-91 loss at Memphis on Tuesday night, and Jerryd Bayless (left wrist), Robert Covington (left knee sprain) and Jahlil Okafor (gastroenteritis) are not expected to join the team in New Orleans.

"This (was) our fourth game in five nights," said coach Brett Brown. "We came down with nine guys, and you're playing against a veteran, tough, playoff-hard Memphis team. I was proud of their effort."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (19-3) at Jazz (14-9)

Date: December 08, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

SALT LAKE CITY -- Slowing down Golden State's offense is a bit like trying to move a mountain with bare hands. The Warriors are scorching one defense after another with their ability to relentlessly score from anywhere on the floor.

Golden State (19-3) is averaging 130.5 points per game in the month of December. The Warriors have won their last two games by an average of 27.3 points, with the latest result being a 115-98 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

Their big three of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson have been virtually unstoppable over the past four contests. Thompson is averaging 31.3 points on 48.9 percent shooting. Curry is scoring 22.8 points per game on 47.6 percent shooting and dishing out 6.0 assists. Durant is chipping in 23.8 points on 47.0 percent shooting and collecting 8.3 rebounds.

This sort of offensive efficiency is no fluke. Golden State leads the NBA in field-goal percentage (.502) and is the only team in the league shooting above 50 percent. The Warriors are also league leaders in assists (32.0) and scoring (120.0).

It's reached a point where Golden State almost demands perfection and a 115-point outing against the Clippers is a bit of a disappointment.

"Honestly, I don't think we played well offensively tonight," Draymond Green said after Thursday's game. "We missed a lot of shots that we normally make. The flow wasn't really there. But the most important thing is we defended and didn't turn the ball over. And when you don't turn the ball over and you defend, you give yourself a chance to win every game."

Dealing with such a potent offense will be challenging even for one the NBA's best defensive teams. The Utah Jazz are allowing just 95.5 points per game this season and have given up only 93.0 points per contest in 11 home contests.

Containing Golden State at that level will be nearly impossible for Utah, which has just 11 available players for Thursday. George Hill (sprained toe), Rodney Hood (hamstring strain), Derrick Favors (knee contusion) and Alec Burks (ankle rehabilitation) will not play against the Warriors.

Gordon Hayward is also banged up after injuring the same finger he fractured during the preseason in Tuesday's 112-105 win over Phoenix. Hayward left during the third quarter to get the finger examined and returned for the fourth quarter. His finger was bruised and swollen after the game but, fortunately for Utah, not broken.

"It was stinging, so I wanted to make sure everything was fine before I came back," Hayward said. "Sometimes, you just have to let pain dissipate a little bit. We put some spray on it and re-wrapped it. It's not broken. We X-rayed it and it's fine."

A troubling trend has emerged for the Jazz over their last three games. In each game, Utah has surrendered a double-digit lead during the fourth quarter and held on in the final minutes for a victory.

Fourth-quarter sluggishness was really pronounced against the Suns. The Jazz scored just nine points over the first 10 minutes of the quarter and relaxed on defense, allowing Phoenix to rally from a 19-point deficit and tie the game at 103-103 with 3:07 remaining.

"I don't think we're playing our best defense at all," Utah coach Quin Snyder said. "The ball has gotten in the paint too much. We've been playing teams that are just driving the ball. In some respects, when Rudy is protecting the rim, that's good. But if you look at the lineups we've had, we haven't had a lot of quickness on the floor. Guys got to be more disciplined."

Golden State has dominated the series with Utah in recent seasons. The Warriors have won five straight and 11 of the last 12 against the Jazz. Utah's lone win in that stretch was a 110-100 home victory on Jan. 30, 2015.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (18-4) at Bulls (11-10)

Date: December 08, 2016 9:30 PM EDT

The San Antonio Spurs can match an NBA record for consecutive road wins to start a season if they defeat the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night at the United Center.

The Spurs are 13-0 and could tie the Golden State Warriors, who set the mark by going undefeated in their first 14 road games last season.

"It's hard to win an NBA game, especially on the road," reserve guard Patty Mills told Fox Sports Southwest after scoring 15 points in the Spurs' 105-91 win Tuesday at the Minnesota Timberwolves. "Maybe that extra focus, knowing that we're in another team's building and (they're) wanting to come out trying to beat us, there's that little bit of extra focus or energy or effort, whatever it may be. But we can't pinpoint (why) at the moment, and nor should we try to figure it out. Long season, I guess."

It will also be a homecoming of sorts for Spurs center Pau Gasol, who played the past two seasons with the Bulls and signed with San Antonio as a free agent in the offseason.

Gasol, 36, has only missed one game for the Spurs (18-4). He's averaging 11.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Gasol could give the post-challenged Bulls matchup problems, but Chicago will also need to dedicate a significant amount of focus on defending forward Kawhi Leonard.

San Antonio's leading scorer (24.5 points per game) is coming off a 31-point performance against the Timberwolves, despite a slow start in that game. Leonard, 25, is averaging nearly four more minutes per game than his career average of 30.1 and scoring about 10 more points per game than his 14.9 career average.

"By this point in his career, he's a confident player," Spurs coach Gregg Poppovich told Fox Sports Southwest. "He knows he's got a green light. We call his number now and then, but he does a lot of this stuff on his own, and he's getting pretty good at pick-and-roll. So, he just advances his game every year a little bit in some fashion. Special young man."

The Bulls (11-10) are coming off a 102-91 loss Tuesday at the Detroit Pistons, when they were outplayed in the fourth quarter after overcoming a 17-point deficit in the first half. Chicago has lost three straight games, four of its past five and is just 3-6 since winning four straight Nov. 10-17.

The Bulls have allowed 100-plus points in seven of those nine games.

"The problem is not on the offensive end," guard Jimmy Butler told CSN Chicago. "(The Pistons) got whatever they wanted. We're not defending the way we're capable. We're messing up assignments, not boxing out, not playing to guys' weaknesses. We gotta fix it. All of these count early on. We have to turn this around."

Butler is doing his part. The Bulls' leading scorer scored 32 against the Pistons and is averaging 26 points a game. Over the past 10 games, Butler is averaging 27.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 10.7 free-throw attempts.

He's just not getting enough consistent help from Dwyane Wade, Rajon Rondo or others in the Bulls' playing rotation. Rondo returned to the lineup against the Pistons after serving a one-game suspension for a reported altercation with an assistant coach.

Chicago also made a series of roster moves Wednesday involving the Windy City Bulls of the D-League. They recalled forward Doug McDermott from their D-League affiliate. They also recalled guard R.J. Hunter and rookie forward Pau Zipser after sending both to the D-League about two hours earlier.

The Spurs might not have veteran guard Tony Parker, who is questionable after bruising his knee in San Antonio's 97-96 win Monday at the Milwaukee Bucks.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Thursday, Dec. 8, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Anthony Davis has been in the NBA since the 2012-13 season but is just 23 years old because he left Kentucky after one fabulous freshman season. Davis is now easily a Top-5 player in the NBA and on a monstrous contract. Joel Embiid is playing his rookie NBA season but is already 22 because of course he missed what were to have been his first two seasons due to foot troubles. I am mega-excited to see Davis and Embiid face off for the first time ever, barring some AAU game or something back in their youth that I don't know about, on Thursday night when New Orleans hosts Philadelphia in a game that otherwise would get little attention. Two athletic 7-foot freaks who have range all the way out to the 3-point arc. The 76ers didn't play Wednesday and don't on Friday, so there should be no reason why the team would rest Embiid here as it does at times.

Timberwolves at Raptors (-8, 214.5)

First of the TNT doubleheader, each game an hour earlier this week. Minnesota lost 105-91 at home to San Antonio on Tuesday. Zach LaVine scored 25 points for the Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns had 11 points and 14 rebounds, but shot just 3 of 16. Toronto's six-game winning streak ended in a 116-112 home loss to Cleveland on Monday -- the Raptors are 0-3 vs. the Cavs this year. DeMar DeRozan had 31 points and Kyle Lowry added 24 for Toronto. DeRozan will set a franchise record for games played in this one. Minnesota and Toronto split last year. The Timberwolves have dropped 12 straight north of the border.

Key trends: The Wolves are 2-9 against the spread in their past 11 vs. teams with a winning record. The "over/under" is 4-1 in the past five meetings.

Early lean: Raptors and over.

Nuggets at Wizards (-4, 217.5)

Denver was in Brooklyn on Wednesday. Washington lost 124-116 at home to Orlando on Tuesday despite a career-high 52 points from John Wall. He was 18-for-31 from the field and added eight assists. But only two other Wizards scored in double figures. Denver swept Washington last year and averaged 116.5 points in the two wins.

Key trends: The home team is 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 3-0-1 in the past four.

Early lean: Wizards and over.

Trail Blazers at Grizzlies (-1, 205)

Portland visited Milwaukee on Wednesday. Memphis is missing a ton of guys due to injury and might not have much left in the tank as this is the Grizzlies' third game in four nights. But Memphis won a fourth straight game Tuesday, 96-91 over Philadelphia. Marc Gasol had 26 points and 12 rebounds as the Grizz scored the game's final seven points. Zach Randolph returned after missing seven games for personal reasons and had 12 points and 14 rebounds. The victory was the Grizzlies' 11th straight that either went to OT or was decided by five points or fewer. Portland won in Memphis 100-94 on Nov. 6 behind a career-high-tying 37 points from C.J. McCollum. He had 10 straight Portland points in the closing minutes to put the game away.

Key trends: The Blazers are 5-1-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 5-0-1 in the Grizzlies' past six at home.

Early lean: Blazers and under.

76ers at Pelicans (TBA)

New Orleans lost a third straight game Monday, 110-108 in double overtime at home to Memphis. Davis had 28 points and 17 rebounds, while Langston Galloway had season-high 26 points. But he missed a corner 3 that could have won it as second extra period ended. Guards Jrue Holiday and E'Twaun Moore both were sidelined with toe injuries. Philadelphia dropped an eighth straight Tuesday, 96-91 at Memphis. Ersan Ilyasova had season bests of 23 points and 17 rebounds in the loss. Jerryd Bayless, Robert Covington, Embiid and Jahlil Okafor were all out. Embiid was because it was the second of a back-to-back; the others are hurt. Philly and New Orleans split last year, each winning at home. The 76ers' win was near the end of the season and was their 10th and last of the 2015-16 campaign, assuring they didn't tie their own league record for fewest victories in an 82-game season.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 5-0 ATS in their past five vs. the East. The under is 10-3 in the 76ers' past 13 vs. the West.

Early lean: Have to wait on all the injured guys on both sides.

Warriors at Jazz (TBA)

Mega-trap game potential for Golden State after visiting the Clippers on Wednesday. First off, the Jazz tend to play the Warriors tough. Second, it would shock me not at all if Steve Kerr rests one or two of his stars here. Utah won a third straight Tuesday, 112-105 over Phoenix. Gordon Hayward had 28 points. Rudy Gobert scored a career-high 22 points and had 11 rebounds. The Jazz did cough up a 23-point lead before reasserting control. George Hill missed his fourth consecutive game with a sprained left big toe, and Rodney Hood did not return after halftime with a sore right hamstring. Golden State swept Utah last year, but the two in Salt Lake City were close and the Jazz probably should have won both.

Key trends: The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 6-0 in Utah's past six overall.

Early lean: Have to wait on the potential Warriors resting and two injured Jazz guys. I would take Utah if Hill and Hood play.

Spurs at Bulls (+3.5, 199)

Second TNT game. San Antonio won a fourth straight and stayed unbeaten on the road with a 105-91 victory at Minnesota on Tuesday. Kawhi Leonard had 31 points as the Spurs shot 52.7 percent from the field. Tony Parker was out with a bruised knee and is being called 50-50 for Thursday. At 13-0 away from home, the Spurs are one win shy of tying the NBA-record road winning streak to open a season of 14 straight by last year's Warriors. Chicago lost a third in a row Tuesday, 102-91 in Detroit. The Bulls were playing their fourth game in five nights and faded in the fourth quarter. Rajon Rondo was back in the lineup after a one-game suspension and had 10 points. These teams split last year. Chicago has won the past two at home vs. San Antonio. Of course the Spurs signed Bulls All-Star forward Pau Gasol in free agency this offseason.

Key trends: The Spurs have covered just three of their past 17 on the road. The under is 6-0 in the Bulls' past six on Thursday.

Early lean: Bulls and under.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday’s games

Nuggets won four of last six games with Washington; they won three of last five visits here. Over is 6-2-1 in last nine series games. Denver lost six of its last eight games; they’re 6-3 vs spread as a road underdog. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Nuggets are 2-2 vs spread if they played night before. Washington lost three of last four games; they’re 4-5 as home favorites. Over is 9-3 in Wizards’ last 12 games.

Raptors won nine of last ten games with Minnesota; Wolves lost last six visits here (2-4 vs spread). Four of last five series games went over the total. Minnesota lost five of its last six games; they’re 3-4 vs spread as a road underdog. Over is 3-2 in their last five games. Toronto won six of its last seven games, is 6-3 as a home favorite. Over is 12-3 in their last fifteen games.

Memphis is 6-4 in its last ten games with Portland; Trailblazers won their last two visits here by six points each. Four of last six series games went over the total. Portland won three of its last four games; they’re 2-5 as road underdogs. Six of Blazers’ last seven games went over total. Memphis won 11 of its last 14 games; they’re 2-4 as home favorites. Under is 8-2 in their last ten home games.

76ers lost five of last seven games with New Orleans; Sixers lost last three visits here, by 37-25-7 points. Three of last four series games stayed under. 76ers lost their last eight games; they’re 2-5 as road underdogs. Three of their last four games stayed under total. New Orleans lost five of its last six games; they’re 2-5 as home favorites. Over is 9-2-1 in their home games.

Warriors won their last five games with Utah (4-1 vs spread); under is 2-0-1 in last three series games. Golden State is 15-1 in its last 16 games, 7-4 as road favorites, 1-3 vs spread if they played the night before. Three of their last four games went over the total. Utah won seven of its last eight games, is 7-4 at home, 1-1 as a home underdog. Last six Jazz games went over the total.

Spurs won five of last eight games with Chicago, but lost three of last five visits to Windy City (over 3-2). San Antonio won 13 of its last 14 games; they’re 9-3 as road favorites. Spurs’ last six games went over the total. Chicago lost five of last seven games, is 2-0 as a home underdog. Under is 7-4 in their last 11 games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Top 25 roundup: Indiana State upsets No. 16 Butler
By The Sports Xchange

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Brenton Scott scored 25 points and Matt Van Scyoc added a career-high 23 points to lead Indiana State to a 72-71 upset of No. 16 Butler Wednesday night at Hulman Center.
After Indiana State's Jordan Barnes missed the front end of a one-and-one situation, Butler's Tyler Lewis tied the game at 71-71 with two free throws with 11.5 seconds left.
Scott hit the first of two free throws with 1.5 seconds left to give Indiana State a one-point lead. Butler's Kelan Martin missed a shot beyond half-court at the buzzer.
The Bulldogs' record dropped to 8-1 while Indiana State improved to 5-4.
Van Scyoc hit six 3-pointers, including four in the second half.

No. 6 Kentucky 87, Valparaiso 63
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kentucky (8-1) bounced back from its loss to UCLA to rout Valparaiso, which saw its five-game winning streak end.
Bam Adebayo was the top scorer for the Wildcats, finishing with 16 points and seven rebounds. Malik Monk had 15 points, Derek Willis 12 and Isaiah Briscoe 10.
Alec Peters topped the Crusaders (7-2) with 23 points and eight rebounds, making 9 of 20 shots from the floor. Tevonn Walker and Shane Hammink added eight points apiece for Valparaiso.
Kentucky blew open the game early with a 21-0 run to snap a 4-4 tie.

No. 7 North Carolina 83, Davidson 74
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Justin Jackson matched his career high with 27 points as North Carolina fended off visiting Davidson at the Smith Center.
Jackson, a junior, hit a career-high seven 3-point baskets coming off a game with a season-low eight points against Radford. The 3-pointers were one short of the school record held by six players.
Isaiah Hicks' 13 points and Luke Maye's 10 points (all in the first half) helped the Tar Heels (9-1).
Davidson guard Jack Gibbs poured in 30 points and Peyton Aldridge had 22 points for Davidson (5-3), which lost for the second time in four days.

No. 8 Gonzaga 98, Washington 71
SPOKANE, Wash. -- Junior point guard Nigel Williams-Goss had a game-high 23 points against his former school in the Bulldogs win over the Huskies.
Jordan Mathews, a former California guard, contributed 14 points on 3-of-5 shooting from 3-point range against his former Pac-12 rival. Williams-Goss, who transferred to Gonzaga from Washington after the 2014-15 season, made 9 of his 13 field goal attempts and had five rebounds and five assists.
Washington (4-4) lost its third consecutive game while Gonzaga improved to 9-0 for the first time since 2012-13. The Huskies were led by freshman point guard Markelle Fultz's 25 points. The high-profile NBA prospect finished shooting 10 of 26 from the floor with 10 rebounds.

No. 11 Louisville 74, Southern Illinois 51
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Louisville (8-1) scored the first 13 points of the game to take control early. The Cardinals got 15 points from senior center Mangok Mathiang and 12 points and 12 rebounds from sophomore forward Deng Adel, his first career double-double.
After Louisville scored the first 10 points of the game as Southern Illinois missed five straight shots, Salukis coach Barry Hinson called a timeout to gather his team. It didn't slow down the onslaught as Louisville pushed the lead to 13-0 before Southern Illinois (5-4) scored with 14:55 remaining before halftime.
Mike Rofriguez and Sean O'Brien finished with 15 apiece for Southern Illinois.

Colorado 68, No. 13 Xavier 66
BOULDER, Colo. -- Derrick White scored a season-high 23 points and Xavier Johnson had 18 to lead the Colorado upset. George King had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Buffaloes (7-2).
Trailing 47-39 early in the first half, the Buffaloes went on a 15-0 run to take control.
Trevon Bluiett led the Musketeers (7-2) with 25, tying his season high. His free throw with 56 seconds got Xavier within two points but it could get no closer.

No. 15 West Virginia 90, Western Carolina 37
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia forced 34 turnovers and held Western Carolina to 26-percent shooting in the blowout.
Esa Ahmad finished with 14 points and eight rebounds and Jevon Carter added 13 points and six steals as the Mountaineers (7-1) began a five-game stretch against mid-major foes.
It was the latest walloping for the Catamounts (3-6), who lost at Miami, Ohio State and Marquette by an average of 41 points.
Haboubacar Mutombo, Onno Steger and Adam Sleed paced the Catamounts with six points each.

No. 17 Wisconsin 78, Idaho State 44
MADISON, Wis. -- Bronson Koenig scored a game-high 21 points and forward Ethan Happ contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds to post his fifth double-double of the season for Wisconsin (8-2), which won its fourth straight game.
The Bengals (1-8) had only one basket in their first 12 possessions. Junior guard Erik Nakken drained a 3-pointer with 13:57 left in the first half for Idaho State, which had six field goals and 12 turnovers at halftime.
Bengals senior guard Ethan Telfair, who entered the game with a 19.8 points per game average, delivered two points on 1-of-8 shooting from the field. Wisconsin senior G Zak Showalter spent a majority of the game on defense against Telfair.

No. 19 Creighton 77, Nebraska 62
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Creighton (9-0) led by just a point at halftime, t bushot 60.7 percent in the second half to dash any hopes of an upset by the Huskers (5-4).
Creighton senior point guard Maurice Watson led all scorers with 25 points. Cole Huff joined Watson in double figures with 13 points, while Toby Hegner added eight points and 10 rebounds.
Tai Webster led Nebraska with 20 points. No other Cornhusker scored more than seven points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Iowa State Cyclones (6-2) at Iowa Hawkeyes (4-5)

Date: December 08, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

It might not have the national cachet of Duke-North Carolina or Kentucky-Louisville.

But the yearly meeting of No. 25 Iowa State and Iowa, which occurs Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, has a special meaning all its own, according to Iowa coach Fran McCaffery.

"This is a rivalry that means a lot to a lot of people," he said. "It means a lot to both teams for RPI, national rankings and NCAA Tournament potential. It has a lot of importance."

Even this season, with the Hawkeyes stumbling out of the gate to a 4-5 start that includes a four-game losing streak, including a bad home loss to an Omaha team that the Cyclones (6-2) routed 91-47 on Monday night, this game is one that's circled on everyone's calendar in Iowa.

How meaningful is this game? When a ranked Iowa State rallied from a 20-point deficit last season to topple the unranked Hawkeyes 83-82 in Ames on Monte Morris' floater with nine seconds left, Cyclones students stormed the floor and actually broke the leg of a Des Moines columnist on press row.

During a Tuesday press conference, second-year Iowa State coach Steve Prohm was still marveling at how his crowd reacted to the opening stages of the team's rally.

"This crowd was going crazy when we cut the lead from 20 to 18," he said. "A lot of places, the crowd would be quiet or booing. Iowa just came out and hit us in the mouth, but that was as good a rivalry performance as I've seen."

Morris led the charge last season with 20 points, nine assists and just one turnover, and Matt Thomas fired in six 3-pointers and 19 points. It was the third straight Cyclones win in the series, matching the program's all-time high against its rival.

If it's going to make it four straight, Iowa State will probably need to score a lot of points. Although the Hawkeyes are nowhere close to the ability of last year's team that was ranked in the top five at one point in February, they are still averaging 86.7 points per game.

Senior guard Peter Jok is the name of the game for Iowa. The lone returning starter from last season's team, Jok is firing in 23.9 ppg, hitting nearly 40 percent of his 3-pointers and going 47 of 51 at the foul line.

"He can get his shot any time he wants, whether they run good offense or bad offense," Prohm said of Jok. "We have to do a good job denying him the catch. Our defense will have to travel over there."

Cordell Pemsl (10.6) is also averaging in double figures for the Hawkeyes, which are still in the process of figuring out a playing rotation. Nine players have started games and only Jok has started all nine games.

Morris (14.2 ppg, 6.3 assists) leads four Cyclones in extra digits. Deonte Burton (14.1 ppg, 7.6 rebounds), Nazareth Mitrou-Long (12.8 ppg, 6.0 rebounds) and Thomas (11.3 ppg, 5.0 rebounds) can also score 25 on any night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (7-3) at Gaels (6-0)

Date: December 08, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

Saint Mary's plays all five of its remaining non-conference games at home against unranked foes, starting with Thursday's game against Texas-Arlington, and that gives the No. 12 Gaels (6-0) a chance to enter West Coast Conference play unbeaten.

However, the Mavericks (7-3) pose a significant threat. They were picked to win the Sun Belt Conference title in the preseason poll, and won six games in a row, including an 11-point victory over Texas on the Longhorns' home court Nov. 29.

"Very, very proud of our guys," Arlington coach Scott Cross said after the win over Texas. "We finally put it all together for two halves. We've been through a lot of adversity early on in the season when we weren't playing the way we were capable of. Our guys figured it out that we have to play together and that we have to be great on the boards. We have to take good shots. We have to have player and ball movement. They did those things tonight."

Arlington is led by a trio of players -- guard Jalen Jones, who leads the team in scoring at 13.8 points and has made 46.7 percent of his 3-pointers; forward Kevin Hervey, the preseason Sun Belt Conference player of the year who is averaging 13.4 points and a team-leading 6.2 rebounds, and guard Erick Neal, who is scoring 9.3 points per game while handing out 6.8 assists per contest.

Neal had 15 points, 13 assists and zero turnovers in Arlington's 99-49 victory over Division III Texas-Dallas on Monday.

"It is safe to say that Erick Neal was the best point guard in the country tonight," Cross said. "To have 13 assists with no turnovers and add in 15 points on just nine shots to go with five steals is a very efficient performance."

Obviously, Saint Mary's will be a step up in class from UT-Dallas.

The Gaels have succeeded with teamwork, sound fundamentals and outstanding outside shooting. They are second nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.22) and third in field-goal percentage (53.2), and the Gaels gave Stanford a glimpse of their efficiency when they collected 21 assists on 27 made field goals in a 66-51 victory at Stanford on Nov. 30.

"It's every coach's dream to have that many shooters and that many great passers on the floor at the same time," Stanford coach Jerod Haase said after the game. "It's hard to guard it all."

Jock Landale, the Gaels' 6-foot-11 center, leads the team in scoring (19.7 points per game), shooting percentage (76.1) and rebounding (9.0), but the star against Stanford was Calvin Hermanson, who scored a career-high 25 points while hitting 7 of 9 from 3-point range. Hermanson also did an outstanding defensive job on Stanford's Dorian Pickens, who was limited to two points.

Both Gaels' starting guards were all-conference selections last season and are among the nation's leaders in assists this year. Emmett Naar is averaging 7.7 assists after collecting eight against Stanford, and Joe Rahon averages 6.2 assists and had six assists against the Cardinal.

The fast start prompted coach Randy Bennett to admit that this might be his best team in his 16 seasons at Saint Mary's.

"It's up there. We'll see," he said. "Potentially, yeah. Potentially we could be."

Aiding the Gaels is the fact that forward Dane Pineau, whose back problems caused him to miss one game and play sparingly in three others, seems to be back at full strength. He started the second half of the game against Stanford, and may be in the starting lineup for the first time this season against Arlington.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Thursday’s games

Pacific blew 20-point lead with 12:00 left at Fullerton Saturday, losing 78-77; Tigers are 3-0 at home, 0-4 on road, with losses by 39-7-1-10 points- three of those games were in California, the other in Reno- this is at UMass, long way from home. Minutemen are 1-2 vs top 200 teams, with losses by total of five points; they’re turning ball 21.8% of time, shooting just 28.4% on arc. UMass is forcing turnovers 23.8% of time, has #40 eFG% defense. WCC road underdogs are 7-7 vs spread; A-14 home favorites are 12-24.

St John’s is 4-5, 0-4 vs top 200 teams; their best win is over #223 Northridge; Red Storm lost 73-57 to Fordham LY, snapping 4-game series win streak. Mullin has yet to turn program around; St John’s is #349 experience team; they’re shooting 40.3% on arc but only 43.9% inside it. Fordham is 4-4 vs D-I teams; their best win is over #193 St Peter’s; they lost last three games by 4-1-12 points. Rams are forcing turnovers 29.6% of time, #2 in country. Big East home favorites are 14-9 vs spread; A-14 road underdogs are 9-6.

Vanderbilt is 5-4 this season, 1-3 on neutral court; this is their first true road game. Vandy is shooting 42.7% on arc, only 45.7% inside it and they’re turning ball over 20.8% of time- they’re 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 24-10-4 points. Middle Tennessee is 9-1, beating UNCW by 5 in its only top 100 game; Blue Raiders are forcing turnovers 22.9% of time (#37)- they won by 15 at Ole Miss of SEC last Wednesday. SEC underdogs are 11-13 vs spread, 2-4 on road. C-USA home favorites are 9-9.

Iowa State beat Iowa last three years by 3-1-15 points; home side won 10 of last 12 series games, with Cyclones winning two of last three visits here. State just beat Omaha by 44, after Mavericks had upset Iowa 98-89 in Iowa City. Cyclones are #5 experience team; this is their first true road game of season- they’re 1-2 vs top 100 teams, with home loss in OT to Cincinnati. Iowa is #341 experience team; they’re 4-5, with best win over #286 Stetson. Big X favorites are 10-8 away from home; Big 14 underdogs are 18-12, 2-2 at home.

Tex-Arlington will be a popular underdog in March; they’re 7-3, with win at Texas, losses by 4 at Arkansas, 17 at Minnesota- they’ve won last four D-I games, but St Mary’s is best team they’ve played. Gaels are 6-0 vs schedule #91; four of their six opponents are top 100 teams- they have wins at Dayton/Stanford. St Mary’s is playing 2nd-slowest tempo in country; they’re shooting 64.1% inside arc, #1 in country. Arlington is turning ball over 23.2% of time, but St Mary’s doesn’t force lot of turnovers. WCC home favorites are 16-11 vs spread; Sun Belt road underdogs are 15-15.

Loyola Marymount is 1-3 vs D-I teams, but they lost to UConn/Boise State by total of 4 points, so there is a pulse there; Lions are #18 experience team whose only D-I win was by 16 over Portland State, a Big Sky rival of Southern Utah. SUU is 0-6 vs D-I teams, 0-3 in true road games, losing by 14-12-10 points, so they have some talent; their closest loss was 89-81 at home to UNLV. Thunderbirds are shooting only 39.4% inside arc. WCC home favorites are 16-11 vs spread; Big Sky road underdogs are 18-23.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'College Hoops'

Iowa St. at Iowa December 8, 8:00 EST

Iowa Hawkeyes are leaving bettors out in the cold. In six lined games the Hawkeyes are a money-burning 1-5 against the betting line. Going back to last season, Hawkeyes are a cash-guzzling 2-14 against the spread. Expect Hawkeyes to do what they typically do, drop the loot. Hawkeyes are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 non-conference games, 1-10 ATS in their last 11 games running the hardwood vs a team with a winning record.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Opening Line Report - Week 14
By Marcus DiNitto

The NFL’s Week 14 card is loaded with key divisional matchups. Here’s a look at the opening betting lines from Las Vegas, with insight from CG Technology vice president of risk Jason Simbal and Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook manager Ed Salmons. Numbers listed are the Vegas consensus as of about 10 p.m. ET on Sunday night, with early line moves and differences among books also noted.

Thursday, Dec. 8

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-3/-120)

The Westgate opened Kansas City -3.5 and moved to -3.5 (even) about 30 minutes later, but remained at the high end of the market. Most shops were dealing K.C. -3 (-120).

While the Chiefs were 2-point favorites in a 26-10 win at Oakland in Week 6, the modest adjustment to next week’s game at Kansas City is indicative of oddsmakers’ rising ratings on the Raiders.

But not everyone is buying Oakland yet. As quantitative handicappers remain dubious about the Raiders defense, most of the sharp money for Sunday’s Bills-Raiders game was on the road underdog, Simbal said.

“We thought we were in a good spot with Buffalo. They were dominating the game,” Simbal said. “But the Raiders offense proves to be able to come up with a big drive every time they need to. But they haven’t yet played a team like Kansas City on the road, so this is a big test.”

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL opening line report: Chiefs open as faves over very public Raiders
By PATRICK EVERSON

Week 14 of the NFL season gets out of the gate with a big matchup in the AFC West under the Thursday night lights. We check in with Peter Childs, risk management supervisor, on a few of this week’s opening lines.

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-4)

Kansas City is coming off one of the more implausible scoring plays of the season, and one that helped Andy Reid’s squad turn this week’s game into a battle for first place in the AFC West. The Chiefs (9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS) gave up a touchdown with under five minutes remaining at Atlanta to fall behind 28-27. But Eric Berry intercepted the pass on the Falcons’ 2-point conversion try and returned it 99 yards for a 2-point score, which gave Kansas City a 29-28 victory as a 5-point underdog.

Oakland (10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS) also kept rolling Sunday, besting Buffalo 38-24 as a 3-point home favorite. The Raiders have won six in a row (5-1 ATS) since their Oct. 16 home loss to the Chiefs, 26-10 as a 1-point pup. Should Oakland lose this week, the two teams would be tied, but K.C. would hold the tiebreaker by virtue of two head-to-head wins.

“Both teams are coming off nice wins, and both cashed for their backers, so we’re not exactly sure whom bettors are going to back in this game,” Childs said. “I have the Chiefs the better team, rating them 1 point higher than the Raiders. Throw in major home-field advantage and this being a short week for the Raiders to travel, and I give the Chiefs 3.5 for those intangibles.

“But the Raiders have been getting support from the public every week, so instead of opening Chiefs -4.5 (power rating plus intangibles), we decided to open Chiefs -4. We weren’t at 4 very long, as all the early money and bets were on the Raiders. We immediately went to 3.5, which is our current number.”

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

AFC West heats up TNF

TNF Betting Preview
Oakland Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Odds: Kansas City (-3), Total set at 46.5

There isn't anyone out there who thought that this week's Raiders/Chiefs game on TNF would be a battle for 1st place in the AFC West division but that's precisely where we stand.

The Raiders have been one of the best success stories this season at 10-2 SU, currently holding top spot in the entire conference and looking to stay there the rest of the way. Yet, one of those two defeats came at the hands of these Kansas City Chiefs in mid-October and the Raiders would love to solidify their top spot in the division.

The 26-10 loss Oakland suffered at home to the Chiefs earlier this season was by far their worst game of the year. Oakland couldn't get anything going on the ground (64 yards) and QB Derek Carr managed just one TD pass on 225 yards passing with an INT. Kansas City's defense frustrated Oakland's offense all afternoon, and punctuated the win by turning a close 13-10 game at half into a 26-10 drubbing by shutting out the Raiders in the 2nd half.

There is no question that a performance like that by Oakland stuck in their minds for a while, and since then they've put up 30 or more points in five of their six games. The Raiders will need to do something similar this week to earn the W and there aren't too many reasons to think that Oakland's offense won't find better success this time around.

The Chiefs have done everything they can to keep pace in the division outside of a dissapointing two-point home loss vs the Buccaneers a few weeks back. Kansas City has won seven out of their past eight games outright, but they've gone just 5-3 ATS during that span.

Their two most recent wins came on the road as slight underdogs to Atlanta and Denver, and now that they are back at home they are in the much less preferred role of favorites. KC is just 3-5 ATS when laying points this season and as I've said for many weeks in various pieces, this Chiefs team is still one that's getting by on smoke and mirrors right now.

However, many statistically dependant handicappers believe the same can be said about a Raiders team that's been outgained in yardage in nearly every contest this season and that gives this TNF an interesting dynamic. We've got two teams battling out for 1st place and there can be strong arguments made on both sides that neither team deserves to be where they are.

Oakland could very well have a few more L's on their record and the Chiefs – thanks to a last second TD to tie the game in Denver, and a pick-6 on a two point conversion last week – could have a few more defeats as well. The revenge angle does favor the Oakland side getting points, and with the Chiefs poor record as chalk this season, taking the points may be the way to go. But it's this total that I'm making a play on as this number is a little too short.

At 46.5 now thanks to about 60% of the action coming in on the 'under' according to Vegas Insider, bettors currently believe that this 1st place showdown will feature plenty of defense and a playoff-type style of game.

Yet, the Raiders have gone 'over' in six straight games – all six since losing to the Chiefs before – and I doubt that KC will have similar success again this week. After all, Kansas City's defense has given up 27+ points the past two weeks as their own defense has not played up to their full potential.

The last thing Oakland wants to do on the road here is to get into a slugfest with KC as the Raiders defense gives up 24.9 points per game. Carr and the offense prefer to carry the load and protecting the ball will be key.

Kansas City has lived off forcing turnovers this season (something that remains unsustainable), and if Oakland can force the Chiefs to put up 20+ by going the length of the field each time they'll be in good shape.

That being said, KC will likely capitalize on at least one loose ball and short fields and multiple turnovers tend to be good for an 'over' wager.

Although the first meeting between these two stayed well below the total, going with the “flip-flop” strategy in the rematch is the best way to bet this game.

Best Bet: Take Over 46.5 points

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Thursday Night Football betting preview: Raiders at Chiefs

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (-3, 46)

Derek Carr's spirited play during the Oakland Raiders' six-game winning streak has placed the third-year quarterback in the lively discussion for NFL MVP honors. Carr has thrown seven touchdown passes over his last three games and 12 during the winning streak as the first-place Raiders head into an AFC West showdown with the host Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

Carr rallied Oakland from a 15-point halftime deficit in Sunday's 38-24 victory over Buffalo, all while working exclusively out of the shotgun/pistol to protect his injured right pinkie finger. "It brought me back to my Fresno (State) days a little bit, so that was nice with the tempo and those kind of things," said the 25-year-old Carr, who will look to avenge a far less effective performance in Week 6 when he threw for 225 yards in a 26-10 loss to Kansas City. The Chiefs kept Carr in park with a successful ground game, highlighted by Spencer Ware rolling up a career-high 131 yards and a touchdown. The 25-year-old Ware, who will look to light up the 29th-ranked Raiders' run defense that is yielding 124.8 yards per contest, also found the end zone in Sunday's 29-28 victory at Atlanta.

TV: 8:25 p.m. ET, NBC, NFL Network.

POWER RANKINGS: Raiders (-4) - Chiefs (-3) + home field (-3) = Chiefs -2

LINE HISTORY: The Chiefs opened as 3-point home favorites and the line has yet to move as of Wednesday evening. The total hit the board at 46.5 and has dropped down to 46.

WEATHER REPORT: Cold temperatures (low 20's), clear skies and moderate winds (10 mph) are in the forecast for Thursday night in Kansas City. Football weather!

INJURY REPORT:

Raiders - DT D. Latham (Questionable, ankle), LB C. James (Questionable, shoulder), OL K. Osemele (Questionable, knee), LB S. Calhoun (Out, knee), DT S. McGee (Out, ankle), S K. Joseph (Out, toe), LB A. Smith (Out INdefinitely, suspension), DE M. Edwards (Out, hip), CB D. Hayden (I-R, hamstring), TE L. Smith (I-R, leg), LB B. Heeney (I-R, ankle), LB N. Ball (I-R, undisclosed), TE G. Holmes (I-R, ankle).

Chiefs - LB T. Hali (Probable, knee), WR J. Maclin (Probable, groin), DB P. Gaines (Probable, knee), DL D. Poe (Probable, back), DL K. Reyes (Probable, knee), QB T. Bray (Out Indefinitely, back), DL J. Howard (I-R, hip), RB J. Charles (I-R, knee), OL P. Ehinger (I-R, knee), DL A. Bailey (I-R, shoulder), LB J. March (I-R, undisclosed), FB T. Millard (I-R, knee), LB J. Mauga (I-R, shoulder).

ABOUT THE RAIDERS (10-2 SU, 8-4 ATS, 10-2 O/U): While Carr is being mentioned in NFL MVP discussion, defensive end Khalil Mack is hearing his name bandied about for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors. Mack has registered at least one of his team-leading 10 sacks in each of the last seven games, while also recording four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception in that span. Latavius Murray, who has three touchdowns in his last four encounters with Kansas City, scored twice last week to increase his rushing touchdown total to 11 - good enough for a tie for third in the league. Second-year wideout Amari Cooper collected 10 receptions for 129 yards in the first meeting with the Chiefs, but was limited to just two catches on Sunday versus the Bills.

ABOUT THE CHIEFS (9-3 SU, 6-6 ATS, 4-8 O/U): Alex Smith, who has thrown 18 touchdowns against three interceptions in his last nine starts versus the Raiders, is expected to see the return of trusted target Jeremy Maclin on Thursday. Maclin was a full participant in practice on Tuesday and is in line to end a four-game absence due to a groin injury. Tight end Travis Kelce recorded his third straight 100-plus-yard performance after reeling in eight receptions for 140 yards versus the Falcons, but was limited to three catches for 32 yards in the Week 6 win over Oakland.

TRENDS:

* Raiders are 10-1 ATS in their last 11 road games.
* Chiefs are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 home games.
* Over is 4-0 in Raiders last 4 vs. a team with a winning record.
* Under is 6-1 in Chiefs last 7 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
* Under is 7-1 in the last 8 meetings in Kansas City.

CONSENSUS: The public is siding with the home favorite Chiefs and Over is grabbing 63 percent of the totals wagers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Raiders (10-2) at Chiefs (9-3)

Date: December 08, 2016 8:25 PM EDT

When the Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs got together for their twice yearly meetings over the last 57 years, there's always been a certain edge to the competition.

Generally what has been on the line is pride, reputation and honor. Every once in a while the payoff is even larger. The latter is the case Thursday night when the Raiders visit Arrowhead Stadium to play the Chiefs. Kickoff is set for 7:35 p.m. in what is predicted to be a frigid evening, with temperatures in the high-teens and a wind-chill factor that will make it feel like 10 degrees.

"Honestly I love the cold," said Oakland quarterback Derek Carr. "I played in the Mountain West Conference and you play in a lot of different places whether it's Wyoming or Reno or Air Force or Colorado State, obviously cold places. I've had my fair share of those games; you treat it like any other game whenever you talk about weather. If you let it affect you, it will, so you just go out there with the right mindset."

The weather conditions just may help the 9-3 Chiefs cool off the hot 10-2 Raiders. The battle is for control of the AFC West, where Oakland is the leader and the Chiefs sit a game behind. But Kansas City won the first game between the teams 26-10 back in October in Oakland. Since that game the Raiders have not lost, racking up six consecutive victories by an average margin of nine points. Carr has become the first player in NFL history to throw five game-winning touchdown passes in the fourth quarter or overtime in a season.

"Both teams know each other," said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. "They've made changes defensively that have made them better on that side of the ball. They're playing very good all the way around in the different phases. They were a little down on the defensive side early on but they've picked up in that area. They're flying around and making plays."

Other than a two-point loss to Tampa Bay just over two weeks ago, the Chiefs have continued their winning ways, taking six of the last seven games. With their 11-1 record to close out the 2015 season, Kansas City is 20-4 in their last 24 regular-season and postseason games. Both teams won last Sunday, with the Chiefs beating the Falcons in Atlanta by one point and the Raiders coming from behind for a victory over Buffalo.

The short preparation time is the bane for all players and coaches, especially the Chiefs, who have had two straight road games, including the trip to Denver when they played a full 75 minutes. The Raiders will be sore, tired and cold.

"The number one thing is recovery," said Carr. "In a week like this, there's some tough things that come with it, but like Coach Del Rio says, 'Nobody cares.' Nobody cares, at the end of the day you have to go play."

The Raiders have a half-dozen victories this season that came with strong fourth-quarter comebacks. It's a mentality that's changed around Oakland with Del Rio in charge.

"We're learning how to win games at whatever cost it takes," said Carr. "Whether it's Khalil (Mack) stripping somebody or Tay (Latavius Murray) running the ball in or Seth (Roberts) catching another game-winner, we're just learning how to win games. I think that the more experience we have at doing that, the more situations we're in we're going to be able to look back and said, 'We've done this before'."

The first game between these teams was a 16-point victory for the Chiefs. That day the Raiders did not have Murray, who was out with an injury. He should be on the field Thursday evening. That K.C. victory was built on ball control and security.

They'll need more of the same to slow the Raiders locomotive.

"The positive is you get a few days off afterwards," said Reid. "Getting ready is a bit of a scramble drill, but you do it and you move on. It's hardest on the players, especially the later you get in the year."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NFL Picks: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs Odds & Expert Predictions
by Alan Matthews

I don't hear anyone complaining about the NFL's Thursday night schedule now! The last two TNF games have gone down to the wire, and this week's game is arguably the prime-time matchup of the regular season as 10-2 Oakland visits 9-3 Kansas City. The winner, in my opinion, will be the AFC West champion and could be the top seed in the AFC playoffs.

As things stand now, the Raiders are the top AFC team. They are tied with New England for overall record. There's no head-to-head tiebreaker to use between them, so next up is the record inside the conference. Both are 7-1. Next is win percentage against common opponents, and the Raiders hold that advantage. Should both Oakland and New England thus finish 14-2, the Raiders will have home-field advantage. The Raiders and Patriots have a total of five games against four common opponents: They each play the Texans, Ravens, Bills and Broncos, with the Patriots playing the Bills twice and the Raiders playing the Broncos twice. If both teams win out, the Raiders will be 5-0 in those five games against common opponents, while the Patriots will be 4-1.

I do find it rather hard to see Oakland winning out as it not has just this tough trip but also visits San Diego, hosts Indianapolis and ends the regular season at Denver, which might have to win that game just to get into the playoffs. The AFC West could have three teams with double-digit wins, but obviously the best two of those clubs can do is be a wild-card team. Not really fair that a potential 8-8 AFC South champion would get a home postseason game, but those are the rules.

Kansas City has a much better chance of winning out as it hosts Tennessee and Denver the next two weeks and closes at San Diego, which likely would have nothing to play for -- but it is expected to be the team's final-ever game in the city.

Raiders at Chiefs Betting Story Lines

I'm not a Chiefs or Lions fan, but I might want those two to play in the Super Bowl because it would almost guarantee a great game. Why? Detroit has trailed in the fourth quarter of every game but one this season yet has eight wins. Kansas City, meanwhile, has wins in six games this year in which it trailed at some point by at least one touchdown.

That was the case last week in Atlanta, a game I thought the Chiefs would almost surely lose after their epic but draining and physical overtime win in Denver in Week 12. K.C. did trail by its requisite touchdown, 13-6 in the second quarter. But it took a 27-16 lead into the fourth quarter thanks in large part to a 37-yard Eric Berry interception return for a touchdown (his second such of the season) and a 55-yard Albert Wilson TD run on a fake punt for the only points of the third quarter. However, Matt Ryan led the NFL's top offense to a couple of fourth-quarter touchdowns, the last with just under five minutes left for a 28-27 lead. I thought that game was over then, but Berry totally read the play call on the 2-point try -- a smart call by Atlanta to try for a field goal lead -- and returned that for the winning 2 points. Just an amazing play by Berry, who is from Atlanta and got to play a pro game there for the first time.

What's interesting is that Berry doesn't technically get credit for the pick because no passing, rushing or receiving yards, fumble, sack or interception is credited during a 2-point conversion. Berry is credited with scoring 2 points, though, and now has 14 on the year. Just another stunning win by the Chiefs to go with their miracles in Denver and Charlotte this year. Kansas City got out of that game fairly healthy but played a fourth straight without No. 1 receiver Jeremy Maclin. There's a good chance he returns for this one.

The Raiders won a sixth straight game on Sunday in rallying from a 24-9 second-quarter deficit to beat Buffalo 38-24 in Oakland's fourth home game in a row. I'm starting to think Derek Carr should be the MVP favorite as he had another strong game in throwing for 260 yards and two scores. He has now matched his win total this season from his first two combined. I'm still not sold on this team, however, as it tends to have mental lapses at times to fall behind, only for Carr and Co. to rescue things. Carr now has 13 TDs and no INTs when trailing in the second half or OT this season. That's not going to be as easy on the road.

Oakland might have lost excellent rookie safety Karl Joseph for at least this week as he was seen in a walking boot after the Buffalo game. But defensive end Mario Williams Jr., who has been on injured reserve all season, is back practicing. He doesn't necessarily have to be activated this week. Speaking of that defense, end/outside linebacker Khalil Mack has to be a favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Mack recorded seven tackles (four solo), one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery against the Bills and has at least one sack in seven straight games. He has forced four fumbles in his past five. That 2014 draft where Oakland got Mack in Round 1 and Carr in Round 2 might go down as historically good.

Raiders at Chiefs Betting Odds and Trends

Kansas City is a 3-point favorite (-130) with a total of 47.On the moneyline, the Chiefs are -185 and Raiders +160. On the alternate lines, the Chiefs are -3.5 (-105) and -2.5 (-155). Oakland is 8-4 against the spread (5-0 on road) and 10-2 "over/under" (4-1 on road). K.C. is 6-6 ATS (1-4 at home) and 4-8 O/U (1-4 at home).

The Raiders are 5-0 ATS in their past five vs. teams with a winning record. They are 10-1 ATS in their past 11 on the road. The Chiefs are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 after a win. They are 2-5 ATS in their past seven on Thursday. The over is 4-0 in Oakland's past four vs. teams with a winning record. The under is 5-1 in Kansas City's past six after a win. The favorite is 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings. The under is 7-1 in the previous eight in K.C.

Raiders at Chiefs Betting Prediction

Kansas City would win the divisional tiebreaker with a victory here as it dominated the Raiders 26-10 in Week 6 -- Oakland's last loss. Alex Smith did what he does in that one, playing mistake-free football and completing 19 of 22 for 224 yards. Spencer Ware rushed for 131 yards and a TD. Carr wasn't great, completing 22 of 34 for 225 yards, a TD, a pick and a lost fumble. Oakland didn't have No. 1 running back Latavius Murray then.

It's going to be Chiefs weather on Thursday night, with highs forecast to be around 15 degrees. Huge advantage for the home side because the cold usually benefits the better defensive team. Thus I'm giving the points here, but may as well do the 2.5. Go under the total.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Tech Trends - Week 14
By Bruce Marshall

Thursday Night, Dec. 8

OAKLAND at KANSAS CITY (NBC/NFL Network, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Road-oriented series with visitor 16-5 vs. line since 2006. Raiders 6-0 SU and vs. line away in 2016, now 12-2 vs. spread on road since Del Rio arrived LY. Chiefs 1-7 vs. spread last 8 at Arrowhead.
Tech Edge: Chiefs, based on team trends.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NFL

Week 14

Thursday Night

Raiders (10-2) @ Chiefs (9-3)— Long travel, short work week for Oakland; temps expected to be in 20’s. First place is up for grabs in AFC West; Chiefs won first meeting 26-10 (-1.5) in Oakland in Week 6- KC ran ball for 183 yards, was +2 in turnovers and shut Raiders out 13-0 in second half. Chiefs won six of last seven series games, with five of six wins by 14+ points. Oakland lost last three visits to Arrowhead by 17-18-6 points. Raiders won last six games overall (5-1 vs spread); they won/covered all five true road games this year, are 4-0 as road underdogs. Chiefs won seven of last eight games; they’re 4-1 at home, but 1-4 as home favorites, winning at Arrowhead by 6-21-6-5 points, with loss to Tampa Bay. Over is 10-2 in Raider games, 2-6 in last eight Chief games.