Thursday 3/24/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (44-24) at Jets (30-37)

Date: March 24, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Los Angeles Kings' latest defeat didn't cost them any ground in the Pacific Division, and they now get a shot at extending their lead with games against the two worst teams in the Western Conference.

A stop in Winnipeg on Thursday night could extend the Kings' division lead to six points, while the Jets try for consecutive home wins for the first time in 2016.

The Kings (44-24-5), who follow this game with a visit from Edmonton on Saturday, are hoping to avoid losing three straight in regulation for the first time since the first three games of the season. The latest was Tuesday's 2-1 final in Minnesota as Anaheim and San Jose also failed to pick up a point.

Los Angeles outshot the Wild 39-18, but all it had to show for it was Tyler Toffoli's team-leading 27th goal. The forward matched his career-high 49 points from last season, but the Kings have five goals in three games.

"When you've got that many shots you've got to make sure you keep the goals against at one or two and score," said coach Darryl Sutter, whose team is out to avoid being swept on a three-game road trip. "That's how you make the playoffs, and that's how you win in the playoffs."

They might make it easier on themselves by scoring with a man advantage. Los Angeles again failed to score on the power play and fell to 0 for 18 in the last seven games. Winnipeg has also been terrible at 1 for 31 in its last 10, including 0 for 14 in the past five.

"I thought we had some decent looks," center Anze Kopitar said. "I thought Drew (Doughty) in particular had some really good shots, they didn't go in. When they're not going in, it's easy to get complacent and say, 'We were doing OK, we were doing OK,' but we've got to figure out how to score, that's the bottom line."

The Kings opened the season series with a 4-1 win in Winnipeg on Oct. 27, and the teams meet again April 9 in Los Angeles to conclude the regular season. Toffoli had a goal and an assist in the first meeting, and he, Doughty and Jeff Carter all have six points in their last four games in the series.

The Jets (30-37-6) are concluding a four-game homestand hoping for consecutive victories in Winnipeg for the first time since taking three straight Dec. 18-29. The 5-13-2 span that's followed is a huge reason the Jets went from fighting for a playoff spot to 13th in the West.

Tuesday's 2-0 win over Vancouver ended a three-game skid, but Winnipeg has been limited to five goals in the four-game span. Mark Scheifele scored to get within two of his career-best 49 points from last season in 20 fewer games.

The shutout might not have been anything to be all that proud of considering the Canucks have been blanked in 11 straight periods.

"It's good for the young guys to feel how it is to win the game," said Ondrej Pavelec after his first shutout since ending last season with three straight. "But another day is tomorrow and L.A. will come into our town so it will be probably a little bit of a different game."

Pavelec hasn't won consecutive games since last season and has a 3.02 goals-against average and .895 save percentage over a 3-6-1 span.

Jonathan Quick is 4-3-1 in nine games against the Winnipeg-Atlanta franchise with a 3.19 GAA and .882 save percentage - both career worsts versus any opponent.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Flyers (35-24) at Avalanche (38-31)

Date: March 24, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

The Colorado Avalanche capped their road trip with a victory over the Western Conference's worst team despite not having Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon.

That also marked the end of cupcakes appearing on Colorado's schedule, as only playoff-caliber teams remain over the last nine games.

Colorado's top two scorers will remain out for at least the next two, beginning with Thursday night's visit from the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Avalanche (38-31-4) are on the verge of winning four straight for the first time since Jan. 18-23 after finishing a four-game trip through Canada with Sunday's 3-2 victory over Edmonton. Gabriel Landeskog returned from a three-game suspension and finished with a goal and an assist while Duchene and MacKinnon nursed knee injuries.

"I felt like I was hungry and ready to go, but the guys have done a great job throughout the road trip here making sure that we're in a good spot," Landeskog said. "I was just hungry to come out and help out."

He'll need to be on top of his game moving forward as well. Duchene and MacKinnon won't be evaluated again until Sunday, when Colorado flies out for games against Nashville on Monday and St. Louis the following night.

The Avalanche sit one point behind Minnesota for the West's final playoff spot with a showdown against the Wild looming Saturday at home. After that, they'll face only teams that have clinched playoff spots or are all but assured of a postseason berth.

Coach Patrick Roy doesn't have a timetable for when Duchene and MacKinnon will be able to return.

"They are not going to skate (this week)," Roy said. "We will see how it goes over the weekend and from there we will give you more. We're going on a (weekly) basis."

The Flyers (35-24-13) won't be feeling any sympathy for Colorado's situation having just gone through a three-week stretch without Jakub Voracek. They've gone 1-1-1 since his return after missing out on a crucial point in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to Columbus.

Philadelphia blew a two-goal lead in the final 1:04 of regulation and allowed the tying goal with eight seconds remaining. That forced it into a tie with Detroit for the East's final wild-card spot, although it does have a game in hand.

Despite the setback, the Flyers are still 6-1-2 in their last nine to help improve their playoff hopes in their first season under coach Dave Hakstol.

"No matter how it happens, we've got three out of four points in the first two games of this (four-game) road trip," Hakstol said. "We'll get ourselves refocused on the next job at hand. That's how it is."

Steve Mason stopped 74 of 77 shots while starting both ends of a back-to-back set, as Michal Neuvirth is out for the rest of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Rookie Anthony Stolarz is the other goalie on the roster.

Neuvirth was in goal for the first meeting as Duchene scored twice in Colorado's 4-0 win at Philadelphia on Nov. 10. Semyon Varlamov was nursing a groin injury at the time, but he'll be in net for this one.

Varlamov, whom Roy said also will start against Minnesota, has won four of his last five starts with a 1.59 goals-against average. He has a 1.98 GAA while winning two of his past three against the Flyers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Stars (44-21) at Coyotes (32-34)

Date: March 24, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

After securing a playoff berth, the Dallas Stars are hungry for more.

The Western Conference leaders look for a fourth consecutive victory Thursday night as they visit the Arizona Coyotes.

Vernon Fiddler scored two of his team's four first-period goals to help Dallas (44-21-9) clinch a playoff spot with Tuesday's 6-2 rout at Chicago.

"It's really step one in what we are trying to accomplish," coach Lindy Ruff said. "Clinching is really important, but now it's moving on and making sure our game's in the right place. We've been playing some good hockey lately.'

Back in the playoffs after missing out for the sixth time in seven years last season, the Stars hold a two-point lead over St. Louis in the Central Division and conference.

'We're not going to sit back,' said forward Colton Sceviour, who had a goal and an assist Tuesday. 'There's still a lot of stuff that can be accomplished and obviously the division is so tight that if you let up, all of a sudden you're not in the position you wanted to be in.

"We're in a good spot right now."

The NHL's highest-scoring team has outscored its last three opponents 13-5 and averaged 3.6 goals while going 8-2-2 in its last 12 on the road. Ex-Coyote Fiddler snapped a seven-game point drought Tuesday.

Kari Lehtonen stopped 27 shots in Saturday's 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders, then made 30 saves for his third straight victory and sixth in eight starts Tuesday.

Likely to make a fifth consecutive start, Lehtonen has a 1.20 goals-against average during a five-game winning streak against the Coyotes (32-34-7), last facing them Dec. 31, 2014.

Antti Niemi, who's posted a 4.72 GAA in his last six outings, gave up five goals as the Stars' three-game series winning streak ended with a 6-3 road defeat Feb. 18.

Max Domi had two goals and an assist and fellow rookie Anthony Duclair recorded three assists for the Coyotes, who followed that victory with a season-high seven-game slide.

Arizona, though, beat Edmonton 4-2 on Tuesday for its fourth victory in six games. Martin Hanzal had a goal and an assist and Domi snapped a 13-game goal drought as the Coyotes broke out after being blanked in the previous two contests.

Back after missing six games with an upper-body injury, team points leader Oliver Ekman-Larsson had an assist and posted a plus-3 rating for the second time in his last three games - both of those wins.

Ekman-Larsson, whose average of 24 minutes, 38 seconds of ice time leads the team, played 20:50 despite it being his first game in two weeks.

"You can't replace that guy," Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith said. "He's a special player and when he's out â?¦ our defense has done a great job filling the void, but those minutes, the skill and the leadership is a lot to cover for."

Smith has gone 3-1-0 with a 1.25 GAA since missing 40 games with a lower-body injury. He's lost four in a row against the Stars, last facing them in November 2014.

Dallas captain Jamie Benn has recorded a point in six straight road games and 13 in the last 10 away from home. He has two goals and three assists in the past three overall against Arizona.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Oilers (29-40) at Sharks (41-26)

Date: March 24, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

San Jose is halfway through a six-game homestand and its last opportunity to move past a season of home mediocrity before the playoffs, but even those struggles haven't ended the Sharks' home dominance over their next opponent.

Edmonton last won in regulation in San Jose more than five years ago, and if that trend continues Thursday night, the Sharks will clinch a playoff berth after missing out last year for the first time in 11 seasons under the Oilers' current coach.

The Sharks (41-26-6) started the homestand with two wins before Tuesday's 1-0 loss to St. Louis, ending a season-best four-game home winning streak.

Even with the recent success, San Jose is 16-16-3 for the worst home record among the top 11 Western Conference teams. Among all playoff contenders, only Boston (16-16-5) has reached that regulation loss total.

The Sharks failed to convert on a late two-man advantage and missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth. More importantly, they failed to gain ground in the Pacific Division after Los Angeles and Anaheim lost earlier in the night. San Jose remains one point behind the second-place Ducks and five in back of the Kings.

"It's tough. We're disappointed we lost there," Joe Pavelski told the team's official website. "We had an opportunity on the power play. We've got to come up with a big one there.

"Teams aren't losing much this time of the year and we had a chance to push it at least to overtime. It's a missed opportunity for sure. There aren't many games left to really make up a lot of points so you've got to make a chance like that count."

The Sharks remained consistent in the defensive zone while allowing just their second goal on the homestand, and they've limited opponents to 23.0 shots per game over the last seven overall.

San Jose last lost a home game to Edmonton on Jan. 13, 2011, going 7-0-2 since with 3.44 goals per game. They've also enjoyed a 5-0-2 overall span in the series with consecutive victories while limiting the Oilers to one goal.

Logan Couture scored twice in a 3-0 win at Edmonton on March 8, but those stand as his only goals in his last 15 games. Granted, it's been an unhealthy season for Couture, but his 0.65 points per game is his lowest mark since his rookie campaign.

Edmonton (29-40-7), the only team in the West to be formally eliminated from playoff contention, fell 4-2 in Arizona on Tuesday to start a three-game trip. The Oilers have scored more than two goals once in their last nine games.

Connor McDavid assisted on both goals and has seven assists on a five-game point streak, but the Oilers lost Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the second period to an undisclosed injury.

"Kind of the story of our season," coach Todd McLellan said of the team's numerous injuries. "We really don't know what we have."

McLellan is returning to San Jose for the second time since agreeing to part ways with San Jose after last season. The first trip back ended in a 2-1 shootout loss on Jan. 14.

Edmonton's Cam Talbot made 36 saves in that contest and has also been strong over the last month, going 7-4-1 with a 1.83 goals-against average and .944 save percentage.

Martin Jones hasn't given up more than two goals in a month, going 6-4-0 with a 1.61 GAA and .938 save percentage. He's 3-1-1 with 1.56 and .925 marks against the Oilers.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Grand Salami - March

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
3/1 8 48.5 49 OVER
3/2 3 16.5 17 OVER
3/3 12 65.5 69 OVER
3/4 3 15.5 20 OVER
3/5 11 58 62 OVER
3/6 6 30.5 34 OVER
3/7 7 36 38 OVER
3/8 8 44.5 41 UNDER
3/9 6 32.5 32 UNDER
3/10 6 32.5 29 UNDER
3/11 5 26.5 28 OVER
3/12 12 63.5 66 OVER
3/13 3 16 13 UNDER
3/14 6 30 41 OVER
3/15 8 43.5 40 UNDER
3/16 6 32.5 32 UNDER
3/17 8 43.5 51 OVER
3/18 6 32 26 UNDER
3/19 11 56.5 53 UNDER
3/20 7 37 34 UNDER
3/21 4 20.5 25 OVER
3/22 10 54.5 51 UNDER
3/23 2 10.5 11 OVER
3/24 11 - - -
3/25 3 - - -
3/26 14 - - -
3/27 3 - - -
3/28 8 - - -
3/29 9 - - -
3/30 3 - - -
3/31 10 - - -

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

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

We are witnessing something pretty unusual from an individual perspective in the NHL this season that you may not be aware of.

Take a look at the NHL points leaders. You have Ottawa's Erik Karlsson tied for fourth in the league with 73 points while leading with 60 assists. And you have San Jose's Brent Burns 10th in points with 65. He has 26 goals. What's so unusual about that? Both are defensemen.

The last time two defensemen finished in the Top 10 in points was in 1973-74 when Bruins legend Bobby Orr finished second in scoring and New York Rangers blueliner Brad Park finished tied for ninth. No defenseman has led the NHL in assists since Orr in 1974-75 when he tied Bobby Clarke with 89. Only Orr and Paul Coffey have finished a season in the top three in points. No defenseman has scored 30 goals since Washington's Mike Green had 31 in 2008-09. In the last 10 years, only eight defensemen had even topped 70 points.

Presumably either Karlsson or Burns is going to win the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman, although it's not just about scoring. Karlsson has won the award twice, including last season when he had 21 goals and 45 assists. He also leads the league in average time on ice this season and 29:05 per game. The Norris Trophy has never gone to a defenseman whose team missed the playoffs, however. Ottawa doesn't look likely to make it. San Jose should and is still in the Pacific Division race. The Sharks are +650 to win the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.

Big Loss For Stars

Crushing loss for the Dallas Stars as they battle Chicago and St. Louis for the Central Division lead and potential No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. Stars center Tyler Seguin will miss three to four weeks because of a cut to his Achilles' tendon suffered on the skate of Tampa Bay defenseman Anton Stralman late in Thursday's game. General manager Jim Nill said that Seguin suffered a 15 percent cut, but that he should be back for the playoffs. For a point of comparison, Karlsson suffered a 70 percent tear in 2013 and it sidelined him 10 weeks.

"I can't really picture myself missing Game 1," Seguin said of the playoffs. "If I can come back for the last game of the regular season that would be quite the goal for me."

The Stars lead the NHL in scoring at 3.2 goals per game. Seguin is tied for fourth in the league with 73 points and seventh in goals with 33. Dallas currently leads the Blues by two points atop the Central and the Blackhawks by four. The Stars are +550 to win the West.

This Week's Games To Watch


Philadelphia at Colorado, Thursday: The Flyers' chances for a wild-card spot took a hit when it was announced on Sunday that goalie Michal Neuvirth probably misses the rest of the regular season. He's dealing with a lower-body injury. Neuvirth is 28-17-8 with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage that ranks him fifth in the league. The Flyers still have Steve Mason, and he's not too shabby, but Mason can't play every single game. For example, the team concludes the regular season with four games in five nights, and every point matters. Rookie Anthony Stolarz is now his backup. He has never played an NHL game. The Avs may not have winger Nathan MacKinnon again here. He injured his knee in Friday's win over Calgary and missed Sunday's game. His 52 points rank second on the team.

St. Louis at Washington, Saturday: It's the Blues' only trip to the nation's capital this season. That Seguin injury for Dallas could help St. Louis more than any team as it appears to be the top threat in the Central Division with the Blackhawks in a funk right now. Goalie Brian Elliott returned to the lineup and made his first start Saturday since suffering an injury on Feb. 22, He shut out the Canucks. The Capitals have very little to play for at this point as they are going to finish with the most points in the NHL. They can clinch the top seed in the East this week and remain Cup favorites at +400. Thus, you might see the team put up a stinker or two the rest of the way. That was the case Sunday night in a 6-2 loss to Pittsburgh. St. Louis and Washington haven't played yet. They close the regular season against one another on April 9.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NHL

Hot teams
-- Penguins won last six games, allowing 11 goals. New Jersey won four of its last six games.
-- Maple Leafs won four of their last five games.
-- Minnesota won its last three games, allowing five goals. Calgary is 4-0 in game following its last four losses.
-- Nashville won three of its last four games.
-- Colorado won five of its last six games. Flyers won six of their last nine games.
-- Dallas Stars won last three games, outscoring foes 13-5. Arizona is 4-2 in its last six games.
-- San Jose won six of its last nine games.

Cold teams
-- Carolina lost last five games, three in OT/SO. Blue Jackets lost four of their last six games.
-- Bruins lost last four games, outscored 14-5. Florida lost four of last six road games.
-- Canadiens lost four of their last six games. Detroit is 4-6 in its last ten games.
-- Anaheim lost three of its last four road games.
-- Vancouver lost last five games, got shut out (2-0/3-0/2-0) in last three.
-- Winnipeg lost three of its last four games. Kings lost 5-2/2-1 in last two games.
-- Edmonton lost four of its last six games.

Series records
-- Devils lost five of last eight games with Pittsburgh.
-- Hurricanes won five of last six games with Columbus.
-- Bruins won four of last five games with Florida.
-- Canadiens won seven of last eight games with Detroit.
-- Ducks lost seven of last eight games with Toronto.
-- Flames lost their last five games with Minnesota.
-- Canucks won three of last four visits to Nashville.
-- Kings won four of last six games with Winnipeg.
-- Flyers lost their last five visits to Colorado.
-- Dallas Stars won five of last seven games with Arizona.
-- Sharks won five of last seven games with Edmonton.

Totals
-- Over is 3-1-1 in last five Pittsbugh games.
-- Five of last six Columbus games stayed under.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Boston games.
-- Under is 4-1-1 in last six Montrea-Detroit games.
-- Three of last four Anaheim-Toronto games stayed under.
-- Over is 5-1-3 in last nine Calgary-Minnesota games.
-- Over is 7-1-2 in last ten Nashville games.
-- Under is 5-1-1 in last seven Winnipeg games.
-- Five of lst six Colorado games stayed under total.
-- Eight of last ten Dallas Stars games went over total.
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine San Jose games.

Back-to-backs
-- Bruins lost five of last seven if they played night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA notebook: James wants to play with his friends
By The Sports Xchange

LeBron James told Bleacher Report in an interview that he would take less money to play on the same NBA team with his basketball friends -- Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul -- before his basketball career ends.
"I really hope that, before our career is over, we can all play together," James said. "At least one, maybe one or two seasons -- me, Melo, D-Wade, CP -- we can get a year in. I would actually take a pay cut to do that."
James becomes a free agent after this season and Paul in 2017. Wade and Anthony appear entrenched in Miami and New York, respectively, making a union seem improbable.

--Turner Sports sideline reporter Craig Sager, who has been battling leukemia since being diagnosed for the first time in April 2014, was given three to six months to live by doctors treating him in February.
Sager went into detail about the uphill battle on HBO's "Real Sports" that aired Tuesday. Sager, 64, has received bone-marrow and stem-cell transplants from his son, Craig. He said doctors were blunt but careful not to project a hopeless forecast.
"Well, you've got normally three to six months to live," Sager said of what he was told. "But somebody may only have a week. Somebody may have five years. You could be the first one to five years."

--The Minnesota Timberwolves signed forward/center Greg Smith for the remainder of the season.
Smith signed a 10-day contract with Minnesota on March 2 and then signed a second 10-day contract on March 12.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pelicans (26-44) at Pacers (37-33)

Date: March 24, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

There's little reason to think the Indiana Pacers' five-game homestand won't end positively Thursday night.

The Pacers are at full strength and their opponent far from it. The New Orleans Pelicans also happen to be the team against which Indiana has its longest active winning streak.

Plus, the Pacers are fighting to make the playoffs whereas the injury-ravaged Pelicans are lottery-bound, but New Orleans has been no pushover lately for quality opponents.

"We all understand how important every single game is," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said at Tuesday's practice. "We talk frequently about the fact that we missed the playoffs by one game last year."

Indiana (37-33) is in a tight battle with Chicago and Detroit for the Eastern Conference's final two playoff spots but has only three remaining opponents who are currently above .500. However, Vogel recently mentioned how the Bulls were "getting healthy" - they've played better since Jimmy Butler and Derrick Rose returned - and both he and Paul George referenced the Pistons having an easy schedule.

"Right now we don't have the feeling of our spot is guaranteed, and it's good," George said. "We should have a little pressure. Hopefully that makes us perform better."

Indiana has won eight straight over sub-.500 teams after beating Philadelphia 91-75 on Monday. Ty Lawson (foot) returned after missing five games, giving the Pacers an empty injury report for the first time in months.

Nearly all of New Orleans' best players are on it. Anthony Davis recently joined starting guards Tyreke Evans and Eric Gordon as being out for the season, second-leading scorer Ryan Anderson could be shut down due to a groin injury, and Norris Cole has missed eight straight games with back soreness.

Even without Davis and Anderson for the past two games, the Pelicans (26-44) have been competitive against likely playoff teams. They beat the Los Angeles Clippers 109-105 on Sunday, then stormed back from a 22-point deficit in the third quarter against Miami to get within five before losing 113-99 on Tuesday.

"We have pride. Everybody wants to win, nobody just wants to lay down," guard Tim Frazier said. "So we're going to go out there and fight until the buzzer sounds. That's the good thing about this team, we're going to continue to fight and continue to rumble until time is up."

Frazier is fighting for a job, having scored in double figures in all four games since being signed to a 10-day contract.

Luke Babbitt scored a season-high 23 on Monday in his second game starting in place of Davis, and Jrue Holliday is averaging 25.3 points over the past three games.

Even with Evans, Anderson and Holiday combining for 63 points, the Pelicans lost to the Pacers 91-86 on Jan. 8. Davis left in the opening minutes with a back bruise in what was Indiana's ninth consecutive victory in the series.

The Pacers haven't lost to New Orleans since April 3, 2011, despite George missing both of last season's matchups and struggling in the one this year with 13 points on 3-of-13 shooting.

He shot 4 of 16 for 15 points on Monday, two days after scoring 45 against Oklahoma City. Indiana is 5-10 when he shoots below 32 percent from the field.

New Orleans is 0-21 when hitting below 42 percent.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (51-20) at Nets (19-51)

Date: March 24, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

It's always a big deal when LeBron James goes to New York City.

Before he meets up with good friend Carmelo Anthony, he first must face the other team in town when his Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.

Anything James says becomes headline news, and the questions should be fast and furious to him on this trip that includes Saturday's contest with Anthony and New York. James caused a stir when he said he eventually wanted to play with Anthony, Chris Paul and former Miami teammate Dwyane Wade.

"I don't know how realistic it could be," he said. "It would definitely be cool if it happened. I mean, if you got an opportunity to work with three of your best friends, no matter what. It's not even about sports, it's about being around guys that you don't even have to say nothing, you automatically know. We just have that type of history, so, can it happen? I don't know if it can even happen but it would be cool."

There's no guarantee that James will be on the court against the lowly Nets since it is a good opportunity for coach Tyronn Lue to rest him. James had 26 points and eight assists in Wednesday's 113-104 win over Milwaukee.

Cleveland (51-20) is 10-6 in the second half of back-to-back sets. Lue said he would consult with the training staff to decide who will sit.

"It could be a possibility that guys will sit out," Lue said.

Kevin Love sat out Monday's 124-91 win over Denver with an illness before returning against the Bucks with 24 points and 10 rebounds. Kyrie Irving had 16 points, eight assists and eight boards.

Love said he wasn't sure why the Cavaliers' three stars all played well or why it doesn't happen more often.

"From game to game, it's going to be different," Love said. "That's something I've had to learn and try to get used to it."

Cleveland has won 10 of 13 and looks to improve to 3-0 against Brooklyn (19-51) this season. Love had 43 points and 25 rebounds in the first two meetings, with Irving sitting out one of them.

The Nets are a different team now as they no longer have Joe Johnson and are giving younger players minutes.

Sean Kilpatrick is averaging 18.0 points on 63.3 percent shooting in his last five games after he scored a career-high 25 in Tuesday's 105-100 defeat to Charlotte. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson played for the first time in 51 games due to an ankle injury and scored five in 15 minutes.

"I like the spirit of Sean Kilpatrick, I love the spirit of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson," interim coach Tony Brown said. "He's getting a chance to play again and they're playing their butts off when they're out there."

Brooklyn has lost seven of eight with the lone victory over a league-worst Philadelphia team that has beaten the Nets twice.

Brook Lopez leads the Nets with 38 points and 19 boards against the Cavs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Bulls (36-34) at Knicks (29-43)

Date: March 24, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Kristaps Porzingis just missed doing something that a New York Knicks rookie hasn't accomplished since Patrick Ewing, but he may have another chance right away if the Chicago Bulls don't come up with a better game plan to slow him down.

The Knicks can sweep a home-and-home series and further damage the Bulls' playoff hopes on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Chicago (36-34) had a three-game win streak snapped with Wednesday's 115-107 loss to New York that capped a four-game homestand. Porzingis was the catalyst, matching his season high with 29 points.

"He led us out there tonight, we followed his lead," teammate Carmelo Anthony said.

Porzingis scored 17 first-half points on 7-of-9 shooting and is averaging 20.7 in his last three games. He was one point short of becoming the first Knicks rookie since Ewing to put up 30 points and 10 rebounds.

"I looked up at the scoreboard in the fourth quarter and saw how many (points) I had, but I didn't know about the record," Porzingis said. "I don't want to force up a shot just to break a record."

Chicago fell into ninth place in the Eastern Conference, one game behind Indiana and Detroit. The Bulls were outrebounded 53-34 with no player having more than six.

"They outrebounded us by 19," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "They just out-horsed us, out-toughed us all night long."

Star Jimmy Butler, held to seven points on 3-of-11 shooting, saw things differently. He is averaging 13.8 points on 36.4 percent shooting in six games since missing 14 of 15 games with a knee injury.

"He's supposed to say it's a team thing," Butler said. "I don't think right now, I know this is a team game, but if one of your so-called best players is not doing what their supposed to do, that's what is going to happen.

"You've seen the way I've been playing lately. It's sad. My teammates won't say it, my coaches won't say it."

Chicago insists that Butler is not having any issues with his knee now.

The Bulls wasted Nikola Mirotic's career-high nine 3-pointers and 35 points. Derrick Rose added 21 as Chicago trailed by as many as 22 points in the second half.

New York (29-43) ended a three-game slide as Anthony returned with 24 points after missing a game with a migraine. The Knicks now seek to win for the third time in 12 home games.

"It feels good to get this one on the back-to-back, home-and-home against the same team," Anthony said. "If you can win the first one, then you can go home and have that momentum in your favor."

Chicago has dropped nine of 10 on the road and plays eight of its final 12 there.

"I told them they've got two choices right now," Hoiberg said. "One's to tuck your tail between your legs and walk out of there with your head down or toughen up, suck it up and go find a way to get a win tomorrow and finish this thing out the right way."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (35-36) at Thunder (49-22)

Date: March 24, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The surging Utah Jazz moved into playoff position with their latest victory, but they'll have to figure out how to contain Russell Westbrook if they want to stay there.

No team has accomplished that lately against the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard, who seeks his fourth consecutive triple-double Thursday night and seventh of March.

Utah (35-36) rallied from an 18-point deficit for its sixth win in seven games Wednesday, and Derrick Favors sealed the 89-87 victory in Houston on a dunk with 1.6 seconds left. The Jazz moved one-half game in front of the Rockets for eighth in the Western Conference while improving to 2-1 on their season-high five-game trip.

"It feels good to know we're still in it," Favors said. "But we're not in there yet so we've got to continue to work hard, play hard and keep winning games."

A loss Thursday would let idle Houston back into the No. 8 spot because of the Rockets' superior Western Conference record.

The Jazz haven't won in their past nine visits to Oklahoma City (49-22) and have dropped all three overall matchups this season. The latest defeat, a 104-98 overtime road loss Dec. 13, came when Westbrook had just three triple-doubles to his credit this season.

He registered his 15th in a 111-107 win over Houston on Tuesday, the most in one season since Magic Johnson had 17 and Michael Jordan had 15 in 1988-89. Westbrook's six triple-doubles in March are the most in one month since Jordan registered seven in April 1989.

"That's just a blessing," Westbrook said. "Especially getting mentioned with those guys. Those guys are Hall of Famers. My job is try to help us win games and try to win a championship."

He is the last NBA player to post triple-doubles in four consecutive overall games, doing so from Feb. 24-March 5, 2015. Before that, Jordan pulled off that feat in seven straight in 1988-89.

Not surprisingly, the Thunder are 15-0 when he records one and 30-4 for his career. He's recorded four in Oklahoma City's current five-game win streak but has none in 25 career games against Utah.

He came close in a 111-89 road victory Nov. 23 with 20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Westbrook had 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the Thunder's home win over Utah in December.

The Jazz haven't won in Oklahoma City since Oct. 31, 2010, and are 2-12 there all-time against the Thunder. Oklahoma City, 28-9 on its own floor, has won its past two home games as Westbrook has posted triple-doubles after losing four of five there.

Teammate Kevin Durant has a streak of his own with 56 consecutive 20-point games, matching a career high. That run began with 27 points in Utah on Nov. 23 and his return from a strained left hamstring.

"That's what I'm supposed to do. That's what they pay me for. They rely on me every night to be consistent, and I've got to be that way," he said.

Durant has scored at least 21 points in his last six games against Utah, averaging 31.7 in that stretch. He had 31 on 10-of-17 shooting in December and has failed to reach 20 in just one of 13 home matchups since the beginning of the 2008-09 season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (37-35) at Clippers (43-27)

Date: March 24, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Portland Trail Blazers gave themselves a little more cushion on a competitive pack of teams in the Western Conference but maintaining that slim edge will require earning a rare road win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Blazers seek just their second victory in nine visits Thursday night when they take on the slumping Clippers.

Portland (37-35) held on for a 109-103 victory against visiting Dallas on Wednesday, splitting its home-and-home set after falling 132-120 in overtime in Sunday's opener.

"I liked our resilience bouncing back from last game," coach Terry Stotts said. "This was certainly a game we needed to have."

The win moved the Blazers 1 1/2 games ahead of Dallas and Utah for sixth place in the West. Only two games separate them from ninth-place Houston.

Point guard Damian Lillard is hoping for better defensive efforts as his team attempts to hang on to a playoff spot. The Blazers had given up an average of 116.7 points while dropping seven of their previous 10 games.

"We are in control of where we want to be if we can finish this thing out the right way, but we have got to defend the way we did (during an 18-4 stretch)," said Lillard, whose team yielded 100.6 points per game in those 22 contests.

"Tonight, we looked like that team. We had a pretty complete game defensively."

To bolster its chances of staying in front of that pack, Portland is trying to earn just its second win in nine road games. The Blazers play just two more contests away from home in their final nine after Thursday's visit to the Clippers (43-27).

Portland lost 102-87 in its other road game against Los Angeles this season Nov. 30 and has dropped the past two overall meetings. The Blazers didn't have C.J. McCollum available in their latest matchup, a 109-98 loss Jan. 6, because his name was inadvertently left off the official roster.

Portland should have its second-leading scorer for this game in its bid to send the Clippers to a season-high fourth consecutive defeat. A 114-98 loss to Golden State in Wednesday's finale to a five-game road trip was also their fifth in six contests.

"We had too many single possessions where we made mistakes, but overall I liked how we played. I loved our energy," coach Doc Rivers said. "I know we played with the right spirit tonight."

Los Angeles, 22-12 at home, has split its 10 games there since the beginning of February. Keeping Lillard in check again could help them earn a victory Thursday.

He has a combined 12 points on 4-of-21 shooting in his last two road games in the series. By contrast, he's scored 47 points in the two meetings in Portland.

McCollum was held to 12 on 4-of-15 shooting in the November defeat at Staples Center.

Los Angeles point guard Chris Paul had 21 points and a season-high 19 assists in the latest matchup with Portland after totaling 21 and 14 in the first two this season.

The Blazers are 5-11 in the second of back-to-back games this season and 3-7 on the road. The Clippers are 9-6 in those situations and had won seven in a row until a 109-105 loss in New Orleans on Sunday.

They're 3-1 this season when the second game has come at home and have won 15 of their last 20 dating back to March 18, 2012.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Thursday, March 24 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Could the voting for NBA MVP actually be somewhat close? Golden State's Steph Curry is going to win it, but he has been in a minor slump of late and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook has been a triple-double monster. He had a 15th this season on Tuesday and third in a row, and the way he's going could get to 20 by the end of the season. So that's basically a triple-double 25 percent of the time. Amazing, and it makes what Oscar Robertson did in 1961-62 in averaging a season triple-double even more astounding. Westbrook actually has been much more unselfish this season with a healthy Kevin Durant by his side. The Thunder are 19-1 this season when he shoots 15 or fewer times. They're 30-12 when he records 10 or more assists. Westbrook has 12 games with at least 15 assists. If you give me the choice to start my franchise right now with one player in the NBA, it's Westbrook.


Pelicans at Pacers (-12.5, 208.5)

Your lone national TV game on NBA TV as TNT is again involved in the NCAA Tournament this week. Depleted New Orleans lost 113-99 at home to Miami on Tuesday. Things are so dire that Luke Babbitt is getting major playing time and he had a season-high 23 points. Forward Ryan Anderson, the team's second-leading scorer, missed a second straight game. Now there's talk he might be shut down. Yeah, bet against the Pelicans going forward. Indiana beat visiting Philly 91-75 on Monday to assure itself a winning home record for a 27th straight season, the NBA's longest active streak. Indiana won in New Orleans 91-86 on Jan. 8. The Pacers' nine-game winning streak in the series is their longest active streak over any opponent.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 0-8 against the spread in the past eight meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in five of the past six.

Early lean: Pacers and under.

Cavaliers at Nets (+9, 209.5)

Sit-down alert! I wrote earlier this week how Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue admitted getting his key guys rest was more important than potentially getting the East's top seed. Cleveland hosted Milwaukee on Wednesday, so I could easily see LeBron James or Kyrie Irving taking a seat here as the Cavs should beat the sorry Nets without one of those two. Brooklyn lost a third straight Tuesday, 105-100 at home to Charlotte but actually got some rare good news in this lost season: the return of rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. He had missed the previous 50 games following an ankle injury. RHJ had five points, three rebounds and two assists in 15 minutes. He's one of the few potential building blocks this franchise has. The Cavs are 2-0 vs. Brooklyn this season and haven't allowed the Nets to top 88 points. Cleveland is only averaging 90.5 points in the two.

Key trends: The Cavs have covered just one of the past five meetings. The under is 4-1 in those five.

Early lean: Wait and see but I'm inclined to lean Nets. Certainly under.

Bulls at Knicks (+5, 201)

These teams played in Chicago on Wednesday night, and in the second of a back-to-back you have to monitor whether the likes of Derrick Rose, Pau Gasol and Carmelo Anthony play here. They had split the first two meetings. The Knicks haven't won the season series since 2010-11. I wouldn't be surprised if the Knicks were big suitors of Gasol when he hits free agency this summer. Gasol is a worldly type of guy and probably would love to live in NYC. Plus, Phil Jackson still loves Gasol from their Lakers days.

Key trends: The home team is 6-2 ATS in the past eight meetings. The over is 5-1-1 in the previous seven.

Early lean: Whichever team loses Wednesday.

Jazz at Thunder (-10, 199.5)

Utah was in Houston on Wednesday night. Oklahoma City beat Houston 111-107 on Tuesday for its fifth straight win. Westbrook had 21 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds. It was his sixth triple-double in March, the most by any player in a calendar month since Michael Jordan had seven in April 1989. Westbrook is the first player with at least 20 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds in three games in a season since Jason Kidd did it in 1995-96. It was Westbrook's third streak of at least three triple-doubles in his career. Only the Big O (13), Wilt (six) and Magic (four) had have longer streaks. The Thunder are 15-0 when Westbrook has a triple-double. Magic holds the record for consecutive wins in games with a triple-double at 24. Utah looks to avoid the four-game season sweep here. And the Jazz have dropped nine straight in Oklahoma City.

Key trends: The Jazz have covered only two of their past nine in OKC. The under is 7-0 in the past seven meetings.

Early lean: Thunder and under.

Trail Blazers at Clippers (-5, 214)

Los Angeles was at Golden State on Wednesday, so I don't expect the Clips to have much left in the tank here. Jeff Green was to return from a one-game absence for that one. Portland hosted Dallas on Wednesday again without big man Meyers Leonard (left shoulder injury). The Clippers lead the season series 2-1. Portland is 1-7 in the past eight games against the Clippers at the Staples Center. The lone win was 98-93 last season on March 4, 2015.

Key trends: The underdog is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 7-3 in the previous 10 in Los Angeles.

Early lean: Blazers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Thursday's hot teams
-- Cleveland won seven of its last nine games (3-5 last 8AF).
-- Bulls won four of last six games (4-3AF).
-- Utah won six of its last seven games (4-7 last 11AU). Thunder won their last five games (10-4 last 14HF).

Cold teams
-- Pacers lost three of last five games (4-6 last 10HF). New Orleans lost six of its last eight games (2-3-1 last 6AU).
-- Brooklyn lost seven of its last eight games (6-4 last 10HU).
-- New York lost four of its last six games (1-6 last 7HU).
-- Portland lost seven of its last eight road games (1-3 last 4AU). Clippers lost four of their last five games (1-4 last 5HF).

Series records
-- Pelicans lost their last nine games with Indiana.
-- Nets lost six of last seven games with Cleveland.
-- Knicks lost four of last six games with Chicago.
-- Thunder won five of last six games with Utah.
-- Clippers won five of last seven games with Portland.

Totals
-- Six of last eight Indiana games stayed under total.
-- Four of last five Cleveland-Brooklyn ganes stayed under.
-- Over is 6-1-1 in last eight Chicago-New York games.
-- Last seven Jazz-Thunder games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last nine Portland games went over the total.

Back/backs
-- Cavaliers are 2-5-1 vs spread on road last eight times they played the night before.
-- Chicago is 3-9 last 12 times they played night before. Knicks covered four of last six if they played night before.
-- Jazz is 9-6 vs spread if they played night before.
-- Blazers covered three of last four if they played night before. Clippers are 5-3 vs spread last eight times they played night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Previews, Streaks, Tips, Notes

New Orleans Pelicans at Indiana Pacers March 24, 7:00 EST

Indiana Pacers firmly on the bubble for the playoffs need this one to stay in the running and should come out fired up. Expect Pacers' to line bettors' pockets. The Pacers have been money in the bank recently in this series (8-0 ATS) and have been great bets with two days rest (9-2 ATS). Additionally, Pacers hit the hardwood having cashed 4-of-5 facing a team with a losing record.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sweet 16 Primer
By Brian Edwards

Sweet 16 Brackets

Six ACC teams and all four No. 1 seeds are still alive in the 2016 NCAA Tournament that saw its field reduced to 16 during Sunday’s thrilling set of games.

Notre Dame is one of the ACC schools that still has a pulse thanks to a 76-75 win over Stephen F. Austin in a helluva Round of 32 slugfest at Barclays Arena in Brooklyn. The Lumberjacks covered the spread as 1.5-point underdogs, while the 151 combined points zipped ‘over’ the 139.5-point total.

Rex Pflueger’s amazing tip-in of a Zach Auguste miss with 1.5 seconds remaining lifted the Fighting Irish to a second straight Sweet 16 appearance. The bucket was Pflueger’s only one of the game, an epic affair that never saw more than a seven-point separation that the Fighting Irish enjoyed midway through the second half.

Demetrius Jackson and Auguste were the catalysts for Mike Brey’s team. Jackson finished with 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field. He drained 2-of-3 attempts from downtown, including a trey with less than one second remaining in the first half to send the Irish to the locker room with a one-point cushion. Jackson’s 3-ball allowed Notre Dame to either push (-1) or cover (pick ‘em, -120 or -125 price) for its backers on first-half bets.

Auguste finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, making 8-of-9 shots from the field. V.J. Beachem scored 15 points and seven rebounds.

Notre Dame, a No. 6 seed, will face seventh-seeded Wisconsin on Friday at 7:25 p.m. Eastern in Philadelphia. One book had the Irish favored by 1.5 points early this morning.

Stephen F. Austin had won 21 in a row after bouncing third-seeded West Va. from the Tournament as a seven-point underdog Friday night. Senior Thomas Walkup saw his collegiate career end in gut-wrenching fashion, but he went out on his sword. He played terrific in his final game, producing 21 points, five rebounds and five assists without committing a turnover.

Wisconsin advanced by edging Xavier on Bronson Koenig’s buzzer beater from the corner while fading out of bounds. The Badgers trailed by nine with 6:19 remaining, but a trey by Koenig knotted the score at 63-63 with 11.7 seconds left. After Zak Showalter drew a charge with 4.7 seconds left, UW inbounded to halfcourt before calling its last timeout to set up a play that led to Koenig’s game winner.

Wisconsin is in the region semifinals for the fifth time in six years. The Badgers are here despite starting the season with a 9-9 record and despite losing legendary head coach Bo Ryan to retirement before Christmas.

The late game in Philly will pit No. 1 seed North Carolina against fifth-seeded Indiana. The Tar Heels have been installed as six-point ‘chalk’ with a total of 160.

IU bounced Kentucky from the Tournament on Saturday night in Des Moines. Meanwhile, North Carolina overcame a four-point halftime deficit to pull away and even cover as a double-digit favorite vs. Providence.

Jay Wright has his Villanova (31-5 SU, 17-17-1 ATS) program back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2009 after it destroyed Iowa 87-68 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score indicated. The Wildcats easily hooked up their backers as six-point favorites.

Senior guard Ryan Arcidiacono led the way with 16 points and four assists without a turnover. Josh Hart scored a team-high 19 points, while Kris Jenkins finished with 15 points, two steals and six assists without a turnover.

Villanova will take on Miami on Thursday night in Louisville, Ky. The Westgate opened Villanova as a 4.5-point favorite with a total of 142.5 points. The Hurricanes, who beat Wichita St. as two-point underdogs Saturday, are +180 on the money line (risk $100 to win $180).

The other South Region semifinal matchup features No. 1 seed Kansas against fifth-seeded Maryland. One book had the Jayhawks installed as seven-point favorites early this morning.

KU took the cash in Saturday’s 73-61 win over UConn as an eight-point favorite. Meanwhile, the Terrapins put away a pesky Hawaii squad with a 14-0 run midway through the second half of a 73-60 win in Spokane, WA. They covered the number as 7.5-point favorites, while the 133 combined points dipped ‘under’ the 144-point tally.

Melo Trimble paced the winners with 24 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Diamond Stone and Rasheed Sulaimon finished with 14 points apiece.

The SEC still has life – somehow. Northern Iowa blew a 12-point lead with 35 seconds remaining in a collapse of unfathomable proportions. Texas A&M took advantage and won a 92-88 decision in double overtime.

Forty-eight hours after beating Texas on a buzzer beater off the glass from halfcourt by senior Paul Jesperson, the Panthers committed four turnovers in 33 seconds and allowed the Aggies to make six straight shots to end regulation. Nevertheless, NIU still took the money as a seven-point underdog.

Alex Caruso led the winners with 25 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Danuel House finished with 22 points and eight boards. NIU’s Jeremy Morgan was sensational in heartbreaking defeat, producing 36 points, 12 boards, three steals, two assists and a pair of blocked shots.

Billy Kennedy’s squad will take on Oklahoma in Anaheim on Thursday night in the West Region semifinals. One betting shop had the Sooners favored by two early this morning.

OU slipped past VCU by an 85-81 count in what equated to a home game on Oklahoma City. The Rams trailed by 13 at halftime, but they stormed back and into the lead with 9:55 remaining thanks to back-to-back 3-pointers from Michael Gilmore.

Buddy Hield’s 3-ball with 6:37 left gave the Sooners the lead back for good, though. The senior All-American erupted for 29 of his game-high 36 points in the second half. VCU’s Melvin Johnson and JeQuan Lewis scored 23 and 22 points, respectively.

Form held in the West Region, leaving us with a semifinal showdown between No. 1 seed Oregon and fourth-seeded Duke. The Blue Devils nearly blew a 27-point second-half lead Saturday against Yale. The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to three, but Duke pulled away in the final minute for a 71-64 triumph as a six-point favorite.

Oregon beat St. Joseph’s 69-64 thanks to an 11-4 run in the final two minutes, but the Hawks covered the spread as seven-point underdogs. Dillon Brooks led the way with a game-high 25 points.

In the Midwest Region, a double-digit seed with play in the Elite Eight at United Center in Chicago this weekend. That’s because No. 10 seed Syracuse and No. 11 seed Gonzaga will collide in one semifinal matchup.

Both schools were on the bubble two weeks ago. Jim Boeheim’s team advanced by smashing Middle Tennessee 75-50 Sunday as a six-point ‘chalk.’ Gonzaga drilled third-seeded Utah 82-59 on Saturday night, two days after dropping Seton Hall by a 68-52 score.

As of early this morning, most books had Gonzaga favored by 4.5 points with a total of 135.

Virginia and Iowa State will face each other in Friday’s early game from the Windy City. The Cavaliers are favored by 5.5 with a total of 141 points.

**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**

-- Bettors backing Northern Iowa on the money line for a +250 return obviously sustained all-timer of a bad beat. However, those on the Panthers plus seven might’ve taken the worst beat (EVER!) if not for inept free-throw shooting from Texas A&M in the second extra session.

-- St. Joseph’s finished its season with an incredible 10-1-1 spread record in 12 games as an underdog. The Hawks won nine of those games outright, but they were unable to do so against the Ducks.

-- Texas A&M is in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2007.

-- Florida advanced to the NIT quarterfinals by winning 74-66 at Ohio St. as a 1.5-point favorite Sunday afternoon in Columbus. The Gators will play on the road Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s winner of George Washington at Monmouth. Dorian Finney-Smith had 16 points and 12 rebounds against the Buckeyes. Kasey Hill had 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and two steals.

-- The collegiate careers of Charles Mann and Kenny Gaines came to an end Sunday night in Georgia’s 77-65 loss at Saint Mary’s as a seven-point underdog. UGA did cover second half bets (pick ‘em) after trailing by 13 at intermission. Yante Maten made 14-of-17 field goals in the Bulldogs’ opening-round home win over Belmont. But against the Gaels, he couldn’t throw it in the ocean, missing 16 of his 22 shots from the field. Mann and Gaines finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively. I offer both a hat tip to excellent careers in which they helped me to many winners along with J.J. Frazier, who is a junior and will return for Mark Fox’s program next season. Frazier had 13 points, seven assists and five boards against the Gaels, but he was only 5-of-15 from the field.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Regional Trends
By Marc Lawrence

If you are a player or a coach, there is nothing sweeter this time of the year than being alive in the NCAA Tournament. For those teams that survived the opening two rounds of this main event it’s on to the Sweet 16 and, hopefully, the Elite 8 this weekend.

Here are essential notes and trends of the teams that have arrived. Stay tuned. Note: all stats are ATS (Against The Spread) unless noted otherwise.

NCAA SWEET 16 ROUND NOTES

-- #1 Seeds off BB SUATS wins are 19-8 ATS (Kansas)
-- #2 Seed favs of > 4 pts are 2-6-1 ATS (Villanova)
-- #3 Seed dogs of > 4 pts are 6-1 ATS (Miami, Florida)
-- #4 Seed dogs < 6 pts are 6-1 ATS (Duke, Iowa State)
-- #5 Seeds off a DD SU win are 0-4 ATS (Maryland)
-- #6 Seeds off a SU favorite win are 5-0 ATS (Notre Dame)
-- #7 Seed dogs of 3 < pts are 1-3 ATS (Wisconsin)
-- #10 or worse seed dogs of > 4 pts are 6-1 ATS (Syracuse)
-- Favorites off a SU win of 20 > pts are 0-4 ATS (Gonzaga)

Best Team ATS records in this round
Wisconsin 3-0
Oregon 2-0
Virginia 2-0
Oklahoma 4-1
Duke 3-1

Worst Team ATS records in this round
Miami-FL 0-2
Syracuse 1-6
Gonzaga 1-3
Indiana 1-3
Kansas 4-10

Best Conference ATS records in this round
SEC: 7-1-1
Big East: 5-1 as dogs

Worst Conference ATS records in this round
Big 12: 0-6
MVC: 0-4
West Coast: 1-3
Pac 12: 2-6


NCAA ELITE 8 ROUND NOTES

-- #1 Seed favs > 7 pts are 1-9 ATS
-- #2 Seeds are 3-10-1 ATS off a DD ATS win
-- #3 Seeds are 2-9 ATS
-- #4 Seeds are 11-3 ATS
-- #5 Seeds are 7-0 ATS
-- #6 Seeds are 2-5 ATS
-- #7 Seeds are 3-1-1 ATS
-- #8 Seeds are 5-1 ATS
-- Teams that score 67 < pts are 17-49 SU & 17-46-3 ATS
-- Teams that score 85 > pts are 29-7 SU & 26-8-2 ATS
-- Teams off 3+ ATS wins are 7-1-1 ATS
-- Teams with Revenge are 16-6-1 ATS
-- Dogs off 3 straight DD wins are 2-7-1 ATS

Best Conference ATS records in this round
Big East: 6-1 as dogs 4 < pts
Big 10: 5-1 as dogs
SEC: 5-1 as favs 7 > pts
Pac 12: 4-1 as dogs

Worst Conference ATS records in this round
Big 12: 0-11, ACC: 0-4 as favs > 7 pts
Pac 12: 1-5 as favs 2 > pts
Big East: 1-4 as favs 4 < pts
SEC: 2-5 as favs < 7 pts

COACH ME IF YOU CAN

-- Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is 20-5 SU from the Elite 8 Round out since 1991, including 15-2 ATS when not favored by 7 or more points

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Essential betting stats and trends for the Sweet 16 and Elite 8
By MARC LAWRENCE

If you are a player, a coach, or a fan, there is nothing sweeter this time of the year than being alive in the NCAA Tournament. For those teams that survived the opening two rounds of the "Big Dance," it’s on to the Sweet 16 and hopefully, the Elite 8 this weekend.

So before placing your wagers for the next two rounds, Marc Lawrence digs up all the essential betting notes and trends of the teams that have arrived.

*Note: all stats are ATS (Against The Spread) unless noted otherwise.

NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 Round notes

• No. 1 Seeds coming off back-to-back SU/ATS wins are 19-8 ATS. Kansas fits the bill this year.
• No. 2 Seed favorites of 4-points or greater, are 2-6-1 ATS. So be cautious Villanova backers.
• No. 3 Seed dogs of 4-points or greater, are 6-1 ATS. That is the situation for Miami.
• No. 4 Seed dogs of 6-points or less, are 6-1 ATS. Both Duke and Iowa State are in that spot.
• No. 5 Seeds off a double-digit SU win, are 0-4 ATS. Maryland hopes to break that trend.
• No. 6 Seeds off a SU win as favorites, are 5-0 ATS. Notre Dame hopes that holds true.
• No. 7 Seed dogs of 3-pts or less, are 1-3 ATS. Wisconsin is in that spot this year.
• No. 10 or worse seed dogs of 4-points or greater, are 6-1 ATS. Syracuse is looking at that situation.
• Favorites off a SU win of 20 or more points are 0-4 ATS. Gonzaga is coming off a 23-point win over Utah.

Best Team ATS records in the Sweet 16:

Wisconsin 3-0, Oregon, Virginia 2-0, Oklahoma 4-1, Duke 3-1.

Worst Team ATS records in the Sweet 16:

Miami-Fl 0-2, Syracuse 1-6, Gonzaga and Indiana 1-3, Kansas 4-10.

Best Conference ATS records in the Sweet 16:

SEC: 7-1-1, Big East: 5-1 as dogs

Worst Conference ATS records in this round:

Big 12: 0-6, MVC: 0-4, West Coast: 1-3, Pac-12: 2-6

NCAA Tournament ELITE 8 Round notes

• No. 1 Seed favorites of greater than 7-points are 1-9 ATS.
• No. 2 Seeds are 3-10-1 ATS coming off a double-digit ATS win.
• No. 3 Seeds are 2-9 ATS.
• No. 4 Seeds are 11-3 ATS.
• No. 5 Seeds are 7-0 ATS.
• No. 6 Seeds are 2-5 ATS.
• No. 7 Seeds are 3-1-1 ATS.
• No. 8 Seeds are 5-1 ATS.
• Teams that score 67 points or less are 17-49 SU and 17-46-3 ATS.
• Teams that score 85 points or more are 29-7 SU and 26-8-2 ATS.
• Teams coming off three or more ATS wins are 7-1-1 ATS.
• Teams in Revenge spots are 16-6-1 ATS.
• Dogs coming off three straight double-digit wins are 2-7-1 ATS.

Best Conference ATS records in this round:

Big East: 6-1 as dogs of 4-points or less, Big 10: 5-1 as dogs, SEC: 5-1 as favorites of 7 or more points, Pac 12: 4-1 as dogs.

Worst Conference ATS records in this round:

Big 12: 0-11, ACC: 0-4 as favorites of greater than 7-points, Pac 12: 1-5 as favorites of greater than 2-points, Big East: 1-4 as favorites of less than 4-points, SEC: 2-5 as favs less than 7-points.

Coach me if you can

• Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is 20-5 SU from the Elite 8 Round out since 1991, including 15-2 ATS when not favored by 7 or more points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Sweet 16 has been dominated by the dogs, especially these profitable pups
By JASON LOGAN

Sweet 16 favorites were a tasty treat for basketball bettors last March when NCAA tournament teams giving the points in the regional semifinals finished with a 6-2 record against the spread (7-1 ATS).

That proposition has typically been a sour wager for those laying the points, with Sweet 16 underdogs posting a 21-9-1 ATS record (12-19 SU with one game closing as a pick’em) the four years prior (2011-2014) - covering the spread 70 percent of the time in that span.


That has Big Dance bettors wondering how loud the underdogs will bark in Thursday and Friday’s Sweet 16 matchups. Perhaps the one thing that should most concern those looking to wager on the eight NCAA games is the size of the dog in those contests.

Looking back to 2007, Sweet 16 underdogs between +3 and +6.5 are a collective 18-11-1 ATS (13-17 SU), covering the spread 62 percent of the time in that nine-season stretch. And shortening the sample to those four tournaments mentioned above – 2011 to 2014 – those same-sized pups (+3 to +6.5) posted an 11-4 ATS count, for a 73 percent cover rate.

Taking a glance at the 2016 tournament schedule, six of the eight regional semifinals fall under that pointspread category – save for Oklahoma (-2.5) vs. Texas A&M, and Notre Dame (-1) vs. Wisconsin. Miami is getting four points from Villanova, Maryland is a 6.5-point underdog to Kansas, Duke moved from +1.5 to +3 versus Oregon, Iowa State is getting five points from Virginia, Syracuse is at +4.5 facing Gonzaga, and Indiana is a 5.5-point pup against North Carolina.

As for the Aggies and Badgers currently sitting as slim betting pups, it’s not as cut and dry as dogs between +3 and +6.5. Underdogs between +1 and +1.5 are just 3-5 SU and ATS in the Sweet 16 since 2007 while dogs between +2 and +2.5 boast a breakeven 4-4-1 ATS record, going 3-6 SU in that span.

So far, NCAA tournament betting underdogs have finished 12-36 SU and 22-25-1 ATS heading into the Sweet 16, covering at just a 47 percent clip. Those NCAA teams getting between +3 and +6.5 are a split 8-8 ATS (7-9 SU).