Tuesday 1/26/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (14-31) at 76ers (6-39)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Archie Goodwin wasn't letting anyone else take the final shot, and Tyson Chandler wasn't about to share rebounding duties in a rare victory for Phoenix last week.

The Suns have a golden opportunity to turn it into their first win streak in nearly seven weeks as they open a four-game trip Tuesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Phoenix (14-31) will try to string two wins together for the first time since Dec. 7-9 three days after snapping a six-game skid with Saturday's 98-95 win over Atlanta.

When things are going as poorly as they have for the Suns, it doesn't matter who takes the final shot as long as it goes in. The last play against the Hawks was drawn up for Alex Len, but Goodwin had other plans.

"I was going to shoot it all the time," Goodwin said. "I was looking at the play like, 'Yeah right, I am shooting this.'"

Goodwin sank the winning 3-pointer from the top of the arc with one-tenth of a second left, finishing with a season-high 24 points and delivering the Suns just their second win in 17 games. It was Phoenix's first victory against a team above .500 since beating Chicago on Dec. 7.

"It's valuable experience for these guys to be in a game like that and win," said coach Jeff Hornacek, whose team follows this game at Philadelphia with nine of 11 against teams that currently have winning records.

Chandler totaled 61 rebounds during the Suns' three-game homestand, which opened with a tight loss to Indiana and a lopsided one against San Antonio. The 15-year veteran was a beast against Atlanta, tying a team record with 27 boards and setting another with 13 on the offensive end - a single-game high for the league this season.

At one point, he even ripped one away from teammate Devin Booker and barked at him.

Chandler finished with 13 points and a season-high five assists. He matched Paul Silas' team mark for rebounds set in 1971 and became the first Suns player with back-to-back 20-rebound games.

During a 111-104 loss to the 76ers on Dec. 26 which snapped a five-game winning streak in this series, Chandler had 10 points and 10 boards for his seventh straight double-digit rebounding performance against Philadelphia.

The 76ers (6-39) have allowed at least 51 boards in four of their last six and have held a disadvantage on the glass in seven of eight. Seven opposing players have finished with at least 10 rebounds in the 76ers' last three games.

After opening the season 1-30, Philadelphia is 5-9 and has split its last four. However, the latest in that stretch was a step backward as the 76ers shot just 39.3 percent and committed 24 turnovers in Sunday's 112-92 loss to Boston.

"That was a bad NBA game tonight from our standpoint," coach Brett Brown said. "I don't even know what team I coached tonight."

Philadelphia and Brooklyn are the only teams in the Eastern Conference with single-digit wins at home, and the 76ers are a league-worst 3-17. Phoenix has lost 10 straight on the road to fall to 4-18 away from home.

Brandon Knight (left abductor strain) remains out, while Jon Leuer (back spasms) and Markieff Morris (right shoulder strain) are each questionable for the Suns.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (20-22) at Raptors (29-15)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The Toronto Raptors are on the verge of matching the longest win streak in franchise history and emphatically sending a message that they are not the team that faltered badly in the playoffs a season ago.

The Raptors seek their ninth straight win Tuesday night and a four-game sweep of the visiting Washington Wizards, who may be without Bradley Beal.

Toronto (29-15) can post its first nine-game win streak since March 22-April 9, 2002. DeMar DeRozan is averaging 24.6 points in this run and Kyle Lowry 21.0.

'We are playing team basketball, so that's how it goes,' guard Terrance Ross said. 'It's halfway through the season so we all know how to play. We all know where we like the ball and the tendencies of the other players, so it's all about playing together.'

The Raptors shot a season-high 54.5 percent on 3-pointers in Sunday's 112-94 home rout of the Los Angeles Clippers. They have made at least 11 3s while shooting 49.0 percent from beyond the arc in the first four of this seven-game homestand.

Toronto's play is bringing back belief for the club that was swept in four games in the first round by Washington last year. The Raptors have gained a measure of revenge by capturing the first three meetings this season, with DeRozan averaging 29.7 points and Lowry at 19.7.

Wizards star John Wall is averaging 19.3 points on 32.4 percent shooting in those games and he may not have Beal, the oft-injured guard who has played just once against the Raptors in 2015-16.

Beal took a forearm to the face from Boston's Marcus Smart in the second quarter and did not return in Monday's 116-91 home loss. Beal, who averages 18.5 points, was going through concussion protocol afterward.

Washington (20-22) completed a 1-3 homestand with a dismal effort, shooting 42.7 percent and committing 20 turnovers for its highest total in 25 games.

'It's an embarrassing loss,' said forward Jared Dudley, who scored 15 points. 'I think guys (have) got to start looking at themselves in the mirror. I know we're trying to do everything the right way. Guys are playing hard, you're not questioning them like that, but overall we have to take it up another notch. And to lose that type of game (with) three, four days off, I think it's unacceptable.'

Wall had eight points on 3-of-11 shooting. He opened the homestand with a 36-point effort in a game Beal missed before averaging 11.7 on 33.3 percent shooting in the next three.

Toronto features one of the league's worst benches in terms of scoring, averaging 27.3 points. That unit, however, features an important cog in Patrick Patterson, who has scored in double digits in four of his last six games and has provided a tremendous boost.

"He comes in with his energy, with his rebounding, his running the floor, his spacing, everything he does he does with force and he kind of sets the tone for the second unit and we're gonna need that as we go forward and we continue down the schedule," coach Dwane Casey said.

The Wizards have dropped 10 of their last 12 regular-season games at Toronto and are 3-6 in the second of back-to-back games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Heat (24-21) at Nets (12-33)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

The banged-up Miami Heat haven't been lighting up the scoreboard lately but got enough points to end their longest losing streak of the season.

The Heat will try to keep heading in the right direction Tuesday night by continuing their success in visits to the Brooklyn Nets.

Miami (24-21) is averaging 82.0 points in its last five games but won 89-84 in Chicago on Monday while holding the Bulls to 39.8 percent shooting. The Heat allowed 16 points in the fourth quarter and one basket in the final 3:48 to end their string of four consecutive losses.

"We gutted it out tonight," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We played under control and that win doesn't happen without a good defensive effort. That's a good win for us."

Dwyane Wade had 28 points - two shy of matching his season high - to make up for the absences of two starters.

Miami played its seventh consecutive game without point guard Goran Dragic (strained left calf), who is also expected to sit out Tuesday. Hassan Whiteside missed his second straight game because of a strained left hip.

The Heat got Luol Deng back Monday after he missed a 101-81 loss in Toronto on Friday with an injured right eye. Miami is in the midst of a stretch in which it's playing 14 of 16 on the road and Monday's win was just its second in its last eight games away from home.

The Heat will try to earn a fifth consecutive victory in Brooklyn, a streak that includes one game from the 2014 playoffs. Miami won 104-98 at Barclays Center on Dec. 16 with Wade scoring 28 points on 13-of-17 shooting.

Wade had 24 points while making seven of 11 shots in a visit from the Nets on Dec. 28, but Miami had a seven-game win streak against Brooklyn end with a 111-105 defeat.

The Nets have lost 18 of 23, but ended a five-game losing streak with only their second victory in 15 home contests Sunday with a 116-106 win over Oklahoma City.

Brook Lopez led the way with a season-high 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting.

"We just weren't happy with the way we've played the last however-many games. There's a good amount of them," he said. "(A 108-86 home loss to Utah on Friday) was kind of the capper. I know for me personally it was just an ugly, ugly game and we wanted to come out and erase our memory of that."

Lopez has averaged 25.5 points on 55.0 percent shooting in the two games against Miami this season, his second-best showing versus any Eastern Conference opponent.

Wayne Ellington had 26 points in the latest matchup, two shy of tying his career high, and easily his best performance in a season in which he's averaged 6.3.

Wade is averaging 26.8 points and shooting 53.0 percent in his last six games against Brooklyn, including the playoff clincher in 2014. Miami would love to get Whiteside back as he has a combined 38 points on 14-of-20 shooting and 24 rebounds in this season's matchups.

Chris Bosh had 24 points on 7-of-8 shooting in the most recent meeting, but is averaging 11.2 while shooting 42.6 percent in his last five games in Brooklyn, including the playoffs. Bosh matched a season low with seven points in the latest visit while missing six of seven shots.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Thunder (33-13) at Knicks (22-24)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Now that they've settled into a regular routine on their trip to New York, the Oklahoma City Thunder can focus on the business of winning.

After they couldn't help but feel the effects of a massive snowstorm, the Thunder may not get to avoid facing nemesis Carmelo Anthony, either.

Anthony says he plans to play through knee soreness as the Knicks try to avoid their first back-to-back home losses since November on Tuesday night against an Oklahoma City team that hasn't lost two in a row in two months.

The Thunder (33-13) weren't able to practice or hold a shootaround and walkthrough after arriving in the New York metro area around 4 a.m. Saturday - not long after a blizzard began that would dump almost 30 inches on the area.

Kevin Durant was stuck in his hotel for 36 hours before Oklahoma City's season-best win streak ended at seven with Sunday's 116-106 loss in the second of the club's season high-tying four-game road swing.

"They dealt with the same circumstances we had," coach Billy Donovan said after the game, which was pushed back four hours from its original start time. "So both teams dealt with the weather, but to say that that impacted us would be making an excuse."

Durant finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, and fellow All-Star starter Russell Westbrook added 27, 11 and seven, but the Thunder never led in just their fifth loss over the last 27 games. The Northwest Division leaders haven't dropped two in a row since Nov. 30 and Dec. 3.

They struggled without center Steven Adams, who is expected to sit out the rest of this trip after an MRI revealed a sprained right elbow. Brook Lopez took advantage by scoring a season-high 31 points for the Nets.

New York's Robin Lopez, Brook's twin brother, certainly doesn't pose as much of a threat, but Anthony has given the Thunder a lot of trouble. He's totaled 56 points to help the Knicks win the last two meetings, and his 27.1 career average is his highest versus any Western Conference opponent.

The All-Star forward, however, has shot 39.4 percent in his last four games after missing two with an ankle injury. He's questionable for this contest after feeling soreness in his knee Saturday when he had a season-low nine points in 29 minutes - none in the fourth quarter - of a 97-84 loss at Charlotte.

The Knicks (22-24), who averaged 112.7 points during a six-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden, have scored 86.0 per game in their last two overall.

New York hasn't lost two in a row at home since Nov. 27-29 and hasn't swept this season series since 2005-06 against the then-Seattle SuperSonics.

"How do you get to a point where you can break (past .500)?" coach Derek Fisher said. "It requires more sacrifice, more discipline, more commitment and more energy. We have to keep plugging until we find a way."

The Knicks held Oklahoma City to 38.0 percent shooting - including 3 for 29 from 3-point range - in a 93-90 road win Nov. 20. Westbrook led the Thunder with 34 points and he's averaged 35.3 over the last three meetings.

Durant's 29.4 career scoring average against New York is his second-highest of any East opponent, though he's missed the past three matchups.

Thunder guard Andre Roberson is expected to miss three weeks with a sprained right knee.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (20-23) at Bucks (19-27)

Date: January 26, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Jason Kidd brought something interesting to his first practice back on the eve of the coach's return for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Scott Skiles is returning to Milwaukee with his Orlando Magic mired in their longest losing streak.

Kidd will coach the Bucks for the first time in 18 games as they face the Magic and Skiles, who returns to the city for the first time since he resigned as Milwaukee coach three seasons ago.

Milwaukee (19-27) will welcome back Kidd from his absence due to hip replacement surgery. He brought part of the metal prosthesis inserted into his hip for the procedure to Monday's practice, making a point to his youthful club how much he sacrificed during a 19-year career.

"Hip replacement wasn't due to age, it was due to what I did on the court," Kidd said. "And so sometimes you don't understand, as a young player, if you are going to sacrifice a body part for wins or to be able to play the game at the highest level, are you willing to do that?

"So for them to see that piece of metal that went into my body, it was eye opening because it wasn't just a little piece."

The Bucks went 8-9 in Kidd's absence with Joe Prunty serving as interim coach.

Kidd won't be the only coach drawing attention because Skiles will be back after he guided the Bucks for four-plus seasons between 2008-13. Skiles posted a 162-182 record with Milwaukee with one playoff appearance.

Both clubs are looking for answers, although Orlando (20-23) figures to be the more frustrated club thanks to a six-game slide that includes three overtime defeats. The Magic went past regulation for the second straight game in Monday's 108-102 loss at Memphis, blowing a four-point lead with 18 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

'It's very disappointing for us,' forward Tobias Harris said. 'Two games we felt we had the game in our hands and let it slip away.'

Harris was one of three Orlando players to score 16 along with Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic. Victor Oladipo made 1 of 10 shots for five points after averaging 22.6 in his previous five games.

The Magic allowed a season-high 70 points in the paint. That's a concern against a Bucks team averaging 49.0 points in that department to rank among the NBA's leaders.

Milwaukee is seeking a fourth straight home win and hoping to improve its 3-point defense after conceding a total of 32 in consecutive losses.

'We're not a 3-point shooting team. When we give up the 3, the advantage is not in our favor,' guard Michael Carter-Williams said.

Milwaukee's Khris Middleton is averaging 23.3 points in his last six games.

While Kidd has preached patience with his young club, Skiles is growing worried about his team's propensity for late-game failures.

"I'm concerned about why we cover things in a shootaround and then cover them again while the game is going on and then while live play is actually happening for whatever reason mentally we're not doing what we're supposed to do so that's the most concerning thing," Skiles said.

The Magic won the first meeting this season, 114-90 on Nov. 27. Elfrid Payton had 22 points and 10 assists.

Orlando is 2-5 in the second half of back-to-back games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Kings (20-24) at Trail Blazers (20-26)

Date: January 26, 2016 10:00 PM EDT

DeMarcus Cousins is doing everything he can to try to reach the playoffs for the first time in his six seasons.

Now he'll have to summon the energy to come through in a potentially critical game in a situation in which his Sacramento Kings have struggled.

Cousins has totaled 104 points over consecutive games entering Tuesday night's visit to face a Portland Trail Blazers team right behind the Kings in the Western Conference standings.

The power forward is the NBA's leading scorer this month with 34.4 points per game. He established a career high with 48 points in Saturday's 108-97 win over Indiana before eclipsing that mark with 56 in Monday's 129-128 double-overtime defeat to Charlotte.

The 56 points broke the Sacramento record set by Chris Webber in 2001 and matched Oscar Robertson's franchise standard from 1964. Cousins, whose 128 points over the last three games are the most of any player this season in such a span, also pulled down 12 boards for his 11th straight double-double.

The Kings (20-24) had their five-game win streak snapped, as Cousins fouled out in the second extra session.

'It was a tough loss. I was just sitting here (in the locker room) thinking how a lot of the plays early on could have changed the game,' Cousins said. 'But I think through all of the mistakes, we all left it on the floor. You hate to lose games like this.'

Bouncing back won't be easy since Sacramento is 2-9 in the second half of back-to-back sets.

The defeat also cut Sacramento's lead for the West's eighth playoff spot over Portland (20-26) to one game. The Trail Blazers are percentage points ahead of Utah for ninth in the conference.

That's why Portland placed extra emphasis on this contest in Monday's practice.

"They're in the spot that we want to be in," Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard said. "It's a huge game, tomorrow doesn't decide anything but it's another great opportunity for us on our home court and we're going to go out there and play like it."

Lillard was out when Portland won 98-94 at Sacramento the lone time these teams met Dec. 27. Cousins scored 36 points, and the Trail Blazers are well aware he's probably even tougher to stop now.

"He's a handful," Lillard said. "He could come out tomorrow and have a huge game but it has to be against a group, we gotta make it a tough game for him and make him get rid of that ball."

Lillard will match up for the first time against NBA assist leader Rajon Rondo, who had 20 assists for the second time this season Monday to match the NBA's season high. Rondo is averaging 13.6 assists in his last 12 games.

"Boogie (Cousins) is a scorer and a really aggressive player and Rondo is a facilitator so it works out perfect," Lillard said. "They're both really competitive, they're both really smart."

Rondo guides an offense that entered the week averaging 101.8 possessions per 48 minutes to rank second. Lillard leads the NBA with an average of 8.1 minutes per game of possession.

The Blazers have won four of six after Saturday's 121-103 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers. Lillard scored 36 and C.J. McCollum turned in his second straight 28-point effort.

McCollum had 35 points and 11 rebounds the last time these teams met.

The Kings' Rudy Gay returned Monday after missing two straight games with a bruised heel but may sit out Tuesday due to a swollen eye.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mavericks (25-21) at Lakers (9-37)

Date: January 26, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

Though they've engaged in their share of scoring duels over the past 17 years, Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks have had the upper hand on Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers in recent seasons.

The future Hall of Famers will face each other one last time as the visiting Mavericks try to avoid matching their longest skid of the season and extend a nine-game winning streak in this series Tuesday night.

Nowitzki and the retiring Bryant are the NBA's top two active scoring leaders, with Bryant ranking third on the all-time list with 33,084 points and Nowitzki sixth at 28,863.

Bryant helped the Lakers win 34 of 49 meetings when both played from the time Nowitzki entered the league in 1998-99 through 2012-13. Bryant had 62- and 52-point performances in that span.

Nowitzki averaged 25.3 - two points better than Bryant - in Dallas' sweep during their only postseason meeting in the 2011 Western Conference semifinals.

Nowitzki has posted seven 30-point games against Los Angeles, though his 20.9 average versus the Lakers is among his lowest marks against any team. However, the Mavericks' nine-game run is their longest in the history of the series, a streak aided by Bryant playing in only three of those contests due to injury.

Nowitzki had 25 points and nine rebounds while Bryant was held to 15 and went 3 of 15 from the field in Dallas' 103-93 win Nov. 1, the most recent meeting at Staples Center. Nowitzki was then limited to nine points on 4-of-13 shooting in the Mavericks' 90-82 victory Nov. 13, with Bryant scoring 19 in his last game at Dallas.

"It was just two old guys having fun," Bryant said after that contest. "I was trying to catch him before he got too high because he's too damn tall."

They'll go at it one last time as the Mavericks (25-21) try to avoid losing three in a row for the first time since Nov. 22-25.

"It's always great to see (Bryant)," Nowitzki said. "He's a legend."

Chandler Parsons had a season-high 31 points but Dallas struggled defensively in Sunday's 115-104 loss at Houston. It's been a disturbing trend of late, with the Mavericks giving up 108.6 per game in their last five.

Parsons has averaged 29.0 points while making 12 of 18 from 3-point range in his last three. He's scored only 11 points over the two games against the Lakers this season, though.

Zaza Pachulia has missed three of the past eight games due to injury, but the center, who's totaled 34 points and 28 rebounds in the season series, is expected to return after sitting out Sunday.

Dallas hasn't had much trouble slowing down the Lakers (9-37), limiting them to 34.7 percent shooting in the two meetings. Jordan Clarkson, though, has a 26-point effort and a 21-point game among his last three against Dallas.

D'Angelo Russell scored 21 points in Saturday's 121-103 loss at Portland and has totaled 39 in his past two games. Russell and Julius Randle, however, were reportedly criticized by Bryant in the locker room for poor effort in Los Angeles' sixth straight defeat.

The Lakers have given up 113.0 points per game during their slide.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Raptors' betting results have them ready to run with East's elite
By BIG AL MCMORDIE

There have been 665 games played so far this season, but none has had the importance as Monday night's clash between the last two NBA Champions.

Indeed, the season's first matchup between the Warriors and Spurs is arguably the biggest regular season game in the history of the NBA - at least until the second, third and fourth meetings later this year.

It's not only the first time in NBA history that two teams with .850 (or better) win percentages have met this late in a season, but it could also have serious implications for home-court advantage in the NBA Playoffs. Of course, there will be 53 other games played this week, so let's see what's on tap.

Spread watch

The Toronto Raptors have quietly won eight straight games, and have covered seven of those eight (including all four games last week). And their only ATS defeat in this stretch was by a mere 1.5 points, in a 106-103 road win at Orlando.

Admittedly, many of Toronto's wins were against soft, Eastern Conference competition. But Sunday's 112-94 blowout of the Los Angeles Clippers - a team which had won 12 of its previous 14 - served notice that the Raptors may be ready to challenge LeBron James for Conference supremacy.

This week, Toronto will play three home games against the Wizards, Knicks and Pistons, so there's no reason its win streak can’t stretch to 11 games. And its game against New York looks to be a prime spot to step in and play on the white-hot Raptors. Toronto is 6-0 ATS its last six vs. division rivals, and will be playing with revenge from a 111-109 loss to New York back in November.

Total watch

Alvin Gentry's New Orleans Pelicans finally seem to be picking up the first-year coach's offense, as they're (finally) moving the ball around and have broken out to win their last three games by 15-plus points (the first time since January 2008 they've accomplished that feat).

The Pelicans have scored 114, 115 and 116 in those three games, and stretched their streak of Overs to five games. On Monday, New Orleans will welcome the defensively-challenged Houston Rockets to the Smoothie King Center. Later this week, both Sacramento and Brooklyn will pay visits.

None of New Orleans' opponents this week rate in the upper half of the league's best defenses, while Houston (26th) and Brooklyn (27th), in particular, are among the absolute worst in adjusted defensive efficiency. Given that 14 of New Orleans' last 17 meetings with Brooklyn have gone Over the total, look for a high-scoring game between those two teams Saturday.

Injury watch

The San Antonio Spurs will be without Tim Duncan for Monday's game at Golden State, and possibly their games later this week at home versus Houston and at Cleveland. Though the "Big Fundamental" is averaging career lows in minutes (26), points (8.86) and rebounds (7.54), it's easy to overlook just how valuable he is - especially on the defensive end.

Indeed, Duncan is really the "quarterback" of their league-best defense, as he works the back line and communicates to his teammates what's going on. The fact that he's currently ranked No. 1 (of 431 players) in Defensive Real Plus-Minus illustrates just how effective he remains, at 39 years old.

Certainly, the betting markets appreciate his value. For Monday's Spurs-Warriors game, the pointspread moved from Golden State -3 to Golden State -4.5 upon the announcement that Duncan would not play. San Antonio will likely start David West until Duncan returns. And West has been superb in his first season with the Spurs, shooting a career-best 56.3 percent from the field, and is currently ranked No. 44 (of 431) in RPM, and No. 60 (of 333) in PER.

Schedule watch

The Charlotte Hornets have the biggest home/road dichotomy in the league, in terms of win percentage. At home, the Hornets are 16-8, but they've won just five of 20 games away from "The Hive." This week, the Hornets will embark on a four-game road trip, with stops at the Kings, Jazz, Blazers and Clippers.

Monday's game at Sacramento looks particularly troublesome, as the Kings are on a five-game SU/ATS win streak (coinciding with the insertion of Willie Cauley-Stein into the starting lineup), including impressive upsets of the Jazz and Clippers on the road. And Sacramento will be playing with revenge from a 127-122 overtime loss at Charlotte, in which they blew a 22-point lead.

Even worse for Charlotte: the Kings have turned around their league-worst defense (107.1 ppg), and have held their last four opponents under 42 percent shooting, and their last three foes under 100 points. As the Hornets are 5-16 SU and 5-15-1 ATS this season when they don't shoot better than 42 percent, that doesn't bode well for Steve Clifford's crew on Monday.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Tuesday, January 26 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

I'm starting to like the Lakers' Kobe Bryant in his crusty old age. Kobe knows his career is going to end on a down note because the Lakers obviously aren't going to the playoffs again this season. But at least Kobe isn't going down without a fight. He ripped rookie D'Angelo Russell and second-year player Julius Randle following L.A.'s sixth straight loss on Saturday night. That's the role Bryant has to play now: veteran teacher. He's not going to help the Lakers win much on the court, but he needs to instill a killer instinct in the team's future star players.

We also learned over the weekend what kind of slights fuel Kobe. Tuesday night is the final time Bryant will ever face the Dallas Mavericks. On Dec. 20, 2005, at Staples Center vs. the Mavs, Bryant had 62 points through three quarters, one more than Dallas had as team. Bryant admitted he wanted to stick it to Mavs assistant Del Harris. He coached the Lakers from 1994-99 and Bryant hated playing for Harris as a rookie because he was only getting about 15 minutes a night. "I always said if I get a chance to get revenge, I'm going to get it," Kobe told reporters over the weekend about that 62-point game. Phil Jackson rested Bryant in the fourth quarter or 90 might have been in play.

Clippers at Pacers (pick'em, 209)

Los Angeles is off a 112-94 loss in Toronto on Sunday as the Clippers were swept in the season series for the second straight year. The Clips are now 11-3 without Blake Griffin, who does appear to be pretty close to returning from a strained left quad. The L.A. bench was dominated in the loss. Indiana dropped a second straight Saturday, 108-97 in Sacramento as it couldn't stop DeMarcus Cousins (48 points). Paul George had 34 points as the Pacers concluded their four-game road trip at 1-3. Starting point guard George Hill was back after a three-game absence, but center Ian Mahinmi missed a second straight with a sprained ankle. The Pacers won at the Clippers 103-91 on Dec. 2 behind 31 points and 10 boards from George. Chris Paul missed the game and J.J. Redick only played briefly as he sprained his ankle.

Key trends: L.A. is 5-0 against the spread after its past five ATS losses. Indiana is 0-4 ATS in its past four after a loss. The "over/under" is 5-1 in Indiana's past six at home following a road trip of at least seven days.

Early lean: Clippers and over.

Suns at 76ers (+1, 205.5)

Plenty of good seats available for this ugly matchup! Phoenix ended a six-game losing streak with a 98-95 home upset of Atlanta on Saturday. Archie Goodwin hit a 3-pointer with 0.1 seconds remaining. Tyson Chandler tied a Suns record with 27 rebounds. His 13 offensive boards were a team record. Suns starters Brandon Knight and Markieff Morris both missed another game due to injuries and are questionable here. Philly lost by 20 at home to Boston on Sunday, a game moved back a day due to the winter storm. It was the Sixers' 11th loss this season by at least 20. Guard Nik Stauskas returned to the lineup after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury but had only two points. The 76ers won in Phoenix 111-104 on Dec. 26. Stauskas had 17 in that one. That was the game Phoenix lost leading scorer Eric Bledsoe for what turned out to be a season-ending injury.

Key trends: The Suns are 1-10 ATS in their past 11 following an ATS win. The Sixers are 5-1 ATS in their past six overall. The Suns are 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings.

Early lean: 76ers and under.

Heat at Nets (TBA)

Miami was in Chicago on Monday trying to end a four-game losing streak and without Hassan Whiteside. Brooklyn ended a five-game skid with a stunning 116-106 home upset of Oklahoma City on Sunday. Brook Lopez scored a season-high 31 points and added 10 rebounds. The Nets never trailed and scored their most points this season in a regulation game. The Heat and Nets have split two games this season, each winning on the road. Miami has won three straight in Brooklyn.

Key trends: The Heat are 4-0 ATS in their past four in Brooklyn. The over is 5-2 in the Nets' past seven.

Early lean: Heat are so banged up it's not clear who plays here. I like the Nets to win outright.

Thunder at Knicks (TBA)

This is the first of a NBA TV doubleheader and should have live betting at sportsbooks. Oklahoma City's seven-game winning streak ended in a 10-point loss in Brooklyn on Sunday. Maybe the Thunder's rhythm was thrown off with the game pushed back four hours because of the blizzard and the team snowed in its hotel for 36 hours. Kevin Durant had 32 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Russell Westbrook finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. The Thunder were without center Steven Adams and lost swingman Andre Roberson during the game to injury. Don't expect either here. It's not clear if Carmelo Anthony will play for the Knicks as he's questionable. He's battling knee soreness and sat the fourth quarter of Saturday's 13-point loss in Charlotte. New York won in Oklahoma City 93-90 on Nov. 20. Carmelo had 25. Durant missed the game.

Key trends: OKC is 1-5 ATS in its past six in New York. The under is 7-3 in the past 10 meetings.

Early lean: Wait on Melo, but I can't see the Knicks sweeping the season series.

Wizards at Raptors (-6.5, 206)

Washington hosted Boston on Monday. Toronto won an eighth straight Sunday, 112-94 over the visiting Clippers. Toronto's Big 3 of Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas combined for 59 points. The Raptors' bench scored a season-high 51 points. The franchise record for wins is nine in row set in 2001-02. Toronto has won six straight regular-season meetings with the Wizards. The Raptors are holding Washington .375 shooting from the field in three victories this year. DeRozan is averaging a team-high 29.7 points vs. the Wiz.

Key trends: Washington is 4-0 ATS in the past four in Toronto. The under is 8-2 in the past 10 meetings north of the border.

Early lean: Raptors and under.

Magic at Bucks (-3, 195)

Orlando was in Memphis on Monday looking to end a five-game skid. Milwaukee lost 116-99 in New Orleans on Saturday to finish a four-game trip at 2-2. The Bucks' bench had just 16 points in that game and was outscored by 41 by the Pelicans' reserves. Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd will return from hip surgery for this game. He has been out since the third week of December. The Bucks were 11-18 under Kidd and 8-9 under assistant Joe Prunty. The Magic won the first meeting with Milwaukee, 114-90 on Nov. 27 in Orlando.

Key trends: The Magic are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 4-1 in Orlando's past five road games.

Early lean: Bucks and under.

Kings at Trail Blazers (TBA)

Sacramento hosted Charlotte on Monday with the Kings trying for a sixth straight win. Portland beat the Lakers 121-103 on Saturday behind 36 points from Damian Lillard. CJ McCollum added 28 points for the Blazers, who have won eight straight vs. L.A. Portland beat Sacramento 98-94 in the first meeting between the teams. McCollum had 35 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. Lillard missed that one. The Blazers have won four straight at home in the series.

Key trends: The underdog is 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 14-2 in the past 16 in Portland.

Early lean: TBA because of the Kings' Rudy Gay, who was questionable for Monday. Blazers win this one.

Mavericks at Lakers (+9, 205)

The NBA TV nightcap. Dallas lost a second straight Sunday, 115-104 in Houston. Chandler Parsons had a season-high 31 points in the loss. Mavs center Zaza Pachulia, having by far the best season of his career, missed the game with a right leg injury. He's questionable here. L.A. dropped that sixth in a row Saturday with the 18-point loss in Portland. That was Kobe's final game in that city, and Bryant finished 6-26 in regular-season games in Portland, his worst record in any city. Lakers rookie forward Larry Nance Jr. missed a fourth straight game with a right knee injury. He's close to coming back. Dallas has won nine straight regular-season meetings with the Lakers, including two this year.

Key trends: The Mavs are 7-2 ATS in the past nine meetings. The under is 4-1 in the past five meetings.

Early lean: Lakers and over.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Tuesday's hot teams
-- Clippers are 12-3 in last 15 games, 2-3 in last five (3-4AU).
-- Raptors won their last eight games (7-1 vs spread). Washington won five of last seven games (8-2 last 10AU).
-- Thunder won seven of its last eight games (0-6 last 6AF).
-- Milwaukee won its last three home games (3-3HF).
-- Portland won five of its last seven games (4-0 last 4HF). Kings won five of their last six games (6-2 last 8AU).

Cold teams
-- Indiana lost five of its last six games (9-6HF).
-- Suns lost six of their last seven games (1-9 last 10AU). Sixers lost six of last eight games, but covered five of last six (1-0HF).
-- Miami lost four of its last five games. Brooklyn lost ten of its last 12 games.
-- New York lost four of its last six games (4-6HU).
-- Orlando lost nine of its last ten games (0-4 last 4AU).
-- Mavericks lost three of last four on road (4-3AF). Lakers lost six games in a row (1-5 vs spread).

Series records
-- Clippers lost four of last six games with Indiana.
-- 76ers lost five of last six games with Phoenix.
-- Raptors won their last three games with Washington.
-- Nets lost seven of last eight games with Miami.
-- Thunder won six of last nine games with New York.
-- Magic lost three of last four visits to Milwaukee.
-- Kings lost seven of last nine games with Portland.
-- Lakers lost last nine games with Dallas (2-7 vs spread).

Totals
-- Four of last five Indiana home games went over.
-- Six of last nine Phoenix road games went over.
-- Seven of last eight Washington road games went over.
-- Six of last seven Miami games stayed under.
-- 10 of last 12 New York home games went over.
-- Five of last six Milwaukee home games went over.
-- Four of last five Sacramento games stayed under.
-- Seven of last eight Dallas road games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Washington is 3-2 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Miami is 2-4 vs spread on road if it played night before.
-- Sacramento is 7-4 vs spread if it played night before, but they had a tough OT game with Hornets at home last night.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Hoosiers (17-3) at Badgers (11-9)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

James Blackmon suffered a season-ending knee injury two days before the start of Big Ten play, at the time making the idea that Indiana could have its best conference start in 23 years pretty far-fetched.

That is exactly what's happened for the 19th-ranked Hoosiers, who have simplified their offensive game without one of their top scorers and improved defensively.

Extending their winning streak to 13 for the first time under coach Tom Crean, though, requires a victory over pesky Wisconsin on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center, where the Hoosiers haven't won since 1998.

Blackmon averaged 15.8 points in 13 games for Indiana (17-3, 7-0) before being injured in a non-contact drill in practice Dec. 28. The Hoosiers were averaging 89.1 points but giving up 70 per game during that span.

Indiana, though, has allowed fewer than that in each of its last six while securing its best start in conference play since winning its first 13 Big Ten games in 1992-93. The Hoosiers' scoring dipped to 72.3 points per game in their first three without Blackmon, but they're averaging 86.8 over the last four.

They hit a school-record 19 3-pointers in a 103-69 rout of Illinois last Tuesday before clamping down on Northwestern in Saturday's 89-57 victory. Indiana now is on the verge of winning 13 straight for the first time since 2007-08, one season before Crean arrived.

'The more simple we can make our passing and the more active we can be in our cutting, the better we are. And we're moving the ball, there's no question about that,' Crean said. 'Really the last week, we've done a good job of being on time, on target and that's so crucial.'

The Hoosiers had to rely on their defense in the first meeting with Wisconsin, though, scoring their fewest points of the season in a 59-58 win Jan. 5 while holding the Badgers to 41.3 percent.

Yogi Farrell had 19 points in that contest and hit a tiebreaking jumper with 38 seconds remaining before nailing four free throws in the final 13 seconds to help secure the victory.

"We saw what they could do at their place, and I thought we had our chances there to have a different outcome," Wisconsin interim coach Greg Gard said. "(Crean) has them playing extremely well. They're very confident offensively and they've improved defensively. Having a senior point guard as good as Yogi Farrell, he's really the engine that drives that whole machine."

Gard feels the Badgers (11-9, 3-4) have improved since the first meeting, too. They ended a three-game losing streak that began with the defeat in Bloomington with a 77-76 home win over then-No. 4 Michigan State before holding on for a 66-60 win at Penn State on Thursday.

Bronson Koenig scored a career-high 27 points against the Spartans before freshman Ethan Happ's deciding layup with 10 seconds remaining. Happ then finished with a season-high 20 points and added 11 rebounds against the Nittany Lions.

"I've talked with the team over the last few days (and told them), 'I think you're better. I think you've improved,'" Gard said. "Now is our chance to show it."

Wisconsin's five home losses are its most since going 8-8 in Madison in 1997-98, when Indiana last won at the Kohl Center. It has dropped 13 straight there since, including eight by double digits.

"The Big Ten's a tough league. Everybody can win on any given night," Hoosiers forward Collin Hartman said. "If you don't come ready to play, you're going to get beat."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Red Raiders (12-6) at Sooners (16-2)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Already one of the nation's most prolific shooting teams, Oklahoma remains atop the AP Poll following arguably its best performance yet.

Buddy Hield and Jordan Woodard are two of the country's best 3-point shooters, but they certainly haven't looked like it against Texas Tech.

They'll attempt to change that as the high-scoring Sooners look to keep their place among the Big 12 leaders with their 17th consecutive win at the Noble Center on Tuesday night against the struggling Red Raiders.

It appeared that Oklahoma's rise to the top spot of the poll for the first time since 1990 might not last long Saturday when Hield sat on the bench with two early fouls five days after an 82-77 loss at then-No. 19 Iowa State.

Hield, though, overcame his slow start to finish with 19 points and four 3-pointers in an 82-72 win at then-No. 13 Baylor. Woodard led the way with 20 points, making five 3s while also handing out seven assists.

The Sooners, who were in a four-way tie atop the Big 12 entering the week, lead the nation with a 46.4 3-point percentage and rank in the top 10 with 85.5 points per game. They retained the AP's top spot after shooting a season-high 62 percent and sinking 16 of 28 from 3 against the Bears.

Oklahoma (16-2, 5-2), winners in 16 straight home games by an average of 17.4 points, remains on pace to set a school record by finishing with the nation's best 3-point percentage since Green Bay's 46.7 in 1991-92.

"They really shoot it well," coach Lon Kruger said after his squad had a season-high 29 assists. "The guys like to shoot â?? they spend a lot of time shooting â?? and they like passing to each other. That's a good combination."

Woodard (54.1) and Hield (51.7) rank among the national leaders from 3. Hield also sits in the top five with a Big 12-best 25.7 points per game, while Woodard is in the league's top 10 at 14.9.

However, both have had a difficult time against Texas Tech. Hield has averaged 8.7 points while missing 18 of 22 from 3-point range and Woodard has scored 6.3 and made just 2 of 8 from 3 in the past three meetings.

The Red Raiders have allowed 48.1 percent shooting - including a 43.3 mark from 3-point range - in their last four games. They let then-No. 6 West Virginia shoot 51 percent in Saturday's 80-76 home defeat.

Zach Smith had a career-high 18 points but the Red Raiders (12-6, 2-5) lost for the fifth time in six games following an 11-1 start.

"I know (Smith) will be the first one to say he'd rather have the win over what was probably his best game he's had," coach Tubby Smith said. "He logged a lot of minutes (36), but he's a guy that does so many things for us."

The Red Raiders have dropped five of the past six meetings with the Sooners. They've also lost 11 consecutive games versus ranked opponents, though the last eight have been by 10 points or fewer.

Ryan Spangler led Oklahoma with 20 points in an 81-39 win Jan. 28, 2015, in the most recent matchup in Norman. Isaiah Cousins stepped up with 22 on Feb. 21 when the Sooners pulled out a 79-75 overtime road win.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wildcats (12-7) at Mountainers (16-3)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Tarik Phillip's flurry of scoring allowed West Virginia to escape with a victory on the road this past weekend and keep its losing streak brief.

He also played a key role in one of his team's other hard-fought Big 12 wins this season, against Kansas State earlier this month.

The ninth-ranked Mountaineers will try for an easier game when the Wildcats visit Morgantown on Tuesday night.

Phillip scored eight of his career-high 20 points in the final minute Saturday against Texas Tech to send West Virginia to an 80-76 victory. Jaysean Paige had a team-best 22 points as the Mountaineers (16-3, 5-2) avoided a third consecutive defeat.

"That shows you how resilient we can be," Phillip said. "We knew this was a must-win for us. We had to leave everything on the floor."

Phillip had 14 points while making six of eight shots at Kansas State on Jan. 2, and none was bigger than his floater with 4.5 seconds left in double overtime in an 87-83 victory.

Paige provided 20 of his 25 points after halftime, and that was his career-best scoring performance until he had 26 in a win over then-No. 1 Kansas on Jan. 12.

Kansas State also fell in double overtime at then-No. 13 Baylor on Wednesday during its difficult start to the conference season but handled Oklahoma State 89-73 on Saturday. The Wildcats (12-7, 2-5) shot a season-best 57.7 percent after connecting at a combined 39.2 in back-to-back losses.

"I think our coaching staff did a good job trying to get them to realize there's still a lot to play for," coach Bruce Weber said. "Even though we've lost these games, if you play the right way - hard and as a team - good things will happen."

While its overall shooting percentage has been up and down, Weber's team has excelled from 3-point range in most of its last four games, connecting at a combined 41.8 percent. The Wildcats were hitting at 27.8 percent in the first 15 contests and went 3 of 19 in the loss to West Virginia.

The Mountaineers fared even worse from beyond the arc at 3 for 20 but shot 47.1 percent overall compared with Kansas State's 44.8 percent. They also had a 43-35 rebounding edge - 15-9 on the offensive glass.

Freshman guard Barry Brown had a career-high 20 points for the Wildcats but has totaled 20 while missing 16 of 24 shots in his past three games. Fellow freshman Kamau Stokes is averaging 15.0 points on 51.3 percent shooting - including a 13-of-25 mark from 3-point range - in his last four.

Stokes, who averaged 8.7 points in his first 15 games, scored 15 in the first meeting with West Virginia but went 1 of 7 from behind the arc.

The Mountaineers have won four straight over the Wildcats and edged them 76-72 in the most recent home matchup Feb. 11. Brandon Watkins led the way with a career-high 14 points off the bench while making 6 of 8 shots, and the West Virginia bench outscored Kansas State's 47-19.

Watkins has scored a combined 14 points in 18 games since that performance.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (15-4) at Demon Deacons (10-9)

Date: January 26, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Double-digit wins have been absent for Virginia since its ACC opener, but there's a good chance of its next opponent loosening those reins.

Wake Forest enters Tuesday night's meeting in Winston-Salem having lost its last three games by wide margins, but even those are made to look reasonable when compared to the last contest between the Cavaliers and Demon Deacons.

No. 11 Virginia (15-4, 4-3) has won the last three meetings, but a 70-34 victory in Winston-Salem on Feb. 25 was in its own category. The Demon Deacons made 12 field goals, shooting 21.8 percent and going 4 of 22 from 3-point range for one of their worst offensive games in school history.

Anthony Gill averaged 15.0 points in the two meetings last season and also had 16 on 7-of-11 shooting in Virginia's 73-65 home win over Syracuse on Sunday. Malcolm Brogdon had 21 and London Perrantes made 4 of 8 from 3-point range on his way to 16 points as the Cavaliers shot 56.8 percent.

The backcourt duo of Brogdon and Perrantes continues to flourish. Brogdon leads the team with 17.0 points per game, which is up from 14.0 last season as he's on pace for the best shooting season of his career. Perrantes is shooting 54.9 percent from long range, bumping his 6.4-point scoring average from last season to 11.9. He's averaged 14.8 in his last six.

"It's evolved as much, I think, as chemistry between two players can," Brogdon told the school's official website.

Syracuse was able to keep it close by hitting 13 of 30 from 3-point range, but Virginia coach Tony Bennett wasn't necessarily faulting his team's perimeter defense.

"If guys are hitting tough, contested deep 3s, sometimes you have to take your hat off to them," Bennett said.

Even so, it might be part of the reason the Cavaliers have had tight games lately. They opened conference play with a 77-66 home win over Notre Dame and limited it to 7 of 22 from long range as part of an opponent 3-point percentage at 32.9 over their 12-1 start. Since, Virginia is 3-3 and teams are making 41.3.

All of those losses have come on the road, and Virginia is in danger of its first four-game road skid since 2012-13.

For Wake Forest (10-9, 1-6), this is the latest in a stretch of difficult games as part of one of the nation's most demanding schedules. It's the school's third straight top-15 opponent and part of a four-game stretch against ranked teams. The Demon Deacons have already played seven ranked foes with a Nov. 23 win over then-No. 13 Indiana as their only victory. They last played more than eight ranked teams in a season in 2005-06.

Saturday's 77-63 loss to No. 15 Miami followed Wednesday's 83-68 defeat at No. 2 North Carolina. Wake has dropped seven of nine and is in danger of losing five straight for the first time since a seven-game slide in 2013-14.

It's dropped its last three games by an average of 19.0 points while shooting 37.9 percent and 17.9 from 3-point range.

"We have to be much better to win," coach Danny Manning said. "We know that the league that we play in, night in and night out, it's going to be a beast."

Manning could use more out of Codi Miller-McIntyre. The senior guard, who missed the first eight games with a broken foot after leading Wake with 14.5 points per game last season, was held scoreless against Miami and is averaging 4.0 points on 4-of-18 shooting in the last three. His scoring average has dipped to 7.8.

Top scorer Devin Thomas has been limited to 12.7 points on 46.9 percent in his last three games, which is down from 16.9 and 58.5 in his first 16.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Musketeers (17-2) at Friars (17-3)

Date: January 26, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Providence would love to kick back for a few days and relish a week that saw it take down two ranked opponents, including a top-five team on the road.

That's not the way the Big East works right now.

The 10th-ranked Friars will be right back at it Tuesday night looking for another signature victory as they welcome No. 7 Xavier for the first top-10 matchup in the history of the Dunkin' Donuts Center.

Providence (17-3, 5-2) had lost two of three - both at home to unranked teams - before hosting then-No. 18 Butler last Tuesday and closing on an 11-4 run to beat the Bulldogs 71-68.

The Friars came up with a more impressive win in Philadelphia on Sunday. Ben Bentil had 31 points and 13 rebounds while Kris Dunn finished with 13 points, 14 assists and four steals in an 82-76 overtime victory over then-No. 4 Villanova.

"This is an unbelievable win for us," coach Ed Cooley said.

No longer is Villanova the lone powerhouse it was for the first two years of the new-look Big East. Providence's jump from No. 16 on Monday gave the conference three teams in the top 10, while Creighton and Georgetown - the latter of which the Friars visit Saturday - are also 5-2 within the conference.

"This Big East Conference is a bear," Cooley said. "You have to knuckle up every game and make sure you're detailed and disciplined."

Providence is in the AP Poll for a ninth straight week for the first time since 1977-78, and this clash with Xavier (17-2, 5-2) will be the first between top-10 teams at its downtown home since the arena opened in 1972.

It's hard to find a bigger reason than Bentil, who's averaged 23 points and 9 rebounds over his last eight games. Dunn, meanwhile, is on pace to become the first college player in at least 20 years to average 17 points, 7 assists and 6 boards.

A far cry from the top-heavy production of college basketball's best 1-2 punch are the Musketeers, who are led in scoring by Trevon Bluiett (15.4 points per game) and then have five others averaging between 8.5 and 11.3.

James Farr was the latest from that deep group of secondary scorers to step up, putting up a career-high 24 with 15 rebounds Saturday in an 84-76 win over Seton Hall.

"I'm a senior, my days here are ticking down," Farr said. "I want to make sure I go out on the right note."

As impressive as Bentil and Dunn have been, Xavier should have a few edges over a Providence team that's ninth in effective field-goal percentage (48.7) in the 10-team Big East. The Friars' 3-point percentage (31.1) is 71st of the 75 major conference teams - the Musketeers are at 36.1 - and Xavier's plus-9.6 rebound differential more than doubles any other team in the league and is 7.4 ahead of Providence (plus-2.2).

The Musketeers are sixth among major conference teams in free-throw attempts (26.5 per game), and the Friars let their opponent shoot at least 24 in each of their losses.

Xavier's opponent shot above 50 percent in both of its losses.

These teams have split four meetings since the Musketeers joined the league, with each winning twice at home. Dunn had 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in Providence's 69-66 overtime victory last season, while Bluiett and Jalen Reynolds had 19 apiece in Xavier's 78-69 win in Cincinnati.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAA Basketball Betting 3-Point Play: Three Interesting Jan. 26 Opening Lines
by Alan Matthews

Chances are, you didn't pay any attention to Saturday's Ball State at Eastern Michigan game unless you are an alum of one of those schools or perhaps of another Mid-American Conference university. If not, I urge you to Google the end of that game, in which Ball State hit a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left in double OT for the win. I'm not sure I've seen a more poorly officiated possession than what happened there. I counted at least two clear fouls on Ball State trying to strip the ball from EMU, two potential jump-ball situations and one EMU player traveling about six steps before he was stripped. Nothing was called. Two of the three officials -- not sure why not all three -- have been suspended by the MAC and won't be allowed to referee in the conference tournament. And they shouldn't be. It was embarrassing but also quite hilarious.


Texas Tech at No. 1 Oklahoma (-13)

This Big 12 matchup is at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2. On Monday, something happened you don't see often in that the nation's top-ranked team stayed there despite a loss the previous week. That's the case for OU (16-2, 5-2), which got 36 first-place votes to stay atop the AP poll, with No. 2 North Carolina getting 29 first-place votes. UNC did replace Oklahoma at No. 1 in the USA Today poll. I don't have any problem with OU staying put as it lost a close game early last week at an excellent Iowa State team and then beat then-No. 13 Baylor in its gym on Saturday, 82-72. Big 12 scoring leader Buddy Hield scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half as OU snapped the Bears' 15-game home winning streak. Oklahoma had a season-high 16 3-pointers, one shy of the school record. The Sooners are shooting 46.4 percent on 3-pointers this season, on pace to be the highest for any team since Green Bay hit 46.7 percent in the 1991-92 season. The Sooners' 29 assists were their most in a game in the past 20 seasons.

Texas Tech (12-6, 2-5) lost at No. 6 West Virginia on Saturday, 80-76. Four Red Raiders scored in double figures, led by Zach Smith with a career-high 18. The second half was played within one possession until the closing three minutes. TTU has now lost three Big 12 contests to Top 25 teams by seven points or less. Coach Tubby Smith gave walk-on Matthew Temple his first start because the Red Raiders lost forward Norense Odiase for 4-6 weeks with a broken bone in his foot in the previous game. Odiase averages 9.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. TTU lost both meetings with OU last year, including an 81-36 wipeout in Norman.

Key trends: Texas Tech is 6-14 against the spread in its past 20 road games. It is 1-5 ATS in its past six after a loss. OU is 0-5 ATS in its past five at home.

I'm leaning: Oklahoma.

No. 7 Xavier at No. 10 Providence (+2)

Big East game at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1. Xavier (17-2, 5-2) bounced back from an early-week home loss to Georgetown with an 84-76 home win over Seton Hall on Saturday. Senior James Farr had the game of his life with a career-high 24 points and game-high 15 rebounds. He added four assists (also a career best) and three blocks. Farr leads the team in rebounding at 9.1 rpg. (third in the Big East) and is fourth in scoring at 10.8 ppg. Xavier was a school-record fifth in last week's AP poll. The Musketeers have now been in the Top 10 of the AP poll for seven straight weeks.

Providence pulled one of the big upsets of the weekend by winning 92-87 in overtime at No. 4 Villanova, ending the Wildcats' 22-game Big East winning streak. That game was moved back a day to Sunday because of the winter storm in the Northeast. Sophomore forward Ben Bentil, the Big East's leading scorer, had a career-high 31 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in the win. He had 10 of Providence's 16 OT points. All-American guard Kris Dunn had 13 points, a career-high-tying 14 assists, five rebounds and four steals. It was Providence's first road win over a Top-5 team since Jan. 24, 2004 -- 12 years to the day from Sunday. The Friars and Musketeers split last year, each winning at home.

Key trends: Providence is 7-2 ATS in its past nine Big East games. Xavier is 5-2 ATS in its past seven on the road.

I'm leaning: Can't say I get this line. Take the Friars.

San Diego State at Nevada (+3.5)

This Mountain West game is your latest tip at 11 p.m. ET on ESPNU. San Diego State (14-6, 7-0) won its seventh straight on Saturday with another dominant defensive performance in a 70-55 home victory over Utah State. The Aztecs outscored the Aggies 31-14 over the final 17:05. SDSU is 11-0 this season when leading at halftime. Jeremy Hemsley scored 18 points and Trey Kell had 15 for the Aztecs, who are the only MW team without a conference loss. Dating to last season, SDSU has won nine straight Mountain West games, the second-longest streak in school history. San Diego State ranks fifth nationally in scoring defense at 60.2 ppg.

Nevada (12-7, 4-3) edged visiting UNLV 65-63 on Saturday for its second straight win. Marqueze Coleman scored 21 points (just 3-for-15 from the field but 15-for-20 from the charity stripe) with five rebounds and five assists, and Tyron Criswell scored 11 off the bench and grabbed 10 rebounds. The Wolf Pack failed to hit a 3-pointer in a game for the first time this season. They already have surpassed last season's win total. Nevada leads the MW in blocks per game (6.4) and rebounds per game (41.3 rpg). Nevada is 0-5 against SDSU since the Wolf Pack joined the Mountain West three years ago.

Key trends: Nevada is 3-8 ATS in its past 11 conference games. It has failed to cover seven straight Tuesday games.

I'm leaning: San Diego State.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Tuesday's games..........

Creighton (-3) beat Georgetown 79-66 at home Jan 5, despite Hoyas' 11 of 24 nite from arc; home side won four of five series games. Bluejays lost 75-63/76-61 in two visits here. Creighton is 3-0 on ACC road, but two wins were St John's/DePaul, bad teams. Big East home favorites of less than 5 points are 5-2 vs spread. Georgetown split its last six games; they're 4-6 vs top 100 teams. Creighton is 4-5 vs top 100 teams.

Home side won 10 of last 12 Northern Illinois-Akron games; Huskies lost last three visits here, by 14-24-8 points- they lost 76-52 to Zips in MAC tourney LY. NIU is 5-1 in MAC, losing at Western Michigan y 14, winning at Toledo by 5 in only road games. MAC home favorites of 6+ points are 2-9 vs spread. Akron plays lousy perimeter defense; they are 3-0 at home in MAC, winning by 9-4-29 points.

Ben Howland got his first SEC win Saturday vs Ole Miss; his Bulldogs lost three of last four games with South Carolina, losing 79-72/81-68 in last two visits here. MSU lost its first three SEC road games by 14-6-3 points; they're worst defensive rebounding team in SEC. Carolina is best offensive rebounding team. Gamecocks won their two SEC home games by 4-9 points. SEC single digit home favorites are 11-4 vs spread.

Memphis lost as a 16-point home favorite Sunday; they're 0-4 as home favorite in AAC, with wins by 12-2-15 points. Tigers are 15-1 in last 16 games vs Central Florida, winning last three visits here, by 9-10-10- their win here LY was in OT. UCF is 4-2 in AAC but they swept both ECU and USF, two of worst teams in league. Knights are 0-4 vs top 100 clubs with three losses by 15+. AAC home underdogs are 6-6 vs spread

Indiana (-7.5) beat Wisconsin 59-58 at home January 5, despite their 19 turnovers in game Badgers led by 4 at half. Hoosiers are just 2-14 in last 16 games vs Wisconsin, losing last 10+ visits to Madison, last eight by 7+ points, but these Hoosiers are improved, winning winning 12 games in row, with wins on Big 14 road by 7-10-7 points. Big 14 home dogs of 5 or less points are 2-7 against the spread.

Oklahoma won five of last six games with Texas Tech, winning four of last five here, winning by 9-9-18-45 points (81-36 LY). Sooners are 3-0 at home in Big X, winning by 4-10-2 points. Tech isn't a pushover now; they've lost five of last six games, but only one loss was by more than 10 points- they're 1-4 as Big X underdog this year. Big X double digit home favorites are 3-5 against the spread.

West Virginia (-3.5) won 87-83 in double OT at Kansas State Jan 2, in a game where K-State was 3-19 on arc, 28-43 on foul line. Mountaineers won last four series games by 10-6-4-4 points; Wildcats lost last two in this gym, by 10-4 points. K-State lost five of last seven games; they are 0-3 on Big X road, with losses by 3-10-7. Big X double digit home faves are 3-5 against the spread. K-State's foes are shooting 28.2% on arc.

Texas (-3) lost 58-57 at TCU Jan 9, Frogs' only win in seven Big X tilts this month; TCU was just 13-24 on line, was -8 in turnovers but got its first Big 14 win over Texas in eight tries. TCU lost by 17-12-23 points in three visits here. Big X double digit home favorites are 3-5 vs spread. Texas won three of last four games; they're 3-0 at home in Big X, with wins by 3-3-5 points- their other conference win was only by 7.

Home side won all four Xavier-Providence Big East games; Musketeers lost 81-72/69-66ot in two visits here. Providence won at Villanova in OT Sunday; three starters played 39:00+, a 4th played 34:00. Friars are 5-2 in Big East, but only 2-2 at home, with losses to Marquette/Seton Hall. Xavier is 17-2, allowing 95-81 points in losses to Georgetown and Villanova. Big East home underdogs are 5-6 vs spread.

Florida won seven of last nine games with Vanderbilt, in series where the home side won five of last six games. Gators lost two of last three visits here, losing by 10-6 points. Florida won last three games, but all against teams outside top 100; they're 1-2 on SEC road, losing at Tennessee by 14, LSU by 3. SEC home favorites of 7 or less points are 8-3 vs spread. Vandy won three of last four games, winning last two at home by 18-8.

Home side is 9-2 in last 11 Georgia-LSU games; Dawgs are 1-6 in last 7 visits here, losing in double OT LY after winning by 8 year before. SEC home favorites of 7 or less points are 8-3 vs spread. Georgia won last two games by 3 points each; they're 1-2 on SEC road, losing at Florida, Ole Miss. LSU is 5-2 in SEC, winning all three home games by 18-9-2 points; they covered two of three games as an SEC underdog.

Nevada had emotional home win over rival UNLV Saturday; now MW kingpin San Diego State visits Reno. Aztecs are 5-0 vs Nevada in league games, winning 78-57/65-63 in two visits here- they're 7-0 in conference after going 7-6 in pre-conference. Aztecs are 3-0 on MW road, winning by 3-7-3 points- they've got best eFG% defense in country. Mountain West home underdogs of 5 or less points are 2-6 vs spread.

Virginia won four of last five games with Wake Forest, but lost seven of last eight visits here, snapping skid with 70-34 win here LY. Cavaliers are 0-3 on ACC road, losing by 2-4-7 points at Ga Tech/Va Tech and Florida State. Wake lost seven of last nine games after an 8-2 start; they are 1-2 at home in ACC, losing by 16 to Duke, 28 to Syracuse- they beat NC State at home. ACC home underdogs are 11-6 vs spread.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'College Hoops '

Texas fell to 12-7 (7-11 ATS) on the season with a 76-67 loss to Kansas in their last game but Longhorns covered as +12.5 point road underdogs. Longhorns net 73.4 per/game with Isaiah Taylor leading the troops dropping 16.3 per/contest. Defensively, Longhorns give up 68.4 per/game on 40.0% from the field, 33.2% from long range. Longhorns enter 4-3 (3-4 ATS) vs the Big-12 scoring 68.9 PPG, surrender 68.8 per/contest and are 7-1 (3-5 ATS) last eight hosting a Big-12 opponent.

In their last game TCU (9-10, 6-7 ATS) lost 73-60 to ISU and have now dropped four consecutive games. TCU averages 69.0 PPG and allows 68.4 per/contest. However, in Big-12 play they've struggled at both ends of the floor netting just 62.7 PPG while giving up a whopping 74.6 PPG to go 1-6 (3-4 ATS) vs conference rivals. Horned Frogs are 2-10 (6-6 ATS) in conference road games.

TCU won the earlier matchup in Fort Worth as +3.0 point home dogs but remain a horrible 1-10 (4-6 ATS) last eleven vs Texas including 0-6 (2-4 ATS) playing in Lognhorns back yard.

Home court advantage will play a significant role in Texas winning this contest. However, you bet Longhorns at some risk. TCU is a profitable 7-2 ATS as double digit road dogs, Longhorns are 3-7 ATS as DD home chalk, 1-6 ATS as conference favorites.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Yonkers: Tuesday 1/26 Analysis
By Brewster Smith

DRF HARNESS

MEET STATS: 27 - 102 / $195.20

BEST BETS: 2 - 8 / $10.70

Best Bet: SCOTTISH CROSS (2nd)

Spot Play: STAR STUDDED CAST (6th)


Race 1

(4) LITTLE MICHAEL B showed good signs of life when dropping to this level; capable of moving forward. (2) HELLO HOT SHOT was sharp at The Meadowlands holding the place spot last out. (1) SOMETHING FOR DOC should fare quite well from the fence; maybe.

Race 2

(5) SCOTTISH CROSS goes back to a flat mile where he has done better; Good speed to boss these at her best. (2) DIVINATION led for about a half, but could not move forward in her latest; could contend if she reverts to her January 10th trip. (1) NOBLE ANTHONY was on the move at the 3/4 pole but broke turning for home; better results today.

Race 3

(6) OR is clearly better than his last try, has good late pace and could sweep these off their feet with a fine-timed drive from Kakaley. (3) OUTA MY HEAD just missed the victory by only a head last out; threat. (2) DOUBLE YOUR BET gets serious post relief and that should help his cause; we shall see.

Race 4

(1) DULUTH took charge for a mile, but tired in the final stretch drive in his last start; moves back to his preferred distance and has every right to make today a winning one. (2) FOX VALLEY STEFFEN was very sharp from the 7-hole scoring by 3/4 of a length recently. (4) JUSTICE BOY drops a notch in class and should not be counted out of the exotics.

Race 5

(1) PIER HO TEMPTATION comes by way of Canada and should appreciate the move to Yonkers, the rail and Brennan; the pick. (5) COPPER COAST A put in an even run last time out and was sharp in his January 2nd score; dangerous. (4) INTHEPERFECTSTORM flashed some early zip in his last try and figures to be in the mix.

Race 6

(5) STAR STUDDED CAST Gelding was very keen last out and clearly is knocking at the door based on his last three outings; gets the call. (2) BLUEBIRD KIDSQUEEN was second best in his Freehold headquarters last time around and could have a say in the outcome. (8) ORANGE BIGI put in a mild rally for third last out; post hurts, but is very capable.

Race 7

(1) TRIGGER FINGER moves down the ladder and draws the rail slot; with a favorable trip, he can top these. (4) SCREAMAN SEAMAN A has good speed as this gelding showed it in his last two trips to the post. (2) ELECTRIC CHAPEL N gets serious post relief and drops in class; beware.

Race 8

(2) AMERICAN TOWER this seems to be a perfect spot for this pacing gelding to get back into the winning groove; got the job done against better down the road on November 20th and is able to take these wire to window. (1) AMERICAN ISLAND rallied strongly to land the show spot last week; main player. (3) COLONIAL ROAD charged down the center of the track to nail down the victory by a neck recently.

Race 9

(2) BRED TO RACE makes his appearance to the Hilltop for team Brennan/Burke; has tactical speed and with some luck, he can mow these down. (5) DCS BETTER LIFE took a tough break at the start and did not recover; could turns things around with a better trip; maybe. (4) UF HARDER HANOVER was late on the scene, came wide to roll past some of these last out.

Race 10

(2) PAN STREET USA Good speed for this 4-year-old gelding; gets a cozy post to work with plus Bartlett has the assignment for the Milici barn; ready to score. (3) IWILLMAKEYOUSAYWOW led every step of the way turning for home, but did not have enough gas in the tank to seal the deal; threat. (1) TRUE BLUE HALL closed late to get the job done in his Jersey finale; beware.

Race 11

(2) POWDER KEG seemed to be on his way to victory turning for home last time around but might have been compromised in the early stages and held on for the show spot; capable of making today a winning one with a better trip. (3) BILLABONG BEACH is better than his latest flop; not facing any tigers, so he could be an exotics factor. (1) WINNING DESIGN Dover shipper moves to Yonkers and draws the fence; watch out.

Race 12

(6) MCCITO flashed speed in his last start, but that is not his forte. If Kakaley chooses to revert to his December 1st trip, then he might pick up all the pieces for win honors. (1) TONIS AFFECTION If you throw out his last trip, gelding is quite good based on his Meadows starts; big threat. (2) MASTERSON was sitting in the pocket most of the way, but could not get to the winner in his last start; not out of this by far.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

SPOT PLAYS

For Tuesday


TRACK (RACE) HORSE, MORNING LINE


Mahoning Valley (1st) Red Atlantic, 4-1
(5th) She's Risky, 8-1


Sam Houston (3rd) Kit Kat Code, 3-1
(10th) My Sharp Misty, 10-1


Turf Paradise (4th) Jim's Decision, 9-2
(5th) Sun Catcher, 4-1