Tuesday 12/20/16 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Magic (12-17) at Heat (9-19)

Date: December 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

MIAMI -- Florida pro basketball is bad right now -- really bad.

On the eve of Tuesday's game between the Orlando Magic (12-17) and the Miami Heat (9-19) at AmericanAirlines Arena, let's take stock in the fortunes of these two organizations.

First, though, some perspective: Of the four states with multiple NBA teams -- a list that also includes California, Texas and New York -- only Florida lacks at least one team with a winning record.

In addition, there are only two teams worse than the Magic and Heat in the 15-team Eastern Conference -- the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Magic haven't been to the playoffs since 2012 and haven't won a postseason series since 2010 -- both feats accomplished during the tenure of coach Stan Van Gundy.

Orlando fired Van Gundy in May of 2012 despite the fact that he had made the playoffs in each of his five seasons. Since he was terminated, the Magic have dismissed three coaches -- including one interim -- in four years.

New coach Frank Vogel is in his first year in the land of Mickey Mouse.

But what's really troublesome to Orlando fans is the fact that despite four straight losing years -- all with 35 or less wins -- the Magic has failed to capitalize in the draft. Of the 16 selections they have made in the past decade, only one -- Aaron Gordon -- is producing even modest numbers for Orlando.

Gordon, taken with the fourth pick in the 2014 draft, is a 6-9 forward averaging 10.4 points and 4.3 rebounds.

Worse yet for Orlando, the Magic are coming off a horrible home loss, falling 100-79 to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

"We have guys who are not giving us enough and are selfish," Magic center Bismack Biyombo told the media after that game in a very telling statement. "We are playing selfish basketball, and that is not going to get us anywhere."

Bad drafts, unstable management and a lack of effort is a putrid mix for Orlando.

But even with all that, the Magic still has a better record than the Heat, and that has to really bother a Miami franchise that had been among the best in all of pro sports during their four-year run with LeBron James.

The Heat do have stable management with team president Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, a proven winner now in his ninth season as the head coach, including two NBA titles.

A lot of Miami's problems have to do with injuries. They started the season with shooting guards Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington injured for numerous games. Shooting guard Dion Waiters got hurt, and so did forward Justise Winslow.

Ellington, perhaps Miami's purest shooter, came back and is now hurt again with a hamstring injury. Waiters has missed 12 straight games, although he could be back soon.

"I'm running as hard as I can -- as close to game speed as possible," Waiters said. "It's up to (the Heat) whenever they think I'm ready."

But here's the thing with the Heat: Even if they were to get healthy and remain that way for the rest of the season, it's doubtful they have enough talent to make a run for the playoffs, especially considering the hole they have dug.

The Heat have two upper-echelon talents, and both are still in the primes of their careers: 27-year-old center Hassan Whiteside, who is averaging 17.6 points, 14.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks; and 30-year-old point guard Goran Dragic, who is averaging 19.1 points and 6.7 assists.

But where the decline of the Heat is truly evident is on the wings. Gone are Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron, who have been replaced by the likes of players such as Rodney McGruder and Josh McRoberts.

If you compile a list of Heat players who have made at least nine starts this season and yet shoot less than 40 percent from the floor, it will be lengthy, with names such as Waiters, Winslow, Luke Babbitt, McGruder, McRoberts, Richardson and Derrick Williams.

Winslow, a lottery pick last season who plays terrific defense, is a keeper. He should still be a junior at Duke and is only 20 years old.

Richardson, 23, could still turn things around. Both players need to hone their jump shots, however.

James Johnson and Tyler Johnson -- no relation -- have been productive bench players for the Heat. But until they are able to surround Dragic and Whiteside with quality shooters, their demise will continue.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (15-14) at Knicks (14-13)

Date: December 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- Relying on a last-second shot to get a win on the first night of a back-to-back is not necessarily the preference for the Indiana Pacers.

It still beats the alternative and now the Pacers will try to complete the back-to-back sweep Tuesday night when they visit the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Indiana (15-14) is playing its 10th game in the last 15 days. The Pacers have won five of those games and four of their last six overall.

On Monday, Indiana needed Thaddeus Young's short jumper with 0.9 of a second remaining to get a 107-105 victory over the Washington Wizards. Young's dramatic game-winner occurred after the Pacers held an eight-point lead with 4:05 remaining.

"We would have liked to come out and played a lot better, especially knowing we have a back-to-back on the road against a tough New York team," Indiana forward Paul George said. "We would have like to take care of business, freshen our legs, but we got the win."

George scored 27 points Monday and has reached 20 points in eight of his last 10 games while emerging into more of a leadership role.

"It's been different for me," he told NBA.com. "I've been used to having (more established teammates). They always had a level of play they've always been at, so it was easy to feed off them.

"Now guys are feeding off me. I have to be the first one to step forth on that."

George is averaging 21.8 points, slightly below last season's career-best 23.8 average.

The Pacers are 1-5 on the second night of back-to-backs and face a team they have won seven straight against.

New York (14-13) returns home following a disappointing 2-3 Western Conference road trip. The trip began with wins over the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles but ended with a 127-114 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.

Carmelo Anthony returned from resting his shoulder Thursday and scored 29 points while Brandon Jennings added 14 in place of Derrick Rose. Jennings has scored 53 points in four starts for Rose, who is expected to return from back spasms.

Rose scored 25 points on 12-of-16 shooting in New York's win over the Lakers and exited after playing 10 minutes last Tuesday in Phoenix.

"That's the plan," Rose told reporters after Monday's practice. "I just want to put all these injuries behind me and get on with the season.

"I think it's just a one-shot thing. Before I fell I wasn't worried about it. Things like this are going to happen. It comes with the season -- bumps and falls. I just got to find a way around it. I can't let it get to me mentally."

Rose has been a catalyst for the Knicks with his ability to burst through the lane and facilitate. His absence has been clearly felt. The Knicks have lost three straight and have gone 1-3 in games Rose has missed.

Rose is averaging 16.4 points on 45.6 percent shooting, four rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. It is his highest shooting percentage since he shot 48.9 percent in 78 games for the Chicago Bulls in 2009-10.

Indiana's last loss to New York was March 19, 2014. In the only meeting in New York last season on April 3, George scored 20 points in a 92-87 victory and averaged 22 points against the Knicks last season.

Anthony is averaging 25 points and 6.7 rebounds in 30 games against the Pacers. He shot 5 of 20 in the first meeting and did not play in the other two meetings last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Celtics (15-12) at Grizzlies (18-11)

Date: December 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

There was much rejoicing when the Memphis Grizzlies learned Mike Conley would be returning earlier than anticipated from a back injury.

So far the results are frustrating for the Grizzlies, who have lost both games since Conley's return.

The Grizzlies get a chance to rebound from those disappointing home defeats Tuesday night when they host the Boston Celtics.

Memphis won seven of the nine games Conley missed with a lower back injury from Nov. 30-Dec 14. The point guard was supposed to be out for at least six weeks, but Conley beat those expectations and returned Friday.

The only downside was the result as Conley shot 2 of 7 in a 96-92 loss to the Sacramento Kings. Two nights later, Conley shot even worse, going 3 of 16, including 1 of 9 from 3-point range, in an 82-73 setback against the Utah Jazz.

It marked the eighth time the Grizzlies were held under 90 points, and they gave themselves little opportunity Sunday by shooting 30.1 percent overall and 2 of 23 from long range.

"Our (offensive) execution is horrendous right now," Memphis coach David Fizdale said. "We are just not taking pride in executing our offense with purpose."

While Conley had his worst shooting night of the season against Utah, Marc Gasol was 4 of 22 and is 10 of 40 from the field in the past two games.

"Our offense just can't be this bad," Fizdale said. "If you tell me that between my best two players we are going 7-for-38, I would tell you were lying. You can see that they are just out of rhythm with each other. Some of it was that Utah just got after us."

Besides Conley's early return, James Ennis came back Sunday from missing 14 games with a strained calf, and in a Dec. 13 loss in Cleveland, Vince Carter came back from a hip injury.

Those returns coincided with three losses in four games. In those losses, the Grizzlies (18-11) shot 35.9 percent, made 15.7 percent from 3-point range and averaged 83.6 points.

"We need to be better," Conley said. "I think it's just a matter of getting into a rhythm. I just need to be more patient and not try to get it all back in one or two games. Just try to understand I am coming off an injury and not try to bite off too much too early. With new faces coming in and out of the lineup, you have to establish the chemistry again. For 2 1/2 weeks, we had to play a whole different way."

The Celtics (15-12) lost three of four while Isaiah Thomas sat with a groin injury. The three losses were single-digit defeats to the Toronto Raptors, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Thomas returned Friday, and the Celtics have two double-digit wins since. Boston followed up a 10-point victory over the Charlotte Hornets by scoring 37 points in the first quarter in a 105-95 win at Miami on Sunday.

Thomas scored 23 points but was ejected for a flagrant-2 foul after elbowing and bloodying Justise Winslow with three minutes left.

"I'm happy we won, but I'm disappointed I got kicked out," Thomas said. "There was no reason for that"

The Celtics forced 23 turnovers but allowed a double-digit lead to dwindle to 97-93. Then Boston closed it out with an 8-2 run and improved to 9-7 on the road.

Al Horford totaled 17 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. He helped the Celtics finish off the Heat with two big hoops in the final two minutes after Thomas was ejected.

"It was very brief, but, yeah, at least we didn't blow the game," Horford said. "That could have been bad. We played too well all night."

Boston is one of six teams with at least nine road wins, and the Celtics have played 16 of their first 27 on the road.

"It's part of it," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "You've got to play 41 road games. We're playing a lot of ours early."

Memphis is 6-3 in the past nine meetings and has won its past four home games against the Celtis. On Jan. 10 in Memphis, Zach Randolph had 25 points and 13 rebounds in a 101-98 Grizzlies win over Boston. Thomas scored 35 for the Celtics, who opened the game with a 19-4 lead and took a 21-point lead before wilting.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Cavaliers (19-6) at Bucks (13-12)

Date: December 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- Kevin Love will be unavailable Tuesday when the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Milwaukee for a rematch with the Bucks at the Bradley Center.

Love tweaked his left knee Saturday in the Cavs' 119-108 victory over the Lakers and didn't practice Monday. Later in the day, the team announced that Love suffered a contusion in the knee.

"He took a blow to the knee, knee-to-knee, and it swelled up on him and it's kind of stiff," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue told the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

Richard Jefferson is expected to start in place of Love, who has scored at least 20 points or more in each of his last six games.

Love sat out the fourth quarter of the Cavs' last meeting with Milwaukee -- as did the rest of Cleveland's star-laden lineup as the Bucks took control early and cruised to a 118-101 victory on Nov. 29, a loss that started a season-high three-game losing streak.

The game was tied at 65 early in the third, but Milwaukee closed the quarter on a 27-9 run, leaving Lue to turn to his reserves.

"I just wanted to do it," Lue said afterward. "I just didn't like how we were playing."

In that contest, Giannis Antetokounmpo put up his best effort of the season -- to that point -- tying his career high with 34 points and added 12 rebounds, five assists, five steals and a pair of blocks.

"They're a young, athletic team. When Giannis (Antetokounmpo) gets it off the glass, when Jabari gets it, they push it and they push it hard so we got to get two guys back, a third guy back if he's not in the paint to crash the boards. We got to set our defense in transition. That's the biggest thing for us."

Milwaukee also got 18 from Jabari Parker, who has averaged 20.7 points on 51.6 percent shooting in his last 10 games, a streak that began against the Cavs.

He knows that Cleveland won't take the Bucks lightly this time around.

"I think they're going to take this game with a lot of emphasis," Parker said. "I feel like I do have to change my approach because you've got to expect the best out of them. We have to be a little more conscious of how they're going to play out there."

The game is the first half of a back-to-back, home-and-home set between the two teams. They'll meet again Wednesday night in Cleveland. It's Milwaukee's second consecutive back-to-back, home-and-home set; the Bucks swept a pair of games against the Bulls Friday and Saturday night last week.

Both of those games were high-energy routs for the Bucks.

"We were able to win the first game and we just carried the energy over," center Greg Monroe said. "Hopefully at home again for the first game, we can use the home-court advantage and try to get another win and be ready for the second night."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Spurs (22-5) at Rockets (21-7)

Date: December 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- It might be too early in the season to get ensnarled in the implications of one particular game, but given the recent trajectories of the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, their meeting on Tuesday at Toyota Center could feature plenty of intrigue.

The Spurs (22-5) have responded to their first road loss of the season (and chastisement from coach Gregg Popovich) on Dec. 8 at Chicago with four consecutive wins by an average margin of 16 points.

San Antonio and Houston split their two previous meetings this season, each winning on the road as part of a home-and-home last month. The teams will not meet again until March 6 in San Antonio, by which time the Southwest Division standings could look different.

Even with their early-season hiccups the Spurs remain a juggernaut, ranking in the top 10 in both offensive (sixth) and defensive (fourth) rating. And as another testament to their collective professionalism, the Spurs handled an emotional night centered on the jersey retirement of Tim Duncan with focus by dispatching the New Orleans Pelicans 113-100 on Sunday night prior to honoring "The Big Fundamental."

"I thought our physical effort was pretty good," Popovich said. "The mental effort was better than it has been. A lot of people participated and got involved, so that was good."

The Rockets (21-7) claimed their 10th consecutive victory on Saturday night with a white-knuckle win at Minnesota, rallying from a 17-point deficit in the second half, 11 points with just over a minute remaining, to win in overtime 111-109.

Playing the second half of a back-to-back on the road against a team that had three nights off, the Rockets had every reason to pack it in once the deficit swelled to double digits. But one attribute they have shown this season is a resiliency they lacked last year as they stumbled to a .500 finish.

James Harden scored 10 of his 28 points in overtime while Ryan Anderson hit seven 3-pointers en route to 28 points.

"I'm so confident in this team," Harden said. "I don't ever see us out of a game. We score the ball so easily, so well."

The Rockets' exceptional 3-point shooting is an obvious asset, but their tenacity requires a deeper appreciation.

Unbeaten in December, the Rockets rank third in offensive rating (113.6 points per 100 possessions), second in defensive rating (98.4) and second in net rating (15.2) over 10 games this month. Opening the season without guard Patrick Beverley qualified as early adversity. Houston is 15-2 since Beverley returned to action.

Now, the Rockets will be tested again, this time via the loss of center Clint Capela, who suffered a left knee contusion against the Timberwolves. Capela, averaging 17.4 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per 36 minutes, underwent an MRI on Monday, has been declared out for the Spurs game and reportedly for four to six weeks.

Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni has done a commendable job juggling the minutes of his big men, a collection that also includes veteran center Nene plus second-year power forward Montrezl Harrell.

With Capela sidelined for an indefinite span of games, that rotation shrinks and responsibilities will be greater for Nene and Harrell.

"Nothing changes for me," Harrell said. "I come out and do the same things that the teams needs me to do every night. I come in and play the game with a lot of energy, I come in and do all the little things they need me to do and it's as simple as that.

"It's unfortunate that we're missing a teammate that's definitely a huge part of our roll but it doesn't change anything with what I have to do."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Trail Blazers (13-16) at Kings (10-17)

Date: December 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings are losing games, and their franchise player finds himself in the kind of headlines athletes do not want to make.

It is just another typical onset to winter in California's capitol.

The Kings look to make headlines for the right reasons Tuesday night when they host the Portland Trail Blazers at the Golden 1 Center.

The Kings are playing their third home game in their last 12 contests and it is the first time on their homecourt since a videotape of center DeMarcus Cousins surfaced of him hurling obscenities at a Sacramento Bee columnist, an incident that has caused a stir in and outside the team.

Cousins objected to the columnist in question, Andy Furillo, referencing DeMarcus' brother Jaleel in a piece about an incident at a New York City nightclub early Dec. 5 involving Cousins and teammate Matt Barnes. In the video, he can be heard shouting obscenities and threatening Furillo. That same night, he refused to speak with the media, unless Furillo was not there -- a stance he has taken with other media members this season.

Coach Dave Joerger came to Cousins' defense before the team's 99-79 loss at Dallas on Sunday, telling reporters there that the Bee's release of the video and subsequent editorial comparing Cousins to a bully was "ridiculous."

"This guy is the face of the franchise," Joerger said. "He's done and said some things he wishes he could do over. He's improved; he's gotten better. But to go and use other reporters, third person, oh he bullies his coaches or he bullies, that is (trash)."

The incident hasn't much galvanized the Kings (10-17). The blowout loss to the team with the NBA's worst record was their seventh in 10 games. They will enter winter below .500 for the sixth time in Cousins' seven seasons (the exception being when the 2011-12 lockout season started Christmas Day), and at least seven games below .500 for the fifth time.

In his seven seasons, Cousins also has endured two suspensions by the league and one by the Kings, as well as a bout of viral meningitis two seasons that essentially cut short Sacramento's lone promising start in his stint.

The Blazers (13-16) have not lived up to the promise forecast for them entering the campaign. They have dropped six of seven and were particularly without competitiveness in a 135-90 road loss against the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.

That thrashing came on the heels of a 132-120 loss at Denver on Dec. 15, a game in which Portland trailed by at least 10 points the entire second half. They are last among the NBA's 30 teams in defensive efficiency (109.6) and have been just lifeless long enough for guard Damian Lillard to tell ESPN that the Blazers "lack heart."

"I feel like we're going to be fine," guard C.J. McCollum told the Oregonian. "I truly believe that."

McCollum may have reason to feel confident.

He scored 31 and 30 points in his past two games against Sacramento. He also became the first player in 10 seasons to record at least 35 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists and five steals in a game when he put up those totals in a visit to Sacramento last December.

Lillard scored 36 points as the Blazers beat the Kings 122-120 in overtime on Nov. 11 in their only other meeting this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (12-16) at Clippers (20-8)

Date: December 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- With Blake Griffin hurt again, the Los Angeles Clippers will try to absorb his absence as they begin a three-game homestand Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets.

Griffin is scheduled to undergo a minor arthroscopic procedure on Tuesday to remove loose bodies in his right knee. Griffin, who has been hurting for several games, is expected to be out three to six weeks.

The five-time All-Star leads the team in scoring at 21.2 points per game. He also is collecting an average of 8.9 rebounds and 4.6 assists.

It is the second consecutive season injuries are sidelining Griffin. Last season, he sat out 45 games with a quad ailment and a broken hand, the latter of which was sustained during an altercation with a team trainer. He aggravated the quad again in last season's playoffs when the Clippers were eliminated in the opening round by the Portland Trail Blazers.

Griffin scored 26 points in the Clippers' 117-110 loss to the Washington Wizards on Sunday. He also had seven rebounds and seven assists. However, after the game, a decision was made for him to have surgery.

Griffin's loss occurs at a time when the Clippers aren't playing their best. The defeat at Washington left Los Angeles (20-8) with a 6-6 mark since roaring out of the gate with a 14-2 record. The Wizards shot 80 percent from the floor in a decisive fourth quarter to snap the Clippers' four-game winning streak.

Before winning four straight, the Clippers dropped five of seven contests. Defense, which had been one of the team's hallmarks early on, is failing the Clippers.

"I think us as a team, we've got to talk about it because we've lost confidence in our defense," point guard Chris Paul, who had 13 points and 12 assists against the Wizards, told the Los Angeles Times. "And I think a lot of that starts with me, being on the ball. But no way should we have lost this game."

The Nuggets (12-16) are coming off a 117-107 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Nikola Jokic tied a career high with 27 points to go with 14 rebounds and nine assists as the Nuggets claimed their third consecutive victory.

Jokic's near triple-double came a week after he scored 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the 20-point loss in Dallas. A missed 3-pointer by point guard Emmanuel Mudiay in the final minute kept Jokic from reaching 10 assists Monday.

"It doesn't really matter," Jokic said of falling short of the triple-double. "The game is more important than your name."

An abundance of offense is the name of the game for the Nuggets. They are averaging 125.3 points during their streak. For the season, Denver is scoring 107.4 points per contest, which ranks seventh in the NBA. However, the Nuggets are allowing 109.4 points (26th).

The Clippers are averaging 109.6 points per game, fifth best in the league. On defense, Los Angeles is giving up 101.6 points. Although that ranks eighth, those numbers have risen from the hot start when the Clippers were frequently holding opponents under 100 points per game.

The Clippers won five of their past six meetings with the Nuggets.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (18-10) at Warriors (24-4)

Date: December 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors will look to continue their recent dominance of the Utah Jazz when the Western Conference rivals meet Tuesday night at Oracle Arena.

The Warriors have prevailed in 12 of their last 13 regular-seasons matchup with the Jazz, including a 106-99 win on Dec. 8 in Utah.

The Jazz haven't won in Oakland since April 7, 2013, which has been followed by six consecutive Golden State home wins by an average of 18.2 points per game.

One season after struggling to a 16-25 road record and missing the playoffs by one game, the Jazz have gotten off to a fast start away from home. Utah began a two-game trip with an 82-73 win at Memphis on Sunday, its third consecutive road win.

The Jazz are 8-5 on the road this season.

"These are big games for us," Jazz star Gordon Hayward said after Saturday's win. "In some ways, every game is a big game for us out in the West. But this is an important week to us. We have to play well in games like these if we want to get where we want to be."

Where the Jazz wants to be eventually is where the Warriors currently reside. The two-time Western Conference champs have won four in a row at home to improve their best-in-basketball record to 24-4.

They are coming off one of their most impressive performances of the season in a 135-90 home blowout of the Portland Trail Blazers.

The 45-point margin of victory was the largest in the NBA this season.

"We got our legs back," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said to reporters after the victory, which came two days after a lackluster home win over the New York Knicks.

Kerr gave the club the day off in between the games.

"We didn't look fresh at all," Kerr said of the New York game. "The guys looked like they had that spring in their step again (against Portland). Good to see."

The bad news for Utah: Golden State has had two days off since the Portland game.

The clubs' earlier meeting in Salt Lake City was anything but a blowout. The Jazz rallied from an early deficit to get within five early in the fourth quarter before the Warriors held on.

Utah played that game without four injured starters. The Jazz had three of them back for Sunday's game at Memphis, including power forward Derrick Favors, who has played three times on a minute restriction (no more than 13½ in any of the three) after having missed 13 straight with a knee injury.

That leaves the Jazz only without point guard George Hill, who has sat out nine games in a row with a sprained big toe. He won't play Tuesday, and isn't likely to return for at least another week.

The Warriors got starting center Zaza Pachulia back from a three-game absence because of a wrist injury in the win over Portland. Pachulia and his backup, JaVale McGee, combined for 15 points and 12 rebounds in just 28 minutes in the victory.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Free NBA Picks: Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Do I think the NBA is too reliant on the 3-point shot these days? I do, although I wouldn't go as far as Charles Barkley did not too long ago in calling it "girly basketball" when he referred to the jump-shooting Golden State Warriors. Well, no team relies on the 3-pointer more than the Houston Rockets, who average a whopping 38.9 attempts per game. Four Rockets are in the Top 10 in 3-pointers attempted. Last Friday in a win over New Orleans, the Rockets set league records for attempts for attempts (61) and made 3-pointers (24). Eric Gordon has made at least three 3-pointers in 13 straight games, four shy of the NBA mark set by Steph Curry. You can't argue with what works, and it certainly is right now for the Rockets, who enter Tuesday on a 10-game winning streak -- the NBA's current longest mark. I still don't think they are a threat to win the Western Conference, however.

Pelicans at 76ers (+1.5, 208.5)

New Orleans lost a second straight Sunday, 113-100 in San Antonio. Anthony Davis was limited to 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting. Forward Solomon Hill missed it as his wife was giving birth. Every time I think this team is ready to take a step forward, it takes two steps back. Alvin Gentry needs to go. Philadelphia ended a two-game slide with a 108-107 home win over Brooklyn on Sunday. Joel Embiid had a career-high 33 points to go with 10 rebounds. Nik Stauskas sat out with knee soreness and Nerlens Noel was a DNP-CD. The 76ers had lost eight in a row at home. Last meeting of the season between the teams as the 76ers won in New Orleans 99-88 on Dec. 8 to end a franchise-record-tying 23-game road losing streak.

Key trends: The Pelicans are 1-6 against the spread in their past seven on the road. The "over/under" has gone under in five of Philly's past seven.

Early lean: 76ers and under.

Lakers at Hornets (-9, 213)

Los Angeles lost Saturday in Cleveland in the second of a back-to-back, 119-108. Nick Young made eight 3-pointers and scored a season-high 32 for the Lakers. Rookie Brandon Ingram missed a triple-double by one point and an assist. D'Angelo Russell sat out with a sore knee. Charlotte ended a four-game losing streak with a 107-99 victory in Atlanta on Saturday. Kemba Walker had 18 points and 10 assists. The Hornets had lost five straight and 10 of 11 at Philips Arena. Charlotte swept L.A. last season and has won the past two meetings at home.

Key trends: The Lakers are 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 12-3 in L.A.'s past 15 after scoring more than 100 points in its previous game.

Early lean: Lakers and over.

Nets at Raptors (-14, 222)

Brooklyn has lost two straight following a 108-107 defeat in Philadelphia on Sunday. Brook Lopez had 22 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Nets, who lost their ninth in a row on the road. Toronto bounced back from an upset home loss to Atlanta on Friday with a 109-79 blowout win in Orlando on Sunday. DeMar DeRozan had 31 points, his fourth straight with at least 30. Toronto won all four meetings with Brooklyn last season.

Key trends: The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 5-0 in Toronto's past five at home.

Early lean: Nets and over.

Pacers at Knicks (TBA)

Indiana hosted Washington on Monday with Rodney Stuckey doubtful and Monta Ellis likely out another week with a groin injury. New York concluded a five-game West Coast trip with a third straight loss Saturday, 127-114 in Denver. Derrick Rose missed a second game in a row with back issues but was at Monday's practice and fine so should play here. New York is looking to snap a seven-game losing streak vs. Indiana, including three straight at Madison Square Garden.

Key trends: The favorite is 11-4 ATS in the past 15 meetings The under is 7-1 in the previous eight.

Early lean: Wait on Rose.

Magic at Heat (-4, 197)

Orlando lost 109-79 at home to Toronto on Sunday. The Magic scored just 28 second-half points and were 3-for-21 from 3-point range in the game. Miami lost a second consecutive game Sunday, 105-95 at home to Boston. The Heat turned the ball over 23 times, leading to 24 Boston points. And the Heat went 6-for-14 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. Goran Dragic led all scorers with 31 points for Miami. Orlando has lost 16 of the last 18 meetings with the Heat overall. The teams opened the season against one another and Miami won 108-96 on the road.

Key trends: The Magic are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 4-1 in the previous five.

Early lean: Heat and under.

Cavaliers at Bucks (+6, 214)

Cleveland beat the visiting Lakers 119-108 on Saturday. LeBron James scored 16 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, Kyrie Irving matched a career high with 12 assists, and Kevin Love scored 27 with 17 rebounds after all three got the previous game off. James now needs just two points to move past Moses Malone (27,409) for eighth place on the career scoring list. Milwaukee finished off a home-and-home sweep of the Bulls on Friday in Chicago, 95-69. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Milwaukee beat visiting Cleveland 118-101 on Nov. 29. Antetokounmpo had 34 points to go along with 12 rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Key trends: The Cavs are 2-5 ATS in their past seven in Milwaukee. The over is 7-1 in the previous seven there.

Early lean: Bucks and over.

Celtics at Grizzlies (+3, 193.5)

Boston won a second straight Sunday, 105-95 in Miami. Isaiah Thomas had 23 points before being ejected for elbowing Justise Winslow in the face and getting a flagrant-2 foul. I don't think Thomas will be facing suspension. Memphis is 0-2 since getting star point guard Mike Conley back earlier than expected from injury on Friday. He was just 3-for-16 from the field in Sunday's nine-point home loss to Utah. Memphis has won the past four at home in the series with Boston.

Key trends: The home team is 4-0 ATS in the past four. The under is 7-0 in Memphis' past seven overall.

Early lean: Grizzlies and under.

Spurs at Rockets (-2.5, 211.5)

First of an NBA TV doubleheader. San Antonio won a fourth straight Sunday, 113-100 over New Orleans on the night the Spurs retired all-time great Tim Duncan's No. 21 jersey. Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, who combined to form "The Big Three" with Duncan, combined for 29 points, seven assists and five rebounds. The Spurs are 10-0 this season when Parker scores in double figures. Houston won in Minnesota 111-109 in OT on Saturday night, rallying from a 17-point deficit in the second of a back-to-back and jacking up 51 3-point attempts, the second-most in league history. James Harden scored 10 of his 28 points in OT. These teams have split two meetings this season, both winning on the road.

Key trends: The Spurs are 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings. The under is 7-1 in the past eight in Houston.

Early lean: Spurs and under.

Nuggets at Clippers (-7, 213.5)

Denver hosted Dallas on Monday night looking for a third straight win. The Clippers saw a four-game winning streak end Sunday at Washington, 117-110. Blake Griffin had 26 points through three quarters and none in the fourth. And it will be the last time you see Griffin for 3-6 weeks as he is having clean-up surgery in his right knee. When Griffin was sidelined for much of last season with a quad injury, the Clippers typically relied on small-ball lineups featuring Luc Mbah a Moute at power forward. Thus you could see Austin Rivers moving into the starting five in a three-guard lineup. Los Angeles took two of three vs. Denver last season.

Key trends: The road team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 8-1 in the Clippers' past nine vs. the West.

Early lean: Nuggets and over.

Jazz at Warriors (-12, 211.5)

Second NBA TV game. Utah won its fourth in a row Sunday, 82-73 in Memphis. Gordon Hayward scored 22 points and Rudy Gobert had 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. Guard George Hill missed his ninth game with a sprained left big toe, and Coach Quin Snyder suggested his return wasn't imminent. Golden State won its fourth straight Saturday, 135-90 over Portland. Kevin Durant had 34 points and 11 rebounds. Reserve Ian Clark added a career-high 23 points. Golden State won in Utah 106-99 on Dec. 8 and has taken six straight overall vs. the Jazz and six in a row at home.

Key trends: The Jazz are 0-5 ATS in their past five at Golden State. The under is 7-0 in the Warriors' past seven overall.

Early lean: Jazz and under.

Trail Blazers at Kings (TBA)

Portland has dropped six of seven after getting slaughtered at Golden State on Saturday. Damian Lillard publicly called his teammates out after that one, but the Blazers just can't guard anyone. And now comes word that Festus Ezeli, added in free agency this offseason for some rim protection, is likely to have season-ending surgery on his knee. He hasn't played for the Blazers yet. Sacramento lost 99-79 in Dallas on Sunday. DeMarcus Cousins scored 33 for Sacramento, but Rudy Gay was out a third game with a hip injury. Portland has won seven consecutive games against Sacramento, three of which have come on the road.

Key trends: The road team is 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The under is 5-1 in the Kings' past six overall.

Early lean: Wait on Gay.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'Dinos' big faves over Nets'

The Toronto Raptors will host the Brooklyn Nets in a division clash Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre. Atlantic division leading Raptors enter 19-8 on the campaign and are the top ATS team in the league at 19-7-1 against the betting line. Raptors one of the better team in offensive efficiency metrics (115.4 ppg) carry a sparkling 11-2 SU/ATS stretch into the game on a whopping 121.6 points per 100 possesions. As for Brokklyn, the Nets hitting a rough patch are 3-14 SU, 7-8-1 ATS the past 17 games netting 101.2 per 100 possesions with a horrible 112.6 defensive efficiency rating over the skid.

That huge discrepancy in scoring prowess along with the fact Raptors are on a sparkling 9-0 (7-2 ATS) streak hosting a division rival, 11-3 (12-2 ATS) stretch overall vs an Eastern Conference opponent sportsbooks have Raptors a whopping 15.5 to 16.0 point home favorites.

As always, a higher price on a game is cause to ratchet up tension for a sports handicapper. However, in this case supporters not adverse to laying a slew of points can coun't on Raptors tapping into home court advantage. In the past 43 regular season games in front of the home audience, Purple Dinos' have won 34 contest with just 9 losses. Add the great equalizer (point spread), Raptors are 27-17-1 against the spread including 6-2 ATS as double digit chalk. Another positive for Toronto supporters is the fact Nets have not been a peg to hang your hopes on when travelling. The Nets are just 1-12 SU, 6-5-2 against the betting line in road games this season, 3-2 ATS as double digit underdogs.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Tuesday’s games

Pelicans lost seven of last nine games, are 3-11 on road, 0-1 as road favorites. Four of their last six games went over total. 76ers are 3-2 in their last five games but 5-13 at home, 9-5 as home underdogs. Six of Sixers’ last seven games stayed under total. Home side won four of last five Pelican-Sixer games; New Orleans lost by 15-14 points in last two visits here. Four of last five series games stayed under.

Lakers lost nine of last ten games, are 3-6 in last nine games as a road underdog. Three of last four Laker games stayed under total. Charlotte is 5-3 in its last eight games, 3-1 in last four at home; they’re 6-5 as home favorites. Six of Hornets’ last seven games stayed under. Lakers lost last three games with Charlotte by 1-19-10 points, but LA covered five of last seven series games. Under is 7-3 in last ten series games.

Nets lost four of last five games; they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five road games. Over is 5-2 in Brooklyn’s last seven games. Toronto won/covered five of last six games; they covered five of last seven home games. Over is 7-3 in Raptors’ last ten games. Nets lost last four games with Toronto (1-3 vs spread); they’re 3-2 vs spread in last five visits here. Three of last four series games stayed under.

Orlando lost five of last seven games but they’re 9-5 vs spread on road, covering four of last five away games. Over is 6-2 in Magic’s last eight games. Miami lost seven of last nine games but covered four of last five; they’re 2-3 as home favorites. Under is 5-2 in Heat’s last seven games. Miami won eight of last ten games with Orlando; Magic lost last three games in Miami, by 7-11-22 points. Over is 4-1 in last five series games.

Indiana won four of its last six games; they’re 3-5 as road underdogs, 1-5 if they played night before. Under is 4-0-1 in Pacers’ last five games. Knicks lost last three games but are 8-2 vs spread in last ten home games. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Knicks lost last seven games with Indiana; seven of last eight series games stayed under. Indiana won its last three visits here, by 6-16-5 points.

Celtics won last two games, covered eight of last ten road games; they’re 6-3 as road favorites. Four of last five Boston games stayed under total. Memphis lost three of last four games; they’re 5-3 as home underdogs. Grizzlies’ last seven games stayed under total. Grizzlies won six of last eight games with Boston; home side won six of last seven series games. Celtics lost last four visits here, by 5-17-7-4 points. Over is 4-1 in last five series games.

Cavaliers won six of last seven games; they’re 3-5 as road favorites. Over is 5-1 in their last six road games. Milwaukee won four of last six home games; they’re 4-2 as home underdogs. Over is 10-5 in their home games. Cavaliers won five of last seven games with Milwaukee; they lost two of last three visits here. Bucks are 7-3 vs spread in last ten series games. Over is 8-2 in last ten series games.

San Antonio won seven of last eight games, is 13-1 on road, losing last road game 12 days ago, in Chicago. Spurs’ last three games went over the total. Houston won its last ten games, is 10-2 at home this season, losing to Spurs/Raptors. Three of Spurs’ last four games went over. Spurs won seven of last nine games with Houston; they won three of last four visits here. Last three series games stayed under total.

Portland lost its last six road games (1-5 vs spread); they’re 3-10 vs spread in last 13 road tilts. Over is 9-4 in their last 13 games overall. Sacramento lost seven of last ten games; they’re 8-3 vs spread at home. Under is 8-2 in Kings’ last ten games. Portland won its last seven games with Sacramento; they won last three visits here, by 11-4-8 points. Under is 7-2 in last nine series games.

Blake Griffin is out 3-6 weeks for Clippers, who won four of last five games but are 1-6 vs spread in last seven. LA is 6-5-1 as a home favorite. Four of their last five games went over total. Denver lost three of last four road games, is 7-4 as a road underdog; they’re 2-3 if they played night before. Over is 6-1 in last seven Nugget road games. Clippers won five of last six games with Denver. last seven series games stayed under.

Utah won four in row, seven of last eight games; they’re 1-5 as road underdogs- favorites are 12-1 vs spread in Jazz road games. Four of their last five games stayed under the total. Golden State won eight of last nine games but is 1-5 vs spread in last six; they’re 6-7 as a home favorite. Six of Warriors’ last seven games stayed under. Golden State won its last six games with Utah (4-2 vs spread); under is 3-0-1 in last four series games.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

In the Paint - Week 7
By Joe Williams

Champagne Super 'Nova
Villanova remains in the top spot of the rankings after humbling crosstown rival Temple 78-57 as 14 1/2-point favorites. The Wildcats have covered four of their past five games, and they're 4-0 ATS in their past four games as double-digit favorites. You can expect Villanova to be favored by more than 20 points when American U. pays a visit to campus next Saturday. The Eagles of American enter 2-7 with losses including Howard and New Hampshire. That game is going to be really ugly.

Rock, 'Chalk', Jayhawks
Kansas pulled away from pesky Davidson in a neutral-site game Saturday, winning 89-71 as 15-point favorites. It was their first cover in three tries, and just the third cover in the past seven outings. As the 'chalk', the Jayhawks haven't exactly rocked this season. However, Kansas does have 10 consecutive victories dating back to their opening overtime loss against Indiana in Honolulu. The 'over' is a perfect 4-0 in the past four games for Kansas after a 4-0 'under' run from Nov. 15-22. It also helps that their schedule has been much less challenging lately, allowing their offense to power up.

Sir Duke
The Blue Devils have been covering big numbers lately. Duke is a perfect 3-0 ATS over their past three games, including a 94-45 emasculation of UNLV on a neutral-site court this past Saturday. Duke has covered each of their past three outings when they're favored by 24 or more points, too. The upcoming week features games against Tennessee State and Elon University, so you can expect heavy lines for those two games, too, although TSU did take North Carolina State to overtime recently, and Elon has wins over Florida International, Illinois-Chicago, North Illinois and South Florida, so they're not a pushover. They also lost by three at Georgetown, so the Phoenix won't be intimidated for their neutral-site game in Greensboro.

Gonzaga Cover Kings
Gonzaga has been rolling lately, winning each of their past three games by an average of 18.3 points per game (PPG). The Bulldogs have covered four in a row, including wins at Tennessee and a 27-point win over cross-state rival Washington. The Bulldogs are hitting on all cylinders right now. The schedule becomes much less challenging after an early-season gauntlet, as they face South Dakota out of conference before kicking off West Coast Conference play with Pepperdine Dec. 29. The rest of their schedule includes just one ranked team, St. Mary's (Calif.), for two conference games Jan. 14 at home and Feb. 11 in Moraga.

Cards and Cats Time
Louisville has rattled off five consecutive victories since their 66-63 setback against unbeaten Baylor on a neutral-site court Nov. 25. The Cards have three straight covers, and they're 7-2 ATS in nine games overall heading into their showdown with Bluegrass State rival Kentucky Saturday night. The Cardinals are looking to avenge a 75-73 los at Kentucky last season. Louisville has dropped eight of the past nine meetings with Kentucky, including losses in the Sweet 16 and Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Louisville also hasn't covered at home against Kentucky in the past six tries dating back to Dec. 28, 2002. The 'under' is 6-3 in the past nine in this series, and 14-5 in the past 19 meetings (13-4 in the past 17 regular season meetings).

Other Teams to Watch

After showing some signs of life early on, Fordham has dropped six games in a row and they're 0-5 ATS over their past five outings. Total bettors love the Rams, as the 'under' has cashed in six of the past seven games.

James Madison slipped to 1-9 with a loss at Appalachian State this past weekend, a third straight non-cover. The Dukes are just 1-7 ATS overall on the season.

Middle Tennessee fell 80-77 at Virginia Commonwealth over the weekend, but they covered for their sixth consecutive game, and eighth time in nine tries.

Northern Kentucky of the Horizon League has won five consecutive outings, and they're a perfect 6-0 ATS over their past six games.

Oregon State has been terrible this week, slipping to 3-9 SU with neutral-site losses to Long Beach State and Portland over the weekend. The Beavs have lost five straight, and they're 2-8 ATS over their past 10 outings.

Providence has their five-game cover streak snapped Dec. 10 against UMass, but the Friars are still 6-1 ATS over their past seven outings. The 'over' is 3-1-1 in their past five after the 'under' opened 6-0.

South Dakota has Gonzaga on the docket next. The Coyotes are 5-0-1 ATS in their past six games heading into that measuring stick game.

Temple opened the season a perfect 6-0 ATS in their first six outings, but have hit the skids lately with a 1-3 ATS mark over the past four. The 'under' is also 3-1 in their past four outings.

UC Santa Barbara continues to scuffle, including a 40-point beatdown at UCLA last Saturday. The Gauchos are 0-6 ATS, and they haven't beaten an FBS team so far this season.

Wyoming did big things on the gridiron this season, and their basketball team is following suit. The Cowboys have won five straight, and they have covered four in a row. The 'over' is also a perfect 4-0 in the past four outings.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Tuesday’s best 13 games

Northeastern is 6-5 but has wins at UConn/Michigan State; they also have three losses to teams ranked outside top 200. Huskies played three starters 31:00+ in win in East Lansing Sunday- they made 11-23 on arc- they’re 4-1 if they shoot 35%+ on arc, 2-4 if they do not. Oakland is 9-1 but has game with Michigan State tomorrow, then Georgia at home Friday, which is weird. Grizzlies play pace #25, don’t defend arc very well (36.1%). Horizon home favorites are 7-14 vs spread; CAA road underdogs are 16-10.

James Madison beat Richmond 51-46/87-75 last two years, but Dukes fired their coach after a 21-11 season LY, now they’re 1-9 with #5 experience team in country- they’re turning ball over 24.9% of time (#344)- their only win was over #345 Longwood. Richmond is 5-5 vs schedule #271; they lost by 5 at Bucknell in their only true road game. Spiders are 5-0 vs teams ranked outside top 200; their losses are all to teams ranked #126 or higher. CAA home favorites are 2-8 vs spread; A-14 road underdogs are 12-12.

Georgia Tech won four of last five games with Georgia; Dawgs lost last two visits here, by 8-7 points. Georgia is 7-3 vs schedule #104; they lost by 10 at Clemson in only true road game this season- their three losses are all to top 40 teams (Tech is #119). Jackets are 6-3 vs schedule #283; they’re 1-2 vs top 100 teams, winning in OT at VCU, losing by 23 at Tennessee, 7 at Penn State. Tech is turning ball over 21.6% of time, but they do have #45 eFG% defense. SEC favorites are 11-7 away from home; ACC underdogs are 9-15, 1-1 at home.

Maryland is 11-1 vs schedule #224; Terps are #322 experience team- but PG Trimble is carrying team. Maryland is 5-0 vs teams ranked outside top 200, with three wins by 14+ points. This is Maryland’s last game before conference play. Charlotte is 0-3 vs top 100 teams, losing by 22-17-41 points; they’re forcing turnovers 21.2% of time, but they’re one of worst rebounding teams in country. 49ers play pace #26; hard to play fast pace vs better athletes. Big 14 home favorites are 27-31 vs spread; C-USA road underdogs are 22-24.

UL-Lafayette shot 30.6% from floor in 76-56 loss at Pepperdine LY; Cajuns are 9-3 vs schedule #274- they’re #255 experience team. ULL is forcing turnovers 23% of time- they play pace #21, are 6-0 at home, with only decent win over La Tech. Pepperdine lost its last five games; they’ve been off for nine days since 93-67 loss at USC. Waves allowed 86.6 pts/game in last five games; they’re 0-4 vs teams in top 150, losing by 11-26-8-26 points. Sun Belt home favorites are 7-7 vs spread; WCC road underdogs are 10-9.

Creighton is 11-0 but was life-and-death to beat lowly Oral Roberts Saturday, outscoring ORU 6-0 over final 5:06 for 66-65 win. Bluejays won 77–62 at Nebraska in only true road game- they also won tourney on neutral floor in Virgin Islands. Arizona State is 6-5 vs schedule #125; they’re 1-4 vs top 100 teams, with only win at San Diego State. Sun Devils have #284 eFG% defense; their subs played total of only 30:00 in last game, a home loss to New Mexico State. Big East road favorites are 5-3 vs spread; Pac-12 underdogs are 10-20, 1-4 at home.

Arizona is 11-2 vs schedule #131; Wildcats are #325 experience team- they’re thin, with subs playing #291 minutes. Arizona’s only two losses are to top 20 teams (Butler/Gonzaga)- they beat Texas A&M in Houston Saturday. New Mexico lost by 5-13 points in only true road games; they’re 1-4 vs teams in top 125, splitting pair with #111 New Mexico State. Williams scored 19 points in each of his two games since coming back from a concussion. Pac-12 home favorites are 25-25; Mountain West road underdogs are 15-7.

Oregon won its last eight games, but their best player Boucher missed Saturday’s 83-63 win over UNLV (check status). Ducks are having trouble getting whole team healthy/on the floor- they force turnovers 21% of time, block 23% of opponents shots and are 4-0 vs teams ranked outside top 100, with all four wins by 14+ points. Fresno State is 6-3 vs schedule #302; they’re 3-1 in true road games, with all three wins by 5 or less points or in OT. Pac-12 home favorites are 25-25; Mountain West road underdogs are 15-7.

Washington is #344 experience team that is talented but they can’t defend. Huskies lost four of last five games, with only win 92-86 over Western Michigan team that had just lost a player who was accused of murder. Washington allowed 90 pts/game in last five games. Cal Poly coach Callero won big at Seattle U, his last stop; his Mustangs are 5-6 vs schedule #127, playing pace #311. Cal Poly lost to Arizona State by 22, Cal by 16 in their other two Pac-12 games. Pac-12 home favorites are 25-25; Big West road underdogs are 11-24.

Monmouth is 9-2 vs schedule #147; they won 82-79 at Memphis LW, one of program’s best wins ever. Hawks are #38 experience team playing pace #64- they force turnovers 21.1% of time. Princeton has injury issues; they’re 0-4 vs top 100 teams, with losses by 9-11-11-9 points. Tigers haven’t beaten a team ranked above #213. Monmouth starts three seniors, two sophs; they’ve won their last eight games, but except for Memphis, that was against stiffs. MAAC home favorites are 2-4 vs spread; Ivy League road underdogs are 11-11.

Cal-Riverside is 0-6 vs D-I teams, losing last game at home to Montana; Highlanders beat Northern Colorado 77-66 at home LY, after leading by 23 at the half. UCR has 2nd-worst eFG% in country, shooting 28% on arc, 36.2% inside arc and they start three seniors. Bears are 1-7 vs D-I teams; they’re #343 experience team, plus they’ve got new coach. Northern’s only D-I win was by 22 over #12 Sacred Heart. Big Sky home favorites are 3-10 vs spread; Big West road underdogs are 11-24. NCU starts three sophomores and a freshman.

Iowa is 6-5 vs schedule #169 with #340 experience team; they beat Iowa State by 14, Northern Iowa by 23 in last two games after a 4-5 start, so they’re getting better. Hawkeyes are playing #34 pace; their bench plays 6th-most minutes in country. North Dakota lost by 8 at UNI in its only top 100 game; Hawks are 5-4 vs schedule #95- three of their four losses are by 8 or less points. ND starts two seniors, two sophomores- they split with rival North Dakota State. Big 14 home favorites are 27-31 vs spread; Big Sky road underdogs are 27-28.

Portland beat Portland State last four years, by 21-16-12-6 points; Vikings lost 81-60/83-71 in last two visits here. Portland is 7-3 vs schedule #198- they’ve got new coach and #77 experience team. All three Portland losses are to top 60 teams. Portland State is 2-1 vs WCC teams, beating USF by 4, Pepperdine by 6- they lost by 18 at LMU. Vikings have #343 eFG% defense- teams are shooting 58.3% inside arc against them, which is really bad. WCC home favorites are 22-15 vs spread; Big Sky road underdogs are 27-28.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Handicapping Motivation
By Kyle Hunter

Five Teams With Questionable Motivation Levels for Bowl Season

Handicapping college football bowl games is far different than handicapping a regular season contest. The biggest difference is the increased need to handicap motivation.

Which team wants to be there? Which team would rather just get their season over with?

It might seem too obvious, but motivation truly is the single most important factor in handicapping college football this time of the year. With that in mind, I've put together a list of five teams that might not be motivated for the upcoming postseason.

I would strongly suggest to follow beat writers via Twitter for the teams and read the press conferences of each team heading into their bowl matchups. Ask yourself if it seems like the team is excited and focused on the task at hand, or do the players and coaching staff seem ambivalent?

That will point you in the right direction and I'm expecting lackluster performances from these schools below.

Temple Owls
Tuesday, Dec. 27 - Military Bowl vs. Wake Forest

Temple had another fantastic season. The Owls failed to cover the spread in their first game this year but then proceeded to rattle off 12 straight covers against the spread. Temple was supposed to be down this year after they lost a lot of talent on the defensive end, but the Owls won the American Athletic Conference title.

Why would they have questionable motivation? Head Coach Matt Rhule leaving is a large part of it. Rhule did a fantastic job at the school and he was rewarded with a new gig at Baylor. The Owls lost a great head coach, and the players really loved fighting hard for Rhule.

Defensively, Temple ranks in the top five in the nation in most of the major categories this year. However, another reason to question their motivation is their bowl opponent in Wake Forest, who ranks 125th out of 128 teams in total offense. The AAC was a good conference this year, and one would have expected Temple to get a tougher opponent than Wake Forest but since the group isn't a Power 5 conference, the bowl tie-ins don't present intriguting matchups.

The Owls (-13) are listed as one of the largest favorites this bowl season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Non-playoff college football bowl game betting mismatches
By MONTY ANDREWS

Monty Andrews breaks down some of the underlying mismatches for the college bowls, giving you an inside edge when handicapping football games over the busy holiday season.

Boca Raton Bowl

Memphis vs. Western Kentucky (-5, 79)

Tigers' terrible pass defence vs. Hilltoppers' high-octane attack

This game could very well be one of the highest-scoring contests on this year's bowl schedule. Both teams boast elite offenses, though it's the Hilltoppers that appear to have the upper hand, with quarterback Mike White guiding an offense that ranks in the top five nationally at better than 336 passing yards per game. White was at his best in the latter stages of the season, racking up 10 touchdown passes over the Hilltoppers' final three games - all victories.

The Tigers are no strangers to offense - averaging nearly 40 points per game during the regular season - but had a dreadful time preventing opposing teams from racking up the points. Memphis allowed 40 or more points in four of its final six games, and ranked outside the top-80 nationally in both total yards against (5,312) and passing yards allowed (2,910). Both teams can air it out, but it appears that Western Kentucky has a sizeable advantage in defensive prowess.


Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Louisiana Tech vs. Navy (+3.5, 66)

Ryan Higgins and friends vs. Midshipmen's wonky secondary

The Bulldogs and Midshipmen took vastly different paths to get here, with Louisiana Tech leaning heavily on senior quarterback and Conference USA MVP Ryan Higgins and Navy succeeding via its trademark relentlessness in the running game. But while the Midshipmen are certainly expected to dazzle on the ground, it's the Bulldogs' advantage in the pass attack that could mean the difference in what is expected to be a tightly contested affair.

Higgins finished third in the nation in passing yards with 4,208, and racked up 37 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. Twin receiving threats Trent Taylor (124 receptions, 1,570 yards, 10 TDs) and Carlos Henderson (72 receptions, 1,406 yards, 17 TDs) are expected to make life miserable for a Navy secondary that allowed the 39th-most passing yards in Division I. Look for Higgins to attack the Midshipmen early and often, which could mean a long night for Navy.


Hawai'i Bowl

Hawaii vs. Middle Tennessee (OFF)

I'Tavius Mathers vs. Rainbow Warriors' putrid run D

Middle Tennessee senior running back I'Tavius Mathers has been one of the most pleasant surprises in the nation; coming into the year with just over 1,000 rushing yards in three seasons, Mathers has rumbled for a school-record 1,502 heading into the final game of his collegiate career. And he's a great bet to add to that total with emphasis as he and the Blue Raiders face off against a Hawai'i defense that was gashed on the ground for most of the season.

Mathers opened the campaign with a pair of so-so efforts but caught fire after that, reeling off six consecutive 100-yard efforts highlighted by a 28-carry, 215-yard performance in a wild road victory over Missouri. The Hawai'i Bowl matchup is one of the easier ones Mathers will have all season, as the Rainbow Warriors allowed the fourth-most rushing yards in the nation (3,161) and were one of only 24 teams to allow 30 or more scores on the ground. Look for Mathers to eat in this one.


Military Bowl

Temple vs. Wake Forest (+13, 40.5)

Owls' outstanding defense vs. Demon Deacons' declining offense

There's no debating how the Owls reached the Military Bowl: they did it with defense. Despite dealing with the distraction of head coach Matt Rhule departing for Baylor - and the assertion that the team deserved to be placed in a more high-profile game - Temple is heavily favored to post its first 11-win season in program history. The Demon Deacons will look to put up a fight, but might be overmatched given their recent offensive doldrums.

Back-to-back 30-point performances early in the season had the Wake Forest offense flying high, but the season went off the rails following a 28-9 win over Syracuse. The Demon Deacons dropped five of their last six games, scoring more than 14 points just once over that stretch. And with Temple allowing the third-fewest yards in the nation during the regular season, there's a good chance the Demon Deacons' offensive struggles will continue into their final game of 2016.


Russell Athletic Bowl

West Virginia vs. Miami (Fla.) (-3, 55.5)

Mountaineers' middling kicking game vs. Hurricanes' elite P/PK units

Few bettors spend much time focusing on special teams during bowl season - and even fewer preoccupy themselves with each team's kicking units. But this game is expected to be a tight one, which means that one or two kicking events - either positive or negative - could decide it. That bodes poorly for the Mountaineers, who could see a sensational season end with a thud against a Miami team that is among the best in the kicking department.

The mismatch here is an obvious one; the Hurricanes rank ninth in the nation in net yards per punt (40.5) and are tied for 11th in field goal success rate among teams with 20 or more attempts (81.8 percent). The Mountaineers, by contrast, rank 66th in net yards per punt (37.5) while converting just 16 of 24 field-goal opportunities. Look for Miami to dominate the kicking game, making it even tougher for West Virginia to pull off the upset.


Capital One Orange Bowl

Michigan vs. Florida State (+7, 54)

Wolverines' disciplined play vs. Seminoles' penalty parade

To say the Wolverines are a well-oiled machine may be an understatement. Led by mercurial head coach Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has evolved into one of the NCAA's most well-rounded teams, rolling to a 10-2 overall record with its two losses coming by a combined four points. It's also one of the most disciplined rosters in the nation, which could prove ti be a significant benefit against a Florida State team that racked up an alarming number of flags.

The Seminoles gave opponents plenty of free territory, ranking ninth in the country in total penalties (93) and sixth in penalty yards (883). And despite putting together a five-game winning streak going into one of the marquee bowl games of the season, they can ill afford to give away chunks of yards to a Michigan side that finished with just 59 penalties for 556 yards. Look for Harbaugh and the Wolverines to keep their heads about them - something you just can't expect out of the Seminoles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Need-to-know betting notes for college football bowl teams
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

Indulge me for a moment as I impart one piece of advice upon you before we dive into this year’s 80 need-to-know betting notes for each of the 80 college football bowl teams: above all else, put an increased emphasis on the motivation factor when handicapping each of these 40 matchups.

Why? Because there’s some easy money to be made during bowl season. Every year we are blessed with at least a handful of matchups that feature one team experiencing unbridled enthusiasm to play in its respective game against an opponent that has virtually no interest whatsoever in trying to win the showdown in question.

Case in point: Alabama’s 45-31 loss to Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide couldn’t have cared less about that game after watching an 11-0 season go up in smoke thanks to a 34-28 upset loss at Auburn which prevented the Tide from advancing to the SEC Championship Game.

Let’s go to work. Happy holidays to all!

Marmot Boca Raton Bowl: Tuesday, December 20 (7 p.m. ET)

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (10-3 SU, 6-7 ATS): Head coach Jeff Brohm, who went 2-0 SU in bowl games at Western Kentucky with wins over Central Michigan and South Florida, has departed for Purdue, leaving the Hilltoppers in a tricky spot as new head coach and former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Sanford will be watching and evaluating from a distance. Western Kentucky concluded the season in spectacular fashion with a 7-0 SU and 5-2 ATS mark over the program’s final seven outings, but note that the Hilltoppers are 0-4 ATS over their last four non-conference matchups.

Memphis Tigers (8-4 SU, 5-7 ATS): This is the fourth consecutive postseason appearance for the Tigers, who are a perfect 6-0 ATS over their last six showdowns with Conference USA opposition.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl: Wednesday, December 21 (9 p.m. ET)

BYU Cougars (8-4 SU, 9-3 ATS): This year’s Poinsettia Bowl will mark BYU’s 12th straight trip to the postseason. However, the Cougars have dropped each of their last three bowl games. The upside for BYU backers is the fact that this program is 4-0 ATS over its last four showdowns with Mountain West opposition.

Wyoming Cowboys (8-5 SU, 8-5 ATS): This is Wyoming’s first bowl appearance since 2011, so you can expect a Cowboys roster full of first-time postseason participants to be highly motivated entering their matchup with BYU. The Cowboys covered in seven of their final nine regular season games, but are just 3-7 ATS over their last 10 non-conference matchups.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Thursday, December 22 (7 p.m. ET)

Idaho Vandals (8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS): Idaho enters bowl season on a four-game winning streak with seven consecutive point spread covers. And while this is the program’s first postseason appearance since 2009 and only third postseason appearance in school history, you have to wonder how excited these kids are to play in a bowl game that resides within state borders.

Colorado State Rams (7-5, SU, 10-2 ATS): This game marks the fourth consecutive postseason appearance for the Rams, who lost to Nevada in last year’s Arizona Bowl by a final score of 28-23. However, be advised that Colorado State is 14-3-1 ATS over its last 18 non-conference matchups and 34-16-1 ATS over its last 51 games overall.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Memphis Tigers (8-4) at Western Kentucky Hilltoppers (10-3)

Date: December 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

If pregame analysis is correct, the scoreboard operator is going to have a busy evening when Memphis and Western Kentucky face off in the Boca Raton Bowl.

The Hilltoppers (10-3) rank second in the nation with an average of 45.1 points per game.

The Tigers (8-4) are 17th with an average of 39.5 points per game.

They meet at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday at FAU Stadium on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Fla.

"One of the great things about this game is you see two explosive football teams," first-year Memphis coach Mike Norvell said. "Obviously, a lot of attention goes to the offensive side of the ball, but defensively you see two teams that love to attack, very multiple. ... These are two teams that put points on the board in a variety of ways."

In addition to the 23 touchdowns Norvell's Tigers have scored rushing and 30 passing, Memphis has returned three interceptions and three kickoffs for scores. The Hilltoppers have run back three punts and an interception and kickoff for touchdowns.

"We are an attacking defense," said Nick Holt, who got the job of interim coach for the Hilltoppers when Jeff Brohm moved on to Purdue. "We like to get after people.

"In fact, our style as a football program, as a football team, we want to have fun, we want to be entertaining. We want to have people in their seats go, 'Wow, these guys play hard and they're fun to watch.'

"I think that's the kind of product we put out on the field."

Both teams got big years out of first-year starters at quarterback.

Junior Mike White, a transfer from South Florida, completed 67.4 percent of his pass attempts for nearly 310 yards per game in earning Conference USA Newcomer of the Year honors in his first season for the Hilltoppers. Wide receiver Taywon Taylor had 89 receptions for 1,586 yards and 16 touchdowns, Nicholas Norris had 73 for 1,253 yards and 13 scores. Running back Anthony Wales finished with 1376 yards rushing.

Riley Ferguson, a transfer from Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College, stepped in for the departed Paxton Lynch for Memphis and completed 63.8 percent of his attempts for 28 scores and just over 277 yards a game. His favorite target was wide receiver Anthony Miller, who had 84 receptions for 1,283 yards and 11 touchdowns.

"We've got some fantastic playmakers on our football team," Norvell said. "They love to play the game. They knew when the selection came out and we were going to be against this Western Kentucky team that it was going to be a fun game."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: BYU Cougars (8-4) at Wyoming Cowboys (8-5)

Date: December 21, 2016 9:00 PM EDT

Most college football players are winding down their season in mid-December, but Tanner Mangum is just starting his campaign.

The sophomore is back as Brigham Young's starting quarterback after senior Taysom Hill was lost with a left elbow injury in the regular-season finale. Hill's misfortune places Mangum squarely into the action when the Cougars face Wyoming in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego on Wednesday (9 p.m. ET, ESPN).

It was another injury to Hill that opened the door for Mangum to be a starter in 2015 and he was more than up to the task. Mangum passed for 3,337 yards and 23 touchdowns -- both school records for a freshman -- and developed cult status by throwing winning last-minute touchdown passes in both his first appearance (against Nebraska) and first start (Boise State).

Yet despite the solid campaign, Mangum found himself watching from the sidelines this season after Hill regained his starting job in a tightly contested competition.

"It was a test for me to keep that long-term perspective," Mangum recently told reporters. "While you're going through that, it can be tough to see that. It can be tough as a competitor wanting to compete. But you have to learn how to be a teammate and learn how to support your teammates and be there for them through the ups and the downs."

Mangum tossed only 18 passes this season -- completing 14 -- so there is the matter of shaking off the rust.

He said he doesn't foresee that to be an issue as the Cougars (8-4) have had ample time to prepare for the Cowboys (8-5).

"I feel good. I feel confident," Mangum said. "It'll also be good to have a couple weeks of practice to get all the reps, be able to sharpen up and get polished before the game. I'm feeling strong, confident and healthy."

The Cougars are feeling good about themselves in general as they enter the contest with four straight victories and seven of their past eight games.

They will see a familiar sight in Wyoming, a program that was always in the same conference as the Cougars from 1922-2010 before BYU departed the Mountain West to become an independent.

It will be the 78th all-time meeting -- BYU leads 44-30-3 -- and the Cowboys are learning that their fan base would relish a victory over their former conference rivals.

"Obviously, we know it is a very good opponent," senior center Chase Roullier said. "You can see that in film and through the record as well. You hear about the history between these two teams, whether it be teammates from Wyoming that seen it in the past or just things that you read.

"... We understand the importance of who this opponent is. But when it comes down to it, it is just another opponent for us that is in our way and we need to take them down."

Wyoming is playing in a bowl game for the first time since 2011 and is a revitalized program under third-year coach Craig Bohl.

Sophomore quarterback Josh Allen passed for 2,996 yards and 26 touchdowns -- he was intercepted 13 times -- but the player who makes the offense go is junior running back Brian Hill.

Hill ranks fourth in the nation with 1,767 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns and could be playing in his final game for the school. He is considering applying for the NFL draft but won't make a decision until after the bowl game.

"Anything that has to do with it, it gets pushed back to someone else," Hill told reporters. "Agents contacting me, I sent them to my mom. I just don't feel like it's fair to focus on the future while I have business to take care of here right now."

BYU has a solid running back of its own in senior Jamaal Williams, who rushed for 1,165 yards and 11 touchdowns. Williams rushed for 131 yards in the regular-season finale against Utah State after missing three of the previous four games with an ankle injury.

The Cougars' defense is led by senior safety Kai Nacua, who has five interceptions this season and 13 in his career. Senior outside linebacker Sae Tautu posted a team-best six sacks.

Sophomore free safety Andrew Wingard heads the Cowboys' defense and recorded a team-high 128 tackles.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Bowl Tech Trends - Week 2
By Bruce Marshall

Tuesday, Dec. 20

MEMPHIS vs. WESTERN KENTUCKY (Boca Raton Bowl)...WKU 5-1 vs. line last six TY but just 2-2- vs. spread away from home this season. C-USA teams were 3-1 vs. points in bowls last year. Memphis, however, covered 3 of last 4 this season and is 6-2-1 last nine as dog.

Slight to Memphis, based on extended dog mark.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAF

Bowl game writeups

Dec 20
Boca Raton Bowl: Memphis-Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky won its last seven games after a 3-3 start, with five of last six wins by 35+ points, but WKU lost its coach to Purdue; they’re 5-4 as a favorite this year, 1-2 in games wth single digit spread. Memphis is 1-2 as an underdog this year, 3-3 in games with single digit spread. Tigers allowed 42+ points in all four losses; they’re 7-0 when allowing less than 42 points. Memphis lost three of last four bowls, allowing 41 ots/game; they beat BYU in OT in nearly Miami two years ago. Hilltoppers won 49-48/45-35 in bowl games last two years; this is their 4th bowl in last five years. C-USA non-conference favorites are 4-5 vs spread; AAC underdogs are 7-10. AAC teams are 8-5 vs spread in last 13 games vs Conference USA opponents. Over is 7-3 in last ten Memphis games, 6-2 in last eight WKU games.