BRAD WILTON
Willing to give the Johnnies a shot at the underdog cover tonight at Providence, as St. John's takes on a Providence team that has won and covered the last 3 in the series, and they have done so convincingly, by 14, 18, and 17 points!
St. John's has hit a little lull, as Chris Mullins' team has only won once both straight up and against the spread in their last six games.
Providence is off a loss - but cover at Villanova - but the Friars have won 11 of their 12 home games this season straight up! The Friars have failed their last 3, and 4 of their last 6 when listed as the chalk.
With 3 straight double-digit losses to the Friars staring at them this week on the locker room chalkboard, look for the Red Storm to at least make a game of it at the Dunkin' Donuts Center this Wednesday night.
Take the points for this Big East game that will start at 6:30 pm eastern time.
2* ST. JOHN'S
Willing to give the Johnnies a shot at the underdog cover tonight at Providence, as St. John's takes on a Providence team that has won and covered the last 3 in the series, and they have done so convincingly, by 14, 18, and 17 points!
St. John's has hit a little lull, as Chris Mullins' team has only won once both straight up and against the spread in their last six games.
Providence is off a loss - but cover at Villanova - but the Friars have won 11 of their 12 home games this season straight up! The Friars have failed their last 3, and 4 of their last 6 when listed as the chalk.
With 3 straight double-digit losses to the Friars staring at them this week on the locker room chalkboard, look for the Red Storm to at least make a game of it at the Dunkin' Donuts Center this Wednesday night.
Take the points for this Big East game that will start at 6:30 pm eastern time.
2* ST. JOHN'S
NHL roundup: Pastrnak, Bruins end skids vs. Wings
By The Sports Xchange
BOSTON -- David Pastrnak ended a 17-game goal-scoring drought with 46.9 seconds left in overtime, and the Boston Bruins halted a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
Brad Marchand scored two goals and Kevan Miller also scored for the Bruins, who fired 49 shots -- one off their season high.
Mike Green had a goal and an assist, Henrik Zetterberg added two assists and Andreas Athanasiou and Tomas Tatar also scored for the Red Wings.
Islanders 4, Blue Jackets 2
NEW YORK -- Brock Nelson and Jason Chimera scored less than five minutes apart early in the third period as surging New York pulled away from Columbus at Barclays Center.
Josh Bailey and Nikolay Kulemin also scored for the Islanders. John Tavares had two assists.
Nick Foligno scored in the first period, and Cam Atkinson added a third-period goal for the Blue Jackets.
Blues 3, Penguins 0
PITTSBURGH -- Carter Hutton made 34 saves for his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career as St. Louis ended a three-game slide by stifling Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena.
Colton Parayko, Ryan Reaves and Scottie Upshall scored for the Blues.
The Penguins had won four games in a row, scoring an average of six goals, and seven straight at home, scoring 5.3 goals in those contests. Matt Murray made 25 saves in the loss.
Kings 3, Devils 1
NEWARK, N.J. -- Slow starters much of the season and during their recent losing streak, Los Angeles used a different formula, scoring twice on their first three shots to snap a four-game skid with a victory over New Jersey at the Prudential Center.
Peter Budaj stopped 24 of 25 shots while Anze Kopitar, Tanner Pearson and Alec Martinez scored for the Kings.
Kyle Quincey scored the Devils lone goal.
Senators 3, Capitals 0
OTTAWA -- Ottawa cooled off the NHL's hottest team, shutting down Washington at Canadian Tire Centre.
Mike Condon picked up his fourth shutout this season, while improving his record to 14-7-4, with 31 saves.
Chris Kelly, Bobby Ryan and Zack Smith had the Senators goals and Philipp Grubauer stopped 31 shots in the Capitals net.
Lightning 5, Blackhawks 2
CHICAGO -- Tyler Johnson scored two goals in 30 seconds in the third period, and Tampa Bay rallied for a win over Chicago.
Brian Boyle, Nikita Nesterov and Nikita Kucherov also scored. Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn contributed two assists apiece as the Lightning snapped a three-game winless streak.
Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith scored for the Blackhawks.
Sabres 5, Predators 4 (OT)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jack Eichel scored two goals, including the winner at 2:35 of overtime to cap a furious comeback as Buffalo recorded a win over Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.
Brian Gionta, Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons also scored for the Sabres.
Viktor Arvidsson, James Neal, Filip Forsberg and Cody McLeod scored for the Predators.
Sharks 4, Jets 3
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- One night after making history with four goals in one period, Patrick Marleau came through again as San Jose topped Winnipeg.
Marleau potted the 498th goal of his career as he closes in on becoming the 46th player in NHL history to reach 500. Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Melker Karlsson also scored for the Sharks.
Bryan Little scored twice and Andrew Copp once for the Jets.
Canadiens 5, Flames 1
MONTREAL -- Alexander Radulov scored twice to help Montreal win over Calgary at the Bell Centre.
Andrew Shaw, Tomas Plekanec and Daniel Carr also scored for the Canadiens, who received 30 saves from Carey Price.
Sam Bennett scored and Chad Johnson stopped 15 shots for the Flames, who were shut out for the second straight game and dropped their fourth consecutive contest.
Wild 3, Stars 2 (SO)
DALLAS -- Chris Stewart scored the clinching goal in the shootout and Devan Dubnyk stopped 35 of 37 shots for Minnesota in a win against Dallas at American Airlines Center.
The Wild received regulation goals from Jason Pominville and Mikko Koivu to extend their road point streak to 12 games.
The Stars received goals from Tyler Seguin and Patrick Eaves in their second consecutive overtime loss.
By The Sports Xchange
BOSTON -- David Pastrnak ended a 17-game goal-scoring drought with 46.9 seconds left in overtime, and the Boston Bruins halted a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night.
Brad Marchand scored two goals and Kevan Miller also scored for the Bruins, who fired 49 shots -- one off their season high.
Mike Green had a goal and an assist, Henrik Zetterberg added two assists and Andreas Athanasiou and Tomas Tatar also scored for the Red Wings.
Islanders 4, Blue Jackets 2
NEW YORK -- Brock Nelson and Jason Chimera scored less than five minutes apart early in the third period as surging New York pulled away from Columbus at Barclays Center.
Josh Bailey and Nikolay Kulemin also scored for the Islanders. John Tavares had two assists.
Nick Foligno scored in the first period, and Cam Atkinson added a third-period goal for the Blue Jackets.
Blues 3, Penguins 0
PITTSBURGH -- Carter Hutton made 34 saves for his second shutout of the season and sixth of his career as St. Louis ended a three-game slide by stifling Pittsburgh at PPG Paints Arena.
Colton Parayko, Ryan Reaves and Scottie Upshall scored for the Blues.
The Penguins had won four games in a row, scoring an average of six goals, and seven straight at home, scoring 5.3 goals in those contests. Matt Murray made 25 saves in the loss.
Kings 3, Devils 1
NEWARK, N.J. -- Slow starters much of the season and during their recent losing streak, Los Angeles used a different formula, scoring twice on their first three shots to snap a four-game skid with a victory over New Jersey at the Prudential Center.
Peter Budaj stopped 24 of 25 shots while Anze Kopitar, Tanner Pearson and Alec Martinez scored for the Kings.
Kyle Quincey scored the Devils lone goal.
Senators 3, Capitals 0
OTTAWA -- Ottawa cooled off the NHL's hottest team, shutting down Washington at Canadian Tire Centre.
Mike Condon picked up his fourth shutout this season, while improving his record to 14-7-4, with 31 saves.
Chris Kelly, Bobby Ryan and Zack Smith had the Senators goals and Philipp Grubauer stopped 31 shots in the Capitals net.
Lightning 5, Blackhawks 2
CHICAGO -- Tyler Johnson scored two goals in 30 seconds in the third period, and Tampa Bay rallied for a win over Chicago.
Brian Boyle, Nikita Nesterov and Nikita Kucherov also scored. Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn contributed two assists apiece as the Lightning snapped a three-game winless streak.
Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith scored for the Blackhawks.
Sabres 5, Predators 4 (OT)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jack Eichel scored two goals, including the winner at 2:35 of overtime to cap a furious comeback as Buffalo recorded a win over Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.
Brian Gionta, Kyle Okposo and Zemgus Girgensons also scored for the Sabres.
Viktor Arvidsson, James Neal, Filip Forsberg and Cody McLeod scored for the Predators.
Sharks 4, Jets 3
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- One night after making history with four goals in one period, Patrick Marleau came through again as San Jose topped Winnipeg.
Marleau potted the 498th goal of his career as he closes in on becoming the 46th player in NHL history to reach 500. Brent Burns, Logan Couture and Melker Karlsson also scored for the Sharks.
Bryan Little scored twice and Andrew Copp once for the Jets.
Canadiens 5, Flames 1
MONTREAL -- Alexander Radulov scored twice to help Montreal win over Calgary at the Bell Centre.
Andrew Shaw, Tomas Plekanec and Daniel Carr also scored for the Canadiens, who received 30 saves from Carey Price.
Sam Bennett scored and Chad Johnson stopped 15 shots for the Flames, who were shut out for the second straight game and dropped their fourth consecutive contest.
Wild 3, Stars 2 (SO)
DALLAS -- Chris Stewart scored the clinching goal in the shootout and Devan Dubnyk stopped 35 of 37 shots for Minnesota in a win against Dallas at American Airlines Center.
The Wild received regulation goals from Jason Pominville and Mikko Koivu to extend their road point streak to 12 games.
The Stars received goals from Tyler Seguin and Patrick Eaves in their second consecutive overtime loss.
In the Crease - Week 16
By Joe Williams
Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Boston 0-4 past four overall, 3-7 past 10 road Carolina Over 6-2 past eight overall
Calgary 1-5 past six overall, 0-4 past four road Chicago Over 5-1-1 past seven overall
Los Angeles 0-4 past four overall, 1-5 past six road Minnesota Over 12-1-2 past 15 overall
Nashville 6-1 past seven overall St. Louis Over 7-2 past nine overall, 5-0 past five home
Ottawa 5-2 past seven overall, 5-2 past seven road Washington Over 6-0-1 past seven overall
No Thunder
The Tampa Bay Lightning are mired in the basement of the Atlantic Division, and they're last in points in the Eastern Conference with just 47. Chances are they're going to be sellers at the NHL trade deadline. They skate into Tuesday's game in Chicago having lost three straight, while winning just two of their past 10 games overall. The offense has had no thunder lately, averaging just 1.89 goals per game over the past nine outings. As such, the 'under' is 4-1 in their past five games overall. The Lightning have managed just three of their past 16 games on the road, and they're 1-5 in their past six battles against Western Conference clubs.
Wild and Crazy Guys
The Minnesota Wild have been on fire lately, and it's their powerful offense which should be credited. Heading into Tuesday's game at Dallas the Wild have posted two or more goals in 30 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 17. As such, the 'over' has connected in four in a row, and is 6-0-1 in their past seven games overall. The 'over' has also hit in seven in a row at home dating back to Dec. 20. Minnesota is also 10-1 in their past 11 road games, and they're 13-3 in their past 16 games against Western Conference teams. A major reason for their success has been beating teams they're supposed to beat. The Wild are 10-3 in their past 13 against teams with an overall losing record.
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, Jan. 25
The Flyers head to Madison Square Garden to battle the Rangers looking to get back on track. Philly is just 3-10 in their past 13 games overall, and 1-9 in their past 10 road games. They have struggled against teams with a winning overall mark, too, losing five in a row away from home. The Flyers have struggled against the Rangers over the past few years, too, going 10-25 in the past 35 meetings in this series. They're also just 7-19 in their past 26 trips to MSG.
Edmonton rolls into Anaheim looking to stay hot, as they have won five of their past six games overall. And for what it's worth, the Oilers are 9-0 in their past nine games on Wednesday. However, the young Oilers are still learning to win, and they're a dismal 9-42 in their past 51 road games agaisnt teams with a home winning percentage over .600. The Ducks have won 10 of their past 13 at home, and they're 9-3 in their past 12 overall. However, they're just 1-6 in their past seven against teams with a winning overall record. The Oilers are 6-26 in their past 32 meetings against the Ducks, and they're 1-8 in their past nine trips to Anaheim.
Thursday, Jan. 26
The Penguins roll into Beantown looking to slay the Bruins, who have been scuffling lately. Pittsburgh enters the new week with wins in four in a row, and they have been strong-arming teams. The 'over' is 4-1 in their past five games, and they're averaging 5.4 goals per game during the span, nearly taking care of the total themselves. In their Jan. 20 game, the Penguins-Hurricanes battle had the highest total of the season at 6 1/2, and still went over. The last meeting with the B's on Sunday resulted in a 5-1 Pens win, and another 'over'. In fact, each of the first two meetings with Boston have resulted in overs, averaging 6 1/2 goals per outing.
In the final game before the All-Star break, the Oilers head to San Jose to tangle with the Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Oilers were topped by the Sharks 5-3 in the most recent meeting in Edmonton on Jan. 10, and the Sharks have won each battle this season. San Jose won 3-2 in overtime in the first meeting in the Bay Area back on Dec. 23. Last season it was Edmonton winning two of the three battles.
By Joe Williams
Streaky Teams
Wins and Losses Streak Over/Under Streak
Boston 0-4 past four overall, 3-7 past 10 road Carolina Over 6-2 past eight overall
Calgary 1-5 past six overall, 0-4 past four road Chicago Over 5-1-1 past seven overall
Los Angeles 0-4 past four overall, 1-5 past six road Minnesota Over 12-1-2 past 15 overall
Nashville 6-1 past seven overall St. Louis Over 7-2 past nine overall, 5-0 past five home
Ottawa 5-2 past seven overall, 5-2 past seven road Washington Over 6-0-1 past seven overall
No Thunder
The Tampa Bay Lightning are mired in the basement of the Atlantic Division, and they're last in points in the Eastern Conference with just 47. Chances are they're going to be sellers at the NHL trade deadline. They skate into Tuesday's game in Chicago having lost three straight, while winning just two of their past 10 games overall. The offense has had no thunder lately, averaging just 1.89 goals per game over the past nine outings. As such, the 'under' is 4-1 in their past five games overall. The Lightning have managed just three of their past 16 games on the road, and they're 1-5 in their past six battles against Western Conference clubs.
Wild and Crazy Guys
The Minnesota Wild have been on fire lately, and it's their powerful offense which should be credited. Heading into Tuesday's game at Dallas the Wild have posted two or more goals in 30 consecutive games dating back to Nov. 17. As such, the 'over' has connected in four in a row, and is 6-0-1 in their past seven games overall. The 'over' has also hit in seven in a row at home dating back to Dec. 20. Minnesota is also 10-1 in their past 11 road games, and they're 13-3 in their past 16 games against Western Conference teams. A major reason for their success has been beating teams they're supposed to beat. The Wild are 10-3 in their past 13 against teams with an overall losing record.
Looking Ahead
Wednesday, Jan. 25
The Flyers head to Madison Square Garden to battle the Rangers looking to get back on track. Philly is just 3-10 in their past 13 games overall, and 1-9 in their past 10 road games. They have struggled against teams with a winning overall mark, too, losing five in a row away from home. The Flyers have struggled against the Rangers over the past few years, too, going 10-25 in the past 35 meetings in this series. They're also just 7-19 in their past 26 trips to MSG.
Edmonton rolls into Anaheim looking to stay hot, as they have won five of their past six games overall. And for what it's worth, the Oilers are 9-0 in their past nine games on Wednesday. However, the young Oilers are still learning to win, and they're a dismal 9-42 in their past 51 road games agaisnt teams with a home winning percentage over .600. The Ducks have won 10 of their past 13 at home, and they're 9-3 in their past 12 overall. However, they're just 1-6 in their past seven against teams with a winning overall record. The Oilers are 6-26 in their past 32 meetings against the Ducks, and they're 1-8 in their past nine trips to Anaheim.
Thursday, Jan. 26
The Penguins roll into Beantown looking to slay the Bruins, who have been scuffling lately. Pittsburgh enters the new week with wins in four in a row, and they have been strong-arming teams. The 'over' is 4-1 in their past five games, and they're averaging 5.4 goals per game during the span, nearly taking care of the total themselves. In their Jan. 20 game, the Penguins-Hurricanes battle had the highest total of the season at 6 1/2, and still went over. The last meeting with the B's on Sunday resulted in a 5-1 Pens win, and another 'over'. In fact, each of the first two meetings with Boston have resulted in overs, averaging 6 1/2 goals per outing.
In the final game before the All-Star break, the Oilers head to San Jose to tangle with the Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET. The Oilers were topped by the Sharks 5-3 in the most recent meeting in Edmonton on Jan. 10, and the Sharks have won each battle this season. San Jose won 3-2 in overtime in the first meeting in the Bay Area back on Dec. 23. Last season it was Edmonton winning two of the three battles.
Preview: Maple Leafs (22-14) at Red Wings (20-19)
Date: January 25, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
Heading into the season, the spotlight shined squarely on Auston Matthews as he was expected to bring the Toronto Maple Leafs back to prominence.
Mitch Marner and several other rookies are proving to be just as valuable to a franchise that's reached the playoffs only once in 12 seasons.
Looking for their fifth win in seven games, the Maple Leafs kick off a season-high six-game road trip Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, who have been struggling to pick up two points on a consistent basis recently.
Matthews, who will not turn 20 until Sept. 17, has lived up to his lofty billing as the top overall pick in last summer's draft and with a four-goal game in his NHL debut in October.
He leads all rookies with 22 goals, one of which came deep into overtime of the Centennial Classic and lifted the Maple Leafs to a 5-4 win over the Red Wings on Jan. 1 at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium in the only meeting between the "Original Six" teams so far this season.
"I'm sure it'll be a little different. Obviously, it's not that same kind of atmosphere, setting and everything," Matthews said Tuesday about facing Detroit in a more traditional setting. "... It's another big two points for us against a good team. They're solid. They play with a similar structure to us."
Though he has been held without a point over the last three games, including Monday's 4-0 win over the Calgary Flames, Matthews is second in rookie scoring with 38 points -- one behind Marner, who leads Toronto (22-14-9) with 28 assists and 39 points.
Toronto coach Mike Babcock likes what he's seen so far from the 19-year-old Marner, selected fourth overall in the 2015 draft, but indicated there are parts of the game he must improve.
"He's just getting used to the league," Babcock said Tuesday. "Mitch can dominate more and more and more, to be honest with you. The more he skates and the better he plays defensively, the more he has the puck, and when he gets more and more confidence in his shot, he'll shoot the puck way more."
Marner and Matthews are not the only Toronto rookies who have been excelling.
Also in the top 25 in rookie scoring are William Nylander with 30 points, Connor Brown and Zach Hyman with 21, and Nikita Zaitsev with 19.
"It's not what you say, it's what you do, and if you compete hard on a nightly basis, things go good for you," Babcock said.
In nine games since Toronto's win on New Year's Day, Marner has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists), along with Nazem Kadri (seven goals, five assists) and James Van Riemsdyk (three goals, nine assists). Matthews has just six points (two goals, four assists).
Kadri scored twice against the Flames, including the 100th goal of his career. With 20 goals, Kadri needs one more for a new career high, but he's failed to score in six straight games at Joe Louis Arena.
Coming off his first home shutout in a Toronto uniform, Frederik Andersen is expected to start in goal for the Leafs. Andersen is 6-0-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .943 save percentage in his last seven road games, and won in his only career appearance in the Motor City in 2014 while with the Anaheim Ducks.
Detroit (20-19-9) opens a three-game homestand looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat. The Red Wings dropped their third in a row -- all in overtime -- after a 4-3 setback to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday despite a career-high 45 saves from rookie Jared Coreau.
The skid comes on the heels of a three-game winning streak, and five of the Wings' overtime losses have occurred this month.
"We need points. We can't afford one point," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "We need two points."
Henrik Zetterberg had two assists against Boston, and overtook Thomas Vanek for the team scoring lead with 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists). Zetterberg has 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 19 career games versus Toronto, including a three-assist performance in the Centennial Classic. No other current Red Wing has more than eight points against the Leafs.
Vanek and Dylan Larkin lead the team with 12 goals. However, Vanek (upper-body injury) is day-to-day while Larkin (lower-body injury) is on injured reserve and will miss this contest.
The Red Wings are 3-0-1 in their last four at home, including a win over the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins and a shutout victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
"The big thing I know is they're playing real good," said Babcock, who coached the Detroit from 2005 to 2015, including a Stanley Cup title in 2008. "... They got real good depth up front ... They play (Tuesday), which is fortunate for us and we have to jump on them."
The Red Wings and Maple Leafs split two games last season in Detroit with each team recording a shutout.
Date: January 25, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
Heading into the season, the spotlight shined squarely on Auston Matthews as he was expected to bring the Toronto Maple Leafs back to prominence.
Mitch Marner and several other rookies are proving to be just as valuable to a franchise that's reached the playoffs only once in 12 seasons.
Looking for their fifth win in seven games, the Maple Leafs kick off a season-high six-game road trip Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, who have been struggling to pick up two points on a consistent basis recently.
Matthews, who will not turn 20 until Sept. 17, has lived up to his lofty billing as the top overall pick in last summer's draft and with a four-goal game in his NHL debut in October.
He leads all rookies with 22 goals, one of which came deep into overtime of the Centennial Classic and lifted the Maple Leafs to a 5-4 win over the Red Wings on Jan. 1 at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium in the only meeting between the "Original Six" teams so far this season.
"I'm sure it'll be a little different. Obviously, it's not that same kind of atmosphere, setting and everything," Matthews said Tuesday about facing Detroit in a more traditional setting. "... It's another big two points for us against a good team. They're solid. They play with a similar structure to us."
Though he has been held without a point over the last three games, including Monday's 4-0 win over the Calgary Flames, Matthews is second in rookie scoring with 38 points -- one behind Marner, who leads Toronto (22-14-9) with 28 assists and 39 points.
Toronto coach Mike Babcock likes what he's seen so far from the 19-year-old Marner, selected fourth overall in the 2015 draft, but indicated there are parts of the game he must improve.
"He's just getting used to the league," Babcock said Tuesday. "Mitch can dominate more and more and more, to be honest with you. The more he skates and the better he plays defensively, the more he has the puck, and when he gets more and more confidence in his shot, he'll shoot the puck way more."
Marner and Matthews are not the only Toronto rookies who have been excelling.
Also in the top 25 in rookie scoring are William Nylander with 30 points, Connor Brown and Zach Hyman with 21, and Nikita Zaitsev with 19.
"It's not what you say, it's what you do, and if you compete hard on a nightly basis, things go good for you," Babcock said.
In nine games since Toronto's win on New Year's Day, Marner has 12 points (two goals, 10 assists), along with Nazem Kadri (seven goals, five assists) and James Van Riemsdyk (three goals, nine assists). Matthews has just six points (two goals, four assists).
Kadri scored twice against the Flames, including the 100th goal of his career. With 20 goals, Kadri needs one more for a new career high, but he's failed to score in six straight games at Joe Louis Arena.
Coming off his first home shutout in a Toronto uniform, Frederik Andersen is expected to start in goal for the Leafs. Andersen is 6-0-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .943 save percentage in his last seven road games, and won in his only career appearance in the Motor City in 2014 while with the Anaheim Ducks.
Detroit (20-19-9) opens a three-game homestand looking to avoid a fourth straight defeat. The Red Wings dropped their third in a row -- all in overtime -- after a 4-3 setback to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday despite a career-high 45 saves from rookie Jared Coreau.
The skid comes on the heels of a three-game winning streak, and five of the Wings' overtime losses have occurred this month.
"We need points. We can't afford one point," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "We need two points."
Henrik Zetterberg had two assists against Boston, and overtook Thomas Vanek for the team scoring lead with 33 points (nine goals, 24 assists). Zetterberg has 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 19 career games versus Toronto, including a three-assist performance in the Centennial Classic. No other current Red Wing has more than eight points against the Leafs.
Vanek and Dylan Larkin lead the team with 12 goals. However, Vanek (upper-body injury) is day-to-day while Larkin (lower-body injury) is on injured reserve and will miss this contest.
The Red Wings are 3-0-1 in their last four at home, including a win over the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins and a shutout victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
"The big thing I know is they're playing real good," said Babcock, who coached the Detroit from 2005 to 2015, including a Stanley Cup title in 2008. "... They got real good depth up front ... They play (Tuesday), which is fortunate for us and we have to jump on them."
The Red Wings and Maple Leafs split two games last season in Detroit with each team recording a shutout.
Preview: Flyers (23-19) at Rangers (31-16)
Date: January 25, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
It was a little more than a month ago when the Philadelphia Flyers were the hottest team in the NHL. They had won 10 in a row, had points in 12 of 13 games and looked like a team that had a good bead on a playoff spot.
On Wednesday, six weeks later, and the Flyers are coming to Madison Square Garden desperate to go into the All-Star break on a positive note.
The Flyers are 4-9-3 since the 10-game winning streak ended. They have one regulation victory in their past 16 games and sit in the final wild-card spot in the East with the rest of their conference breathing down their neck.
They finish their first half with the Rangers on Wednesday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
"Yeah, both these games have implications directed to us in the standings," said Flyers goalie Steve Mason, who will start against the Rangers, to CSN Philadelphia. "Both being Eastern Conference teams and they are right with one another.
"We have to have a short mindset. We have the Rangers and that's going to be a tough game going into MSG. Once that game is over, we focus on the Leafs."
The focus on the Rangers should be solving Henrik Lundqvist, who has stopped 80 of 84 shots in three straight wins after hitting rock bottom last Tuesday when he allowed seven goals to the Dallas Stars.
"Their goaltender has been outstanding over this past stretch for them," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said to CSN Philadelphia. "Their team is playing well.
"We have to worry more about our team. We're not going to control what their side is going to do. We can control what we do."
The Rangers, one of the highest-scoring teams in the league all season, have won their past three games focusing mostly on defense. The Kings had 38 shots Monday, although few were dangerous, but the Rangers stifled the Red Wings in a 1-0 overtime win and held the Maple Leafs to 28 shots in a 5-2 win.
Lundqvist has made some big saves over that time but he hasn't been under siege like had been before this win streak.
"I think we do a good job in front of (Lundqvist)," Rangers center Derek Stepan said. "Teams are going to get chances and mistakes are going to happen, but I think where we've been better the last few games is when they happen, we have four or five guys in front of the net. How many scrambles have you seen the last few games where we have all five guys touching the crease? It starts there and we go on from that."
"You look at the 1-0 (against Detroit, and three goals today -- it wasn't offensive performances by us," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. "It was playing well in our own zone, maybe too much time than we like, but keeping the chances against down. And that's a sign of good things to come hopefully.
"As we continue down the stretch here, you know the games are going to be tighter, you know the offensive looks aren't going to be as many so when you do get them, make sure you try to capitalize on them."
The defense has come at the expense of offense the past two games -- the Rangers had just 19 shots against the Red Wings and 17 against the Kings. The Flyers have 83 shots the past two games and are fourth in the NHL with an average of 32 shots per game.
The Rangers may have to beat the Flyers the way they beat the Kings -- with a lot of Lundqvist and few shots of their own.
"We're a team that has been winning in different ways and we have the skill that we don't need that many chances to score," Lundqvist said. "We just need the right type of chances."
Date: January 25, 2017 8:00 PM EDT
It was a little more than a month ago when the Philadelphia Flyers were the hottest team in the NHL. They had won 10 in a row, had points in 12 of 13 games and looked like a team that had a good bead on a playoff spot.
On Wednesday, six weeks later, and the Flyers are coming to Madison Square Garden desperate to go into the All-Star break on a positive note.
The Flyers are 4-9-3 since the 10-game winning streak ended. They have one regulation victory in their past 16 games and sit in the final wild-card spot in the East with the rest of their conference breathing down their neck.
They finish their first half with the Rangers on Wednesday and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
"Yeah, both these games have implications directed to us in the standings," said Flyers goalie Steve Mason, who will start against the Rangers, to CSN Philadelphia. "Both being Eastern Conference teams and they are right with one another.
"We have to have a short mindset. We have the Rangers and that's going to be a tough game going into MSG. Once that game is over, we focus on the Leafs."
The focus on the Rangers should be solving Henrik Lundqvist, who has stopped 80 of 84 shots in three straight wins after hitting rock bottom last Tuesday when he allowed seven goals to the Dallas Stars.
"Their goaltender has been outstanding over this past stretch for them," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said to CSN Philadelphia. "Their team is playing well.
"We have to worry more about our team. We're not going to control what their side is going to do. We can control what we do."
The Rangers, one of the highest-scoring teams in the league all season, have won their past three games focusing mostly on defense. The Kings had 38 shots Monday, although few were dangerous, but the Rangers stifled the Red Wings in a 1-0 overtime win and held the Maple Leafs to 28 shots in a 5-2 win.
Lundqvist has made some big saves over that time but he hasn't been under siege like had been before this win streak.
"I think we do a good job in front of (Lundqvist)," Rangers center Derek Stepan said. "Teams are going to get chances and mistakes are going to happen, but I think where we've been better the last few games is when they happen, we have four or five guys in front of the net. How many scrambles have you seen the last few games where we have all five guys touching the crease? It starts there and we go on from that."
"You look at the 1-0 (against Detroit, and three goals today -- it wasn't offensive performances by us," Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh said. "It was playing well in our own zone, maybe too much time than we like, but keeping the chances against down. And that's a sign of good things to come hopefully.
"As we continue down the stretch here, you know the games are going to be tighter, you know the offensive looks aren't going to be as many so when you do get them, make sure you try to capitalize on them."
The defense has come at the expense of offense the past two games -- the Rangers had just 19 shots against the Red Wings and 17 against the Kings. The Flyers have 83 shots the past two games and are fourth in the NHL with an average of 32 shots per game.
The Rangers may have to beat the Flyers the way they beat the Kings -- with a lot of Lundqvist and few shots of their own.
"We're a team that has been winning in different ways and we have the skill that we don't need that many chances to score," Lundqvist said. "We just need the right type of chances."
Preview: Canucks (22-20) at Avalanche (13-30)
Date: January 25, 2017 9:30 PM EDT
The Colorado Avalanche surprised the NHL three years ago by soaring to the top of the Central Division and winning a franchise high-tying 52 games. With a young core in place, the future seemed bright for the team.
That successful season is now an official anomaly. The Avalanche (13-30-2) have the fewest points in the NHL and rumors surround the possibility of breaking up the once-promising core.
Speculation was fueled by Matt Duchene's absence for Monday's loss to San Jose, which the team said was due to sickness.
No trade happened and Duchene, the team's leading goal scorer, is questionable for the game against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night. He didn't practice Tuesday.
The Avalanche will be without defenseman Tyson Barrie and forward Rene Bourque, who were both placed on injured reserve with lower-body injuries. Colorado recalled center Jim O'Brien from San Antonio of the American Hockey League. He likely will play against Vancouver.
The matchup features teams playing to their weaknesses -- Colorado at home and the Canucks on the road.
The Avalanche are 5-17-1 at Pepsi Center and have lost 14 of their last 15 games there. Vancouver, meanwhile, is 5-14-3 on the road but is in playoff contention despite that mark. Something will give when the teams play.
"There shouldn't be a difference playing on the road than at home," captain Henrik Sedin told The Vancouver Sun after Sunday's loss in Chicago. "It should be easier to be in these (road) games and I can't think of any reason why we shouldn't turn it around with the way we've been playing lately."
The Canucks should have defenseman Alex Edler available for Wednesday's game. Edler appeared to hurt his hand or wrist Sunday and was scheduled to be evaluated Monday, but was expected to be available against the reeling Avalanche.
Colorado has lost six straight and is 2-15-1 in its past 18 games. The Avalanche are on pace to have the most losses since the expansion Atlanta Thrashers in 1999-2000. With 37 games left, Colorado is all but eliminated from playoff contention barring a miraculous finish.
"I've been out of the playoffs many times, but a lot of those years it (came down to) the last week," forward Jarome Iginla told HockeyBuzz.com. "This one, it's a pretty far stretch to get back into it at this point -- it's a lot of points. We can't look at that big picture. Every year there's a team that is like that, and unfortunately we're having that tough go so far."
Colorado's collapse was unexpected.
"I'm surprised for sure," Canucks forward and former Avalanche member Jack Skille told The Vancouver Sun. "When you look at them on paper, they're a good team and have the ability to be a threat and a dangerous team to play against. But you never know what's going on. It's got to be tough to come into the room every day. I know that group of guys and they're trying to win."
The Canucks (22-20-6) aren't going to feel sorry for the Avalanche, not when they're trying to reverse their road misfortunes and climb in the Western Conference standings. They have lost four straight and eight of nine away from Vancouver but is within a point of the second wild card slot in the Western Conference.
A win against the Avalanche and they move ahead of Calgary.
Vancouver will face a Colorado team not only hurting in the standings but on the ice, too. The Avalanche were down to just 11 forwards in the 5-2 loss to San Jose on Monday after Duchene was a late scratch.
"Injuries don't make it easier on us but we've got players who can step up," coach Jared Bednar said after Tuesday's practice.
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov won't play until after the All-Star break, which begins for Colorado following Wednesday's game. Calvin Pickard will start in goal for the Avalanche.
Vancouver has one more game -- Thursday in Arizona -- before the All-Star break. A win in Denver will give the Canucks some momentum and a chance to be sitting in a playoff spot heading into the weekend.
Date: January 25, 2017 9:30 PM EDT
The Colorado Avalanche surprised the NHL three years ago by soaring to the top of the Central Division and winning a franchise high-tying 52 games. With a young core in place, the future seemed bright for the team.
That successful season is now an official anomaly. The Avalanche (13-30-2) have the fewest points in the NHL and rumors surround the possibility of breaking up the once-promising core.
Speculation was fueled by Matt Duchene's absence for Monday's loss to San Jose, which the team said was due to sickness.
No trade happened and Duchene, the team's leading goal scorer, is questionable for the game against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night. He didn't practice Tuesday.
The Avalanche will be without defenseman Tyson Barrie and forward Rene Bourque, who were both placed on injured reserve with lower-body injuries. Colorado recalled center Jim O'Brien from San Antonio of the American Hockey League. He likely will play against Vancouver.
The matchup features teams playing to their weaknesses -- Colorado at home and the Canucks on the road.
The Avalanche are 5-17-1 at Pepsi Center and have lost 14 of their last 15 games there. Vancouver, meanwhile, is 5-14-3 on the road but is in playoff contention despite that mark. Something will give when the teams play.
"There shouldn't be a difference playing on the road than at home," captain Henrik Sedin told The Vancouver Sun after Sunday's loss in Chicago. "It should be easier to be in these (road) games and I can't think of any reason why we shouldn't turn it around with the way we've been playing lately."
The Canucks should have defenseman Alex Edler available for Wednesday's game. Edler appeared to hurt his hand or wrist Sunday and was scheduled to be evaluated Monday, but was expected to be available against the reeling Avalanche.
Colorado has lost six straight and is 2-15-1 in its past 18 games. The Avalanche are on pace to have the most losses since the expansion Atlanta Thrashers in 1999-2000. With 37 games left, Colorado is all but eliminated from playoff contention barring a miraculous finish.
"I've been out of the playoffs many times, but a lot of those years it (came down to) the last week," forward Jarome Iginla told HockeyBuzz.com. "This one, it's a pretty far stretch to get back into it at this point -- it's a lot of points. We can't look at that big picture. Every year there's a team that is like that, and unfortunately we're having that tough go so far."
Colorado's collapse was unexpected.
"I'm surprised for sure," Canucks forward and former Avalanche member Jack Skille told The Vancouver Sun. "When you look at them on paper, they're a good team and have the ability to be a threat and a dangerous team to play against. But you never know what's going on. It's got to be tough to come into the room every day. I know that group of guys and they're trying to win."
The Canucks (22-20-6) aren't going to feel sorry for the Avalanche, not when they're trying to reverse their road misfortunes and climb in the Western Conference standings. They have lost four straight and eight of nine away from Vancouver but is within a point of the second wild card slot in the Western Conference.
A win against the Avalanche and they move ahead of Calgary.
Vancouver will face a Colorado team not only hurting in the standings but on the ice, too. The Avalanche were down to just 11 forwards in the 5-2 loss to San Jose on Monday after Duchene was a late scratch.
"Injuries don't make it easier on us but we've got players who can step up," coach Jared Bednar said after Tuesday's practice.
Goaltender Semyon Varlamov won't play until after the All-Star break, which begins for Colorado following Wednesday's game. Calvin Pickard will start in goal for the Avalanche.
Vancouver has one more game -- Thursday in Arizona -- before the All-Star break. A win in Denver will give the Canucks some momentum and a chance to be sitting in a playoff spot heading into the weekend.
Preview: Oilers (26-15) at Ducks (27-14)
Date: January 25, 2017 10:00 PM EDT
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Two of the Western Conference's best teams will continue their quest to dominate the Pacific Division when the Anaheim Ducks and the Edmonton Oilers meet in their last game before the All-Star break on Wednesday night at the Honda Center.
The Ducks, who held first place going into Tuesday, lead the surprising Oilers by three points.
Since a 5-1 road loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 20, Anaheim secured points in all but two of its ensuing 16 games. Two of those points came Monday night in a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, Randy Carlyle's 300th victory as coach.
"It wasn't the prettiest game we've played all year," Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf told NHL.com. "But we're finding ways to get points and wins, especially after a tough loss."
The Ducks, who squandered a 3-1 lead in a 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild in their previous game Saturday night, relied on special teams to beat the Jets.
Anaheim's power play converted one of two chances while the penalty killers defused all five of Winnipeg's power plays, and even scored a short-handed goal. Both units rank eighth in their respective categories among NHL teams.
But the Ducks will play without right winger Jakob Silfverberg for the third successive game. Silfverberg suffered a head injury after receiving a clean check from behind by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadulov early in the third period on Thursday night.
In the middle of last season, Silfverberg joined center Ryan Kesler and left winger Andrew Cogliano to form Anaheim's most consistent line, one that not only can produce offensively but also can stifle opposing top lines. Silfverberg's plus-13 rating leads the team and his 13 goals rank third.
"You don't replace players that make that type of contribution easily," Carlyle told the Orange County Register. "So we're going to look at other people now. When somebody goes down and somebody's missing from your lineup, it expands the role and gives the opportunity for somebody else to step into a larger role."
Without Silfverberg, the Ducks will have to handle Edmonton center Connor McDavid, one of the NHL's best young talents. McDavid leads the league with 40 assists and 56 points one season after he missed three months of his rookie year because of a broken clavicle.
Elsewhere, right winger Leon Draisaitl has seven points in his last six games. Fellow right winger Jordan Eberle scored three goals and five points in his past three gamess after a streak of 18 games without a goal, the longest drought of his career.
Goalie Cam Talbot compiled a 3-0-1 record, a 1.65 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage in his previous four games.
As a result, the Oilers have a chance to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 11 years -- and exceed 40 wins for just the third time since the days of Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Grant Fuhr.
"The fans are excited and getting behind us," Eberle told the Edmonton Journal. "There's 100 percent more excitement. A playoff spot hasn't come for a long time. But we're playing meaningful games in the home stretch of the season. Anytime you're winning, the city and the crowd get behind you. It's a lot more enjoyable."
Date: January 25, 2017 10:00 PM EDT
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Two of the Western Conference's best teams will continue their quest to dominate the Pacific Division when the Anaheim Ducks and the Edmonton Oilers meet in their last game before the All-Star break on Wednesday night at the Honda Center.
The Ducks, who held first place going into Tuesday, lead the surprising Oilers by three points.
Since a 5-1 road loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Dec. 20, Anaheim secured points in all but two of its ensuing 16 games. Two of those points came Monday night in a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, Randy Carlyle's 300th victory as coach.
"It wasn't the prettiest game we've played all year," Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf told NHL.com. "But we're finding ways to get points and wins, especially after a tough loss."
The Ducks, who squandered a 3-1 lead in a 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild in their previous game Saturday night, relied on special teams to beat the Jets.
Anaheim's power play converted one of two chances while the penalty killers defused all five of Winnipeg's power plays, and even scored a short-handed goal. Both units rank eighth in their respective categories among NHL teams.
But the Ducks will play without right winger Jakob Silfverberg for the third successive game. Silfverberg suffered a head injury after receiving a clean check from behind by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nikita Zadulov early in the third period on Thursday night.
In the middle of last season, Silfverberg joined center Ryan Kesler and left winger Andrew Cogliano to form Anaheim's most consistent line, one that not only can produce offensively but also can stifle opposing top lines. Silfverberg's plus-13 rating leads the team and his 13 goals rank third.
"You don't replace players that make that type of contribution easily," Carlyle told the Orange County Register. "So we're going to look at other people now. When somebody goes down and somebody's missing from your lineup, it expands the role and gives the opportunity for somebody else to step into a larger role."
Without Silfverberg, the Ducks will have to handle Edmonton center Connor McDavid, one of the NHL's best young talents. McDavid leads the league with 40 assists and 56 points one season after he missed three months of his rookie year because of a broken clavicle.
Elsewhere, right winger Leon Draisaitl has seven points in his last six games. Fellow right winger Jordan Eberle scored three goals and five points in his past three gamess after a streak of 18 games without a goal, the longest drought of his career.
Goalie Cam Talbot compiled a 3-0-1 record, a 1.65 goals-against average and a .943 save percentage in his previous four games.
As a result, the Oilers have a chance to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 11 years -- and exceed 40 wins for just the third time since the days of Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Grant Fuhr.
"The fans are excited and getting behind us," Eberle told the Edmonton Journal. "There's 100 percent more excitement. A playoff spot hasn't come for a long time. But we're playing meaningful games in the home stretch of the season. Anytime you're winning, the city and the crowd get behind you. It's a lot more enjoyable."
Grand Salami - January
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 31.5 33 OVER
1/24 10 54.5 57 OVER
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.
Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.
*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.
NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
1/1 3 16 19 OVER
1/2 3 15.5 13 UNDER
1/3 7 37.5 40 OVER
1/4 6 33.5 29 UNDER
1/5 7 37.5 45 OVER
1/6 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/7 12 64.5 68 OVER
1/8 6 31.5 36 OVER
1/9 4 21 20 UNDER
1/10 7 37.5 41 OVER
1/11 4 21.5 26 OVER
1/12 9 48.5 54 OVER
1/13 7 37 40 OVER
1/14 12 64 80 OVER
1/15 4 20.5 16 UNDER
1/16 7 38.5 39 OVER
1/17 9 49.5 63 OVER
1/18 5 27.5 37 OVER
1/19 8 44.5 42 UNDER
1/20 6 32.5 26 UNDER
1/21 11 58 72 OVER
1/22 6 32.5 37 OVER
1/23 6 31.5 33 OVER
1/24 10 54.5 57 OVER
1/25 4 - - -
1/26 13 - - -
1/27 No games scheduled - - -
1/28 No games scheduled - - -
1/29 No games scheduled - - -
1/30 No games scheduled - - -
1/31 14 - - -
NHL
Wednesday’s games
Maple Leafs are 5-3 in last eight games with Detroit, splitting last four visits to Motor City. Nine of last ten series games stayed under total. Red Wings lost their last three games, all in OT; they won three of last four home games. Over is 6-3 in their last nine games. Toronto won last three road games (all by 4-2 score), is 4-2 in last six games overall. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games (0-2 in last two).
Rangers won their last five games with Philly, winning two of last three series games played here; under is 3-1-2 in last six series games. Flyers lost five of last seven games overall, five of last six on road; under is 3-1-1 in their last five road games. New York won its last three games, allowing total of four goals; they lost three of last four home games. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games.
Canucks won four of last five games with Colorado,; they outscored Avalanche 11-5 in winning last three visits to Denver. Under is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Vancouver lost five of last seven games; they scored six goals in their last four games— under is 7-3 in their last ten. Colorado was outscored 23-12 in losing its last six games; they lost five of last six home tilts. Under is 5-2-2 in their last nine games.
Anaheim won five of last six games with Edmonton; under is 3-0-1 in last four series games. Oilers lost three of last four visits here, losing last two 2-1ot/4-1. Oilers won five of last six games overall, three of last four on road (over 3-1). Ducks won six of their last eight games overall, four of last six home games. Under is 8-1-1 in Anaheim’s last ten games overall.
Wednesday’s games
Maple Leafs are 5-3 in last eight games with Detroit, splitting last four visits to Motor City. Nine of last ten series games stayed under total. Red Wings lost their last three games, all in OT; they won three of last four home games. Over is 6-3 in their last nine games. Toronto won last three road games (all by 4-2 score), is 4-2 in last six games overall. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games (0-2 in last two).
Rangers won their last five games with Philly, winning two of last three series games played here; under is 3-1-2 in last six series games. Flyers lost five of last seven games overall, five of last six on road; under is 3-1-1 in their last five road games. New York won its last three games, allowing total of four goals; they lost three of last four home games. Over is 5-3 in their last eight games.
Canucks won four of last five games with Colorado,; they outscored Avalanche 11-5 in winning last three visits to Denver. Under is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Vancouver lost five of last seven games; they scored six goals in their last four games— under is 7-3 in their last ten. Colorado was outscored 23-12 in losing its last six games; they lost five of last six home tilts. Under is 5-2-2 in their last nine games.
Anaheim won five of last six games with Edmonton; under is 3-0-1 in last four series games. Oilers lost three of last four visits here, losing last two 2-1ot/4-1. Oilers won five of last six games overall, three of last four on road (over 3-1). Ducks won six of their last eight games overall, four of last six home games. Under is 8-1-1 in Anaheim’s last ten games overall.
NBA roundup: Wizards win 14th straight at home
By The Sports Xchange
WASHINGTON -- Bradley Beal scored 13 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and the Washington Wizards won their hyped matchup with the Boston Celtics 123-108 on Tuesday night.
John Wall had 27 points for the Wizards, who extended their home win streak to 14 games -- the longest active stretch in the NBA. Washington never trailed and shot 57.8 percent from the field. The Wizards won nine of 11, including two straight on a back-to-back.
Isaiah Thomas had 25 points and 13 assists for the Celtics. Boston lost its third straight. Al Horford scored 22 points and Jae Crowder had 17.
76ers 121, Clippers 110
PHILADELPHIA -- Nerlens Noel, subbing for an injured Joel Embiid, scored a season-high 19 points as Philadelphia defeated Los Angeles.
Backup forward Richaun Holmes matched his career high of 18 points for Philadelphia, which rallied from a 19-point third-quarter deficit to extend its home winning streak to six games. Dario Saric added 16 and Robert Covington had 14.
The Sixers also won for the fourth time in five games, the seventh time in nine and the ninth time in 12.
Bulls 100, Magic 92
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Dwyane Wade scored 21 points and Jimmy Butler had 20, leading Chicago to a victory over Orlando at the Amway Center.
Wade missed his first six shots, then hit eight of his next nine to give the Bulls a lead in the third period they never lost.
Reserve Cristiano Felicio had 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Doug McDermott scored 12 points, all in the first half.
Spurs 108, Raptors 106
TORONTO -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and added seven rebounds as San Antonio defeated Toronto.
It was the fifth win in a row for the Spurs and the fourth straight loss for the Raptors.
DeMar DeRozan did not play for Toronto and Kawhi Leonard sat out for San Antonio.
Nuggets 103, Jazz 93
DENVER -- Nikola Jokic had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Jameer Nelson scored seven of his 17 points in the final 3:55 and Denver held off Utah.
Darrell Arthur scored a season-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench for the Nuggets.
Derrick Favors scored 18 points and George Hill had 17 for the Jazz. Utah lost on consecutive nights after winning six straight.
Timberwolves 112, Suns 111
PHOENIX -- Andrew Wiggins had 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and hit the winning 18-foot jumper at the buzzer to give Minnesota a victory over Phoenix.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have won three straight and six of their last eight games. Minnesota completed a three-game sweep of the season series with Phoenix, its first since the 2003-04 season.
Devin Booker had 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who trailed by as many as 14 in the third quarter but scored 32 points in the fourth.
By The Sports Xchange
WASHINGTON -- Bradley Beal scored 13 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and the Washington Wizards won their hyped matchup with the Boston Celtics 123-108 on Tuesday night.
John Wall had 27 points for the Wizards, who extended their home win streak to 14 games -- the longest active stretch in the NBA. Washington never trailed and shot 57.8 percent from the field. The Wizards won nine of 11, including two straight on a back-to-back.
Isaiah Thomas had 25 points and 13 assists for the Celtics. Boston lost its third straight. Al Horford scored 22 points and Jae Crowder had 17.
76ers 121, Clippers 110
PHILADELPHIA -- Nerlens Noel, subbing for an injured Joel Embiid, scored a season-high 19 points as Philadelphia defeated Los Angeles.
Backup forward Richaun Holmes matched his career high of 18 points for Philadelphia, which rallied from a 19-point third-quarter deficit to extend its home winning streak to six games. Dario Saric added 16 and Robert Covington had 14.
The Sixers also won for the fourth time in five games, the seventh time in nine and the ninth time in 12.
Bulls 100, Magic 92
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Dwyane Wade scored 21 points and Jimmy Butler had 20, leading Chicago to a victory over Orlando at the Amway Center.
Wade missed his first six shots, then hit eight of his next nine to give the Bulls a lead in the third period they never lost.
Reserve Cristiano Felicio had 12 points and a team-high 10 rebounds. Doug McDermott scored 12 points, all in the first half.
Spurs 108, Raptors 106
TORONTO -- LaMarcus Aldridge scored 21 points and added seven rebounds as San Antonio defeated Toronto.
It was the fifth win in a row for the Spurs and the fourth straight loss for the Raptors.
DeMar DeRozan did not play for Toronto and Kawhi Leonard sat out for San Antonio.
Nuggets 103, Jazz 93
DENVER -- Nikola Jokic had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Jameer Nelson scored seven of his 17 points in the final 3:55 and Denver held off Utah.
Darrell Arthur scored a season-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench for the Nuggets.
Derrick Favors scored 18 points and George Hill had 17 for the Jazz. Utah lost on consecutive nights after winning six straight.
Timberwolves 112, Suns 111
PHOENIX -- Andrew Wiggins had 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and hit the winning 18-foot jumper at the buzzer to give Minnesota a victory over Phoenix.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who have won three straight and six of their last eight games. Minnesota completed a three-game sweep of the season series with Phoenix, its first since the 2003-04 season.
Devin Booker had 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who trailed by as many as 14 in the third quarter but scored 32 points in the fourth.
3-pointer: Dissecting Injuries
By Tony Mejia
After a relatively healthy start to 2017, the latter part of January has featured a multitude of injuries. There are so many teams affected that there's no such thing as survival of the fittest, but rather, of the most resilient. This week's 3-pointer takes a look at the teams bitten hardest. There are so many, we were apparently fouled too, turning this into a 4-point play.
Los Angeles Clippers
Even with Blake Griffin scheduled to return as early as Tuesday night, the Clippers will be in scramble mode without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who will be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks after thumb surgery. L.A. dropped the first two games without him before Monday's upset win in Atlanta and will rely on J.J. Redick, Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and Raymond Felton to help bridge the gap and stay afloat. That quartet combined for 77 points and 16 assists as Doc Rivers went with a small-ball approach in the 115-105 win over the Hawks.
After a tight loss late last week to a Timberwolves team that hadn’t won a game all season decided by four points or less, the Clips were beaten by 25 points in Denver on Saturday to open a stretch of 10 of 11 on the road. The lone game they play at Staples Center (Feb. 2) will see them in an underdog role against Golden State, who they will also visit this Saturday night. Holding off the Hawks as a 7.5-point underdog definitely helped alleviate some of the pressure, especially with Griffin's return imminent.
Getting the five-time All-Star power forward back to run offense through with Paul gone should ease the burden on everyone else, but he’s returning from a five-week absence and figures to require an adjustment period that the heavy road schedule isn’t going to facilitate. The Clippers are going to rack up the mileage, having traveled to Atlanta from Denver and immediately heading to Philadelphia after Monday night’s win. They’ll have a few days in between leaving the East Coast for Oakland for this weekend’s clash at Oracle, so perhaps that’s when Griffin will be able to truly get comfortable returning and not having Paul out there with him.
A second five-game road swing just before the All-Star break will see L.A. visit Boston, Toronto, New York, Charlotte and Utah, so there’s a chance things could go drastically south for this group, who may be destined to wind up as the West’s No. 7 seed given how top-heavy the conference is.
San Antonio Spurs
The team most likely to be waiting for the Clippers as the No. 2 would be San Antonio, which has also hit a rough patch trying to keep its veterans healthy. While marvelous depth has helped Gregg Popovich give older players nights off for years to ensure they’re fresh for April, May and June, legitimate injuries, and not Pop’s maintenance program, could force key Spurs out over the next month or two.
Center Pau Gasol broke his hand warming up last week and will be out for at least a month, probably two. Although he’ll be able to keep up with his conditioning and should be better off for it through fresher legs come postseason, his absence increases veteran power forward's David Lee’s importance. Guards Tony Parker (left foot pain) and Manu Ginobili (back spasms) are legitimately feeling discomfort and may be in and out of the lineup on the rest of a four-game road trip that began with Saturday night’s upset in Cleveland.
Small forward Kawhi Leonard, deservingly voted is a starter for February's All-Star game, sat out Monday's 112-86 win in Brooklyn for precautionary reasons, which helped the Spurs show off the depth they'll be counting on to stay on course despite the attrition. This is a new-look Spurs squad being built around Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, so it will be fun to see guys like Jonathan Simmons, Dewayne Dedmon, Kyle Anderson, Dejounte Murray and Davis Bertans getting minutes and improving since they'll be called upon to aid the cause this postseason.
Despite all the changes, San Antonio has only lost consecutive games once all season, way back in early November. Guys are hungry and playing the right way, so it wouldn’t be smart to begin fading the Spurs simply because Gasol is out and vets like Parker and Ginobili will be cautious with their bodies going forward.
Murray, a rookie guard picked late in the first-round, scored 14 points against the Cavs, following up a career-high 24-point night in a blowout win over Denver, so he could be the beneficiary of increased opportunities over the next few months that should help get him prepared in case he remains a key contributor.
West's No. 8 seed hopefuls
The race for No. 8 in the West was also heavily impacted by injuries as Sacramento lost Rudy Gay for the season after tearing his Achilles. It remains to be seen whether the Kings can hang without their second-leading scorer, even though he had been in and out of the lineup. They snapped a five-game losing streak with a 109-104 win over Detroit, but they're less than halfway through an eight-game road trip that picks back up in Cleveland on Wednesday, so don't hold your breath on continued success.
Pelicans star Anthony Davis suffered a nasty fall last week, so he’s been playing with numerous ailments that required multiple x-rays. Although he's intent on gutting it out, Davis sat out Monday's 124-122 home upset over the Cavs with a lingering leg bruise. It remains to be seen how long he sits as the Pelicans continue perhaps their most important homestand of the season with games against the Thunder, Spurs and Wizards this week.
New Orleans opened the six-game run with a 118-98 win over Orlando, but where trounced 143-114 by lowly Brooklyn on Friday night and will managed to rebound against slumping Cleveland by getting a combined 69 points from Terrence Jones and Jrue Holiday. That's not exactly something they can count on.
Denver and Portland entered the week tied for the eighth and final playoff spot, so keep an eye on the Nuggets getting a boost from Gary Harris’ return from a sprained ankle that cost him three games. He hit all four of his 3-pointers in Sunday’s 111-108 loss to Minnesota and is a major upgrade at shooting guard due to his defensive prowess. Denver will need him to stay healthy.
Minnesota is currently operating without point guard Ricky Rubio due to personal reasons and is reportedly shopping him, so another contender for No. 8 is facing an uncertain next few weeks.
East notes
Detroit got good news in shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returning to the lineup after a shoulder strain. He serves a similar role to Harris’ in Denver as the Pistons’ top two-way wing. Cleveland’s Kevin Love also returned after dealing with back issues, but while teams in the Central are getting closer to full strength, the Atlantic was bit significantly by the injury bug.
Toronto All-Star DeMar DeRozan will miss at least two games with an ankle sprain and may be out all week if the Raptors are rightfully cautious with him, while Boston’s Avery Bradley remains out with a strained Achilles and won’t play in a week where the Celtics will be tasked with four games in five nights.
Philadelphia rookie Joel Embiid will also miss at least two games due to knee pain, stunting the momentum of the surging Sixers, while Nets guard Jeremy Lin has been ruled out for an additional 3-to-5 weeks after suffering a setback in rehab by aggravating his left hamstring. Brooklyn enters the week as the only team still stuck in single-digits in wins.
By Tony Mejia
After a relatively healthy start to 2017, the latter part of January has featured a multitude of injuries. There are so many teams affected that there's no such thing as survival of the fittest, but rather, of the most resilient. This week's 3-pointer takes a look at the teams bitten hardest. There are so many, we were apparently fouled too, turning this into a 4-point play.
Los Angeles Clippers
Even with Blake Griffin scheduled to return as early as Tuesday night, the Clippers will be in scramble mode without All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who will be sidelined for six-to-eight weeks after thumb surgery. L.A. dropped the first two games without him before Monday's upset win in Atlanta and will rely on J.J. Redick, Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and Raymond Felton to help bridge the gap and stay afloat. That quartet combined for 77 points and 16 assists as Doc Rivers went with a small-ball approach in the 115-105 win over the Hawks.
After a tight loss late last week to a Timberwolves team that hadn’t won a game all season decided by four points or less, the Clips were beaten by 25 points in Denver on Saturday to open a stretch of 10 of 11 on the road. The lone game they play at Staples Center (Feb. 2) will see them in an underdog role against Golden State, who they will also visit this Saturday night. Holding off the Hawks as a 7.5-point underdog definitely helped alleviate some of the pressure, especially with Griffin's return imminent.
Getting the five-time All-Star power forward back to run offense through with Paul gone should ease the burden on everyone else, but he’s returning from a five-week absence and figures to require an adjustment period that the heavy road schedule isn’t going to facilitate. The Clippers are going to rack up the mileage, having traveled to Atlanta from Denver and immediately heading to Philadelphia after Monday night’s win. They’ll have a few days in between leaving the East Coast for Oakland for this weekend’s clash at Oracle, so perhaps that’s when Griffin will be able to truly get comfortable returning and not having Paul out there with him.
A second five-game road swing just before the All-Star break will see L.A. visit Boston, Toronto, New York, Charlotte and Utah, so there’s a chance things could go drastically south for this group, who may be destined to wind up as the West’s No. 7 seed given how top-heavy the conference is.
San Antonio Spurs
The team most likely to be waiting for the Clippers as the No. 2 would be San Antonio, which has also hit a rough patch trying to keep its veterans healthy. While marvelous depth has helped Gregg Popovich give older players nights off for years to ensure they’re fresh for April, May and June, legitimate injuries, and not Pop’s maintenance program, could force key Spurs out over the next month or two.
Center Pau Gasol broke his hand warming up last week and will be out for at least a month, probably two. Although he’ll be able to keep up with his conditioning and should be better off for it through fresher legs come postseason, his absence increases veteran power forward's David Lee’s importance. Guards Tony Parker (left foot pain) and Manu Ginobili (back spasms) are legitimately feeling discomfort and may be in and out of the lineup on the rest of a four-game road trip that began with Saturday night’s upset in Cleveland.
Small forward Kawhi Leonard, deservingly voted is a starter for February's All-Star game, sat out Monday's 112-86 win in Brooklyn for precautionary reasons, which helped the Spurs show off the depth they'll be counting on to stay on course despite the attrition. This is a new-look Spurs squad being built around Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge, so it will be fun to see guys like Jonathan Simmons, Dewayne Dedmon, Kyle Anderson, Dejounte Murray and Davis Bertans getting minutes and improving since they'll be called upon to aid the cause this postseason.
Despite all the changes, San Antonio has only lost consecutive games once all season, way back in early November. Guys are hungry and playing the right way, so it wouldn’t be smart to begin fading the Spurs simply because Gasol is out and vets like Parker and Ginobili will be cautious with their bodies going forward.
Murray, a rookie guard picked late in the first-round, scored 14 points against the Cavs, following up a career-high 24-point night in a blowout win over Denver, so he could be the beneficiary of increased opportunities over the next few months that should help get him prepared in case he remains a key contributor.
West's No. 8 seed hopefuls
The race for No. 8 in the West was also heavily impacted by injuries as Sacramento lost Rudy Gay for the season after tearing his Achilles. It remains to be seen whether the Kings can hang without their second-leading scorer, even though he had been in and out of the lineup. They snapped a five-game losing streak with a 109-104 win over Detroit, but they're less than halfway through an eight-game road trip that picks back up in Cleveland on Wednesday, so don't hold your breath on continued success.
Pelicans star Anthony Davis suffered a nasty fall last week, so he’s been playing with numerous ailments that required multiple x-rays. Although he's intent on gutting it out, Davis sat out Monday's 124-122 home upset over the Cavs with a lingering leg bruise. It remains to be seen how long he sits as the Pelicans continue perhaps their most important homestand of the season with games against the Thunder, Spurs and Wizards this week.
New Orleans opened the six-game run with a 118-98 win over Orlando, but where trounced 143-114 by lowly Brooklyn on Friday night and will managed to rebound against slumping Cleveland by getting a combined 69 points from Terrence Jones and Jrue Holiday. That's not exactly something they can count on.
Denver and Portland entered the week tied for the eighth and final playoff spot, so keep an eye on the Nuggets getting a boost from Gary Harris’ return from a sprained ankle that cost him three games. He hit all four of his 3-pointers in Sunday’s 111-108 loss to Minnesota and is a major upgrade at shooting guard due to his defensive prowess. Denver will need him to stay healthy.
Minnesota is currently operating without point guard Ricky Rubio due to personal reasons and is reportedly shopping him, so another contender for No. 8 is facing an uncertain next few weeks.
East notes
Detroit got good news in shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope returning to the lineup after a shoulder strain. He serves a similar role to Harris’ in Denver as the Pistons’ top two-way wing. Cleveland’s Kevin Love also returned after dealing with back issues, but while teams in the Central are getting closer to full strength, the Atlantic was bit significantly by the injury bug.
Toronto All-Star DeMar DeRozan will miss at least two games with an ankle sprain and may be out all week if the Raptors are rightfully cautious with him, while Boston’s Avery Bradley remains out with a strained Achilles and won’t play in a week where the Celtics will be tasked with four games in five nights.
Philadelphia rookie Joel Embiid will also miss at least two games due to knee pain, stunting the momentum of the surging Sixers, while Nets guard Jeremy Lin has been ruled out for an additional 3-to-5 weeks after suffering a setback in rehab by aggravating his left hamstring. Brooklyn enters the week as the only team still stuck in single-digits in wins.
Preview: Kings (17-27) at Cavaliers (30-13)
Date: January 25, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
LeBron James has put the entire Cleveland Cavaliers' organization on notice.
The Cavaliers might lead the Eastern Conference and remain heavy favorites to return to the NBA Finals, but James isn't satisfied.
"We're not better than last year, from a personnel standpoint ... we're a top-heavy team," James told reporters following Monday's loss at the New Orleans Pelicans. "I just hope that we're not satisfied as an organization. How hard it was to do that (expletive). I just hope we're not satisfied."
The Cavaliers have lost five of their last seven games with James in the lineup, something that hasn't happened to him since his last year in Miami. One of their only two wins during that stretch was a victory at Sacramento. Now the Kings visit Cleveland on Wednesday.
James has been campaigning for weeks that the Cavaliers need more playmakers. They only have two guys who can dribble, pass and shoot -- James and Kyrie Irving. As a result, they have become too reliant on their two stars.
Both James and Irving have played more than 40 minutes in each of the last two games -- both losses.
Cleveland lost in overtime at home to the San Antonio Spurs, who were without two starters. Then the Cavaliers fell behind to the Pelicans on the road without Anthony Davis. Cleveland trailed by 22 before Irving shot the team back in the game in the third quarter, but the Cavaliers still lost.
James played 44 of 48 minutes against the Pelicans and leads the league in minutes played at more than 37 per game. It's the most minutes he has played since returning to Cleveland.
Coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged he played James and Irving too many minutes against the Pelicans, and as a result had to cancel practice Tuesday and Wednesday's morning shootaround.
James insisted he wasn't upset with General Manager David Griffin and reiterated that point on his Twitter account Tuesday, but he believes the Cavaliers are still a couple of moves away from being able to defend their championship.
"I don't got no time to waste," James said. "I'll be 33 in the winter and I ain't got time to waste."
The Kings ended a five-game losing skid with a win at Detroit on Monday. They have dropped eight of 10 as they continue on this eight-game road trip. Yet they're still lingering on the cusp of playoff contention in the West.
Second-year center Willie Cauley-Stein scored a season-high 12 points in the win against the Pistons and is starting to show improved ball-handling and scoring abilities.
Cauley-Stein has received consistent minutes the last three games and the results are evident. Kings coach Dave Joerger and his staff have worked on Cauley-Stein's offensive game since Joerger took over.
"I feel like my mental focus the last four games has been really on," Cauley-Stein told the Sacramento Bee. "I've been really in the zone. Now I can figure out how to play with this group of guys and the way our coaches want us to play. I've figured it out. I'm really confident in what I'm doing."
Date: January 25, 2017 7:00 PM EDT
LeBron James has put the entire Cleveland Cavaliers' organization on notice.
The Cavaliers might lead the Eastern Conference and remain heavy favorites to return to the NBA Finals, but James isn't satisfied.
"We're not better than last year, from a personnel standpoint ... we're a top-heavy team," James told reporters following Monday's loss at the New Orleans Pelicans. "I just hope that we're not satisfied as an organization. How hard it was to do that (expletive). I just hope we're not satisfied."
The Cavaliers have lost five of their last seven games with James in the lineup, something that hasn't happened to him since his last year in Miami. One of their only two wins during that stretch was a victory at Sacramento. Now the Kings visit Cleveland on Wednesday.
James has been campaigning for weeks that the Cavaliers need more playmakers. They only have two guys who can dribble, pass and shoot -- James and Kyrie Irving. As a result, they have become too reliant on their two stars.
Both James and Irving have played more than 40 minutes in each of the last two games -- both losses.
Cleveland lost in overtime at home to the San Antonio Spurs, who were without two starters. Then the Cavaliers fell behind to the Pelicans on the road without Anthony Davis. Cleveland trailed by 22 before Irving shot the team back in the game in the third quarter, but the Cavaliers still lost.
James played 44 of 48 minutes against the Pelicans and leads the league in minutes played at more than 37 per game. It's the most minutes he has played since returning to Cleveland.
Coach Tyronn Lue acknowledged he played James and Irving too many minutes against the Pelicans, and as a result had to cancel practice Tuesday and Wednesday's morning shootaround.
James insisted he wasn't upset with General Manager David Griffin and reiterated that point on his Twitter account Tuesday, but he believes the Cavaliers are still a couple of moves away from being able to defend their championship.
"I don't got no time to waste," James said. "I'll be 33 in the winter and I ain't got time to waste."
The Kings ended a five-game losing skid with a win at Detroit on Monday. They have dropped eight of 10 as they continue on this eight-game road trip. Yet they're still lingering on the cusp of playoff contention in the West.
Second-year center Willie Cauley-Stein scored a season-high 12 points in the win against the Pistons and is starting to show improved ball-handling and scoring abilities.
Cauley-Stein has received consistent minutes the last three games and the results are evident. Kings coach Dave Joerger and his staff have worked on Cauley-Stein's offensive game since Joerger took over.
"I feel like my mental focus the last four games has been really on," Cauley-Stein told the Sacramento Bee. "I've been really in the zone. Now I can figure out how to play with this group of guys and the way our coaches want us to play. I've figured it out. I'm really confident in what I'm doing."
Preview: Rockets (34-14) at Celtics (26-17)
Date: January 25, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
BOSTON -- The Houston Rockets have only 14 losses through 48 games this season.
Only one of those defeats has come after another loss.
Houston, a loser in Milwaukee on Monday night, brings a 12-1 post-defeat record to Boston for a game against the Celtics on Wednesday night.
The Rockets couldn't fly into Boston after the Monday game because of the New England weather, so they practiced in Milwaukee on Tuesday. They were in Boston by the time the Celtics were playing, and dropping their third straight game, in Washington on Tuesday night.
Houston fell to the Bucks despite having its preferred starting lineup back after center Clint Capela returned from injury. The good news is the Rockets are still 15-3 with that lineup. The bad news is that they surrendered 127 points in the loss -- and they have lost two of their past three and are 5-8 since a nine-game winning streak.
The Rockets also gave up a season-worst 34 points off turnovers Monday. They gave the ball away 22 times.
League MVP candidate James Harden had 38 points at Milwaukee. He is averaging 28.6 points, 11.6 assists and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.
"He puts a lot pressure on the defense," said Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd, a pretty fair guard in his time. "His basketball IQ is very high. He's seen a lot of different defenses, so he knows what's open. He's very patient. Give him credit. He's never in a hurry."
The Celtics were involved in some drama in their game against the Wizards on Tuesday. There were physical confrontations between the teams in the prior two meetings this season, with police needed between the locker rooms after a recent game in Boston.
So, the Wizards came to the arena dressed in black for a "funeral" game and got a combined 58 points from John Wall and Bradley Beal. The Washington backcourt duo, taking advantage of the absence of the injured Avery Bradley, went 23 of 38 from the floor in a 123-108 Wizards win.
Isaiah Thomas scored 25 and had 13 assists for the Celtics -- his 28th straight game with at least 20 points. John Havlicek has the team record of 40.
"I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us," Thomas said of the Wizards.
Talking about his team allowing 123 points, Thomas said, "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be, but that's been the story of our whole season."
Said Celtics coach Brad Stevens: "They were really good, but we just don't have enough impact on the ball. That's the bottom line. We just don't impact the ball enough, and I think that's something that has been a strength of ours at times in the past.
"For whatever reason, we're not doing that well."
Marcus Smart, starting for Bradley, became involved in a verbal altercation with Celtics assistant coaches in the fourth quarter. He wanted to get back in the game.
"Coaches and players, they're real passionate about the game," Smart said. "When losing, they have different opinions about certain things on the bench."
The Rockets beat the Celtics 107-106 in Texas on Dec. 6, Houston's sixth win in its past seven games against Boston. Celtics center Al Horford scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds but missed a driving layup at the buzzer. Harden had 37 points, thanks to going 18 of 18 from the foul line, and added eight rebounds, seven assists and 10 turnovers.
Thomas scored 20 points and Bradley had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss, but Bradley will not be available Wednesday nor in the Celtics' games Friday and Saturday as he continues to battle an Achilles injury.
Date: January 25, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
BOSTON -- The Houston Rockets have only 14 losses through 48 games this season.
Only one of those defeats has come after another loss.
Houston, a loser in Milwaukee on Monday night, brings a 12-1 post-defeat record to Boston for a game against the Celtics on Wednesday night.
The Rockets couldn't fly into Boston after the Monday game because of the New England weather, so they practiced in Milwaukee on Tuesday. They were in Boston by the time the Celtics were playing, and dropping their third straight game, in Washington on Tuesday night.
Houston fell to the Bucks despite having its preferred starting lineup back after center Clint Capela returned from injury. The good news is the Rockets are still 15-3 with that lineup. The bad news is that they surrendered 127 points in the loss -- and they have lost two of their past three and are 5-8 since a nine-game winning streak.
The Rockets also gave up a season-worst 34 points off turnovers Monday. They gave the ball away 22 times.
League MVP candidate James Harden had 38 points at Milwaukee. He is averaging 28.6 points, 11.6 assists and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 53.1 percent from the floor.
"He puts a lot pressure on the defense," said Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd, a pretty fair guard in his time. "His basketball IQ is very high. He's seen a lot of different defenses, so he knows what's open. He's very patient. Give him credit. He's never in a hurry."
The Celtics were involved in some drama in their game against the Wizards on Tuesday. There were physical confrontations between the teams in the prior two meetings this season, with police needed between the locker rooms after a recent game in Boston.
So, the Wizards came to the arena dressed in black for a "funeral" game and got a combined 58 points from John Wall and Bradley Beal. The Washington backcourt duo, taking advantage of the absence of the injured Avery Bradley, went 23 of 38 from the floor in a 123-108 Wizards win.
Isaiah Thomas scored 25 and had 13 assists for the Celtics -- his 28th straight game with at least 20 points. John Havlicek has the team record of 40.
"I remember last year, dudes didn't like playing against us," Thomas said of the Wizards.
Talking about his team allowing 123 points, Thomas said, "Our defense isn't where we wanted to be, but that's been the story of our whole season."
Said Celtics coach Brad Stevens: "They were really good, but we just don't have enough impact on the ball. That's the bottom line. We just don't impact the ball enough, and I think that's something that has been a strength of ours at times in the past.
"For whatever reason, we're not doing that well."
Marcus Smart, starting for Bradley, became involved in a verbal altercation with Celtics assistant coaches in the fourth quarter. He wanted to get back in the game.
"Coaches and players, they're real passionate about the game," Smart said. "When losing, they have different opinions about certain things on the bench."
The Rockets beat the Celtics 107-106 in Texas on Dec. 6, Houston's sixth win in its past seven games against Boston. Celtics center Al Horford scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds but missed a driving layup at the buzzer. Harden had 37 points, thanks to going 18 of 18 from the foul line, and added eight rebounds, seven assists and 10 turnovers.
Thomas scored 20 points and Bradley had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss, but Bradley will not be available Wednesday nor in the Celtics' games Friday and Saturday as he continues to battle an Achilles injury.
Preview: Heat (15-30) at Nets (9-35)
Date: January 25, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- For Dion Waiters, his last two games resulted in the best scoring nights of his career.
For the Miami Heat, those productive nights led to something more important -- wins.
And because of Waiters, the Heat take a season-high four-game winning streak into their visit to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Waiters is third on the team in points per game at 14.6 and is shooting 40.3 percent after finishing under 40 percent in the previous two games. Despite his low shooting percentage, Waiters is rolling recently.
Since returning from a groin injury earlier this month, Waiters is averaging 15.2 points and shooting 43.9 percent and it includes a 41.0 percent mark on 3-pointers.
The Heat dropped 15 of the 20 games he missed but are 5-4 since he returned. They start a stretch of five games in seven nights after Waiters scored 33 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer from the top of the key with six-tenths of a second remaining against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.
Waiters' shot over Klay Thompson gave Miami a stunning 105-102 home win. It capped a night when he made 13 of 20 shots, including six 3-pointers.
"These are the moments you want to live for, especially against a great team like that," Waiters said. "I'm in a zone right now."
Waiters has recorded two of his five career 30-point games in the last week. Before Monday, he helped the Heat knock off Milwaukee on Saturday by shooting 12-of-19 and hitting five 3-pointers.
"He's not scared," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He wants those moments as much as anybody. He's been pestering me on those kind of deals, wanting those opportunities in the fourth quarter. He and I go at it all the time."
Waiters does not have a 30-point game against the Nets but two of his 20 games with at least 25 points occurred in Brooklyn. On Dec. 8, 2014 while still playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 26 on 11-of-21 shooting in a 110-88 rout and that occurred after he also scored 26 points in an 89-82 loss on Jan. 4, 2014.
The Heat still have a ways to go to get closer to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference but are gaining more confidence after sweeping a four-game homestand and doing so with three wins by six points or less.
Injuries are a major storyline in Miami's first season without Dwyane Wade since 2002-03 and Tyler Johnson will miss at least the next two games with a strained left shoulder. Johnson missed the last two games and the timing is even worse since he scored 23 against Dallas last Thursday, is averaging 16.7 points in his last seven games and a career-best 14.2 this season after the Heat matched Brooklyn's offer sheet in free agency last summer.
The Heat are on the modest roll the Nets have been seeking all year. Brooklyn snapped an 11-game losing streak by scoring 143 points Friday in New Orleans but the follow ups were a seven-point loss at Charlotte Saturday and a 112-86 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Brooklyn's last home win occurred Dec. 26 when Randy Foye's buzzer-beater knocked off Charlotte. Since then, the Nets are 1-13 and have dropped eight straight at home.
The loss occurred hours after the team announced Jeremy Lin experienced a setback in his recovery from a strained left hamstring. Lin will be out for three to five weeks and the deflating news seemed to carry over to the court as the Nets set a season low in points, tied a season-worst by making five 3-pointers and finished with 14 assists, their second-lowest total of the year.
It resulted in Brooklyn's 22nd double-digit loss of the season and also kept them winless in 15 games when scoring under 100 points.
"For whatever reason, we didn't come up with the energy," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We usually bring that. (On Monday), we didn't bring it, and I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed for the fans. Our fans are unbelievable, the way they support us. I just ask for patience, and we'll keep working at it, and we'll try to get better."
One player who may getting better is Isaiah Whitehead, who scored a career-high 19 points. He is getting more playing time than expected due to Lin's lengthy absence as is point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who scored 13 in his sixth straight start.
Still, improved offense from young players wasn't enough when the Nets fall short in many other components.
"We just didn't come out with a lot of energy like we did playing the last two games," Whitehead said. "So we've just got to refocus and get ready for the next game."
The Nets played without rookie Caris LeVert on Monday as he rested after playing 23 straight games following his return from foot injuries Dec. 7. He is averaging 9.4 points and shooting 52.9 percent in his last 11 games and will return Wednesday.
Since the Nets swept the four-game regular season series in 2013-14, Miami is 7-1 in the eight regular-season meetings. Including its victory in the 2014 Eastern Conference semifinals, Miami 11-2 in the last 13 meetings.
Date: January 25, 2017 7:30 PM EDT
NEW YORK -- For Dion Waiters, his last two games resulted in the best scoring nights of his career.
For the Miami Heat, those productive nights led to something more important -- wins.
And because of Waiters, the Heat take a season-high four-game winning streak into their visit to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Waiters is third on the team in points per game at 14.6 and is shooting 40.3 percent after finishing under 40 percent in the previous two games. Despite his low shooting percentage, Waiters is rolling recently.
Since returning from a groin injury earlier this month, Waiters is averaging 15.2 points and shooting 43.9 percent and it includes a 41.0 percent mark on 3-pointers.
The Heat dropped 15 of the 20 games he missed but are 5-4 since he returned. They start a stretch of five games in seven nights after Waiters scored 33 points and hit the game-winning 3-pointer from the top of the key with six-tenths of a second remaining against the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.
Waiters' shot over Klay Thompson gave Miami a stunning 105-102 home win. It capped a night when he made 13 of 20 shots, including six 3-pointers.
"These are the moments you want to live for, especially against a great team like that," Waiters said. "I'm in a zone right now."
Waiters has recorded two of his five career 30-point games in the last week. Before Monday, he helped the Heat knock off Milwaukee on Saturday by shooting 12-of-19 and hitting five 3-pointers.
"He's not scared," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He wants those moments as much as anybody. He's been pestering me on those kind of deals, wanting those opportunities in the fourth quarter. He and I go at it all the time."
Waiters does not have a 30-point game against the Nets but two of his 20 games with at least 25 points occurred in Brooklyn. On Dec. 8, 2014 while still playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 26 on 11-of-21 shooting in a 110-88 rout and that occurred after he also scored 26 points in an 89-82 loss on Jan. 4, 2014.
The Heat still have a ways to go to get closer to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference but are gaining more confidence after sweeping a four-game homestand and doing so with three wins by six points or less.
Injuries are a major storyline in Miami's first season without Dwyane Wade since 2002-03 and Tyler Johnson will miss at least the next two games with a strained left shoulder. Johnson missed the last two games and the timing is even worse since he scored 23 against Dallas last Thursday, is averaging 16.7 points in his last seven games and a career-best 14.2 this season after the Heat matched Brooklyn's offer sheet in free agency last summer.
The Heat are on the modest roll the Nets have been seeking all year. Brooklyn snapped an 11-game losing streak by scoring 143 points Friday in New Orleans but the follow ups were a seven-point loss at Charlotte Saturday and a 112-86 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.
Brooklyn's last home win occurred Dec. 26 when Randy Foye's buzzer-beater knocked off Charlotte. Since then, the Nets are 1-13 and have dropped eight straight at home.
The loss occurred hours after the team announced Jeremy Lin experienced a setback in his recovery from a strained left hamstring. Lin will be out for three to five weeks and the deflating news seemed to carry over to the court as the Nets set a season low in points, tied a season-worst by making five 3-pointers and finished with 14 assists, their second-lowest total of the year.
It resulted in Brooklyn's 22nd double-digit loss of the season and also kept them winless in 15 games when scoring under 100 points.
"For whatever reason, we didn't come up with the energy," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We usually bring that. (On Monday), we didn't bring it, and I'm disappointed. I'm disappointed for the fans. Our fans are unbelievable, the way they support us. I just ask for patience, and we'll keep working at it, and we'll try to get better."
One player who may getting better is Isaiah Whitehead, who scored a career-high 19 points. He is getting more playing time than expected due to Lin's lengthy absence as is point guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who scored 13 in his sixth straight start.
Still, improved offense from young players wasn't enough when the Nets fall short in many other components.
"We just didn't come out with a lot of energy like we did playing the last two games," Whitehead said. "So we've just got to refocus and get ready for the next game."
The Nets played without rookie Caris LeVert on Monday as he rested after playing 23 straight games following his return from foot injuries Dec. 7. He is averaging 9.4 points and shooting 52.9 percent in his last 11 games and will return Wednesday.
Since the Nets swept the four-game regular season series in 2013-14, Miami is 7-1 in the eight regular-season meetings. Including its victory in the 2014 Eastern Conference semifinals, Miami 11-2 in the last 13 meetings.
