Wednesday 12/30/15 service plays chatter/comps/requests & other stuff...

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Wizards (14-15) at Raptors (19-13)

Date: December 30, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

The last time the Washington Wizards faced the Toronto Raptors on the road, John Wall and Bradley Beal dominated to give them a 2-0 series lead in the opening round of the playoffs.

An injury will keep Beal from playing Wednesday night while Wall looks to continue his strong stretch on the road and lead depleted Washington to another win at Toronto.

The Wizards (14-15) swept the Raptors (19-13) in the playoffs last season, averaging 110.3 points. They took both matchups in Toronto with Beal delivering 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting in a 117-106 win April 21.

Wall chipped in with 26 points and 17 assists, connecting on half of his 16 shots from the field.

Beal, who averaged 20.8 points in that series, will miss a 10th straight game with a stress reaction in his right leg.

Washington is also without reserve forwards Nene and Drew Gooden (both calf strains) and guard Gary Neal (quadriceps).

Wall had 23 points with 11 assists in Washington's 108-91 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, snapping a season-best four-game win streak. Otto Porter added 21 points and eight rebounds off the bench in his second game since missing three with a left thigh bruise.

"We're short-handed," said Porter, who has started all but the last two games. "And I'm just trying to help the guys out any way I can."

Wall is averaging 23.0 points and 11.1 assists over the last seven road games. He had 18 and five before backup guard Cory Joseph knocked down a 3 at the buzzer to give the Raptors an 84-82 win at Washington to open the season series Nov. 28.

Toronto has won eight of nine and four straight regular-season matchups. The Raptors head into this three-game homestand winning five of six there while holding opponents to 91.5 points per game - 5.1 lower than their season mark.

They weren't as sound defensively at Chicago on Monday, falling 104-97 for their fourth loss in seven games overall.

Kyle Lowry had one of his best games of the month, scoring 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting and adding nine assists and six rebounds. He had 27 points at Washington last month after averaging just 12.3 points on 31.6 percent shooting - 5 for 23 from 3-point range - in last season's playoff series. He totaled 13 points in the two home games.

DeMar DeRozan was much better with 20.3 points per game in the playoffs against the Wizards. He scored 20 in the nation's capital Nov. 28.

Jonas Valanciunas missed that matchup with a broken left hand, which sidelined him for 17 games. The center returned Monday with nine points, four rebounds and two blocks.

"He's getting his sea legs back, getting the rust off," coach Dwane Casey said. "He's going to be OK. Jonas is the least of our worries, getting him back in."

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Pacers (18-12) at Bulls (17-12)

Date: December 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The Chicago Bulls have made a habit of playing up to elite competition and down to the lesser of late.


It seems the Indiana Pacers are rejoining the former, especially now that they're winning even when Paul George struggles.

The Bulls seek consecutive wins for the first time in two weeks when they host the rejuvenated Pacers on Wednesday night.

Chicago (17-12) has stumbled through a tough December, which features two three-game losing streaks and the well-documented critical comments from All-Star Jimmy Butler on new coach Fred Hoiberg.

The Bulls, though, do have five wins this season over division leaders - two over Oklahoma City and one apiece against Cleveland, San Antonio and Toronto - but they've lost to under-.500 teams Phoenix, New York and Brooklyn this month.

'It's all about effort and energy,' point guard Derrick Rose said. 'We have that when we play the best teams and sometimes we don't against the lesser teams.'

Rose has averaged 21.3 points as the Bulls have won two of three games - beating the Thunder and Raptors - following a three-game skid which included losses to the Knicks and Nets.

The common thread to Friday's 105-96 win in Oklahoma City and Monday's 104-97 victory over Toronto was good defense, holding those teams to a combined 40.8 percent shooting. Opponents are averaging 92.5 points on 39.9 percent shooting in Chicago's wins, compared to 110.6 points and 44.5 percent in losses.

The Bulls have seen mixed results against the Pacers (18-12), with each team winning once at home in November, but couldn't keep George in check either time. He totaled 59 points while making 8 of 15 from 3-point range, but the former All-Star enters this matchup stuck in his worst stretch of the season.

George is averaging 11.5 points in his last four games while shooting 25.4 percent. He scored nine points on 3-of-14 shooting in a 93-87 win over Atlanta on Monday.

"It's a long season," George said. "I'd rather go through this now than late in the year."

Indiana had been 2-7 when he failed to score at least 19 points before winning its last two games without him doing so.

Monta Ellis has picked up the slack by averaging 23.0 points on 54.2 percent shooting in the last three games, including a season-high 26 on Monday.

George breaking his slump will take another big effort against Butler, an All-Defensive second-team pick last season. George has averaged 20.5 points in six games against the Bulls since Butler became a full-time starter in the 2013-14 season.

"I know Jimmy's one of the best defenders in this league," George said. "But it's him being locked in defensively that might get me going offensively."

The Pacers have certainly had Pau Gasol's number this season, limiting him to a combined 14 points on 6-of-27 shooting. Gasol, though, has averaged 22.2 points in his last five games.

Both teams are banged up with the Bulls still missing Mike Dunleavy (back) and Joakim Noah (shoulder sprain) while Doug McDermott is day-to-day with a sprained knee. While Jordan Hill (tooth infection) has been ruled out for the Pacers, it's unclear if Myles Turner (thumb) or C.J. Miles (back) will play.

Indiana has lost five of the last six meetings in Chicago.

The Bulls are 0-5 at home when giving up more than 100 points and 12-0 when they don't.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Jazz (13-16) at Timberwolves (11-20)

Date: December 30, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

The injury-plagued Utah Jazz had just enough to fend off the league's worst team in their first game without Alec Burks.

With Derrick Favors' status unknown, the Jazz will seek to end a four-game road skid when they face the slumping Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Utah (13-16) was already missing a pair of starters, Dante Exum and Rudy Gobert, because of knee injuries when Burks - its top bench scorer - fractured his lower left leg Saturday in a 109-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The guard has elected to undergo surgery to try to get back sooner than the reported six-week timetable.

Favors also sat out for a second straight game because of back spasms Monday against Philadelphia. The forward is averaging a career-best 16.8 points and 8.6 rebounds, putting him second on the team to Gobert's 10.9.

The Jazz blew a 19-point lead in the third quarter against the two-win 76ers and needed Gordon Hayward's 3-pointer with 33.5 seconds left to take the lead for good.

"We're playing without Derrick. We're playing without Alec. We're playing without Rudy. We're playing without Dante. At some point, you've got to admire these guys' competitiveness," coach Quin Snyder said. "It wasn't a pretty game, but I'm glad we had a chance to win."

The Jazz will next face a team that's dropped four in a row for the fourth time this season.

After dropping its previous three by a combined 17.7 points, Minnesota (11-20) hung with a short-handed San Antonio team that was missing Tim Duncan on Monday. The Timberwolves led by 12 in the early going but finally succumbed to a 101-95 defeat, their 12th in 15 games.

"It's tough, but one day they're going to get it. Until they get it, we've got to continue to coach them and coach them hard, keep teaching, keep watching film and keep working on it," interim coach Sam Mitchell said. "That's what we've going to do. We've got to continue to get better."

Utah has won four of the last five meetings with the Timberwolves and the past three in Minnesota. The Jazz won by a combined 32 points in their two visits last season and claimed a 104-84 victory in the most recent March 30.

Former Timberwolves draft pick Trey Burke is averaging 24.2 points in the last five games against Minnesota. He was selected ninth overall in 2013 then shipped to Utah for Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng.

Burke is averaging 26.3 points on 51.9 percent shooting in his past three games in Minnesota but is averaging a career-low 11.2 points this season while coming off the bench. He started 111 of his 146 games in his first two seasons in the league.

The Timberwolves needed overtime for their most recent win in the series, a 106-104 victory March 23.

The Jazz would tie their longest win streak in Minnesota with a fourth consecutive victory. They've pulled off that feat twice, most recently Dec. 14, 1994-March 10, 1996.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Warriors (29-1) at Mavericks (18-13)

Date: December 30, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

There's no more fitting image for the NBA in 2015 than a member of the Golden State Warriors - usually Stephen Curry - nailing a 3-pointer to either fire up Oracle Arena or turn a road venue silent.

To close out the best year in franchise history 30 games over .500, they'll have to beat a pair of teams equally happy to fire away from long distance.

Two tough challenges await the Warriors before the calendar flips to 2016 as they open a two-game Texas trip Wednesday night against a Dallas Mavericks team that's been lighting it up behind the arc.

That's exactly what Golden State (29-1) did in its last home game of a year that saw it finish a 67-win regular season and earn the franchise's first championship in 40 years while producing its first MVP since Wilt Chamberlain. Curry hit five 3-pointers in the final 3:15 of the first half - a quarter of the Warriors' 20 3s - on his way to a triple-double in Monday's 122-103 victory over Sacramento.

But the Kings hit 13 3s in 31 attempts, nine during a first half in which they put up 61 points and drew the ire of both recovering coach Steve Kerr at intermission and their current bench boss after it was over.

"Even though we can beat teams in a pick-up style game where the ball is getting slung around and guys are just catching and shooting, we need to work on being champions," Luke Walton said. "That's executing on offense, that's protecting the ball and that's competing on the defensive end."

The Warriors could have their hands full defending the arc again against Dallas (18-13) and Houston, where they visit Thursday. Both teams have attempted more 3s per game in December than the Warriors' 30.1, and the Mavericks' 12.1 average makes since Dec. 6 lead the league while their 39.3 percentage trails only Washington and New Orleans.

Dallas hasn't been able to approach the Warriors' efficiency beyond the arc in recent meetings. Golden State has won the last seven, outscoring the Mavericks 279-153 from deep.

As they cap one of the best calendar years in NBA history, there are a few more milestones on the table for the Warriors in Texas. With a win Tuesday, they'll match the 2012 Spurs for the most wins in one year (72) since the 1996 Bulls won an NBA-record 74. And with victories in both Dallas and Houston, they'll be the first team to be 30 games over .500 on Jan. 1 since the 1971-72 Lakers were 36-3.

"It doesn't sound right," Curry said of the Warriors' many milestones. "We've been playing this game for many, many years and we're just trying not to focus on the numbers but just how we're playing."

The Mavericks had to focus on the one team that beat Golden State before getting a crack at the champs themselves, and they made it three straight wins by beating Milwaukee 103-93 on Monday while forcing 18 turnovers and committing just four.

"We weren't even thinking about Golden State," Wesley Matthews said after scoring a game-high 22. "You know, it was Chicago, and then it was Milwaukee. We can't overlook any team. We're not in a position to, and our margin for error is too small to do anything like that."

Both teams are banged up. Deron Williams has missed the last three games with a hamstring injury and is uncertain for Wednesday, though J.J. Barea has averaged 22 points and hit 13 3s in his absence.

Curry is dealing with a calf injury he calls "part of the regular-season grind," while Festus Ezeli came out of the Kings game with a foot injury but is expected to face the Mavs.

Leandro Barbosa (shoulder) and Harrison Barnes (ankle) won't play on this trip, though Barnes is nearing a return.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Suns (12-21) at Spurs (27-6)

Date: December 30, 2015 8:30 PM EDT

As much as this game appears to be a mismatch, the San Antonio Spurs were just made very aware they can't take any team lightly and the Phoenix Suns just showed they still have a chance to beat anyone.

Still, Phoenix winning in San Antonio on Wednesday night would be arguably the biggest stunner of the season.

Whereas the Spurs have won a franchise-record 27 consecutive home games and have lost once in their last 10 overall, the beleaguered Suns have dropped five straight and are missing their top scorer.

The Spurs (27-6) have won all four meetings in 2015, holding the usually high-scoring Suns to an average of 86 points. San Antonio is allowing a league-low 88.8 per game this season, and Phoenix (12-21) is surrendering an average of 105.2 and an NBA-worst 46.8 percent shooting.

However, the Spurs know all the numbers don't matter if they have the same mindset they did Monday, when they trailed by as many as 12 points and struggled to beat Minnesota 101-95.

"I thought we came out and didn't respect them the way they're supposed to be respected as a pro team," said forward David West, who looked ahead to the Suns game seeing the need for a better effort.

"... It's the same sorta deal, younger team with a bunch of athletes. We're just gonna have to be more sound and more solid than we were tonight."

While the Timberwolves had lost 20 of their previous 21 visits to San Antonio, the Suns have won only once in their last 11 there.

"Phoenix is a very dangerous team just like Minnesota," guard Danny Green said. "Any given night in this league you can lose if you're not on top of your game."

Monday's victory made San Antonio the third West team to open 18-0 at home, joining the 1985-86 Houston Rockets and the 1977-78 Portland Trail Blazers.

Little-used rookie Boban Marjanovic excited the crowd with 17 points, hitting all seven of his field-goal attempts.

'Yeah, it's amazing. The fans are amazing,' the 7-foot-3 center said. 'Tonight - every night - but tonight they really gave us support. It was like six players on the court."

San Antonio hasn't dropped a regular-season home game since a March 12 overtime loss to Cleveland, the same team Phoenix just gave a scare.

Brandon Knight's 3-pointer with 1:28 left put the Suns within one point, but the Eastern Conference leaders emerged with a 101-97 road victory.

'We came out and fought the game all the way down to the last minute,' Knight said. 'So I think we put ourselves in a position to win or at least try to win."

It was Phoenix's first game since learning Eric Bledsoe had a torn meniscus, and the team announced Tuesday that he would miss the remainder of the season following surgery. Devin Booker had 10 points starting in his place, and T.J. Warren scored 23 to lead five Suns in double figures.

"It's encouraging that we're without Eric, we're out there a lot of time with Alex (Len) and Devin and T.J., some of our young guys - that's a good effort," coach Jeff Hornacek said. "You can't fault that."

Bledsoe also missed the only matchup with the Spurs this season, a 98-84 road loss Nov. 23 when the Suns committed a season-high 28 turnovers.

Maybe the only reason the game wasn't a total blowout was Markieff Morris scoring a season-high 28 points. It's unclear if Morris will play Wednesday despite completing a two-game suspension for throwing a towel at Hornacek, with reports surfacing that he must apologize to the team if he wants to return.

He's long been rumored to be unhappy with the Suns and asked to be traded.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nuggets (12-20) at Trail Blazers (13-20)

Date: December 30, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

Though there's little question the Portland Trail Blazers are best off with a healthy Damian Lillard, they've been doing just fine without him lately.

With Lillard a possibility to return, the resurgent Trail Blazers aim for a third straight win and continued home success against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.

After losing five straight - the last two with Lillard sidelined by plantar fasciitis - from Dec. 16-23, Portland (13-20) has passed the slumping Nuggets and Minnesota in the Northwest Division standings with a pair of impressive wins without the star point guard.

Others have raised their play to fill the void, with Allen Crabbe scoring a career-high 26 points in Saturday's 105-76 rout of Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland and C.J. McCollum recording a personal-best 35 in Sunday's 98-94 win at Sacramento.

"We've had different guys stepping up," Lillard told the Trail Blazers' official site. "Last game C.J. played a great game, so I hope we can continue that. The more we win, the more I can be careful with my foot."

Lillard practiced Tuesday and said the pain in his left foot is gone, though it's still uncertain whether he'll play Wednesday.

"I want to make sure that I'm 100 percent ready to go," he said. "I don't want to be out there feeling restricted or uncomfortable, so when I feel that I'm ready to go, then I'll play."

McCollum's strong performance this month has allowed Lillard to be careful in his recovery. The emerging guard is averaging 22.9 points and shot 42.6 percent on 3-pointers over his last 10 games.

Crabbe has averaged 16.8 points while starting four straight in Lillard's place.

Lillard had 30 points and seven assists at Denver on Nov. 9, but the Nuggets shot 51.9 percent to stop an eight-game series skid with a 108-104 win.

Denver (12-20) wasn't nearly as efficient in Tuesday's 93-87 defeat to Cleveland, its sixth loss in seven games. The Nuggets were 5 of 24 from 3-point range and committed 18 turnovers that led to 26 points.

"We missed a ton of open shots. I thought we had a lot of great looks that we just couldn't knock down, struggled to finish around the rim," coach Mike Malone said. "But at the end of the day, this loss I will attribute to our inability to value the basketball."

Will Barton did record 29 points and is averaging 23.0 over his last six to help counter the absence of leading scorer Danilo Gallinari, who'll miss a sixth straight game with a sprained left ankle.

Emmanuel Mudiay will miss an 11th consecutive game for Denver with a sprained right ankle. The rookie guard contributed 18 points and six assists in the Nov. 9 win.

'If we were healthy and fully loaded, I'm sure we would play a little bit better,' Malone said. 'But I'm not going to use that as an excuse for our loss (Tuesday).'

The short-handed Nuggets have dropped 10 of 11 in Portland and four straight since a 111-109 victory on Feb. 27, 2013.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 76ers (2-31) at Kings (12-19)

Date: December 30, 2015 10:00 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers have produced some encouraging results despite the absence of their expected franchise player.

The Sacramento Kings are simply hoping they'll have theirs available when they host the NBA's least successful team Wednesday night.

Sacramento played much of Monday's 122-103 loss at Golden State without DeMarcus Cousins after he was ejected early in the second half, an incident that potentially could draw additional discipline from the NBA given the volatile center's history. Cousins, tied with Blake Griffin for the league lead with 16 technical fouls over the past three seasons, has been suspended five times by the NBA and once by the Kings since 2012-13.

Ahead by two points when Cousins was tossed early in the third quarter, Sacramento (12-19) was outscored 26-9 by the defending NBA champions over the remainder of the period. The 2015 All-Star finished with a season-low seven points in 12 minutes.

"With Cuz out we never could find an offensive rhythm in the third quarter, which is where we lost the game," coach George Karl said.

The Kings are already thin at center with rookie Willie Cauley-Stein sidelined with a dislocated finger and Kosta Koufos having missed Monday's game with gastroenteritis.

Jahlil Okafor could miss a third straight game for Philadelphia (2-31) due to a knee injury, though the 76ers have actually fared relatively well without him. After snapping a 23-game road skid with Saturday's 111-104 victory over Phoenix, they led Utah in the final minute before falling 95-91 on Monday.

Nerlens Noel is 14 of 16 from the field since moving to center with Okafor out, while newcomer Ish Smith has tallied 36 points and 16 assists in two games since being acquired from New Orleans. Smith had 22 points and 11 assists against the Jazz, Noel recorded 18 points and a season-high five blocks and rookie Richaun Holmes added a career-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

"So many positives," coach Brett Brown said. "You look at what Nerlens did. You look at what Richaun Holmes did. You look at Ish third period. All over the place it was a great team effort. I think the carryover from the Phoenix game is evident that something is brewing here."

Though they've lost 40 of 42 on the road, the Sixers had won six straight in Sacramento prior to a 107-106 defeat on March 24. Cousins amassed 33 points and 17 rebounds that night and had 39 and 24 in a 114-107 loss at Philadelphia on March 13.

With Cousins' status in question and Rudy Gay struggling, the Kings may rely on Omri Casspi after his brilliant shooting effort against Golden State. The Israeli forward tied a franchise record with nine 3-pointers and ended with a career-high 36 points.

Casspi leads the NBA with a 48.7 percent success rate on 3s and is averaging 21.7 points over a three-game stretch. He's 14 of 21 from beyond the arc during that span.

Gay is shooting just 37.7 percent over his last four and finished 6 of 16 from the field on Monday, following a 2 of 12, seven-point effort in Sunday's 98-94 home loss to Portland.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA Odds: Wednesday, December 30 2015 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

Very plugged-in NBA reporter Howard Beck wrote around Christmas on how the Los Angeles Clippers are the most hated team in the NBA -- not so much by fans as they are incredibly entertaining but inside the league because they are considered complainers and floppers. And one of the main guys mentioned is Blake Griffin. So perhaps there might have been a few golf claps around the Association when it was announced Griffin would miss at least two weeks with a partially torn quad tendon. He was hurt on Christmas against the Lakers. The Clippers score 16 more points per 100 possessions with Griffin on the court this season than off the court and their field goal, 3-point and rebound percentages without Griffin would rank last in the league. He is averaging a team-high 23.2 points this season to go with 8.7 rebounds per game and 5.0 assists.

Clippers at Hornets (TBA)

Los Angeles hasn't missed Griffin yet, winning Saturday in Utah and then Monday in Washington. If you are a Clipper fan and watched that Wizards game then you probably noticed something you don't see often: Chris Paul dunking. In fact, he did it twice. While Josh Smith started for Griffin on Saturday, it was Paul Pierce vs. Washington (Smith didn't even play). Coach Doc Rivers seemed to hint he might go more often with Pierce there as long as Griffin is out. Charlotte won a second straight Monday, 108-98 over the Lakers. Kemba Walker scored 18 of his season-high 38 points in the fourth quarter. The Hornets have had Al Jefferson back the past two games from his suspension/injury, but he has come off the bench while working back into shape.

Key trends: The Clippers are 8-3 against the spread in the past 11 meetings. The "over/under" has gone under in eight of Charlotte's past 11 at home.

Early lean: Presuming TBA because three Hornets are questionable: Nic Batum, Jeremy Lin and former Clipper Spencer Hawes. So wait on them.

Nets at Magic (-7.5, 199)

Brooklyn pulled a 111-105 surprise in Miami on Monday. Wayne Ellington (!?) had 26 points, including seven 3-pointers. The Nets were down 16 points in the third quarter. Orlando beat New Orleans 104-89 on Monday. Nik Vucevic had 28 points and the Magic shot better than 50 percent for a fourth game in a row. The Magic are 12-5 since Nov. 25, the best record in the East during that span. How about Scott Skiles! Orlando won in Brooklyn 105-82 on Dec. 14. The Magic had been 0-6 all-time there. The Nets had won four straight in the series overall.

Key trends: The Nets are 1-5 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 6-2 in Orlando's past eight after a win.

Early lean: Magic and over.

Lakers at Celtics (-12.5, 206)

I'll be curious how the Celtics honor Kobe Bryant's final game in Beantown since these two used to be such great rivals. Bryant faced Boston twice in the NBA Finals, losing in 2008 and winning in 2010. L.A. enters off a 10-point loss in Charlotte, its fourth straight defeat. Kobe was just 5-for-20 shooting in that one. Boston is off a 100-91 home win over New York on Sunday, its fourth straight victory. Guard Marcus Smart returned and played 13 minutes after missing the previous 18 games with a lower left leg injury. He will no doubt come off the bench for a while.

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

Early lean: Celtics and over.

Wizards at Raptors (-6, 202.5)

Washington's four-game winning streak ended Monday with a 17-point home loss to the Clippers. The Wizards never led. John Wall had 23 points and 11 assists. Bradley Beal, Nene and Gary Neal were all out injured again. Don't expect any of them here. Toronto lost in Chicago 104-97 on Monday. Jonas Valanciunas had nine points in 20 minutes off the bench after missing 17 games with a broken left hand. He still leads the team with five double-doubles. Toronto won in Washington 84-82 on Nov. 28. Cory Joseph made a 3-pointer at the buzzer. It was Toronto's only lead of the second half. Beal was in that game.

Key trends: The Wizards are 6-0 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 7-2 in the past nine in Toronto.

Early lean: Raptors and under.

Pacers at Bulls (-3, 201)

Indiana won a second in a row Monday, 93-87 over Atlanta. Monta Ellis led the Pacers with 26 points after being a game-time decision due to illness. Indiana is now 10-0 this season when holding teams under 90 points. Chicago beat the visiting Raptors by seven on Monday. With Doug McDermott out with a knee injury, Tony Snell finally got some minutes and had 22 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter. The teams have split two low-scoring meetings this season, each winning at home.

Key trends: The home team is 9-2 ATS in the past 11 meetings. The under is 7-2 in the previous nine in Chicago.

Early lean: Bulls and under.

Jazz at Timberwolves (TBA)

Utah beat the visiting 76ers 95-91 on Monday without starting forward Derrick Favors (second straight game with back issue). And the Jazz got bad news over the weekend when guard Alec Burks was ruled out indefinitely with a broken leg. He injured it in a fall on Saturday. Burks was averaging a career-high 14.3 points off the bench. That's a third key player to suffer a major injury this season for Utah (Rudy Gobert remains out, Dante Exum will miss season). Minnesota lost a fourth straight Monday, 101-95 in San Antonio. The Wolves are 3-12 after starting the season 8-8. First meeting of the season between these teams.

Key trends: The road team has covered 10 of the past 11 meetings. The under is 5-0 in Utah's past five on Wednesday.

Early lean: Wolves whether Favors plays or not.

Warriors at Mavericks (+8.5, 213.5)

Golden State beat Sacramento 122-103 on Monday for its fifth consecutive win. Steph Curry started the game 0-for-6, perhaps partly because he was guarded by his younger brother in the NBA for the first time, but had 17 straight points to end the second quarter and finished with 23 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his sixth career triple-double. Curry is now tied with Hall of Famer Rick Barry for the fifth-most triple-doubles in Warriors history. Dallas beat Milwaukee 103-93 on Monday for its third straight win. Wesley Mathews had two key 3-pointers late and 22 points. The Mavs never trailed, though. Guard Deron Williams missed his third consecutive game with a strained left hamstring.

Key trends: The road team is 9-4 ATS in the past 13 meetings. The under is 7-3 in the previous 10.

Early lean: Mavericks and over.

Suns at Spurs (-14, 196)

Phoenix lost a fifth in a row Monday, 101-97 to Cleveland. The Suns were without forward Markieff Morris, who was serving the second of a two-game suspension for throwing a towel at embattled Coach Jeff Hornacek during a game against Denver last week. Suns guard Eric Bledsoe was to undergo surgery for his torn meniscus on Tuesday and has been ruled out for the season (more on that Thursday). San Antonio beat Minnesota by six on Monday for its 27th consecutive regular-season home win. Tim Duncan sat with a minor knee injury, and Gregg Popovich was ejected in the second quarter. San Antonio beat visiting Phoenix 98-84 on Nov. 23. Bledsoe missed that game too. So did San Antonio's LaMarcus Aldridge.

Key trends: The underdog is 3-1-1 ATS in the past five. The under has hit in all five.

Early lean: Suns and over.

Nuggets at Trail Blazers (TBA)

This is on NBA TV and should have live betting at sportsbooks. Denver hosted Cleveland on Tuesday night. Portland won in Sacramento 98-94 on Sunday for its second straight victory. McCollum had 35 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. He's playing point guard right now with Damian Lillard missing four straight games with a foot injury. He's questionable here (why TBA). Denver beat Portland 108-104 in the first meeting on Nov. 9 to snap an eight-game losing streak in the series. Portland is 12-2 at home against Denver since the start of the 2008-09 season.

Key trends: The underdog is 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. The over is 4-1 in the previous five.

Early lean: Blazers whether Lillard plays or not.

76ers at Kings (TBA)

Sacramento may not have star center DeMarcus Cousins here. Kings GM Vlade Divac says he expects Cousins to get a suspension for how he reacted to being ejected in Monday's loss to Golden State. I saw highlights and it didn't seem like Cousins did enough to warrant a suspension, but we shall see. Philly followed its first road win of the season Saturday in Phoenix with a 95-91 loss in Utah on Monday. Sixers rookie center Jahlil Okafor missed his second consecutive game with knee soreness. He's questionable.

Key trends: Philadelphia has covered seven straight in Sacramento. The under is 7-1 in the Kings' past eight at home.

Early lean: I like Philly to cover whatever number if Cousins sits out.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NBA

Hot teams
-- Orlando won six of its last eight games (4-10 last 14HF).
-- Clippers won their last three games (5-6-1AF).
-- Boston won/covered its last four games.
-- Washington won four of its last five games (5-6AU). Raptors won five of last six home games (1-7 last 8 HF).
-- Warriors won last five games, but Curry may not play this game (10-4-1AF). Dallas won four of last five games (1-2HU).
-- Spurs won nine of their last ten games (13-5HF).
-- Portland won last two games, covered three of last four (3-4HF).

Cold teams
-- Nets lost six of their last eight games (9-2 last 11AU).
-- Hornets lost five of their last eight games (3-1-1HU).
-- Lakers lost six of last seven games, covered three of last five.
-- Indiana lost five of last six road games (5-3AU). Chicago is 2-4 in its last six games (5-12HF).
-- Utah lost six of its last nine games (6-4AU). Minnesota lost last four games (0-5HF).
-- Suns lost their last five games (5-7AU).
-- Nuggets lost six of their last seven games (9-6AU).
-- 76ers lost 13 of last 14 games (10-10AU). Sacramento lost three if its last four games (4-4HF).

Series records
-- Nets won four of last five games with Orlando.
-- Clippers won eight of last nine games with Charlotte.
-- Lakers won seven of last nine games with Boston.
-- Wizards won four of last five games with Toronto.
-- Pacers covered five of last six games with Chic ago.
-- Jazz won four of last five games with Minnesota.
-- Warriors won their last seven games with Dallas.
-- Spurs won seven of last nine games with Phoenix.
-- Trailblazers won eight of last nine games with Denver.
-- 76ers won five of last seven games with Sacramento.

Totals
-- Last four Brooklyn games went over the total.
-- Four of last five Clipper games stayed under.
-- Last three Boston games stayed under total.
-- Five of last six Toronto games went over total.
-- Last eight Indiana games stayed under total.
-- Four of last six Utah games stayed under total.
-- Over is 11-3 in Golden State's last 14 games.
-- Seven of last ten Phoenix games stayed under.
-- Three of last four Denver games stayed under.
-- Six of Philly's last eight games went over total; seven of Kings' last eight games stayed under.

Back/backs
-- Denver is 4-3 vs spread if it played night before.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Light's out shooting Angle

It's rare for an NBA team to shoot above 50.0% and it's one angle to utilize as a NBA sports handicapper. When checking NBA boxscores, pay attention to red-hot shooting clubs that just shoot 55.0% or more from the field. That's because there is a great chance the team will go ice-cold next time they hit the hardwood providing a good 'Go-Against' play.

Since 2012, 'Playing-Against' teams after dropping 55.0% of their shots through the iron the previous effort has produced a 188-180-5 record against the betting line (50.4%). Not overly impressive, however if we focus solely on 'Playing-Against' an un-rested favorite after dropping 55.0% of their shots the hit rate improves to 62.8% (27-16 ATS).

Although, winning 60.0% in sports handicapping is considered major success, it’s possible to improve the hit rate by 'Playing-Against' an un-rested team after a light's out shooting performance running the hardwood against a rested team. In this case, the hit rate jumps to an impressive 70.7% (29-12 ATS). Better yet, 'Play-Against' an un-rested 'FAVORITE' in the situation is a money-making 21-3 ATS (87.5%).

It’s important to remember that the rarity of the angle requires hard work but given the hit rate paying attention can pays off handsomely. -- It's paid off once this season already ** Atlanta Hawks shot 56.2% on November 24, 2015 defeating Celtics then followed it up the next night as -3.0 point road chalk shooting just 37.8% in a loss to the Twolves **

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Streaks, Tips, Notes

Phoenix Suns at San Antonio Spurs December 30, 8:30 EST

Every team has that one team where it's always a struggle. Suns are on a 4-16 (7-11-2 ATS) skid vs the Spurs. History suggests, the jinks, hex, curse or whatever you want to call it, won't be easy to overcome for the Suns.

That's because, the Suns have not been the best visitor this season (4-11 SU, 7-11-2 ATS) and they've won just once in eleven attempts in Alamo City (4-5-2 ATS). Additionally, the Spurs haven't lost AT&T Center in San Antonio this season (18-0, 13-5 ATS) winning by 15.4 points/game. Going back to last March, the Spurs are an amazing 27-0 (21-6 ATS) on home court netting 106.0 points/game while allowing visitors a lowly 88.9 per/contest.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Mountainers (10-1) at Hokies (8-4)

Date: December 30, 2015 12:00 PM EDT

West Virginia has gotten plenty of time to rest up for its longest road stretch of the season and will begin that in front of a capacity matinée crowd.

The 19th-ranked Mountaineers will seek to handle Virginia Tech just as they did last season when the nonconference rivals meet up in Blacksburg on Wednesday.

West Virginia (10-1) will end its eight-day break for one of its final games outside of Big 12 play. The Mountaineers visit Florida on Jan. 30, and open its conference season with trips to Kansas State and TCU.

"If we're going to be what (the players) say they want to be then that's what good teams do. They go into somebody else's house and win," coach Bob Huggins said.

West Virginia has won its past three games by an average of 28.3 points, but Huggins wasn't pleased with a "lackluster effort" in the second half of an 84-59 victory against Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 21. Jaysean Paige had a team-best 17 points off the bench in that game.

"If we just do what we are capable of doing we'll be fine - but we've got to do it," he said after his team was outscored 37-34 in the final 20 minutes.

Even with that second-half performance, the Mountaineers have won their six home contests by an average of 40.0 points. Their margin has been 9.0 points while going 4-1 outside Morgantown but much of that stemmed from a 70-54 defeat to then-No. 10 Virginia in New York on Dec. 8.

West Virginia has won two of the past three meetings with Virginia Tech (8-4) since that series was renewed in December 2012 following an eight-season hiatus and routed the Hokies 82-51 on Dec. 30, 2014. The teams met every season from 1968-2004.

The Mountaineers, though, have lost in each of their past two trips to Blacksburg and fell 87-82 in the most recent visit Nov. 12, 2013. They were held to 35.7 percent shooting in that game, but connected at 50.8 in last season's meeting and went 10 of 24 from 3-point range.

They also limited Virginia Tech to a 4-of-14 showing from beyond the arc while outrebounding the Hokies 36-22, including 16-5 on the offensive glass.

West Virginia is among the nation's leaders this season with 18.1 offensive rebounds, 12.0 steals and 21.9 turnovers forced per game. It's also allowing opponents to shoot just 22.4 percent from 3-point range.

That could neutralize one of Virginia Tech's best weapons in Justin Bibbs, who is among the NCAA's best with a 61.5 percent connection rate from beyond the arc (32 of 52). He went 7 of 10 on 3-pointers while scoring a career-high 31 points in an 87-52 drubbing of Grambling State on Dec. 19 but fell flat in his encore Dec. 22.

He had eight points in a 79-62 loss to Saint Joseph's in Brooklyn and failed to make a 3-pointer for the first time this season, going 0 for 2.

The Hokies' leading scorers are a pair of transfers, Zach LeDay (14.9 ppg) and Seth Allen (14.3), but they have lost another newcomer, freshman Chris Clarke, for an indefinite period with a fractured right foot.

Clarke was averaging 10.5 points and was second on the team with 7.5 rebounds per game.

Virginia Tech has lost 18 straight to ranked opponents and fell 99-77 to then-No. 4 Iowa State on Nov. 27 in its only other matchup this season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: 49ers (6-8) at Blue Devils (10-2)

Date: December 30, 2015 4:00 PM EDT

Many touted Brandon Ingram as the latest one-and-done player for Duke long before he arrived on campus, and he's showing why after a slow start to his likely brief college career.

He'll look to feast on another seemingly overmatched opponent as the 15th-ranked Blue Devils host Long Beach State on Wednesday night.

Ingram averaged 10.9 points, shot 38.8 percent from the field and was 6 of 25 from 3-point range over his first seven games, a stretch that included coach Mike Krzyzewski taking him out of the starting lineup for two games.

The 6-foot-9 swingman has come on strong lately, though, shooting 58.7 percent from the floor - including 13 of 26 on 3-pointers - and averaging 22.8 points over his last five. Ingram has four 20-point games in that span, including a season-high 26 in Monday's 105-66 rout of Elon.

Singling out his worst performance this month wouldn't be fair. Ingram went 6 of 16 from the field and scored 15 points in a 77-75 overtime loss to now-No. 21 Utah on Dec. 19, when Duke (10-2) shot a season-low 29.9 percent.

The Blue Devils bounced back in a big way Monday, scoring 70 points in the first half - the first time they've done that since 1989 - and drilling 12 3-pointers. Freshman Luke Kennard had four while scoring 18 points, and Grayson Allen and Matt Jones added 17 apiece.

Allen appeared to be recovered from flu-like symptoms that contributed to him shooting 3 of 18 in the loss to Utah. He had five of Duke's 17 assists that tied their second-most of the season.

'You kind of saw exactly what we're trying to do with spacing the floor, and driving and kicking,' Allen said. 'When we click like that and we move the ball around like that, it's very dangerous offensively.'

The Blue Devils played their third game without starting forward Amile Jefferson, who suffered a right foot fracture Dec. 12. He was seen in a walking boot Monday in place of a hard cast, but he's expected to miss at least another couple of weeks.

Not having Jefferson for the start of ACC play won't be ideal, especially because the Blue Devils open with road games against Boston College on Saturday and Wake Forest on Jan. 6.

Seven-footer Marshall Plumlee has been playing well down low, however, and finished with 10 points and a season high-tying 11 rebounds against Elon. He could have another big game against Long Beach State, which doesn't have a starter taller than 6-foot-8.

The 49ers (6-8) of the Big West are playing their third straight road game against a major-conference team after losing by 19 at Oregon on Dec. 18 and falling 85-70 at then-No. 8 Arizona last Tuesday.

'This is the ultimate test,' said coach Dan Monson, who has made a routine of scheduling games against tough competition for years. 'For us, this is truly a preseason game and we are just trying to get better. To do that, it helps to be in this sort of environment."

Nick Faust scored 17 points last Tuesday and is averaging a team-high 16.1. The senior transfer from Maryland has faced Duke six times - three at Cameron Indoor Stadium - averaging 9.2 points while shooting 38.5 percent.

This will be the first meeting between the schools since Duke's 21-point victory in 2009.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Nittany Lions (9-4) at Terrapins (11-1)

Date: December 30, 2015 5:00 PM EDT

Maryland has looked every bit the national title contender it was perceived to be entering the season, though the true indicators have yet to take place.

The fourth-ranked Terrapins' credentials will be better revealed during a Big Ten schedule they'll begin Wednesday against visiting Penn State.

Maryland (11-1) performed to expectations over a non-conference slate that counts a loss at former ACC rival and No. 7 North Carolina as the lone blemish but lacked any signature victories, with a 10-point decision over Connecticut at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8 the most notable win.

The defeat is the Terps' only road game to date, but they'll visit improving Northwestern on Saturday and Wisconsin and Michigan later on prior to a Jan. 23 trip at top-ranked Michigan State.

"I think we're ready for it," coach Mark Turgeon said. "Our guys like to be challenged, they'll be excited. That's the great thing about league play, you get challenged every night, so you're team improves because you're challenged and have to concentrate to play well."

Penn State (9-4) doesn't appear to pose a major threat to the Terps' 21-game winning streak at XFINITY Center, as it finished 3-13 in the Big Ten last season and graduated do-everything guard D.J. Newbill. The Nittany Lions did play Maryland tough in two 2014-15 meetings, however, including a 64-58 loss at College Park in which the teams were tied with under five minutes to play.

Brandon Taylor heads an offense that's shown more diversity than the one that mostly depended on Newbill last season. The senior forward is averaging 16.2 points and had a career-high 29 in Wednesday's 75-69 win over Kent State in the Las Vegas Classic.

Shep Garner (14.7 ppg) and Payton Banks (11.7 ppg) also are averaging double figures for Penn State, which has won seven of nine following a 2-2 start.

"We have more of a balance," coach Patrick Chambers said. "On any given night someone can get us 20 (points), which is very exciting. The more guys that can get us double figures, it's tougher for our opponent to scout."

Penn State has held four of its last five opponents under 38 percent shooting, but the Terps rank third nationally in field goal percentage (53.3). They've been particularly proficient from the perimeter lately, hitting 47.9 percent on 3-pointers over their last three after making 13 of 27 in Sunday's 87-67 rout of Marshall.

Melo Trimble is 8 for 13 from beyond the arc over that stretch. The preseason Big Ten Player of the Year was held to four points in last season's home win over the Nittany Lions but scored 20 in a 76-73 victory at Penn State on Feb. 14.

The Terps also are getting an inside presence from Diamond Stone. The heralded freshman has five straight double-figure games since Turgeon removed him from the starting unit following the UNC loss on Dec. 1.

"I accepted the role and realized that we're a team and it's not all about me," said Stone, who was 8 of 10 from the field for 16 points against Marshall. "If we're winning and I'm coming off the bench, it's a good win. There are no individual goals, this is about Maryland, and we're all a unit."

Maryland has won 11 straight conference games at home, where its last loss came to then-No. 7 Virginia in last season's ACC/Big Ten challenge. Its last league defeat at XFINITY Center came as an ACC member, a 57-55 setback to then-No. 4 Syracuse on Feb. 24, 2014.

Penn State was 1-8 on the road in Big Ten play last season.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Golden Grizzlies (8-4) at Cavaliers (10-1)

Date: December 30, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

Virginia is scoring at its best rate in eight seasons, but it also still has the ability to grind out victories in defensive battles.

The fifth-ranked Cavaliers likely are going to need both aspects of their game Wednesday night.

Oakland and high-scoring guard Kay Felder visit John Paul Jones Arena looking to pull off the upset in Virginia's final nonconference game.

The Cavaliers' average of 76.0 points is their highest since a 76.8 mark in 2007-08, two seasons before Tony Bennett took over and instituted a defense-first mentality.

After beating then-No. 12 Villanova 86-75 on Dec. 19, Virginia (10-1) shot a season-low 38.9 percent and led for just 32 seconds three days later against California. However, it held the Golden Bears scoreless for long stretches in the second half, and London Perrantes' 3-pointer with 10 seconds remaining in overtime gave Virginia a 63-62 victory.

The Cavs have won nine in a row since losing at George Washington on Nov. 16, scoring 67 or less in three of those victories and at least 82 in four of them. Their 50.4 field-goal percentage would be their highest since 1982-83.

They're also shooting 41.8 percent from 3-point range and 77.0 percent from the free-throw line. Both marks would be the best in school history.

"We're just finding a way. That's what we do," Perrantes said. "That's what we've been doing for the past three years. We showed that we can fight through it all."

Anthony Gill is averaging 14.5 points and is the first Virginia player to score in double figures in his first 11 games since Sean Singletary did it for the entire 2007-08 season. Malcolm Brogdon is averaging a team-high 16.5 and drained three 3s against Cal, including one in the final minute of OT.

He scored only 10 points, though, tied for his second-fewest of the season.

"He's proven, and that's what he does," Gill said of Brogdon after finishing with 17 points. "He hits big shots. He hit that 3 to get us back in the game, and coach Bennett drew that play up for him, knowing he didn't play well before that."

Oakland (8-4) likely won't be intimidated no matter what Virginia throws at it. The Golden Grizzlies have played three major-conference teams this month, including a four-point loss at Georgia on Dec. 1 and a 97-83 win at Washington on Dec. 19.

Possibly their best performance came last Tuesday, when they led top-ranked Michigan State by 13 at halftime before falling 99-93 in overtime.

Felder topped 30 points that day for the third straight game, then had 23 along with a season-high 13 assists and a career-best eight steals Monday as Oakland bounced back with a 101-93 win over Chicago State. He ranks second in the nation in scoring at 26.6 points per game and leads the country in assists with 9.3 per contest.

Oakland's 88.4 points per game rank fourth.

"We can do something special," said Felder, who had a career-high 38 points against Washington and 37 against the Spartans. "We're going to keep striving for greatness. We know what we're capable of."

Coach Greg Kampe isn't thrilled with making the trip to Virginia as the Grizzlies host Cleveland State on Saturday for the start of Horizon League play. Still, the Cavs should provide another good test for a team expected to contend for the conference title.

"It is what it is. My guess is we'll play pretty well (at Virginia)," Kampe said. "We seem to relish in playing games like that."

This will be the first meeting between the schools.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Preview: Tigers (7-5) at Tar Heels (12-2)

Date: December 30, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

One end of the floor has North Carolina coach Roy Williams concerned entering ACC play, but the other has made a habit of easing those anxieties through the nonconference slate.

The seventh-ranked Tar Heels hope the offense keeps churning along while the defense catches up Wednesday night when they host Clemson, which is still seeking its first win in Chapel Hill.

North Carolina (11-2) looks to improve to 58-0 at home against the Tigers with an eighth straight win in the series. After finishing up their nonconference schedule with Monday's 96-63 win over UNC-Greensboro, the Tar Heels open conference play at home against Clemson and Georgia Tech on Saturday.

Williams' team dropped from the nation's preseason No. 1 spot after blowing a 16-point lead at Northern Iowa and falling on a last-second shot against Texas in its two true road games this month, and he was unsettled by his team's defense in its fourth straight win on Monday.

Visiting UNCG shot 52 percent in the second half en route to 35 points after the intermission.

"I'm frustrated because guys shoot 52 percent against us," Williams said. "I keep saying to them: 'Guys, nobody's ever been the best team unless they guarded people.'"

Opponents are shooting 45.8 percent against the Tar Heels in their last five games.

Another hindrance to the Tar Heels is their health. Kennedy Meeks has missed four straight games with a bone bruise on his left knee and hasn't done anything team related in two weeks. Williams says it is unlikely the 6-foot-10, 260-pound big man plays this week.

Meeks is averaging 12.3 points and 7.4 rebounds and has more blocked shots than any North Carolina player the last two seasons with 58.

After missing the opening six games with a hand injury, oft-injured star guard Marcus Paige jammed his ankle during a 94-70 win over Appalachian State on Dec. 21. Paige finished with nine points in just 17 minutes and had 14 in 21 minutes against UNCG.

Even while missing two huge contributors for a combined 10 games, North Carolina's offense is still one of the best in the country through the nonconference slate.

The Tar Heels shoot 50 percent for 87.1 points per game. Their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.89 was second to only Saint Mary's 2.02 entering Tuesday.

'Obviously we can score. We have so many weapons,' junior guard Nate Britt said.

North Carolina will face a Clemson team allowing just 58.8 points per game on 39.4 percent shooting. The Tigers (7-5), however, have averaged just 56.5 points on 35.7 percent shooting while losing three of their last four games.

While North Carolina plays its second game in three nights, Clemson hasn't taken the court since a 71-48 loss at Georgia on Dec. 22. The Tigers shot a season-low 27.1 percent and made one of their final 21 shots to close the first half.

'We're just struggling right now because we don't have a great perimeter driver to break teams down,' coach Brad Brownell said. 'It makes it hard for us.'

Clemson's last two wins over top-10 teams came against Duke in 2008 and 2009, but the Tigers have lost their other 40 chances since Jan. 20, 2002.

While North Carolina lost three of its final four conference home games last season, Clemson lost its last four on the road.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

NCAAB

Notes for Wednesday's games..........

Michigan won nine of last ten games with Illinois, with wins by 11-14-31 points in last four visits here. Wolverines won by 7 at NC State, lost by 24 at SMU in its two true road games- they won eight of last nine overall, are making 42.1% (#10) on arc. Illinois won last five games after starting out 3-5; they're 2-4 vs top 100 teams, with best win over #96 Yale by 4.

Northwestern is 12-1 vs schedule #343, which won't look good 74 days from now on Selection Sunday; Wildcats beat Va Tech/DePaul in pair of true road games; both wins were in OT. Nebraska won last four games vs Wildcats, winning by 15-7 in two played here. Huskers split last eight games; they're 2-4 vs top 100 teams- they turn ball over 20.6% of time.

Ohio State won nine of last ten games with Minnesota, winning three in row by 18-2-6 points. Gophers lost last seven visits here, with five of seven losses by 14+ points. Buckeyes are #346 in experience; they're 6-1 in last seven games after 2-4 start- they're 1-4 vs top 100 teams, but win was over Kentucky. Minnesota lost four of last five games, is 0-4 vs top 100 teams, with best win over #101 Clemson.

Marquette is 15-2 in last 17 games with Seton Hall; Pirates' 80-70 win at Marquette LY was their first in last eight tries. Marquette won last nine games; their schedule is #338, they're #343 team in experience, but they do have three top 100 wins. Seton Hall is 3-1 vs top 100 teams, with one loss by 8 at George Washington; Pirates force turnovers on 21.4% of all possessions (#45).

Arkansas is 6-5 vs schedule #241; they appear to be down this year, with losses to Mercer and Akron; Hogs beat Dayton 69-55 at home LY, game that was 40-23 at half. Flyers are 2-0 vs SEC this year, beating Vandy, Alabama; they're 5-2 vs top 100 teams, but do turn ball over 21.6% of time (#317). Arkansas' best win is over #54 Evansville; they start SEC play Saturday when they visit Texas A&M.

Southern Illinois won three of last four games with Loyola; all four games were decided by 7 or less points- teams split pair of 4-point decisions in this gym last two years. Salukis went 11-2 vs 7th-easiest pre-conference schedule in country, but the did win four road games, including recent win at Murray State. Loyola is 7-5 vs schedule #281, but they did win last two games, beating UIC by 17, Western Illinois by 5.

Home side won six of last seven Missouri State-Illinois State tilts; Bears lost last four visits to Normal, by 7-36-4-10 points. SMS lost three of last four games; they're 1-2 in true road games with win at Oklahoma St- they shoot only 28.2% from arc. Redbirds are 4-0 vs tems outside top 200, with three of four wins by 11+ points. ISU shoots just 28.3% from arc, has #304 eFG% in country.

Ark-Little Rock lost last game, is 10-1 with four true road wins, winning at San Diego State/Tulsa; Trojans lost to South Alabama three times LY with three losses by total of 7 points. UALR lost four of last five visits here, but under new oach, they force turnovers 26.4% of time this year. USA is 3-6 vs D-I teams but won last two games, over Samford, Rice. Last six series games were all decided by 5 or less points.

New Mexico won four of last five games with Nevada, winning last two in The Pit by 13-14 points. Wolf Pack's new coach is former NBA head man Musselman. Nevada has been off for eight days since getting waxed in Wichita; they're 1-4 in true road games, with one win at Pacific in OT. New Mexico went 0-3 on Diamond Head LW; they've allowed 87.8 ppg in losing last four games overall.

Pitt is 8-4 in last 12 games with Syracuse, last five of which were won by 6 or less points; Orange lost six of last seven visits here, with one win by hoop two years ago. Boeheim is still suspended; Syracuse is 10-3 vs the #267 schedule- they did beat UConn/Texas A&M in Bahamas. Pitt is 9-1 vs schedule #279; best team they've beaten is #94 Davidson. Panthers are shooting better this year (#27 on 3's, #26 on 2's, #3 on FTs).

Georgetown is 12-1 in last 13 games with DePaul, winning last six visits here, with four of six wins by 12+ points. Hoyas are 7-5 with bad losses to Radford/Monmouth/NC-Asheville; they've been off for 8 days. Blue Demons lost three of last four games but hammered GW by 21 last game; DePaul split four home games so far, losing to Northwestern and Little Rock. DePaul turns ball over 20.2% of time.

Utah State won its last four games with San Jose State, all by 17+ points; Aggies have new coach, lost their 2nd-best player two days before season started- they're 2-2 in true road games, winning at Missouri State, Weber State. San Jose lost last four D-I games, three by 8 or less points; they're shooting 27.6% on arc (#339)- they lost two of three D-I home games, but do have three non-D-I wins.

UNLV won last three games with Fresno State by 13-2-12 points, with Bulldogs losing by 2-12 points in last two played here. Fresno has lot of experienced guards but they've lost last three road games, including first loss at Cal Poly since 1971. UNLV hopes to have Zimmerman back here after he misse couple games; Rebels are 5-0 vs teams outside top 100, with four of five wins by 11+ points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

'College Hoops'

Hokies Look to Upset Ranked Mountaineers

The Mountaineers have now won three in a row since losing to the Virginia Cavaliers, and they beat the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 84-59 before the holiday break. Jaysean Paige came off the bench to score 17 for the Mountaineers, who were up 50-22 at the half, but took their foot off the gas in the second period.

The Hokies are coming off a 62-79 loss to Saint Joseph's in another New York game as they were beaten all over the court. Seth Allen led the way with 18 points for Virginia Tech, who shot 40.3% from the field and were outrebounded 48-32. Alarmingly, St. Joe's had 19 offensive rebounds to nine for the Hokies, and West Virginia leads the nation in offensive rebounding.

These two teams have met 10 times since 1998, with the Mountaineers holding a 6-4 SU advantage but just 3-7 against the betting line.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wednesday's Bowl Tip Sheet
By Joe Nelson

With the way the calendar falls this season there are five straight days with multiple bowl games Tuesday to Saturday and the Wednesday schedule features some big games featuring three SEC teams, two ACC teams, a highly regarded Memphis team from the AAC as well as the late night game between the B1G and Pac-12.

Here is a look at the two evening games in bowl action on the eve of the college football playoff games.

Music City Bowl
Matchup: Louisville Cardinals vs. Texas A&M Aggies
Venue: LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee
Time/TV: Wednesday, December 30, 2015, 7:00 p.m. ET - ESPN
Line: Louisville -4½, Over/Under 47
Last Meeting: 1994, Texas A&M (-12½) 26, at Louisville 10

Kevin Sumlin quickly skyrocketed up the college football coaching landscape with success at Houston and a great 11-2 debut season at Texas A&M behind Johnny Manziel, winning the Cotton Bowl after the 2012 season. With high expectations the next season the Aggies faltered a bit but highly rated recruiting classes kept coming in as Texas A&M quickly emerged as a SEC power in quick order in moving to the highly regarded league.

Last season Texas A&M started the college football season with a dominant win at South Carolina to grab the spotlight and the Aggies reached as high as #6 in a 5-0 start to the season. By midseason quarterback Kenny Hill wound up on the bench after the Aggies lost three games in a row and highly regarded freshman Kyle Allen finished out a respectable but disappointing 8-5 season. Allen opened this season as the starter with the Aggies starting off 5-0 and back in the top 10 heading into a big home date with Alabama, but the script would follow a familiar path.

That Alabama game went poorly with an 18-point loss as did the following game with Mississippi and Allen wound up sitting in favor of another prized recruit, freshman Kyler Murray who is also a top baseball prospect. After winning his first start Murray wound up with five interceptions in the next two games and the Aggies went back to Allen. Neither quarterback seemed happy with the situation as both have opted to transfer, just as Hill did after last season. That leaves sophomore Jake Hubenak leading the way for this game with limited experience.

Texas A&M wound up 8-4 for the season but they lost by double-digits in all four defeats including two home losses, finishing only ahead of Auburn in the SEC West with the Tigers beating the Aggies in College Station. One area where the Aggies did improve was on defense, allowing almost a touchdown less per game while allowing 84 fewer yards per game. The Aggies did draw two of the weaker teams in the SEC East and only had one formidable non-conference foe as the schedule was not overly demanding however.

Sumlin is 4-1 in bowl games including 3-0 with the Aggies although there was a missed cover two years ago vs. Duke. The Music City Bowl won’t likely be a huge draw for the program but Louisville is an attractive matchup going up against former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino who has bounced his way back to the major conference level now completing his second season back at Louisville.

The Cardinals went 9-4 last season and gave Clemson and Florida State very close games in the ACC Atlantic. Many felt Louisville was a sleeper in the ACC Atlantic race but the season started poorly for the Cardinals with several big games early in the season. Louisville started the season 0-3 with losses to Auburn, Houston, and Clemson but all three defeats were one-score games and while Auburn wound up having a disappointing season, Houston and Clemson proved to be great teams.

Louisville went on to win seven of the final nine but only once did Louisville beat a bowl team and four of five ACC wins came by seven or fewer points. Three different quarterbacks played for Louisville this season with freshman Lamar Jackson seeing most of the action with uneven results, ultimately passing for just over 55 percent completions and throwing for 10 touchdowns. Jackson ran for over 700 yards to lead the team in rushing but he also threw eight interceptions and took 25 sacks.

Turnovers were an issue for Louisville this season with 27 on the season as while the defense forced 24 takeaways the Cardinals had a negative turnover margin for the first time since 2011 after being +35 the past three years combined. The Aggies also had a slightly negative turnover margin at -4, with the Aggies having a negative turnover margin now in six of the last seven seasons. Last season in bowl action Louisville lost badly to a SEC team, losing 37-14 vs. Georgia in the Belk Bowl with the Cardinals allowing nearly 500 yards.

Louisville’s defense allowed just 323 yards per game this season, the 13th best average in college football despite a much more modest scoring average for the defense with the Aggies allowing about a field goal less per game on the season compared with Louisville. Louisville did allow 100 points in the final three games of the season however while Texas A&M allowed just 113 points in the final six games of the season despite going just 3-3 down the stretch.

The line on this game has moved dramatically with the Aggies opening as a slight favorite but Louisville now favored with the quarterback moves for Texas A&M. The total is also among the lower bowl totals with the Aggies expected to take a hit on offense with Hubenak having just 12 completions under his belt.

Holiday Bowl
Matchup: Wisconsin Badgers at Southern California Trojans
Venue: Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California
Time/TV: Wednesday, December 30, 2015, 10:30 p.m. ET - ESPN
Line: USC -3½, Over/Under 50½
Last Meeting: 1966, at USC 38, Wisconsin 3

USC opened the season on the short list of national title contenders in Steve Sarkisian’s second season in Los Angeles, returning a lot of talent from a 9-4 squad the previous year but a team that had wins over Stanford, Notre Dame, and Nebraska. The Trojans won convincingly in the first two weeks of the season despite surrendering some yardage but at home vs. the Cardinal in week 3 the Trojans wound up on the wrong side of a shootout.

USC best Arizona State but then on a Thursday night game off a bye week the offense disappeared in a low-scoring loss to Washington at home. Word came out that Steve Sarkisian was having some issues off the field and ultimately it was announced he was taking a leave of absence just days ahead of the big game with Notre Dame. Sarkisian was ultimately fired hours later and offensive coordinator Clay Helton resumed coaching the rest of the season, with Helton losing the interim tag after the late season win against UCLA.

USC wound up 8-5 on the season after losing again to Stanford in the Pac-12 championship game. While all of the losses came against quality teams four of the five defeats came by double-digits. As a three-year starter Cody Kessler has passed for over 10,000 yards but his numbers this season slid back a bit after being considered a Heisman Trophy candidate as the season started, throwing for just 28 touchdowns after having 39 last season with lesser marks pretty much across the board. JuJu Smith-Schuster was Kessler’s favorite target with 85 receptions for nearly 1,400 yards as one of the most productive receivers in the nation.

USC wound up with three running backs combining for nearly 2,300 yards, generally something Wisconsin is known for and part of the reason Kessler’s numbers declined a bit. USC rushed for 176 yards per game this season on 4.6 yards per carry as the Trojans enter this game as the superior rushing team despite Wisconsin’s reputation. With Paul Chryst in his first year back at Wisconsin the offense ran the ball about eight fewer times per game and had less than half of the production on the ground compared to last season when the team ran for 320 yards per game.

Injuries were a big issue in that regard with the offensive line losing key pieces throughout the year and Corey Clement, an over 900 yard rusher from last season, playing in just parts of three games. Clement is expected to play in this game and he could have a season high in carries as the Badgers were forced to rely on far less heralded players in the backfield this season.

Despite not always being a fan-favorite Joel Stave would be the quarterback with the most Wisconsin wins if the Badgers win the Holiday Bowl. Starting in parts of four years Stave has had some ups and downs and he had more interceptions than touchdowns this season. He also threw at least 30 times in six different games this season and did not have the protection and complimentary ground game he was used to having, taking 21 sacks this season after taking just 26 the past two seasons combined.

Going 9-3 is nothing to scoff at in a coaching transition but Wisconsin had to feel an opportunity was missed this season with a favorable schedule that featured Maryland and Rutgers from the B1G East and a West division that didn’t appear to have a clear contender. Wisconsin’s three losses came to a 12-1 Alabama team, a 12-1 Iowa team, and a 10-2 Northwestern team and the case can easily be made that the Badgers deserved to win both of the conference games they lost. Wisconsin lost 10-6 hosting Iowa with four costly turnovers as the eventual B1G West champions won despite posting just 221 yards. Wisconsin allowed just 209 yards in the 13-7 defeat vs. Northwestern with the Badgers having three touchdowns called back in the game in a controversial finish.

Wisconsin’s defense wound up leading the nation with just 13.1 points per game allowed as the defense certainly kept the season alive for the Badgers in what could have been a much tougher transition season. Wisconsin was third in the nation in yards per game allowed compared to a USC defense that finished the season ranked 70th. Wisconsin allowed 1.3 yards per play fewer than USC but the Trojans were a full yard better per play on offense. USC also played one of the nation’s absolute toughest schedules with non-conference games vs. Notre Dame and Sun Belt champion Arkansas State as well as 10 Pac-12 games with the conference’s clear worst team Oregon State missing in the conference draw.

USC expected to be in a bigger spotlight but having Helton planted as the head coach moving forward as well as Tee Martin recently announced as the offensive coordinator next season should help the stability of the program in the bowl season. The Trojans haven’t been in a major bowl game since the 2008 Rose Bowl and this will be a second straight Holiday Bowl appearance as the team beat Nebraska from the B1G West last season, blowing a big lead to hold on 45-42 while allowing 525 yards. Wisconsin has been in the Rose Bowl three of the last five years but drawing a program of USC’s stature should keep the interest high despite also having a somewhat disappointing season. Last season the Badgers beat Auburn in the Outback Bowl to end a four game bowl slide in what usually has been tight and dramatic finishes in postseason games with eight of the last nine Wisconsin bowl games decided by 10 or fewer points.

 

[Can'tPickaWinner2]

Wednesday's Early Bowl Tips
By Brian Edwards

**Memphis vs. Auburn**

-- The Birmingham Bowl shouldn’t have a hard time getting fans in the seats this year with Auburn and Memphis colliding at Legion Field. As of Tuesday, most betting shops had Auburn (6-6 straight up, 3-9 against the spread) listed as a three-point favorite with a total of 62.5 points for ‘over/under’ wagers. The Tigers were +140 on the money line (risk $100 to win $140).

-- Auburn has had back-to-back disappointing seasons since going to the BCS Championship Game in the first year of Gus Malzahn’s tenure. Many pundits, including this knucklehead on the keyboard, had Auburn pegged to be a national-title contender. But putrid quarterback play, an injury to Carl Lawson and general issues in all three phases resulted in a .500 record made possible only by an overtime win at home over Jacksonville State that required a furious rally to force the extra session at the end of regulation.

-- Auburn won’t have defensive coordinator Will Muschamp, who bolted The Plains to replace Steve Spurrier as South Carolina’s next head coach. Therefore, linebackers coach Lance Thompson will serve as the interim DC in the Birmingham Bowl. As for the next full-time DC, AU is reportedly in talks with Mississippi St. DC Manny Diaz, but there has been no announcement on this front.

-- Memphis (9-3 SU, 6-5 ATS) enjoyed another outstanding season under head coach Justin Fuente, prompting him to take a better job at Virginia Tech. The interim coach for the bowl game is Darrell Dickey, the former head coach at North Texas who has been the Tigers’ offensive coordinator. Dickey will be retained by new head coach Mike Norvell in a to-be-determined position.

-- Memphis is hoping to post 10-win seasons in consecutive years for the first time in school history. The Tigers rank seventh in the nation in scoring, averaging 42.7 points per game. They scored a school-record 512 points.

-- Memphis won its first eight games, including scalps of bowl-bound foes like Bowling Green, Cincinnati, USF, Ole Miss and Tulsa. However, the Tigers would drop three straight vs. Navy (45-20), at Houston (35-34) and at Temple (31-12). They avoided a four-game losing streak by smashing SMU by a 63-0 count in the regular-season finale. Junior quarterback Paxton Lynch completed 9-of-14 passes for 222 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception. The seven TD passes were distributed to seven different players. The defense limited the Mustangs to 93 yards of total offense.

-- Lynch has completed 280-of-406 passes (69.0%) for 3,670 yards with an amazing 28/3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Mose Frazier has been Lynch’s favorite target, hauling in 66 receptions for 750 yards and four TDs. Anthony Miller has made 44 catches for 684 yards and five TDs, while Phil Mayhue has snared 47 balls for 644 yards and one TD.

-- Memphis RB Doroland Dorceus has rushed for a team-best 613 yards and eight TDs while averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Dorceus also has 11 receptions for 217 yards and three TDs. Jarvis Cooper and Sam Craft have rushed for five TDs apiece and 363 and 321 yards, respectively. Jamarius Henderson has also rushed for 310 yards and four TDs, so there’s obviously depth galore in the backfield.

-- Auburn lost four of its last six games both SU and ATS, including a 29-13 loss to Alabama as a 14.5-point home underdog. The Tigers were ahead of the number the entire game until Derrick Henry busted off a 25-yard TD run with 26 seconds remaining. Jeremy Johnson completed 10-of-23 throws for 169 yards and one TD without an interception. Jovon Robinson rushed for 51 yards on 14 carries.

-- Malzahn hasn’t announced a starting QB yet. Johnson was the starter at the beginning of the season and has been since Sean White was injured in a home game vs. Ole Miss. For the season, Johnson has completed 60.3 percent of his passes for 1,042 yards with a 9/7 TD-INT ratio. He has also run for 111 yards and five TDs. After throwing five interceptions in the first two games, Johnson has a 6/2 TD-INT ratio in the last seven games he’s appeared in. White has connected on 57.7 percent of his passes for 1,064 yards with one TD pass and two interceptions.

-- Auburn RB Peyton Barber has rushed for a team-best 976 yards and 13 TDs while averaging 4.3 YPC. Robinson has run for 513 yards and two TDs while averaging 5.7 YPC. Ricardo Louis is AU’s best WR, hauling in 45 receptions for 699 yards and three TDs.

-- These schools have only faced each other twice. Memphis won both meetings in 1975 and ’76.

-- The ‘under’ is 7-3-2 overall for Auburn.

-- Totals have been an overall wash for Memphis (6-6), but the Tigers have seen the ‘under’ hit in three straight and four of their last five.

-- The forecast in B’ham is for temperatures in the 50s, cloudy conditions and a 50-percent chance of rain.

-- Kickoff is scheduled for Wednesday at noon Eastern on ESPN.

**North Carolina State vs. Mississippi State**

-- The Belk Bowl in Charlotte will pit North Carolina State against Mississippi State at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday afternoon. ESPN will have the telecast. As of Tuesday, most spots had the Bulldogs favored by 6.5 points with a total of 60.5.

-- Mississippi State (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS) had a season win total of 7.5, so it exceeded expectations a bit this year and hooked up ‘over’ backers with a winner. Dan Mullen’s team is going bowling and has a winning record for a sixth straight season. The Bulldogs swept through non-conference play and went 4-4 in SEC action. They were single-digit favorites just once, easily covering the number in a 31-13 win at Missouri as 7.5-point road ‘chalk.’

-- Mississippi State took a four-game winning streak into a Nov. 14 showdown vs. Alabama in Starkville. However, after failing on a fourth-and-goal try from the one on their opening drive, the Bulldogs were thumped by a 31-6 count. They would bounce back to win at 51-50 thriller at Arkansas in come-from-behind fashion, only to lose at home to Ole Miss 38-27 in the Egg Bowl the following week.

-- MSU is led by senior QB Dak Prescott, who led the team in rushing, passing and touchdowns. Prescott completed 66.9 percent of his passes for 3,413 yards with a 25/4 TD-INT ratio. He also rushed for 541 yards and 10 TDs. His favorite target is junior Fred Ross, who produced 81 receptions for 933 yards and four TDs. Junior De’Runnya Wilson has 54 catches for 809 yards and nine TDs.

-- Mississippi State will be without senior DE Ryan Brown, who can’t play due to a foot injury. Brown had 39 tackles, eight tackles for losses totaling 55 yards, 2.5 sacks, 10 QB hurries and five passes broken up. Also, MSU’s defense won’t have starting LB Zach Jackson due to personal reasons. Jackson tallied 44 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, two passes broken up and one QB hurry. The Bulldogs are already down their two best DBs, as Will Redmond and Kendrick Market sustained season-ending injuries in October. Finally, TE Gus Walley is also ‘out’ (concussion). Walley had 19 catches for 146 yards and one TD.

-- North Carolina State (7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS) went 3-9 in Dave Doeren’s first season, but it is back in the postseason for a second straight year. The Wolfpack beat UCF 34-27 as a 2.5-point underdogs at last year’s St. Petersburg Bowl.

-- N.C. State has been an unmitigated disaster in underdog roles this year, going 0-4 both SU and ATS.

-- N.C. State started the season 4-0 against a cupcake non-conference schedule, only to limp to a 3-5 ledger in ACC play. Four of those five defeats came by double-digit margins. The Wolfpack posted a 0-5 record both SU and ATS in five contests against bowl-bound opponents.

-- N.C. State senior QB Jacoby Brissett enjoyed another stellar campaign, throwing for 2,448 yards with a 19/4 TD-INT ratio. In his two seasons with the Wolfpack since transferring from Florida, Brissett threw 42 TD passes compared to only nine interceptions. He rushed for 303 yards and five TDs this year.

-- N.C. State RB Matt Dayes was en route to an outstanding year, rushing for 865 yards and 12 TDs with a 6.5 YPC average through eight games. However, a toe injury will cause him to the bowl game after sitting out the last four regular-season contests.

-- Jaylen Samuels is Brissett’s favorite target. Samuels produced 64 receptions for 599 yards and seven TDs during the regular season.

-- MSU has won three of its five bowl games on Mullen’s watch, but it has posted just a 2-3 spread record. The Bulldogs lost a 49-34 decision to Ga. Tech at last year’s Orange Bowl.

-- There’s an 80-percent chance of rain in Charlotte on Wednesday with likely thundershowers.

-- The ‘under’ is 7-5 overall for the Bulldogs.

-- Totals have been an overall wash for the Wolfpack, but it has seen the ‘over’ hit in back-to-back games and four of its last six.