Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst ... 23 ... LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 70

Thread: Thursday 12-14-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

  1. #21
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Pistons vs. Hawks Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Detroit Pistons are in an offensive funk that has seen them average 92.9 points during a seven-game slide, including two straight losses in which they failed to reach 85 points. The Pistons will try to snap the slide on the road when they visit the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday.

    Detroit was run over 103-84 at home by the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday while playing what coach Stan Van Gundy called "extremely bad basketball," and the players are searching for answers for the offensive funk. "I feel like lately we haven't been shooting the ball very well and part of that is just not shooting the ball well, but part of that is too many guys trying to force it," forward Anthony Tolliver told reporters. "It's not in a selfish way, but in a like, 'oh, man, we've got to get it going' instead of trusting the process and trusting each other. It's not just one person, it's several guys trying to overcompensate." The Pistons could be in for a welcome respite from tough defenses against the Hawks, who allow an average of 109.3 points and surrendered at least 110 in each of their last five games - four losses. Atlanta had the misfortune of running into the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday and gave up 20 3-pointers while dropping a 123-114 decision.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Southeast (Atlanta)

    ABOUT THE PISTONS (14-13): Tuesday's loss seemed to mark rock bottom for Detroit, which saw its starting five go 10-of-36 from the floor. "It's my job to put a product on the floor," Van Gundy told reporters. "We didn't play well on Sunday (in a loss to Boston), but our guys competed. I've got to try to find answers. We didn't do anything right (Tuesday). We didn't compete. We didn't bring any energy to the game. That's on me as a coach." The worst of the bunch was leading scorer Tobias Harris, who struggled to two points on 0-of-7 shooting in 30 minutes.

    ABOUT THE HAWKS (6-21): A recent surge by the Chicago Bulls suddenly has Atlanta with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, and the defense is the main culprit. The Hawks allowed the Cavaliers to shoot 55.8 percent from the field on Tuesday and are getting lit up at 47.5 percent on the season, making them 28th in the NBA in field-goal percentage defense. The bright spot was the play of small forward Taurean Prince, who scored a team-high 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting and is 25-of-38 from the floor over the last four contests.

    BUZZER BEATERS

    1. Hawks rookie PF John Collins (shoulder) sat out the last six games and is day-to-day.

    2. Tolliver left Tuesday's loss with a broken nose and is day-to-day.

    3. Detroit beat Atlanta 111-104 at home on Nov. 10 behind 16 points and 20 rebounds from center Andre Drummond.

    PREDICTION: Pistons 106, Hawks 101

  2. #22
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Knicks vs. Nets Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    Kristaps Porzingis seems to be heating back up for the New York Knicks, who will try for a rare road win when they head to Brooklyn to meet the Nets on Thursday. Porzingis scored 37 points in Tuesday's 113-109 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers in his fourth game since returning from an ankle injury, during which the Knicks are 3-1.

    However, the one loss in that stretch was on the road and New York has an NBA-low one road win in nine tries as it begins a harrowing stretch in which it plays 19 of 26 away from Madison Square Garden. "It was a long, entertaining game," Porzingis told reporters after his team needed overtime to get rid of the Lakers. "It was a good show for the fans." Porzingis is averaging nearly four points more and shooting significantly better at home and had 30 points and nine rebounds in a 21-point win over Brooklyn at home on Oct. 27. That setback began a 3-10 slide for the Nets, who have recovered with five wins in their last eight games, including Tuesday's 103-98 triumph over Washington.

    TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), YES (Brooklyn)

    ABOUT THE KNICKS (14-13): Guard Frank Ntilikna had another solid all-around effort Tuesday opposite fellow rookie Lonzo Ball while finishing with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench, and he has made 6-of-9 3-pointers over a three-game span. "Frank deserved his minutes tonight," Porzingis told the media. "He hit big shots, played well. It was fun to watch them going at each other -- two rookies with a lot of talent. I enjoy Lonzo's game. He is not selfish. He definitely showed up tonight." Center Enes Kanter has played through hip pain the last two games and notched his team-leading 12th double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

    ABOUT THE NETS (11-15): Newly acquired center Jahlil Okafor and guard Nik Stauskas were in uniform Tuesday but neither played as they get integrated into Brooklyn's system. "I do think there's a plan in place," coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters. "We want to put them in a good position to succeed and help our team and make sure when I call a play they know what the heck we're doing and when I call defensive adjustments they know what they're doing. There's a natural process of them building. So, it's going to take a little bit." The new additions watched seven Nets score in double figures against the Wizards, led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Caris LeVert with 16 apiece.

    BUZZER BEATERS

    1. Knicks SG Courtney Lee is 13-for-37 from the floor over his last three games after shooting better than 50 percent in nine consecutive contests.

    2. LeVert is averaging 16.5 points while shooting 52.5 percent over his last four games.

    3. New York is 14-9 with Porzingis in the lineup and he is averaging 28.4 points on 50.5 percent in the victories.

    PREDICTION: Nets 108, Knicks 106

  3. #23
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Kings vs. Timberwolves Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Minnesota Timberwolves are capable of looking like a contender one night and a lottery team the next, and consistency is coming slowly for the young squad. The Sacramento Kings, who visit the Timberwolves on Thursday, are earlier on the rebuilding curve and don't have much to lose as they try to get their younger players more experience.

    Minnesota was outscored 41-26 over the final 11 minutes of the game while dropping a 118-112 decision in overtime at home against the similarly young and talented Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. The Timberwolves were coming off back-to-back wins for the first time in over three weeks and were on the verge of a three-game streak heading into a stretch of favorable opponents at home before coming apart late on Tuesday. The Kings are showing similar inconsistency and sandwiched a pair of wins around a 102-87 home loss to Toronto in their last three games. Sacramento, which is embarking on a four-game road trip, won three of its last five away games and hits the road with some momentum after holding the Phoenix Suns to 41.1 percent from the floor in a 99-92 victory on Tuesday.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Sacramento), FS North (Minnesota)

    ABOUT THE KINGS (9-18): De'Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Willie Cauley-Stein and Skal Labissiere might be the future for Sacramento, but the present still belongs to veterans like Zach Randolph and George Hill. Randolph, 36, leads the Kings in scoring (15.2 points) and is averaging 22.7 points on 59.4 percent shooting in six games this month, including a 35-point, 13-rebound effort in a 116-109 overtime win at New Orleans on Friday. Hill got off to a slower start and is averaging 9.3 points - the lowest mark since his 2008-09 rookie season - but broke out for 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting in Tuesday's victory.

    ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (16-12): Karl-Anthony Towns delivered 19 points, 16 rebounds, four steals and three blocks on Tuesday but was called for a foul in the final seconds of regulation that allowed the 76ers to make the tying free throws, and he took the setback hard. "I should have made the play I needed to make," Towns told reporters. "I failed my team tonight. Things like that happen. I've got to look in the mirror and I have to be better next game. It's not good for me not to come through for my teammates." Veteran swingman Jimmy Butler, who scored 38 points in the loss while logging 46 minutes - the sixth straight game in which he played at least 40 minutes - was brought in to serve as a leader on the young team and refused to let Towns shoulder all the blame after the contest, telling reporters, "It's about this team and us as a unit."

    BUZZER BEATERS

    1. Timberwolves SF Andrew Wiggins is 2-of-20 from 3-point range over the last five games.

    2. Cauley-Stein (back) returned from a three-game absence on Tuesday and collected 13 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench.

    3. Sacramento took three of the four meetings last season, including wins in both of its trips to Minnesota.

    PREDICTION: Timberwolves 105, Kings 99

  4. #24
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Lakers vs. Cavaliers Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Cleveland Cavaliers are streaking toward the top of the Eastern Conference as LeBron James continues to add to his already sparkling legacy. James will try to follow up another transcendent performance and lead the Cavaliers to their 16th win in 17 games when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.

    James tied a career high with 17 assists to go along with 25 points in a 123-114 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, and his teammates are struggling to describe his impact. "I've run out of ways to explain his greatness," shooting guard Kyle Korver told ESPN.com. "He's just amazing. He makes all of us better than we really are. That's just the way he plays, the way he leads the game. He's had to be in attack mode a lot of nights this season, but (Tuesday) you kind of feel the guys were hitting shots and he just went into playmaker mode." The Lakers are trying to get rookie point guard Lonzo Ball to enter playmaker mode on a more consistent basis, and he handed out six assists in 40 minutes on Tuesday as Los Angeles dropped a 113-109 decision at the New York Knicks in overtime. The Lakers took the first two of the four-game road trip before falling at New York and are staring at a difficult stretch with Cleveland, Golden State (twice) and Houston over the next four games.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FS Ohio (Cleveland)

    ABOUT THE LAKERS (10-16): Ball captures the headlines but fellow rookie Kyle Kuzma is coming through more often, and he scored 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter on Tuesday to help force overtime. The Utah product was held to three points on 1-of-7 shooting in the opener of the road trip at Philadelphia before posting a double-double in a win at Charlotte and coming alive late in New York. Kuzma helped make up for an off night by second-year small forward Brandon Ingram, who was held to a season-low five points on 2-of-12 shooting in 41 minutes against the Knicks.

    ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (20-8): Kuzma, Ingram and Ball will all likely find themselves matched up at some point on Thursday against James, though they might be better off crashing the passing lanes. James is averaging nine assists after Tuesday's barrage and gives all the credit to his teammates. "Individuals who make the shots on the 17 assists that I had, they put in the work," James told reporters. "My job is when I have two on the ball, or I see a guy running or I see a guy open, just try to put it in his pocket. I know how my teammates like the ball, I know if my teammates, each individual, if they like laces or no laces or laces out or whatever the case may be. I just try to make them comfortable."

    BUZZER BEATERS

    1. Cavaliers SG Dwyane Wade (knee) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day.

    2. Lakers C Brook Lopez is averaging 12.6 points in five games this month after scoring in single figures in each of the last four games in November.

    3. James averaged 30 points, eight assists and 6.5 rebounds in a pair of wins over Los Angeles last season.

    PREDICTION: Cavaliers 122, Lakers 109

  5. #25
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Mavericks vs. Warriors Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Golden State Warriors don't seem to need Stephen Curry or Draymond Green as long as Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson are still around. The Warriors expect to at least get Green back in the lineup when they try to push their latest winning streak to eight straight against the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.

    Curry sat out the last three games and is expected to be out the rest of this week at least while nursing an ankle injury, and Green is day-to-day and sat out two of the last three with a shoulder injury, but Durant is averaging 33 points, 10 rebounds, 7.3 assists and 3.3 blocks in the last three games to keep Golden State in the win column. "Our focus level is just on another level because of the injuries that we have on our team," Durant told reporters. "We have to be locked in on every single play; and that's hard to do in this league, and that's hard to do in December, especially after winning a championship." The Mavericks dropped their last four road games but head to Golden State with a positive outlook after earning a 95-89 win over the San Antonio Spurs at home on Tuesday. "We just finished the game," shooting guard Wesley Matthews told the team's website. "This has been our brand of basketball as of late. You know, if we continue to play this way, like we have been, more often than not we'll pull these games off. We're a lot better than the record shows. We didn't play the way we were supposed to during the early part of the season, so we've got a lot of uphill battling to do. But we're equip to do it."

    TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, FS Southwest (Dallas), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

    ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (8-20): Dallas suffered single-digit losses at Boston, Milwaukee and Minnesota before coming home and putting it all together against the Spurs. The Mavericks watched guards Matthews, Yogi Ferrell and J.J. Barea score 16 points apiece while holding San Antonio's backcourt trio of Tony Parker, Danny Green and Manu Ginobili to a combined 14 points. "Well, tonight we did a great job," Barea told reporters after the win. "In the second half, it wasn't a good start. But we got some good rhythm, especially offensively there in the second half, and we kept attacking throughout the second half. I think that was the key tonight."

    ABOUT THE WARRIORS (22-6): While Durant and Thompson are carrying the scoring load with Curry out, Golden State is also getting solid performances from role players like Jordan Bell, David West and Omri Casspi. Those three all scored in double figures in Monday's 111-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers while going a combined 14-of-18 from the floor. "These night are really powerful for a team where guys are able to get out there who aren't usually in the lineup," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "It makes them feel good, it makes us feel good and it just strengthens the depth."

    BUZZER BEATERS

    1. Warriors SG Nick Young left Monday's game and is in the concussion protocol.

    2. Mavericks rookie PG Dennis Smith Jr. (hip) sat out the last three games and is not expected to play on Thursday.

    3. Golden State took the last seven in the series, including a 133-103 trashing at Dallas on Oct. 23.

    PREDICTION: Warriors 112, Mavericks 101

  6. #26
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Sabres vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres have answered disastrous stretches over double-digit games with promising results in the last four contests. The two Eastern Conference foes will look to continue their recent good fortune at the other's expense on Thursday when they meet at the Wells Fargo Center.

    Sean Couturier matched his career high with his 15th goal on Monday, a go-ahead tally that lifted Philadelphia to a 4-2 triumph over Toronto. "I think I'm shooting the puck more. ... This year, I'm trying to focus on just shooting the puck as quick as I can," said the 25-year-old Couturier, who has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his last nine games. While Philadelphia has answered a 10-game skid (0-5-5) with a four-game winning streak, Buffalo has secured at least a point in a season-high four straight games (2-0-2) after dropping 11 of its previous 12 (1-9-2). Robin Lehner has turned aside 149 of 159 shots during the last four games for the Sabres, although he was gashed for six goals in last season's meeting with the Flyers to drop his career mark to 1-3-0 with a 4.02 goals-against average and .871 save percentage versus Philadelphia.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG-B (Buffalo), NBCSN Philadelphia

    ABOUT THE SABRES (8-17-6): Evander Kane continues to produce despite being shuffled to the third line in a bid by coach Phil Housley to have a more balanced attack an offense that is generating a league-worst 2.2 goals per game. The 26-year-old Vancouver native added to his team-leading goal (14) and point (28) totals with a tally in Buffalo's 3-2 win over Ottawa on Tuesday to extend his point streak to five (two goals, three assists). Kane's power-play goal marked the third straight game that Buffalo scored with the man advantage after going 0-for-29 in its previous 10 contests.

    ABOUT THE FLYERS (12-11-7): Captain Claude Giroux matched Couturier by scoring and setting up a goal versus the Maple Leafs, marking his third multi-point performance in his last three games. The 29-ear-old Ontario native referenced the team's successful trek through Western Canada as perhaps a turning point in its season. "I think our identity kind of changed a little bit with that road trip," Giroux said. "We're excited right now in the room. We played a lot of good hockey games when we lost, but we didn't get the results and now were playing some good hockey and we're getting the results, so we've got to keep building on this."

    OVERTIME

    1. Buffalo RW Kyle Okposo has scored a goal in two of his last three games after mustering one in his previous 12.

    2. Philadelphia fourth-line C Scott Laughton scored three times during the team's win streak after recording just six points (two goals, four assists) in the previous 26 games.

    3. Sabres C Jack Eichel has one goal and four assists in his last five games.

    PREDICTION: Sabres 3, Flyers 2

  7. #27
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Islanders vs. Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Columbus Blue Jackets should be very focused for Thursday's home game against the New York Islanders after what was perhaps their worst performance of the season last time out. Columbus coach John Tortorella apologized to the media about having nothing to say about Tuesday's 7-2 setback against visiting Edmonton, the team's third loss in five contests.

    "We weren't ready to go," Columbus captain Nick Foligno told reporters after the defeat. "They fed it to us. A disappointing game. Sloppy, no execution. No nothing. We were sloppy with the puck. Every time we had it, we gave it back to them. It was a lack of focus tonight that we normally have." In addition to the humbling defeat, the Blue Jackets lost Brandon Dubinsky for 6-8 weeks with a fractured orbital bone near his left eye after his fight with Edmonton's Zack Kassian. The Islanders have lost four of their last five games after dropping a 5-2 decision to visiting Dallas on Wednesday, and they'll enjoy five more contests at home after the quick trip to Columbus. New York has surrendered 29 goals in seven games this month and is 8-9-1 on the road, including three consecutive setbacks.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), FSN Ohio (Columbus)

    ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (17-11-3): Josh Bailey's goal-scoring drought reached 10 games on Wednesday, but the veteran notched two assists to maintain his team lead with 35 points - one better than captain John Tavares. Anders Lee, the linemate of Bailey and Tavares, netted both tallies in the loss to Dallas and leads New York with 19, leaving him one shy of his third 20-goal season. Veteran defenseman Johnny Boychuk (eight points, plus-6 rating) missed Monday's victory over Washington with an undisclosed injury but returned the lineup against the Stars.

    ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (19-11-1): Cam Atkinson (six goals) was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch in Saturday's win against Arizona, but his point drought reached seven games. Oliver Bjorkstrand recorded a goal and an assist in Tuesday's loss, giving him four points in as many contests and his first multi-point performance since Nov. 2. Artemi Panarin was kept off the scoresheet by Edmonton but leads the team with 26 points after posting 10 in his first five games this month.

    OVERTIME

    1. New York RW Cal Clutterbuck has recorded just two points in his last nine games but is just two away from 200 for his career.

    2. The Blue Jackets have outscored the Islanders 15-2 in three straight wins, including a 5-0 triumph on Oct. 6.

    3. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky, who was pulled on Tuesday, is 13-5-0 with a .928 save percentage in his career versus New York.

    PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Islanders 1

  8. #28
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Capitals vs. Bruins Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/14/2017

    The Washington Capitals look to continue their dominance in the all-time series and climb into first place in the Metropolitan Division when they visit the surging Boston Bruins on Thursday. The Capitals have won eight of 10 overall to tie Columbus for the top spot in the division and will go for their 11th consecutive victory over the Bruins, a streak that includes a 3-2 win on Nov. 4 in Boston.

    Washington, which is averaging 3.8 goals over its last 10 contests, rebounded from Monday's 3-1 loss to the New York Islanders with a 5-2 triumph over Colorado the following night, and coach Barry Trotz told reporters, "I think we have a pretty prideful group that wants to respond." The Capitals start a stretch of five of six games on the road against the red-hot Bruins, who rallied to beat Detroit 3-2 in overtime on Wednesday for their ninth win in 11 contests. David Pastrnak tied the affair with 1:26 remaining in regulation to extend his point streak to nine games (five goals, six assists) and Brad Marchand tallied in the extra session to complete a two-point effort and give him 10 in six games. The Bruins have allowed 22 goals in their last 11 contests and four during their three-game winning streak.

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Pacific, NBCSN Washington, NESN (Boston)

    ABOUT THE CAPITALS (19-12-1): Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded three assists Tuesday to take over the team lead with 34 points - one better than captain Alex Ovechkin, who shares the NHL's top spot with 21 goals. "Pretty deceptive guy and he's pretty creative," defenseman Matt Niskanen told reporters of Kuznetsov. "When he's wheeling and dealing and feeling like that, get to the scoring area and get ready." T.J. Oshie, who is tied for fourth on the team with 23 points, is expected to miss his fifth straight game due to an upper-body injury.

    ABOUT THE BRUINS (15-9-4): Pastrnak (28) and Marchand (25) lead the team in points while defenseman Torey Krug tied Patrice Bergeron for third with 18 after registering four assists over his last two contests. Noel Acciari scored his second goal of the season Wednesday while Tim Schaller recorded an assist for his first point since posting two on Nov. 6 against Minnesota. Tuukka Rask has turned around his season by posting a 5-1-0 record and .958 save percentage in his last six games, but backup Anton Khudobin (7-1-2) is expected to start on Thursday.

    OVERTIME

    1. Boston D Kevan Miller missed Wednesday's game to be with his wife for the birth of their child and his status for Thursday is uncertain.

    2. Washington RW Brett Connolly, who has scored four goals in his last six contests, is slated to play in his 300th NHL game on Thursday.

    3. The Capitals are 18-for-18 on the penalty kill over their last eight games while the Bruins are 14-for-15 over their last five.

    PREDICTION: Capitals 4, Bruins 2

  9. #29
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Devils vs. Canadiens Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The return of star goaltender Carey Price woke the Montreal Canadiens out of their slumber and ignited a five-game winning streak, but that momentum has come to a halt in the wake of three consecutive losses -- all at Bell Centre. Montreal looks to snap out of its funk when it wraps up a five-game homestand against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday.

    The Canadiens have had four days off since a 6-2 pummeling by Edmonton on Saturday and are heading out on a seven-game road trip following Thursday's game. "Right now, what I'm going to do is I'm going to look at the next five games before the Christmas break," coach Claude Julien said. "I'm not going to go any further than that. Why should we look any further than that? Because if we don't do the job there, we'll already be in trouble." The Devils appeared to be in trouble after losing three of four entering a matchup against the league's hottest team, but they ended the Los Angeles Kings' eight-game winning streak with a 5-1 victory Tuesday. "We found our game," observed No. 1 overall draft pick Nico Hischier said. "We played 60 minutes and when we do we feel we can beat anyone in this league."

    TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG-Plus2 (New Jersey), RDS, TSN2 (Montreal)

    ABOUT THE DEVILS (17-9-4): Taylor Hall scored twice in New Jersey's rout of Los Angeles, giving him five goals and five assists in the past 10 games and boosting his team-leading total to 31 points. However, he absorbed a knee-on-knee hit and will miss Thursday's game. "The real positive news is that there is no structural damage," Devils coach John Hynes said. "Bad news, he won't play at Montreal, but it's just a contusion." Forward Marcus Johansson, who suffered an ankle injury in Saturday's game, will not travel with the team.

    ABOUT THE CANADIENS (13-14-4): Defenseman Shea Weber returned to practice after taking Tuesday off while he continues to deal a lower-body injury that sidelined him for the final six games last month. "Nobody plays at 100 percent. Everyone deals with different sorts of pain and grinds away. You've just got to get your job done," Weber said. "I'm dealing with it day to day. Obviously, you want it to get better, but it's tough when you're skating every day." Rookie Daniel Carr saw some action with the power-play unit during Wednesday's practice.

    OVERTIME

    1. Price has won half his 22 starts versus New Jersey, posting an 11-10-1 record and 2.37 goals-against average.

    2. The Devils have snuffed out 24 of 26 short-handed situations over the past eight games.

    3. Carr has two goals and five assists during a five-game point streak since he was called up.

    PREDICTION: Canadiens 2, Devils 1

  10. #30
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Blackhawks vs. Jets Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Winnipeg Jets lost two of their first three home games this season, but that early October stumble seems like ancient history as they host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. The Jets are 10-0-1 in their past 11 home games after Monday's impressive 5-1 victory over Vancouver, their seventh consecutive victory on home ice to tie a franchise record, and it is Winnipeg's play on home ice that has vaulted it to the third-most points in the Western Conference entering Wednesday.

    "Coming home and playing in front of this crowd every night is pretty amazing," Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers told reporters after scoring one of four unanswered goals as Winnipeg improved to 11-2-1 on the season at home. "We needed the extra energy and the crowd gave us a boost." The Blackhawks finished a sweep of a three-game homestand Tuesday by beating Florida 3-2 in overtime, getting the game-tying goal from Jonathan Toews and the winner from Patrick Kane. "It's nice to get some confidence and score goals late in games when we're down a goal or two," Toews told the media afterward. Chicago, which started Wednesday in a three-way tie for fourth in the Central Division, plays its next three games against division foes.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN Chicago, TSN3 (Winnipeg)

    ABOUT THE BLACKHAWKS (15-11-5): Goaltender Corey Crawford made 35 saves Tuesday and is third in the NHL in goals against average (2.20) and save percentage (.933) entering Wednesday. Toews finished with a goal and an assist Tuesday, and in six games this month he has three goals and three assists. Defenseman Jan Rutta left Tuesday's game with an upper-body injury and his status is day-to-day.

    ABOUT THE JETS (18-8-5): Forward Mathieu Perreault finished with two goals (including the 100th of his career) and an assist Monday, giving him 15 points in 14 games since returning from injury. Ehlers scored his third goal in three games to give him 14 on the season, while Blake Wheeler is tied for the league lead in assists with 30 through Tuesday. Defenseman Dustin Byfuglien missed Monday's game with a lower-body injury and is expected to be sidelined until after Christmas.

    OVERTIME

    1. Chicago, which is 6-6-3 on the road, plays seven of its next eight games away from home.

    2. The Jets' seven consecutive home victories matches the mark the franchise set in Atlanta in 2007.

    3. Winnipeg beat Chicago four times in five games last season, outscoring the Blackhawks 16-10.

    PREDICTION: Jets 4, Blackhawks 2

  11. #31
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Maple Leafs vs. Wild Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Toronto Maple Leafs and Minnesota Wild likely will have notable absences in their lineup on Thursday when the clubs complete their two-game season series at Xcel Energy Center. Reigning Calder Memorial Trophy recipient Auston Matthews has been ruled out for his third straight game for the Maple Leafs with an upper-body injury while Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk is expected to be sidelined with a lower-body ailment.

    "It's concerning because he's our No. 1 goalie. We want to know, but you can't race ahead of what the doctors (say) and everybody wants," Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau said. Former Maple Leafs netminder Alex Stalock made 16 saves in Tuesday's 2-1 shootout win over Calgary in relief of Dubnyk, who exited after the first period. Like Boudreau, Toronto coach Mike Babcock is also in the dark as it relates to Matthews, who has been listed as day-to-day since colliding with teammate Morgan Rielly in Saturday's win over Pittsburgh. "What that means, I don't know for sure," Babcock said. "I just know that he didn't skate again today. That means you're not playing tomorrow."

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sportsnet Ontario (Toronto), FSN North (Minnesota)

    ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (20-11-1): Matthews also missed the first meeting between the teams, a 4-2 win for Toronto that saw four different goal scorers for Babcock's club. Patrick Marleau tallied in that contest and also did so for his 1,100th career point in Tuesday's 4-2 setback to Philadelphia, with his 519th career goal moving him past Dale Hawerchuk into sole possession of 37th place on the NHL's all-time list. Frederik Andersen made 35 saves in the first meeting with the Wild, with Boudreau even admitting that the 28-year-old Dane effectively "won them the game."

    ABOUT THE WILD (16-11-3): Jason Zucker began his goal-scoring spree when he tallied twice versus Toronto to ignite an eight-goal surge in five games, although he has just three in his last 12. The 25-year-old has 14 goals to lead the team and his 25 points are just one shy of Eric Staal, who answered a blistering November by being held off the scoresheet in four of five December outings. Defenseman Ryan Suter has an assist in back-to-back games and also set up a goal in the first meeting with Toronto.

    OVERTIME

    1. Toronto LW James van Riemsdyk has 10 goals and three assists in his last 17 games.

    2. Minnesota D Jared Spurgeon returned to practice on Wednesday after being sidelined seven games due to a groin injury.

    3. The Maple Leafs have been outshot in 21 of 32 games this season, including 164-99 in their last four.

    PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 3, Wild 1

  12. #32
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Ducks vs. Blues Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Anaheim Ducks had their struggles on a recent six-game trip and now head out on another six-game trek that will carry them into the Christmas break. Coming off a 2-0-1 homestand, the Ducks will face five teams from the Metropolitan Division after opening the road trip against the Western Conference leading St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.

    Injury-ravaged Anaheim welcomed back captain Ryan Getzlaf from a 19-game absence on Monday, only to see leading scorer Corey Perry hurt in the same game. "It's just hard watching your teammates go down but you have to continue to improve and push forward," Ducks forward Cam Fowler said. "This is a big part of our schedule, this road trip coming up. We're going to learn a lot about ourselves." The Blues had a four-game winning streak snapped in a 3-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday night in a showdown between the teams with the two best records in the NHL. Despite owning the best record in the West, St. Louis is 3-4-0 in its last seven games at home, including a 3-2 defeat to Anaheim on Nov. 30.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Anaheim), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)

    ABOUT THE DUCKS (13-11-7): The latest blow for Anaheim was an injury to the lower right leg of Perry, who will be sidelined on a week-to-week basis. "When you see him, it's not like he's limping. He's not on crutches or anything," coach Randy Carlyle said Tuesday. "He's in the weight room this morning. That's a great sign. But to give you a more definitive time frame, probably in a week or so." Carlyle did note that center Ryan Kesler, who has yet to play this season, and defenseman Hampus Lindholm will accompany the team on the road trip.

    ABOUT THE BLUES (21-9-2): St. Louis also is missing some key players, with second-leading scorer Jaden Schwartz expected to miss up to six weeks and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on injured reserve after taking a puck off the foot. Fellow blue-liner Jay Bouwmeester also sat out Tuesday's game for what coach Mike Yeo termed a "nagging" injury. "You wish they were in your lineup but that's the way it goes," netminder Jake Allen said. "We can't feel sorry for ourselves and people won't feel sorry for us because we're missing three of our top players."

    EXTRA POINTS

    1. Allen took the loss in the Nov. 30 setback to the Ducks, but he is 5-2-0 with a 1.76 goals-against average versus Anaheim.

    2. Getzlaf, who has been sidelined since Oct. 29 before returning Monday, has 34 points in 37 games against St. Louis.

    3. Blues F Kyle Brodziak had two goals against Anaheim last night but has failed to hit the scoresheet in seven games since.

    PREDICTION: Blues 3, Ducks 2

  13. #33
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Lightning vs. Coyotes Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high six games when they visit the struggling Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night. The Lightning opened their four-game road trip with a 3-0 victory at St. Louis on Tuesday as Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 32 shots for his league-leading 20th win and 21-year-old center Brayden Point scored for the fourth consecutive contest.

    Tampa Bay, which also plays Colorado and Vegas on the trip, has outscored opponents 23-9 during its win streak and boasts the league's top two scorers with captain Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov at 42 points apiece. The Lightning won't take this game for granted after dropping both contests to the Coyotes last season by identical 5-3 scores, but Arizona has lost four in a row overall and managed only two goals combined in the last three games. The Coyotes have won two of their last three at home against two of the top teams in the league - New Jersey and Los Angeles - but stand second to last in the NHL in goals for (2.24) and last in goals against (3.42). Rookie Clayton Keller still leads Arizona with 23 points, but has been held without a goal in 17 straight games and holds a minus-19 rating overall as the Coyotes open a five-game homestand.

    TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), FSN Arizona

    ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (22-6-2): Kucherov recorded his team-leading 21st goal in the victory over St. Louis and boasts eight points in the last seven games while Stamkos owns five in the past four contests. Point also had an assist Tuesday to push his way past Vladislav Namestnikov for third on the team with 28 points and linemate Tyler Johnson boasts nine points (three goals) in five December games after scoring once and setting up another versus the Blues. Mikhail Sergachev assisted on Kucherov's goal and has 21 points overall - most among rookie defenseman.

    ABOUT THE COYOTES (7-21-5): Arizona is 1-for-10 on the power play over the last six games and the top three scorers have all cooled off as Keller owns only six assists during his 17-game goal drought. Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson (18 points) has been held off the scoresheet in six consecutive contests and veteran center Derek Stepan (18) has not posted a point in the last three games. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun has registered a goal and an assist with 11 shots on net while averaging 22:01 on ice time in his first four games of the season after coming off injured reserve.

    OVERTIME

    1. The Coyotes have played the most road games (21) in the league and are 3-8-1 on home ice.

    2. Tampa Bay RW Ryan Callahan missed Tuesday's game with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day.

    3. The Lightning have recorded a power-play goal in 14 of the last 16 games and lead the league at 27.7 percent.

    PREDICTION: Lightning 5, Coyotes 2

  14. #34
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Sharks vs. Flames Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    After a three-day rest following a three-game homestand on which they earned five points, the San Jose Sharks kick off a three-game trek through Western Canada on Thursday with a matchup against the Calgary Flames. San Jose won the first two contests of its stretch at SAP Center before dropping a 4-3 decision to Minnesota in overtime on Sunday.

    Reigning Norris Trophy winner Brent Burns scored twice to double his goal total for the season as the Sharks rallied from a 3-0 deficit to extend their home point streak to five games (3-0-2). The 32-year-old Burns has recorded two points in each of his last three contests, including three of his tallies. Calgary also lost to the Wild last time out - a 2-1 road setback in a shootout on Tuesday that ran its point streak to four games (2-0-2). Johnny Gaudreau leads the Flames with 38 points but has landed on the scoresheet in only three of his last nine contests, notching a goal and three assists.

    TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCSN California (San Jose), Sportsnet Flames (Calgary)

    ABOUT THE SHARKS (16-10-3): Joe Thornton has collected a goal and four assists during his three-game point streak and is three points away from passing Doug Gilmour (1,414) for 18th place on the all-time list. Barring injury or a lengthy slump, the 38-year-old former Hart Trophy winner also figures to move ahead of Adam Oates (1,420) and Bryan Trottier (1,425) this season but would need to record 46 more points to overtake Teemu Selanne (1,457) for 15th place. Martin Jones, who has won only one of his last four starts, is one shy of 100 for his career.

    ABOUT THE FLAMES (16-12-3): Micheal Ferland scored the lone goal against Minnesota to pull even with Gaudreau (12) for second on the club behind Sean Monahan (17). The 25-year-old Ferland is three tallies away from matching the career high he set in 76 games last season. Monahan has been kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back contests after registering three goals and an assist in his previous three.

    OVERTIME

    1. Sharks RW Joel Ward's next point will his 300th in the NHL while D Justin Braun is one assist away from 100 for his career.

    2. Calgary G Mike Smith has gone 1-0-2 while allowing a total of four goals in his last three starts.

    3. San Jose placed RW Barclay Goodrow (lower body) on injured reserve and recalled C Danny O'Regan from the American Hockey League's San Jose Barracuda.

    PREDICTION: Flames 3, Sharks 2

  15. #35
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Panthers vs. Avalanche Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    The Colorado Avalanche erupted for a season-high goal total during their just-concluded four-game road trip and will face the team they victimized on Thursday night in the opener of a three-game homestand. Five days after rolling to a 7-3 rout of Florida in Miami, the Avalanche will take on the Panthers in a rematch at the Pepsi Center.

    Despite ending the road trip with a 5-2 loss at Washington, Colorado general manager Joe Sakic was happy with the split, especially since it followed a horrendous 1-4-0 homestand. "Every team has a dip at some point," Sakic said. "It's how you bounce back, how you stop the losing streak, and I've thought we've done a pretty good job on this trip." The Panthers will make the third stop on a five-game trek after getting trampled by the Avalanche, edging Detroit in overtime 2-1 before falling to Chicago 3-2 in OT. Aleksander Barkov, Florida's third-leading scorer, sat out last week's meeting versus Colorado, but he is riding a five-game point streak.

    TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Florida, Altitude (Colorado)

    ABOUT THE PANTHERS (12-14-5): Forward Evgenii Dadonov (upper body) returned to the lineup Tuesday after a 2 1/2-week absence, well ahead of his estimated recovery timetable of four to six weeks. However, linemate Denis Malgin was knocked out of the game early in the first period after absorbing a hard hit and was termed day-to-day by coach Bob Boughner, who said there's a chance he could be in the lineup Thursday. Goaltender James Reimer, who was dented for five goals by Colorado last week, will make his fifth consecutive start.

    ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (14-14-2): Nathan MacKinnon leads the team in goals (11), assists (22) and points (33), providing the production expected from a player drafted No. 1 overall in 2013. "This is Nathan's fifth year in the league -- he's still only 22 -- but he's taken the next step that Gabe (Landeskog) has, that EJ (Erik Johnson) has," Sakic said. "We've got the guys who are leading and the other guys are following." Rookie center Alex Kerfoot, who scored in the previous matchup versus Florida, is listed as day-to-day with a leg injury.

    OVERTIME

    1. Colorado was 0-for-14 on the power play during its last four games.

    2. Panthers C Vincent Trocheck has three goals and six assists over a six-game point streak.

    3. MacKinnon has just two points in nine games versus Florida.

    PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Panthers 3

  16. #36
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Predators vs. Oilers Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/14/2017

    The Nashville Predators have begun the month with a five-game point streak (4-0-1) and look to extend it when they continue their three-game trek through Western Canada on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. Nashville opened the road trip Wednesday with a 7-1 triumph in Vancouver, avenging its most recent regulation loss - a 5-3 home setback against the Canucks.

    That loss has marked the only time the Predators have failed to earn at least one point in their last 12 games. Nashville got even Wednesday as defenseman P.K. Subban scored twice while Craig Smith recorded a tally and two assists, with the latter matching the amount of goals (12) he totaled in 78 games last season. Edmonton returns home from a 2-1-0 road trip that concluded Tuesday with a 7-2 victory in Columbus. Connor McDavid led the charge with a goal and three assists, giving him nine points in his last six games and raising his team-leading total to 39.

    TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), Sportsnet West, TVA (Edmonton)

    ABOUT THE PREDATORS (19-7-4): Filip Forsberg continued his offensive onslaught in the win over Vancouver, recording a goal and an assist to increase his team lead to 31 points and give him at least one in 13 of his last 15 games. The 23-year-old Swede, who has collected seven of his club-high 15 goals and 10 assists in that span, set a career high Wednesday with his ninth power-play tally of the season. Subban's two-goal effort was a welcome sight as the veteran blue-liner had gone seven straight games without a point and 13 in a row without a tally.

    ABOUT THE OILERS (13-16-2): Anton Slepyshev returned to the lineup Tuesday after being scratched for four contests and notched an assist, giving the 23-year-old Russian three points in 14 games this season. Defenseman Adam Larsson has missed six straight games with an upper-body injury but has been working toward returning to the lineup soon. "He skated today, he skated when we were on the road, so things are improving," coach Todd McLellan told the team's website Wednesday. "We're probably back to that day-to-day scenario, but with his injury, he could wake up tomorrow and it could be back to where it was before. So we've got to get completely through it and make sure that he's fine."

    OVERTIME

    1. Predators C Ryan Johansen (upper body) and RW Scott Hartnell (lower body) were activated from injured reserve and returned to the lineup Wednesday, with the former recording two assists.

    2. Edmonton C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has notched a point in four of his last five games and shares the team lead in goals (12) with McDavid.

    3. Nashville assigned C Frederick Gaudreau, who has registered three assists in 17 contests, to Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

    PREDICTION: Oilers 3, Predators 2

  17. #37
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Penguins vs. Golden Knights Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    Marc-Andre Fleury plans to turn it up a notch on Thursday when he leads the Golden Knights into T-Mobile Arena to face the team with which he won three Stanley Cups and spent the first 13 seasons of his NHL career. The 33-year-old enters the much-anticipated reunion with the Pittsburgh Penguins after returning from a two-month absence due to a concussion with 35 saves in Tuesday's 3-2 shootout loss to Carolina.

    "I still have a lot of friends on the team. That would be nice to see them, try to do good," said Fleury, who was selected by Vegas in the expansion draft in June. "They're a good team. The Cup champs, it's a good challenge for our team. I'd like to do my part to beat them." The Golden Knights have answered a three-game skid with a 4-0-1 mark to keep the heat on Pacific Division-leading Los Angeles. Pittsburgh, however, has dropped two in a row and three of four on the heels of a four-game winning streak. Matt Murray, Fleury's understudy and eventual successor, was activated from injured reserve on Tuesday and will roll the dice as the Penguins open a three-game road trip in Vegas.

    TV: 10 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, SN360, AT&TSN-Pittsburgh, AT&TSN-Rocky Mountains (Vegas)

    ABOUT THE PENGUINS (16-13-3): Phil Kessel extended his point streak to five games (four goals, one assist) after scoring his team-leading 15th goal with 12 seconds remaining in a 2-1 loss against Colorado on Monday. The 30-year-old has recorded at least a point in 25 of 32 games this season. Fellow forward Evgeni Malkin set up Kessel against the Avalanche to increase his point streak to six, during which he has two goals and five assists.

    ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (19-9-2): Fleury isn't the only former Penguin in this game, as alternate captain Deryk Engelland spent parts of his first five NHL seasons in the Steel City. The 35-year-old defenseman scored a goal early in the second period versus Carolina and has two points in his last four contests following a nine-game point drought. Reilly Smith scored in back-to-back contests to give him four points (three goals, one assist) in six games in December while fellow forward Erik Haula has three goals and as many assists during his four-game point streak.

    OVERTIME

    1. Vegas has secured at least a point in 12 of its 14 home games (11-2-1), while Pittsburgh has dropped 10 of 16 (6-8-2) away from PPG Paints Arena.

    2. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is one regular-season win shy of 100.

    3. Golden Knights LW David Perron has one goal and three assists in three games since returning from injured reserve.

    PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Penguins 2

  18. #38
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Bethune Cookman vs. South Florida Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats07:00 PM
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    South Florida looks to end a four-game losing streak when it hosts in-state foe Bethune-Cookman on Thursday night. USF has not won since defeating Arkansas State on Nov. 24 and dropped three of the last four by double-digits.

    The Bulls have remained solid defensively, but struggle to make baskets on a consistent basis and come in off a night in which they shot 33.3 percent in a loss to Florida International. While USF is starting to get inside scoring with the emergence of Isaiah Manderson, who went 6-for-8 shooting and lead the Bulls with 12 points, the rest of the lineup finished just 14-of-52 on Monday. The backcourt trio of Stephan Jiggetts, Terrence Samuel and Payton Banks, who played over 30 minutes each, combined to go 6-for-28. "We've got a long way to go, but we're not too far off in some areas,'' Bulls coach Brian Gregory told reporters. "We just need to get some consistency. Consistency in our work ethic on a daily basis, which will then give us the best opportunity to have consistency come game time.''

    TV: 7 p.m. ET, No TV

    ABOUT BETHUNE-COOKMAN (5-5): The duo of Malik Maitland and Shawntrez Davis stepped up in the absence of leading scorer Brandon Tabb, who missed the last game due to suspension. Davis recorded his sixth career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds while Maitland added 21 points in a victory against Cal Poly. The status of Tabb, who averages 19.6 points per game, is unknown for Thursday.

    ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (4-6): Forward Tulio Da Silva, one of the few returners to the USF lineup, was challenged by Gregory to be stronger on the glass and the 6-7 sophomore responded in his last outing. Da Silva set a career high with 17 rebounds, the most by any player in the American Athletic Conference this season. The 17 rebounds are the most by a USF player since Chris Perry pulled down the same amount on Nov. 13, 2015 against Troy.

    TIP-INS

    1. The Bulls are tied for the 19th best 3-point field goal defense in Division I, holding opponents to 28.6 percent on 60-for-210 shooting from beyond the arc.

    2. Samuel is shooting 92.1 percent from the free throw line, tied for 23rd nationally.

    3. Jiggetts needs 18 points to reach 1.000 for his career, which began at Fairleigh Dickinson.

    PREDICTION: Bethune-Cookman 67, USF 61

  19. #39
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Prairie View A&M vs. Tulsa Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:00 PM
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    Tulsa had to adjust its defensive strategy after an injury to its top defender and the results were good last week against Kansas State. The Golden Hurricane will try to repeat that defensive performance when they host Prairie View A&M on Thursday.

    Tulsa junior guard DaQuan Jeffries (11.4 points) had surgery after hurting his hand in practice days before the Kansas State game and will be out for at least four weeks. The Golden Hurricane used different zones and a solid team effort to frustrate Kansas State. "The past couple games I feel like we've been playing good defensively; we were just missing one thing every other game," sophomore forward Martins Igbanu told the Tulsa World. "I feel like (the Kansas State game) was the first game when we had everything completed together as a team. That feels good." The Panthers have lost four straight to start a string of eight consecutive true road games.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN3.

    ABOUT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M (2-7): Junior guard Gary Blackston (17.7 points, 6.3 rebounds) earned his second Southwestern Athletic Conference player of the week honors after averaging 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 steals last week against Hawaii and Texas A&M. Senior forward Zachary Hamilton adds 17.6 points and 4.2 rebounds and junior guard Dennis Jones is averaging 9.7 points since joining the starting lineup three games ago. The Panthers rank last nationally in assists, averaging 8.1 on 21.9 field goals.

    ABOUT TULSA (5-4): Senior forward Junior Etou leads the Golden Hurricane with 17.3 points and 6.4 rebounds while shooting 52.2 percent from the 3-point line. Junior guard Sterling Taplin adds 12.9 points and 4.0 assists while Jeffries - who was shooting 62.1 percent from the floor before the injury - was the team's third-leading scorer. Igbanu (7.1 points, 4.6 rebounds) had 10 points and seven rebounds in his first start Saturday in place of Jeffries.

    TIP-INS

    1. Tulsa has outrebounded each of its last three opponents by double digits (for a plus-16.7 average) after being minus-4.5 through its first six games.

    2. The Golden Hurricane are 3-1 this season when Etou scores at least 20 points.

    3. Hamilton has scored in double figures in 16 consecutive games dating back to last season.

    PREDICTION: Tulsa 78, Prairie View A&M 62

  20. #40
    Service Play Moderator Can'tPickAWinner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Posts
    344,460
    Rep Power
    379
    Valparaiso vs. Northwestern Preview and Predictions

    By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
    by Gracenote on 12/13/2017

    Northwestern looks to build on a historic win when it hosts Valparaiso on Thursday. The Wildcats held Chicago State to eight first-half points en route to a 96-31 win to claim their largest margin of victory in program history, and they hope the blowout serves as a catalyst for a turnaround following an underwhelming start to the season.

    "We're trying to regain our defensive identity that's been such a staple of our program," Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters. "Got a great test ahead of us on Thursday as I have a lot of respect for Valpo and who they are as a program and a team." The Wildcats have won three straight meetings with the Crusaders, but the teams haven't faced off since 1979. Valparaiso has dropped back-to-back games after starting the season with eight consecutive victories and is coming off a 71-70 setback to Ball State on a 3-pointer in the final seconds on Saturday. The Crusaders have lost six straight games to Big Ten opponents since the start of 2012-13, including an 80-50 defeat to No. 17 Purdue last week, and hope for a resume-building victory by beating a Power 5 opponent on the road for the first time since Nov. 22, 2015.

    TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

    ABOUT VALPARAISO (8-2): Joe Burton buried four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 17 points in the loss to Ball State to finish in double figures for the second straight game after being limited to a combined eight points in his previous three outings. Bakari Evelyn added 14 points and six assists while Max Joseph contributed eight points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Tevonn Walker, who leads the Crusaders in scoring (16.4) and rebounding (4.8), missed the loss to the Cardinals due to illness but is likely to play on Thursday.

    ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (6-4): Vic Law went 7-of-7 from the foul line en route to 18 points to lead five players in double figures as the 65-point margin of victory over Chicago State bested the Wildcats' previous mark of 57 set in 1944. Aaron Falzon added a season-high 15 points while Dererk Pardon added 13 points and eight rebounds as Northwestern forced 25 turnovers against the Cougars. Freshman forward Rapolas Ivanauskas, who appeared in three games this season, will miss the rest of the campaign after having surgery on his shoulder earlier in the week.

    TIP-INS

    1. Northwestern has held opponents to an average of 55 points over its last five games.

    2. Wildcats G Bryant McIntosh is ranked fifth nationally in free-throw percentage (96.2).

    3. Walker has scored 22 or more points in three games this season.

    PREDICTION: Northwestern 71, Valparaiso 65

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •