Wednesday 12-20-17 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

SCOTT SPREITZER
NBA | Dec 20, 2017
Kings vs. Nets
Nets-5½

I'm laying the points with the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Sacramento parlayed a big fourth quarter into a SU win as an 8-point underdog in Philadelphia last night. There was a bit of negative news though. De'Aaron Fox left the game after playing just 11+ minutes after aggravating a quad injury. Fox is listed as doubtful tonight. Sacto has covered just one of their last six when playing without rest. The Nets had been a covering machine, beating the number in 10 of 12 games before a current 3-game SU & ATS losing streak. They may have reached bottom and players and coaches alike were highly disappointed in their effort in the loss to the Pacers. Spencer Dinwiddie was one of a couple players who mentioned they weren't happy with their level of play over the last few games. I expect a focused effort tonight and let's not fail to mention, the Nets have covered seven of the last eight meetings in Brooklyn. The Nets have refocused quickly off their last few big margin losses, heading into this one on a 4-1 ATS run following a loss by more than 10 points. I'm backing the Nets on Wednesday. Thanks & GL! Scott Spreitzer.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Raptors vs. Hornets Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/19/2017

The Toronto Raptors will try to follow up another dominant homestand when they begin a two-game road trip at the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Winners of nine of their last 10 overall, the Raptors swept a two-game stay in Canada with victories over Brooklyn and Sacramento by an average of 24 points.

Toronto improved to 11-1 at home and held an opponent under 100 points four times in the last five games, although the defense took some time to take over in the 108-93 triumph over the Kings, who scored 63 points before halftime and 30 in the second half. "Any team in this league, you let them shoot 61 percent, it's way too high," coach Dwane Casey told reporters of Sacramento's first-half shooting. "We held them to 31 percent in the second half, which is admirable, but we can't play with fire." The Hornets also had a fine defensive effort in a 109-91 win over the New York Knicks on Monday, snapping a three-game slide. Frank Kaminsky scored 24 points to tie a season high and both Dwight Howard and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had double-doubles.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet ONE (Toronto), FSN Southeast (Charlotte)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (20-8): DeMar DeRozan led the way against Sacramento with 21 points, although he shot just 6-for-17 and also recognized the team's need for a reset at halftime. "We picked it up aggressively -- very aggressively," DeRozan told reporters of the second half. "Especially the bench. I think I was in there with a couple of guys off the bench and they came in with high energy, got their hands on the basketball, got out in transition." Among the reserves providing a boost was forward Norman Powell, who made all five of his shots and is 10-for-13 from the floor over the last two games after going 2-for-15 over his previous three.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (11-19): Kaminsky needed just 27 minutes for his team-leading total against the Knicks and he was 10-for-13 from the floor to help end a shooting slump. "There's 82 games and you can control your effort for every single game," Kaminsky told reporters. "When I come out and just play, I think I'm a completely different player." While Kaminsky heated up, star guard Kemba Walker continued a slump of his own and is shooting 11-for-39 - including misses on all 13 of his 3-point tries - over the last two games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. DeRozan and backcourt mate Kyle Lowry combined for 66 points in Toronto's 126-113 win over Charlotte at home last month.

2. Howard shoots 53.8 percent for the season but is 3-for-10 in each of his last two games.

3. Raptors F Serge Ibaka (knee) missed Sunday's win and is day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Raptors 113, Hornets 106

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Heat vs. Celtics Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/19/2017

The Boston Celtics have added an improbable road win to their phenomenal first half of the season and will attempt to carry some momentum home when they host the Miami Heat on Wednesday. After blowing a 19-point lead at Indiana on Monday, the Celtics got a steal and a slam from Terry Rozier in the closing seconds to grab a 112-111 win, their second in a row following a 2-3 stretch.

The dunk capped a 10-4 run in the final 31 seconds as Boston became the first NBA team in 380 tries this season to erase at least a five-point deficit and win in the final 30 seconds of a game, according to ESPN Stats & Information. "Glad to join history for this season," guard Kyrie Irving told reporters. "It comes down to that final buzzer and you don't stop playing until it goes off." The Celtics also finished strong in their last meeting with Miami, but a slow start by Boston helped the Heat survive 104-98, evening the season series at a game apiece. That victory kicked off an 8-5 run for Miami but it was slowed down in Monday's 110-104 loss at Atlanta.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Miami), NBCSN Boston

ABOUT THE HEAT (15-15): Center Hassan Whiteside (knee) is not on Miami's two-game road trip, which will extend his absence to 11 games, and guard Goran Dragic missed Monday's loss due to an elbow injury. With forwards James Johnson (ankle) and Justise Winslow (knee) also out, Miami dressed just nine players, committed 19 turnovers and missed all 11 of its 3-point attempts in the second half. "We need to be better with the fundamentals, reading schemes and defenses better," coach Erik Spoelstra told the media. "We're working at it quite a bit and we just have to get more ownership, more responsibility with the ball."

ABOUT THE CELTICS (26-7): Rozier's clutch play overshadowed a big basket moments before by backup point guard Marcus Smart, who made all four of his 3-pointers and was 5-of-6 from the floor en route to 15 points. Irving added 30 points and is averaging 29 while making 15-of-34 3-pointers in four games since sitting out one contest with a quad injury. Forward Al Horford fell an assist shy of a triple-double and is averaging 16.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in a three-game stretch.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat C Kelly Olynyk will be making his return to Boston, where he played his first four seasons before signing with Miami this offseason.

2. Miami SG Dion Waiters had a team-high 23 points in the loss to Atlanta and scored 26 in the win over Boston on Nov. 22.

3. Celtics F Jayson Tatum is 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the last two games and continues to lead the NBA from long range (51.5 percent).

PREDICTION: Celtics 108, Heat 98

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pacers vs. Hawks Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

There will be a lot of attention on the Indiana Pacers when they take the court Wednesday in Atlanta against the Hawks, considering the epic late-game meltdown sustained in Monday's wild loss to Boston. After trailing by 18 in the first quarter, the Pacers battled back to take a five-point lead with 31.3 seconds remaining, only to be outscored 10-4 in a 112-111 loss against the top team in the Eastern Conference.

"It's a tough loss," Indiana guard Victor Oladipo told reporters after his team fell for the third time in four games. "We dug ourselves the deepest hole you can imagine and again, fought our way back like clockwork, but we come up short again." Atlanta - owners of the worst record in the NBA - won for just the seventh time this season by beating Miami 110-104 on Monday. Hawks forward Taurean Prince led the way with 24 points and is shooting 49.5 percent from the field in December. "We're wanting him to shoot a lot," Atlanta coach Mike Budenholzer told the media afterward. "Catch and shoot, shoot whenever he's got daylight, driving and finishing."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

ABOUT THE PACERS (17-14): Oladipo scored 12 of his 38 points Monday in the final two minutes, and is 10th in the NBA in scoring at 24.9 per game. The Pacers are seventh in the NBA in scoring at 108.3 points per game. Point guard Darren Collison continues to recover from a knee ailment that sidelined him for a game Dec. 10, averaging 13.3 points in his past four games.

ABOUT THE HAWKS (7-23): Prince is averaging 14.7 points in nine games this month, raising his season mark to 13.2 per contest. Point guard Dennis Schroder snapped a 14-for-40 shooting slump by hitting 10-of-19 attempts Monday in scoring 23 points. Atlanta ranks fifth in the league in steals (8.7 per game) and sixth in assists (23.6 per game) entering Tuesday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Oladipo has scored 20 or more points in 22 of his 30 games played this season.

2. Pacers C Myles Turner did not block a shot Monday for the first time since Nov. 1, but still leads the NBA at 2.3 per game.

3. Atlanta signed F Tyler Cavanaugh, who is averaging 5.5 points and 3.2 rebounds, to a multi-year contract before Monday's game.

PREDICTION: Pacers 113, Hawks 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Kings vs. Nets Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

Zach Randolph figures to become the 39th player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career rebounds on Wednesday, when the Sacramento Kings visit the Brooklyn Nets. Randolph is one board away from the milestone after leading the Kings to a 101-95 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Randolph scored 27 points on 12-of-19 shooting and also corralled five rebounds against Philadelphia, and is proving he has plenty of energy left in the tank at age 36. "I feel good. Like I had said in the beginning of the season, I feel like I'm in my prime," Randolph told reporters. "My mindset and what I believe in my heart - so I'm going to go out and play like it every game and give it the best I can give." The Nets have dropped three consecutive games, and nobody was happy with the team's performance in Sunday's 109-97 loss to Indiana. "I just think they had a higher level of physicality and execution, and any time a good team has that, it's going to be hard to overcome," Brooklyn point guard Spencer Dinwiddie told reporters. "I just think that our (competition) level isn't as high as it should be."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN California (Sacramento), YES (Brooklyn)

ABOUT THE KINGS (10-20): Sacramento's bench produced 48 points on Tuesday as backup guards Buddy Hield (24 points) and Frank Mason III (16 on 7-of-9 shooting) both produced strong performances. Hield's effort was his best since scoring a season-high 27 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Nov. 25, while the outing represented a season best for Mason - a rookie from Kansas. "Another guy that's unheralded, Frank has been playing great," veteran guard Garrett Temple told reporters after the victory. "He had a (heck) of a game for us. He finished the game out with a big 16 points."

ABOUT THE NETS (11-18): Newcomer Jahlil Okafor is trying to work himself into true game shape after being an outcast in Philadelphia prior to the recent trade. The 22-year-old center ripped the 76ers, telling reporters, "I'm happy I'm here with the actual NBA coaching staff that's taking care of me every day. When I was in Philly, I was figuring it out on my own," but Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson also is aware that work needs to be done. "We need to help him get in better condition, that is first off," Atkinson told reporters. "We need to integrate him more into the system. I think it is going to take some time."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Kings recorded a 122-105 victory last season to halt a seven-game road losing streak against the Nets.

2. Sacramento PG George Hill (strep throat) sat out versus the 76ers but expects to play on Wednesday.

3. Brooklyn swingman Allen Crabbe was 4-for-6 from 3-point range in the loss to Indiana after going 4-for-21 over his previous two contests.

PREDICTION: Nets 109, Kings 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Magic vs. Bulls Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/19/2017

With an extremely challenging road trip on the horizon, the Chicago Bulls will try to keep their surprising winning streak alive when they take on the Orlando Magic at home Wednesday night. The Bulls, who have won six in a row following a 3-20 start, will be tested at Cleveland, Boston and Milwaukee during a six-day trip that begins Thursday.

They'll first try to stay hot against a Magic squad that dropped five in a row and would be tied with Chicago with another setback in this one. The Bulls' run coincides with the return of forward Nikola Mirotic, who had 22 points in Monday's 117-115 win over Philadelphia at home. "These guys have made leaps and bounds from where we were as far as making plays down the stretch and going out and playing with confidence when it matters most," coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. Orlando was without three starters and its top two scorers in a 114-110 loss to Detroit its last time out.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), NBCSN Chicago

ABOUT THE MAGIC (11-20): Aaron Gordon (calf, concussion) missed three of the last four games, Evan Fournier (ankle) missed five in a row and Terrence Ross (knee) has yet to play in December. The primary beneficiary of the available minutes has been former first-round selection Mario Hezonja, who erupted for a career-high 28 points while making 8-of-12 3-pointers in the loss to the Pistons on Sunday. "Mario's got some ability," coach Frank Vogel said. "He's just a young player, like a lot of our guys on our team. He's going to have those spurts."

ABOUT THE BULLS (9-20): Kris Dunn also had 22 points while making 9-of-14 shots and both of his 3-point tries against the 76ers. "We're just trying to compete each and every game," Dunn told reporters after bumping his average to 15.6 in nine games this month. "We know that eventually a loss will come, but right now we're just trying to ride on the streak." Fellow guard Justin Holiday is shooting 41 percent from 3-point distance at home - compared to 29.5 percent on the road - after making 5-of-7 versus Philadelphia.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Magic C Nikola Vucevic has recorded six straight double-doubles while averaging 23 points and 14.3 rebounds.

2. Mirotic is averaging 24.3 points and 9.5 boards over the last four games.

3. Holiday led seven Bulls in double figures in a 105-83 win at Orlando on Nov. 3

PREDICTION: Bulls 109, Magic 100

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Jazz vs. Thunder Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:00 PM
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The Oklahoma City Thunder are still trying to figure out how to distribute the shots among their three star players, and sometimes it's just Russell Westbrook taking over and trying to win games. Westbrook will try to get a little more help and the Thunder will go for back-to-back victories when they host the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

Westbrook scored a season-high 38 points on 16-of-28 shooting in a 95-94 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday while Paul George went 3-for-13 and Carmelo Anthony was limited to four points while taking just six shots in 31 minutes. "I'm good with that, if we win," Anthony told reporters. "I'm cool with that, man. (Westbrook) had it going, and any time he has it going, we gotta just space it out, play off of him, let him work. The ball will find us. As far as shots go, there's going to be nights like that. I think that's something we have to accept." The Jazz could use a player like Westbrook to take over in the fourth quarter after getting run out of the arena by the Houston Rockets in the final 12 minutes on Monday. Utah held a five-point lead entering the fourth quarter and was up eight with just under 10 minutes to play before falling off the pace and losing 120-99 - it's sixth loss in the last seven games.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah), FS Oklahoma

ABOUT THE JAZZ (14-17): Utah is enduring a rough stretch of schedule with games at Boston, Cleveland and Houston and is finishing off a six-game road trip on Wednesday. The Jazz, who earned a 107-95 win at Boston on Friday for the lone victory of the road trip thus far, are mixing and matchup lineups with several key players injured and were without frontcourt stalwarts Derrick Favors (concussion) and Rudy Gobert (knee) on Monday. "We competed, and that was the main thing," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters after the loss. "But we got cross-matched in transition a couple of times. ... They are too good a team to let get going and they showed why they are so good. But I thought our guys showed tremendous character."

ABOUT THE THUNDER (15-15): The stagnation of the offense is a point of concern for Oklahoma City, even with the team winning three of its last four games. "The ball has gotta move and we have to generate better shots," coach Billy Donovan told reporters. "We can't iso our way to being a great team offensively." Westbrook recorded a triple-double in two of the last three wins and is averaging 30 points over the last three contests, beginning with a 119-117 triple-overtime win at Philadelphia on Friday in which he hoisted up 33 shots - making 10.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Jazz SG Joe Johnson is 0-of-7 from 3-point range in three games since returning from a wrist injury.

2. Thunder C Steven Adams (concussion) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.

3. Utah took the first meeting at home on Oct. 21 but fell at Oklahoma City 100-94 on Dec. 5 as Westbrook collected 34 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds.

PREDICTION: Thunder 106, Jazz 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Lakers vs. Rockets Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

There might not be a tougher stretch of schedule in the NBA this season than the one the Los Angeles Lakers are enduring right now, and they are still searching for a win. The Lakers, who lost at Cleveland on Thursday and fell at home in overtime to the Golden State Warriors on Monday, will visit the NBA-best Houston Rockets on Wednesday.

Los Angeles, which then heads up to Golden State on Friday, dropped its last three games - beginning with an overtime setback at the New York Knicks last week - but continues to battle. "Be very proud of the way you played tonight, be very proud," Lakers coach Luke Walton told reporters of his message to the team after Monday's 116-114 setback. "That's the defending champs over there. Let it hurt because it should hurt to lose. Be proud of the effort you gave and be excited about the fact that it's things within our control that can be the difference in these losses." The Rockets don't know much about losses and ran their winning streak to 14 straight with a 120-99 victory over the Utah Jazz in the finale of a five-game homestand on Monday. Houston trailed 84-79 entering the fourth quarter before outscoring the Jazz 41-15 over the final 12 minutes.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (25-4): James Harden wasn't having his best night on Monday and Chris Paul only had two assists entering the fourth quarter before the two stars got a big lift from Eric Gordon and dominated the final frame. Gordon scored 17 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter and finished 7-of-12 from 3-point range to continue a recent breakout that has seen him average 21.4 points on 59 percent shooting over the last five games. The 28-year-old shot 33 percent from the floor, including 19.4 percent from 3-point range, over his previous nine games.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (10-18): Los Angeles' young players were inspired by the celebration that took place around the retirement of Kobe Bryant's jerseys on Monday but couldn't quite get a win in front of an arena full of Hall of Fame players. Rookie Kyle Kuzma led the way with 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting in 40 minutes off the bench and is averaging 21.3 points over the last three contests. Fellow rookie Lonzo Ball collected 16 points for his third straight game in double figures - the longest such stretch of his young career.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rockets PF Ryan Anderson went scoreless in each of the last two games and is 4-of-19 from 3-point range over the last six contests.

2. Lakers C Brook Lopez (ankle) is expected to miss at least the next three weeks.

3. Harden collected 36 points and nine assists in a 118-95 win at Los Angeles on Dec. 3.

PREDICTION: Rockets 121, Lakers 113

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pistons vs. Mavericks Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats08:30 PM
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The Detroit Pistons have seemingly righted the ship following a long losing streak and they'll try to extend their current run of consecutive wins to four when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. The Pistons dropped seven straight to open December before stepping up their game defensively in two road wins and then posting their best offensive effort of the month with a 114-110 victory at home against Orlando on Sunday.

Reggie Bullock scored 20 points while making 8-of-10 shots and Detroit sank 17-of-34 3-pointers while holding off a fourth-quarter charge by the Magic. "We played a very good first half, Reggie Bullock and Anthony Tolliver played very well, and we didn't try at all in the second half," coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "We didn't bring anything to the second half." The Mavericks have had some late swoons of their own during a three-game slide and they were outscored 29-16 in the fourth quarter of Monday's 97-91 loss to Phoenix. Harrison Barnes scored 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting but the rest of his team was 21-for-67 and Dallas shot 36.4 percent overall, its worst mark since Oct. 26.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (17-13): Bullock was making his fourth straight start and figures to get more with guard Avery Bradley (groin) now expected to miss at least another week of action. "This is probably one of my most true opportunities probably, since I've been in the league," Bullock told reporters. "Just knowing I'm going to be in the rotation." The 26-year-old is averaging 12.8 points on 64.5 percent shooting in those four starts while making 9-of-15 3-pointers and recording eight steals.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (8-23): Rookie Dennis Smith Jr., who ranks second to Barnes in scoring with 14.4 point per game, has missed six straight games with a hip injury but coach Rick Carlisle called his point guard "optimistically questionable" for Wednesday. Dallas has averaged 95.5 points since Smith was sidelined after going above 100 in four of the five games prior to the injury. Fellow rookie Maximilian Kleber is showing signs of becoming a go-to player but he is shooting 44 percent from the floor and 21.1 percent from beyond the arc at home, compared to 63.5 and 43.5, respectively, on the road.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons G Reggie Jackson averaged 21 points as his team took both meetings last season.

2. Mavericks PF Dirk Nowitzki needs two 3-pointers to tie Chauncey Billups (1,830) for 12th all-time in the NBA.

3. Tolliver buried 5-of-7 3-pointers against Orlando and is 14-of-25 over a five-game span.

PREDICTION: Pistons 107, Mavericks 102

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Timberwolves vs. Nuggets Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

Jimmy Butler shook off a sore back last time out to reach 30 points for the fourth time this month and looks to stay hot when his Minnesota Timberwolves open a three-game road trip against the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Butler scored 37 points in the 108-107 victory over Portland on Monday and is averaging 25.8 in December while shooting 49.4 percent from the field.

"That's Jimmy Butler right there," Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau told the Star Tribune after his team's fourth win in the last six games. "His last 15 games or so, he's been off the charts. It's the toughness he brings in every possession. Special player." The Timberwolves, who have not made the playoffs since the 2003-04 season, sit in the fourth spot in the Western Conference and the Nuggets are 1½ games behind them after dropping five of their last eight contests. Denver led by six going into the fourth quarter Monday at Oklahoma City before allowing Russell Westbrook to score 16 and managing 18 points itself in the final 12 minutes for a 95-94 setback. "There was a lot of a bad execution on both ends of the floor down the stretch," Nuggets coach Michael Malone told reporters. "We've been pretty good in those situations so far this season. (Monday) was a step backwards, unfortunately."

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), Altitude (Denver)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (18-13): Butler has pushed his season scoring average to 20.1 with a hot month and he is second on the team behind center Karl-Anthony Towns (20.5), who has drained 9-of-17 from 3-point range the last three games. Small forward Andrew Wiggins is contributing 17.9 points per game, but has made just 9-of-30 from the field over the past two outings. Veteran reserve guard Jamal Crawford scored a season-high 23 in Monday's win after managing only 10 combined over the previous three contests.

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (16-14): Power forward Trey Lyles has raised his production level over the last five games, averaging 17.6 points and shooting 64 percent from the field to add another offensive weapon. Guard Gary Harris leads the team in scoring (16.1) after averaging 20.6 and shooting 50 percent from the floor in the past five games while backcourt mate Will Barton (15.4) hopes to rebound from a 2-for-15 shooting performance. Center Nikola Jokic averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds in the last two games after missing seven with an ankle injury.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Minnesota PG Jeff Teague is in the top eight of the league in assists (7.1) and is shooting 52 percent from the field the last four games.

2. Denver G Emmanuel Mudiay (ankle), who averages 9.6 points, is questionable after missing Monday's contest.

3. The Timberwolves have won the last two meetings after dropping five straight against the Nuggets.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 111, Nuggets 99

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Spurs vs. Trail Blazers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The San Antonio Spurs continue to slowly work All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard back into the mix and seem to have found their form again after going through the minor rotation upheaval. The Spurs will try to pick up their third straight win when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

Leonard, who missed the first 27 games while recovering from quad tendinopathy, has yet to play more than 17 minutes and watched San Antonio lose in his first two games back before sitting out the second half of a back-to-back during a win on Saturday and finally playing in a win on Monday. Leonard was limited to seven points on 3-of-7 shooting over 16 minutes in the 109-91 triumph over the Clippers and will continue to be on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future. The Trail Blazers are coming off a winning road trip but head home with a sour taste after falling 108-107 at Minnesota on Monday to snap a three-game winning streak. "I think we should have been 4-1, but the reality is 3-2, so not a bad trip," shooting guard CJ McCollum told reporters. "Tighten some things up and try to take advantage of some home games."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio), NBCS Northwest (Portland)

ABOUT THE SPURS (21-10): Leonard isn't the only star being brought along slowly from injury, and point guard Tony Parker seems to be finding his stride. Parker, who sat out the first 19 games recovering from a quad injury, is sitting out back-to-backs and is on his own minutes restriction but scored a season-high 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 23 minutes on Monday. Parker, 35, also managed seven assists and two steals and hit his first 3-pointer of the campaign while scoring in double figures for the fourth time - all at home.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (16-14): Portland was confused as to why it did not attempt a free throw in the second half of Monday's loss, and Damian Lillard questioned the officiating. "At crucial moments, we're making plays and trying to score and guys (are) getting hit," Lillard told reporters. "Guys literally out there grabbing my arms. I got hit in the face one time and it's like in shooting motion. ... On the last play of the game I'm trying to get open and the guy is hugging me from the back, literally hugging me. There's three referees out there and somebody's got to see it." McCollum finished with 20 points in the loss and averaged 22.8 on 52.4 percent shooting on the road trip.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers PF Al-Farouq Aminu is 11-of-21 from 3-point range over the last four games.

2. San Antonio SG Danny Green (groin) sat out the last two games and is day-to-day.

3. The teams split four meetings last season, with Portland winning the final two.

PREDICTION: Spurs 106, Trail Blazers 98

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Suns vs. Clippers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:30 PM
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The Los Angeles Clippers are suffering through a woeful season, but they typically fare well when the Phoenix Suns come to town. Los Angeles looks to halt a three-game losing streak on Wednesday, when it also attempts to record its ninth consecutive home victory over the Suns.

The Clippers have won their last five overall meetings with Phoenix and 14 of the last 16. Los Angeles is hoping to rebound after losing the final three contests of a four-game road trip by an average of 10.7 points, including Monday's 109-91 setback against San Antonio. The Suns are looking to complete a 3-0 road trip after rallying for victories over Minnesota and Dallas on the first two stops. "Our defense kept us in it again, until we started making some shots," Suns interim coach Jay Triano told reporters after Monday's 97-91 triumph over the Mavericks. "That was the key for us. That was the key for us the other night (in Minnesota) as well. We turned it over too many times, but our defense kept us in."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE SUNS (11-21): Phoenix outscored Dallas 29-16 in the fourth quarter to rally for the victory two nights after it overcame a 15-point deficit en route to a 108-106 win over the Timberwolves. The Suns' bench fueled the triumph over Dallas with a 55-28 advantage in points as recent pickup Isaiah Canaan contributed 17 points, six assists and three steals while Alex Len recorded 14 points and 14 rebounds. Canaan was added when Phoenix was awarded an injury hardship roster spot, and he has averaged 16 points and 6.5 assists over his first two contests.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (11-18): Los Angeles has been without forwards Blake Griffin (knee) and Danilo Gallinari (glute) and point guard Patrick Beverley (knee), and then shooting guard Lou Williams (right foot) and forward Wesley Johnson (left foot) joined the injury list and missed the loss to the Spurs. Williams is listed as day-to-day while Johnson likely is out for at least one week, but the team did get back guard Austin Rivers (concussion) from a two-game absence. "This has just been a terrible season so far for our health," Rivers told reporters after the loss. "Seems like one guy comes in, two guys go out. One guy comes in, two guys go out. Two guys come back, one guy goes out. It's just constant. We've got to keep our head up."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Clippers rolled to a 130-88 victory over the Suns on Oct. 21 in this season's first meeting.

2. Los Angeles C DeAndre Jordan recorded 13 points and 14 rebounds against the Spurs for his fifth consecutive double-double.

3. Phoenix SG Devin Booker (groin) will miss his seventh straight game but is expected to return sometime next week.

PREDICTION: Clippers 117, Suns 110

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Grizzlies vs. Warriors Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats10:30 PM
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The Golden State Warriors can win without three starters, even when the two remaining starters are enduring sub-par shooting nights. The Memphis Grizzlies, who visit the Warriors on Wednesday, don't deal quite as well with injuries and are losers of 17 of their last 19 games.

Golden State stretched its winning streak to nine straight with a 116-114 overtime win at the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday despite being without starters Stephen Curry (ankle), Zaza Pachulia (shoulder) and Draymond Green (shoulder) as well as key reserve Shaun Livingston (knee). Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson are carrying the team of late, and Durant continues to find ways to come through even when his shot isn't falling early. The Grizzlies have gone through much of their tailspin without starting point guard Mike Conley, who will be out at least two more weeks due to an Achilles injury. "I don't think about records," Memphis center Marc Gasol told reporters. "I don't think about wins. I think you guys know me enough to know that I don't think about the end result as much as how you get there and the things you need to do to get there. The importance of processing with this team is huge. It's not so much about winning or losing, it's more about the things you need to do today to improve as a team to actually be a good team again."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Southeast (Memphis), NBCS Bay Area (Golden State)

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (9-21): Gasol is the unquestioned leader of the team with Conley out and is trying to coax his younger teammates into good habits. "The effort is something that has got to be constant," Gasol told reporters after a 102-93 loss to the Boston Celtics on Saturday. "Mistakes will be made for sure; hopefully we can cut them down. We've got to be able to execute what we work on better defensively and offensively, be a little less predictable, having more reads and plays that are not for us, being triggers for all the guys, and defensively having better communication. That should give us more trust." Gasol is averaging 19.1 points and 8.6 rebounds but is shooting a career-low 42.3 percent from the floor.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (24-6): Durant and Thompson combined to go 16-of-53 from the floor on Monday, but each managed a double-double and Durant finished with 36 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. The former MVP is taking his game to another level in the absence of Curry and is averaging 34.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 7.4 assists and three blocks in five games since his fellow former MVP went down. Thompson is averaging 21.8 points in those five games and shot 50.7 percent from the floor in the first four before struggling to 6-of-24 in Monday's win.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Livingston, Green, Pachulia and Warriors SG Nick Young (concussion) are all day-to-day while Curry is not expected to play on Wednesday.

2. Grizzlies G Tyreke Evans is averaging 23.5 points in two games since returning from a hip injury.

3. Gasol collected 34 points and 14 rebounds in Memphis' 111-101 home win over Golden State on Oct. 21.

PREDICTION: Warriors 109, Grizzlies 101

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The Toronto Maple Leafs broke out of a baffling scoring slump last time out and hope to build off that effort when they visit the suddenly struggling Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday. The Maple Leafs had managed a total of four goals in four games, including losses in three straight, before scoring four times in the first period en route to an 8-1 victory over Carolina on Tuesday afternoon.

Leading scorer Auston Matthews missed his fifth straight game with an upper-body injury, but the Maple Leafs finally were able to overcome his loss in the offensive zone as Mitch Marner and Tyler Bozak posted four points apiece. Matthews is set to travel with the team but is not expected to play against Columbus, which is coming off a 7-2 setback at Boston on Monday - its third loss in four contests. The Blue Jackets have allowed 20 goals in their last four games and have lost five of eight overall but have played well at home (12-6-0). "I'm not going to sit here and say, 'We're going to do this, this and take that guy out of the lineup. ... Bench him.' That's not going to happen," Columbus coach John Tortorella told the team's website. "We have got to grow together here through a pretty tough couple of - probably three or four - games here that we haven't played well."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA (Toronto), FSN Ohio (Columbus)

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (21-13-1): Matthews is expected to do some skating in Columbus but could lose his team lead in points as James van Riemsdyk (25) has pulled within one of the former first overall pick. The line of Bozak, Marner and van Riemsdyk (team-high 16 goals) finished with 11 points in Tuesday's win while William Nylander scored a goal for just his second point in eight games this month. Backup Curtis McElhinney is expected to get the start on Wednesday after Frederik Andersen earned his 18th win against Carolina.

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (20-13-1): Sergei Bobrovsky (198 career wins) surrendered 18 of the 20 goals over the last four games and faced a season-high 45 shots against Boston, including 16 in the first period. Leading scorer Artemi Panarin (28 points) has managed just one shot in his last two games, but Josh Anderson has recorded three goals in his last five contests. Seth Jones has scored twice in his last three games after going 17 contests without a tally and defense partner Zach Werenski leads all NHL blue-liners with 10 goals.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto C Nazem Kadri (13 goals, 23 points) has been kept off the scoresheet in eight consecutive games.

2. Columbus C Alexander Wennberg has recorded one goal and three assists in his last three contests.

3. The Blue Jackets have won four of the last five meetings, but the Maple Leafs won the last matchup in Columbus.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 4, Blue Jackets 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Red Wings vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

By Gracenote for Scores and Stats
by Gracenote on 12/20/2017

The Detroit Red Wings have bounced back well since beginning the month with a 10-1 loss in Montreal and look to extend their point streak to five contests when they continue their four-game road trip Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers. Detroit enjoyed a 2-1-2 homestand after being trounced by the Canadiens on Dec. 2 and kicked off its trek with Tuesday's 6-3 triumph over the New York Islanders.

Captain Henrik Zetterberg and Dylan Larkin each recorded three assists as the Red Wings scored the final four goals to end a three-game slide on the road (0-2-1) and improve to 2-0-2 in their last four overall contests. Philadelphia also had been streaking since a 10-game skid (0-5-5), winning six in a row before dropping a 4-1 decision to Los Angeles on Monday. Jakub Voracek scored the lone goal to increase his team-leading point total to 41 as the Flyers fell to 3-1-0 on their five-game homestand. The 28-year-old Czech, who began Tuesday as the league leader in assists with 33, has collected 11 points over his last seven contests and has not been kept off the scoresheet in back-to-back games since Nov. 11 and 14 - both times by Minnesota.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (13-13-7): Trevor Daley has scored the winning goal in each of Detroit's last two contests after failing to tally in his first 29 games this season. The 34-year-old defenseman enters Wednesday with a four-game point streak (two goals, two assists), which has followed a 22-game drought. Zetterberg has scored one goal and set up six others during his four-game point streak and is four assists shy of 600 for his career.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (14-12-7): Philadelphia hopes to have Claude Giroux in the lineup against Detroit as the captain missed the final 4 minutes, 43 seconds of Monday's loss after receiving a push from behind that caused him to fall and slide into a member of the Kings, who proceeded to fall on him. The 29-year-old Giroux notched an assist in the game, giving him eight points (two goals) over his last six contests. Brian Elliott, who has made eight consecutive starts, was named the NHL's Third and Second Star, respectively, for the last two weeks.

OVERTIME

1. Voracek's goal on Monday ended his 10-game drought and put him within two of his ninth straight season in double digits.

2. Detroit RW Anthony Mantha netted his team-leading 13th goal on Tuesday after being kept off the scoresheet for six contests.

3. Philadelphia has given the opposition fewer than three power-play opportunities in eight straight contests and is 12-for-13 on the penalty kill in that span.

PREDICTION: Flyers 4, Red Wings 2