Thursday 3-29-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Diego Padres Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

27th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Milwaukee Brewers are aiming to end a six-year playoff drought as they visit the San Diego Padres in Thursday's season opener. While the Brewers are looking to build on last year's 86-win season, San Diego is striving for respectability after signing free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer.

Hosmer received a franchise-record eight-year, $144 million contract from the Padres, who went 71-91 in 2017 and have suffered through seven consecutive losing seasons. San Diego is expecting the former Kansas City Royals star to provide clubhouse leadership to a young team as well as team with 2016 All-Star Wil Myers to perk up the offense. The Brewers vastly improved their outfield by adding Lorenzo Cain (Hosmer's former Kansas City teammate) and Christian Yelich (from Miami). Former National League MVP Ryan Braun will play first base against left-handed pitchers despite publicly declaring two weeks ago that he is uncomfortable playing the position.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FS San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Chase Anderson (2017: 12-4, 2.74 ERA) vs. Padres LH Clayton Richard (8-15, 4.79)

Anderson is coming off a career best for victories and had a solid .220 batting average against in 25 starts last season and manager Craig Counsell said he will be even better this season. "He's worked hard on developing his curveball and delivery, and added velocity in his delivery," Counsell told reporters. "He's a player that's worked hard to get better." Anderson is 3-1 with a 3.99 ERA in eight career starts versus the Padres and is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in three outings at Petco Park.

Richard is making his first Opening Day start at age 34 only 19-plus months after the Padres re-signed him at a time when he was throwing baseballs to a 15-and-16 year-old team in Lafayette, Ind., to keep his arm loose. "(This) was definitely out of my scope at the time," Richard told reporters about drawing the Opening Day assignment. "But I know it wouldn't have been a surprise. I've worked my whole career to be in this position. It hasn't taken me by surprise." Richard was shelled for six runs and 10 hits in six innings while taking the loss in his lone 2017 outing against the Brewers.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Padres haven't made the postseason since winning the NL West in 2006.

2. Milwaukee is opening on the road for the first time since 2011, when it began the season in Cincinnati.

3. San Diego RHP Dinelson Lamet, who was originally scheduled to start the second game of the season, was placed on the disabled list after suffering a flexor strain in his right elbow in his final spring start and the Padres haven't yet tabbed a replacement.

PREDICTION: Brewers 6, Padres 4

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Nationals vs. Cincinnati Reds Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

27th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Washington Nationals parted ways with manager Dusty Baker in the offseason for his lack of playoff success despite the fact he guided the club to back-to-back National League East titles and two of the four most successful seasons in club history. Dave Martinez will take his first step toward achieving what his predecessor was unable to do Thursday when the Nationals begin their season with the first of three games against the host Cincinnati Reds.

Baker led his club to a 192-132 regular-season record during his two-year stint with Washington, but the Nationals fell in five games during the NL Division Series to Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016 and to the Chicago Cubs in 2017. Rather than opt for another experienced hand to take the club to the next level, Washington turned to Martinez, who will run a team for the first time after serving as a bench coach the last 10 seasons - all under Joe Maddon, including the last three with the Cubs. The Reds have posted consecutive 68-win campaigns and are coming off their third straight last-place finish in the NL Central, thanks largely to a pitching staff that has ranked 26th or worse in ERA each time over that span. Those woes were really magnified last season against Washington, which outscored Cincinnati 61-26 while winning six of the seven meetings.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, MASN 2 (Washington), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Max Scherzer (2017: 16-6, 2.51 ERA) vs. Reds RH Homer Bailey (6-9, 6.43)

Scherzer posted a sub-3.00 ERA, sub-1.00 WHIP and at least 250 strikeouts for the third time in as many seasons since signing with Washington in 2015. The back-to-back NL Cy Young Award winner is coming off an uneven spring, allowing 12 runs - including six homers - in 26 innings despite holding hitters to a .183 average and finishing with a 0.77 WHIP. Scherzer fanned 10 over six scoreless innings to get the win in his only start versus the Reds last season, improving to 2-1 with a 2.55 ERA in four starts against them.

Bailey will make his first Opening Day start at home and appears to be healthy after battling forearm and elbow injuries over the last three seasons, limiting him to 26 starts over that span. The 31-year-old didn't inspire a great deal of confidence during the exhibition season, however, going 0-2 with a 7.50 ERA in five turns while allowing seven homers in 18 frames. Bailey coughed up 16 runs in 5 2/3 innings while losing both his starts to the Nationals last season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington OF Bryce Harper went 12-for-29 with three home runs against Cincinnati last season.

2. Reds 1B Joey Votto, the 2017 NL MVP runner-up, managed only three singles in 22 at-bats against the Nationals in 2017.

3. Washington three-time All-Star 2B Daniel Murphy is expected to be out until at least mid-April as he continues his recovery from October microfracture knee surgery.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Reds 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Philadelphia Phillies vs. Atlanta Braves Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

27th March 2018 by Gracenote
Two teams looking to take a step forward in their rebuilds and begin climbing in the National League East open the 2018 season Thursday when the Philadelphia Phillies visit the Atlanta Braves to start a three-game series. The Phillies were active in the offseason, bringing in pitcher Jake Arrieta and first baseman Carlos Santana to bolster an emerging young core, and made news Sunday by locking up rookie Scott Kingery to a six-year deal before his major-league debut.

The 23-year-old Kingery, who slugged 26 homers with 29 stolen bases in 132 minor-league games a season ago, hit .418 in spring training. Atlanta also has a marquee prospect in Ronald Acuna Jr., who will begin the season in the minor leagues but is expected to reach the majors quickly after hitting .432 with four homers and four stolen bases in just 44 spring-training at-bats. The Braves, who have lost 90 games or more each of the past three seasons, seem content to let their young players prove themselves this season as new general manager Alex Anthopoulos enters his first season at the helm. First baseman Freddie Freeman, who missed significant time with a wrist injury last season and actually played 16 games at third base upon his return, hit .319 in spring training and could emerge as a darkhorse MVP candidate.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Aaron Nola (2017: 12-11, 3.54 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (2017: 11-13, 4.49)

The 24-year-old Nola took a step forward in his second full season in the Phillies rotation in 2017, doubling his win total while lowering his ERA in 27 starts and posting a 1.21 WHIP. Nola pitched well in spring training, finishing with a 3.50 ERA in five starts with a 6:1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio (18 strikeouts, three walks in 18 innings). Nola beat Atlanta in both of his starts last season, posting a 1.20 ERA with one walk and 12 strikeouts in 15 innings.

Teheran struggled mightily in his first season in Atlanta's new SunTrust Park in 2017, going 3-10 with a 5.86 ERA with 17 homers allowed in 93 2/3 innings. The 27-year-old was much better on the road (8-3, 3.14 ERA in 15 starts) and showed a new-found confidence in his slider in spring training, posting a 1.40 ERA in six starts with 19 hits allowed in 25 2/3 innings. Teheran went 1-2 with a 5.79 ERA in four starts against Philadelphia a season ago, striking out 24 in 23 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Phillies won just 66 games a season ago but dominated the series against Atlanta, beating the Braves 13 times in 19 matchups.

2. Atlanta faces a daunting early-season schedule, as the Braves will play four consecutive series against 2017 playoff teams following the series with Philadelphia.

3. New Phillies manager Gabe Kapler is expected to hit Santana - who posted an OPS of .752 or higher in each of his first eight seasons - second in the lineup.

PREDICTION: Phillies 5, Braves 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Chicago White Sox vs. Kansas City Royals Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
As the Kansas City Royals begin what appears to be a rebuilding process, the Chicago White Sox hope this is the year their rebuild moves into the next phase. The AL Central rivals start the season in Kansas City on Thursday with the opener of their three-game series.


The White Sox have a roster loaded with talented, young players they hope will be ready to compete for a playoff spot ahead of schedule. Young infielders Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson and Yolmer Sanchez hope to take the next step in their development and complement star first baseman Jose Abreu and All-Star right fielder Avisail Garcia. The Royals' lineup features some new faces after Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain - cornerstones of the 2015 world championship team - moved on via free agency. Lucas Duda slots in at first base with Jon Jay in center field, joining a lineup anchored by veterans Mike Moustakas and Salvador Perez and 2017 breakout Whit Merrifield.

TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Kansas City


PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH James Shields (2017: 5-7, 5.23 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (2017: 9-10, 3.81)

Shields is making his eighth Opening Day start for his fourth different team, which includes the Royals in 2013. The 36-year-old is coming off a tough campaign during which he finished strong, winning three of his last four turns. Shields struggled at Kauffman Stadium, even when he was with the Royals, as he is 9-13 with a 4.35 ERA in 36 career starts there.

Duffy takes the ball on Opening Day for the second straight year after striking out eight and allowing one run over six innings at Minnesota last season. The 29-year-old left his last spring start with shoulder tightness but threw on Sunday and reported he was ready for the opener. Duffy is 7-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 20 career games (18 starts) against the White Sox, who tagged him for 19 runs over 22 innings in four meetings last year.


WALK-OFFS

1. Moustakas has hit more home runs against the White Sox (19) than any other team, including six last season.

2. Abreu has recorded at least 25 homers, 32 doubles, 100 RBIs and a .290 batting average in each of his last four campaigns.

3. Royals SS Alcides Escobar is 6-for-14 with three extra-base hits against Shields.


PREDICTION: Royals 5, White Sox 4

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Penn St. Nittany Lions vs. Utah Utes Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
When it last played at Madison Square Garden in New York four weeks ago, Penn State wasn't able to reach its goal, losing in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament and missing out on the Big Dance. Now, the Nittany Lions have a second chance to close a deal in the Big Apple when they face Utah on Thursday night in the NIT championship game.


Penn State, which entered the NIT as the fourth seed in its quadrant, beat Temple (63-57), top-seeded Notre Dame (73-63) and second-seeded Marquette (85-80) to get to New York before routing Mississippi State 75-60 in Tuesday's night's semifinals. "Of course we were a little disappointed not to make the (NCAA) Tournament, but we made another goal," Nittany Lions senior guard Shep Garner said in the postgame news conference Tuesday. "We saw we were in the NIT, and our goal was to get to New York and win it. That's what everyone wants to do, and we've put ourselves in a good position to do." So has second-seeded Utah, which prevailed 69-64 in a see-saw tussle with Western Kentucky on Tuesday after beating UC Davis (69-59), LSU (95-71) and top-seeded Saint Mary's (67-58 in OT) to punch its ticket to the Big Apple. "There's a sense of urgency with the game Thursday to try to finish things on a high note," Utes coach Larry Krystkowiak said Tuesday in his postgame news conference. "In my mind, there are really only two teams that end their season on a high note that they are really happy about ... and to be able to go on a little streak at the end of the season would be special for us."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2


ABOUT PENN STATE (25-13): Garner and fellow starting guard Tony Carr have fueled the charge to the championship game, averaging a combined 40.7 points over the last three contests, including 39 in the win over Mississippi State. Overall, the sophomore Carr is averaging a team-best 19.7 points and 4.8 assists on the season and is joined in double figures by forward Lamar Stevens (15.2 points), Garner (11.5) and guard Josh Reaves (10.3). The NIT's experiment with a deeper 3-point distance (22 feet, 1.75 inches) hasn't slowed Garner, who connected on 6-of-9 long-range attempts against the Bulldogs to give him a school-record 334 for his career and upping his season 3-point success rate to 43.5 percent, which ranks 19th nationally.

ABOUT UTAH (23-11): After entering the fourth quarter of their semifinal tied with the Hilltoppers at 51, the Utes proceeded to miss seven of their nine field-goal attempts over the final 10 minutes but more than made up for it by draining 12 of 14 free throws in the period to advance. Senior guard and leading scorer Justin Bibbins (14.8 points) led the way once again with 19 points and four assists, including a 12-for-12 showing at the free-throw stripe. Forward David Collette (12.5 points), guard Sedrick Barefield (11.7) and forward Tyler Rawson (10.9) also average double figures while Rawson (6.9 boards) and 7-foot reserve Jayce Johnson (5.5) are the Utes' top rebounders.


TIP-INS

1. Penn State, which will be playing Utah for only the second time (the first was a regular-season meeting in 1971), is making its third NIT championship appearance and first since 2009, when it beat Baylor to cap a school-record 27-win season.

2. Utah also will be playing in its third NIT title game and is seeking the program's second NIT title after beating Kentucky to win the tourney championship in 1947.

3. Defense is a hallmark for both teams with each allowing fewer than 68.2 points per outing. The Nittany Lions are 19-1 when holding an opponent to fewer than 70 points this season while the Utes are 18-2 in such contests.


PREDICTION: Penn State 71, Utah 66

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Wizards vs. Detroit Pistons Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Washington Wizards will learn prior to Thursday's game whether All-Star point guard John Wall be back on the floor. Wall missed the past two months after undergoing surgery on his left knee and he is listed as questionable for the contest against the host Detroit Pistons.

Wall participated in a 5-on-5 practice earlier this week and is moving closer to a return but a decision won't likely be made prior to Thursday's mid-day shootaround. "He's getting close," Wizards coach Scott Brooks told reporters on Wednesday. "The next thing is game (action). I know everybody's excited. He's definitely excited. He wants to get out there. He knows he has to continue to put the work in and we will all make the final decision." Washington is looking forward to getting Wall back as it sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference race with eight games remaining. The Pistons are still mathematically alive for a postseason spot but their chances aren't good as they trail the eighth-place Milwaukee Bucks by five games with eight left.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, FS Detroit

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (41-33): Washington has relied more on its bench during Wall's absence and the reserves put up 61 points in Tuesday's 116-106 win over the San Antonio Spurs. "They trusted each other on offense to make the right simple plays, right reason, (unselfish) plays and it's always better when everyone is making some shots," shooting guard Bradley Beal said of the bench. "It just made it that much better." Veteran shooting guard Jodie Meeks recorded 13 points in 20 minutes off the bench for just his third double-digit outing in his past 15 appearances.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (34-40): Point guard Reggie Jackson stood out in his fourth game back from an ankle injury by scoring 20 points in 28 minutes during Monday's 112-106 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson joked afterward that he could barely breathe in the second half as he deals with improving his conditioning but he felt he was finally able to play without limitations. "I feel like my ankle's opened up a little more and gaining more explosion in trying to attack and take what the defense gives me," Jackson said afterward. "Trying to get downhill and find ways for my teammates to get open shots and, if they leave me open, continue attacking and try to get shots for myself as well."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Wizards are 3-0 against the Pistons this season and won the past four meetings.

2. Starting Washington Fs Markieff Morris (15 points, 7-of-7 shooting) and Otto Porter Jr. (14 points, 6-of-7) were a combined 13-of-14 shooting against the Spurs.

3. Detroit SF Stanley Johnson is averaging 3.5 points on 6-of-27 shooting over the past four games.

PREDICTION: Pistons 106, Wizards 103

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Miami Heat expect to have center Hassan Whiteside back in the lineup when they host the struggling Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Whiteside missed the past nine games due to a hip flexor and he is expected to be cleared in the hours prior to tip-off.

Whiteside put in the practice time on Wednesday but admitted he has some concerns after missing the past three weeks. "It's not pain. It just makes it tough to lift your leg up, but it's no pain," Whiteside told reporters. "I'm hoping for the best. It might be some limitations once I come back regardless, just to get me into the flow of things." Chicago is fading the wrong directions with six straight losses by an average of 20.5 points. "You can see who's going to try to compete through it and fight through tough times," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "... I have to get us better and get us to continue to play through the tough times more than we're doing right now."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE BULLS (24-50): Rookie power forward Lauri Markkanen displayed he is moving forward after his recent back issues and he tallied 22 points in 28 minutes during Tuesday's 118-86 loss to the Houston Rockets. But Chicago didn't have many other bright spots to boast about as it committed 19 turnovers and went 8-of-37 from 3-point range while being no match for the powerful Rockets. "It teaches you lessons for the long haul," forward Bobby Portis said afterward. "Obviously we got beat bad, but you can look back on this in a couple of years when we're the team that does it. We're taking our whooping and hopefully we'll learn from it."

ABOUT THE HEAT (40-35): Whiteside's interior presence has been missed but Miami went 5-4 without him, topped by Tuesday's 98-79 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Miami stands seventh in the Eastern Conference and is 5 1/2 games clear of the ninth-place Detroit Pistons, and the schedule is favorable with the Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, back-to-back with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks lined up for the next five games. Kelly Olynyk played well during Whitehead's absence and is averaging 17.4 points over the past seven games after scoring a team-best 19 against the Cavaliers.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Heat are 2-1 against the Bulls this season and won seven of the past 10 meetings.

2. Chicago SG Justin Holiday is averaging 4.8 points on 11-of-46 shooting over the last six contests.

3. Miami is 24-6 this season when holding opponents under 100 points.

PREDICTION: Heat 114, Bulls 90

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The San Antonio Spurs might be without All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday. Aldridge is listed as questionable after suffering a bruised left knee during Tuesday's 116-106 loss to the Washington Wizards.

Aldridge underwent an MRI exam Wednesday and appears to have avoided a serious injury, which should soothe veteran guard Manu Ginobili, who was highly concerned after Tuesday's setback. "Considering the way he's been playing and our recent success in those games, we are at the point where if LaMarcus gets a cough, a cold, we are in deep trouble," Ginobili told reporters. "Hopefully, it's not serious because it's going to be really tough to score without him and we have tough games against teams that need to win. We really need him." Oklahoma City has its own issues to worry about as its odds of finishing third in the Western Conference diminished greatly with Sunday's 108-105 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. "Yeah, of course we wanted to have a better record at this point in the season with the team that we have," power forward Carmelo Anthony told reporters on Wednesday, "but our expectation was to be the best team we could be with the understanding we have the opportunity to do something great. And we have an opportunity to make a run in these playoffs and potentially play for a championship."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT

ABOUT THE THUNDER (43-32): Oklahoma City is at the front of the list of seven teams fighting for the final five playoff spots in the West and Anthony is counting on being part of the playoffs for the first time since 2013. "We'll be there. We'll be there," Anthony said. "I think we're confident enough to know that we'll be there. Where? We'll see when that time comes, but I believe we'll be there. It's something we planned on doing when we put this team together." Anthony will look to emerge from a shooting slump that has seen him average six points on 5-of-21 shooting over the past two games while scoring in single digits in three of the past five contests.

ABOUT THE SPURS (44-31): San Antonio is just 2-5 this season without Aldridge, who averaged 32.4 points with four 30-point outings during a spectacular seven-game run before being injured during Tuesday's contest. The Spurs retooled their offensive around Aldridge with star small forward Kawhi Leonard sidelined due to his quadriceps injury, and Aldridge delivered with a 23.1 average that is just shy of his career-best 23.4 with Portland in 2014-15. Forward Rudy Gay (11.1 average) could be in line for a bigger role against the Thunder but he has reached the 20-point mark just four times all season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Thunder have dropped five straight regular-season visits to San Antonio.

2. Oklahoma City C Steven Adams is averaging 19.8 points and 10.2 rebounds over the past five games.

3. San Antonio PG Tony Parker is averaging just 2.4 points on 4-of-17 shooting over the last five contests.

PREDICTION: Spurs 97, Thunder 96

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Indiana Pacers vs. Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Indiana Pacers took advantage of the injury-depleted Golden State Warriors to win the opener of their West Coast trip 92-81 on Tuesday, keeping them neck-and-neck in the race for homecourt advantage on the Eastern Conference. The Pacers will try to earn their fourth straight victory when they continue the trip by visiting the lowly Sacramento Kings on Thursday.

Tuesday's win marked the beginning of an eight-game stretch to close the regular season in which Indiana will play six on the road, with visits to playoff hopefuls Denver and the Los Angeles Clippers rounding out the current trip. The Warriors were playing without all four of their All-Stars but still held a nine-point lead over the Pacers at the half on Tuesday before Indiana clamped down on the defensive end. "We just stayed with it," Pacers head coach Nate McMillan told reporters. "They were doing some good things the first half, our defense picked up and we tried to keep them in front. We started to rebound the basketball and get out and execute on the offensive end of the floor. It's a 48-minute game and we just stayed with it and found a way to get this game." The Kings dropped three of the first four on their six-game homestand and are coming off a 103-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Indiana, NBCS California (Sacramento)

ABOUT THE PACERS (44-31): Indiana's offensive struggles at Golden State did not extend to All-Star guard Victor Oladipo, who scored 24 points on 9-of-12 shooting and added six rebounds and six assists. Oladipo scored 20 or more points in four of the last five games and recorded a pair of steals on Tuesday to run his streak of games with at least one theft to 58. Oladipo is getting some help during the current winning streak from small forward Bojan Bagdanovic, who is averaging 21 points on 58.1 percent shooting over the last three contests.

ABOUT THE KINGS (24-51): Sacramento is 29th in the NBA in scoring at an average of 99.4 points and failed to reach 100 in five of the last six contests. The Kings, who have been strategically resting veterans in the second half to get younger players more time, went with one of their young lineups on Tuesday and watched power forward Skal Labissiere lead the team with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting. Fellow Kentucky product Willie Cauley-Stein added 13 points on 5-of-5 shooting in the loss after going 5-of-19 from the floor over the previous two contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pacers PF/C Domantas Sabonis (ankle) returned from a six-game absence on Tuesday and scored seven points on 3-of-3 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench.

2. Sacramento PF Zach Randolph (illness) missed the last three games but could return Thursday.

3. Indiana took each of the last three meetings, including a 101-83 home win on Oct. 31.

PREDICTION: Pacers 109, Kings 96

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Golden State Warriors Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Golden State Warriors plan to have at least one of their All-Stars back in the lineup when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in each of the last two games and suffered rare back-to-back losses.

While Curry (knee) is expected to be out through the first round of the playoffs and Thompson is still making his way back from a broken hand, Durant, who sat out the last six games, lobbied to return to the lineup on Tuesday and is expected to play on Thursday. "We're just trying to be smart," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters. "When (Durant) feels like he's ready to go, we're going to give him two extra days until the next game just to be really safe. I mean, the last thing we want is for anybody to reinjure something or have something linger, so we're going to be extra cautious with everybody." The Bucks would probably prefer to give Durant and the others an extra day of rest as they try to crawl out of the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee dropped three of its last five games, including a 105-98 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in the opener of the four-game road trip on Tuesday, and sits a half-game behind the seventh-place Miami Heat.

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

ABOUT THE BUCKS (39-35): Milwaukee is five games ahead of the ninth-place Detroit Pistons in the East, but coach Joe Prunty isn't taking anything for granted. "We're not in the playoffs," Prunty told reporters after the loss to the Clippers. "We have to play better and we have to win games and then we'll get into the playoffs. I looked at the standings a day or two ago -- we weren't in. We're not in right now, right? So, we're not in. I'm worried about how we're playing. ... We've got to play better and the rest of it takes care of itself." The Bucks committed 17 turnovers at Los Angeles, with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe combining for 10.

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (54-20): Golden State still leads the NBA in scoring at an average of 114 points but failed to reach even 95 points in four of the six games Durant missed, including a 92-81 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. Green sat out the last three games with a pelvic contusion and an illness, but he is back at practice and also could return on Thursday. The Warriors placed just three scorers in double figures during Tuesday's loss, led by shooting guard Nick Young's 12 points on 4-of-11 shooting.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Bucks C Thon Maker (groin) sat out Tuesday and is day-to-day.

2. Warriors PG Quinn Cook scored in double figures in each of the last seven games.

3. Golden State took the last four in the series, including a 108-94 win at Milwaukee on Jan. 12.

PREDICTION: Warriors 109, Bucks 103

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Boston Bruins attempt to complete their surge to the top of the Atlantic Division when they host the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night in a battle of the top two teams in the Eastern Conference. The Bruins are 3-0-3 in their last six games after a 5-4 shootout loss at Winnipeg on Tuesday to pull within one point and have won seven of the last eight meetings against the Lightning, including the first two matchups this season.

"I don't think we should overthink that," Boston forward David Pastrnak told reporters after scoring for the third straight game Tuesday. "It's another game and we just have to play our game. We've been playing good lately, so just keep playing that way and we'll see what happens." The Bruins play seven times in the last 11 days of the regular season, including a trip to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, and the Lightning have six games left after going 3-4-0 in the last seven. Tampa Bay leads the league in scoring at 3.51 goals per game, but has scored only once each in the last two contests after a 4-1 loss to Arizona on Monday night while getting outshot 35-20. "It's a stretch where it's not going so good," Lightning center Brayden Point told the Tampa Bay Times. "It's bound to happen at one point. You can't play 82 perfect games. I think we're not in the same groove that we were, but we've got time to get it back."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet, TVA; FS Sun (Tampa Bay), NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (51-21-4): Captain Steven Stamkos (27 goals, 86 points) is expected back in the lineup after missing Monday's contest with a lower-body injury and looks to snap a nine-game goal drought. Right wing Nikita Kucherov has fallen six points behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid (102) in the race for the Art Ross Trophy, but scored four times in the last five contests. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, who has a league-leading 42 wins, is expected back in net after being rested Monday but owns an 0-3-1 record lifetime against the Bruins while allowing at least three goals in seven of his last eight games overall.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (47-17-11): Left wing Brad Marchand continues to produce with two goals and five assists over the last three games and sits three points away from his career high of 85 points last season. Ryan Donato, afforded an opportunity with fellow forwards David Backes, Rick Nash and Jake DeBrusk out with injuries, has three goals along with two assists in his first five NHL contests. Zdeno Chara, who signed a one-year contract extension Wednesday, and fellow defenseman Charlie McAvoy have been out injured as well, and blue liner Matt Grzelcyk left Tuesday's game with an upper-body ailment.

OVERTIME

1. The 21-year-old Pastrnak is three points away from 200 in the NHL and three goals shy of his career high of 34.

2. Tampa Bay F J.T. Miller boasts seven goals and six assists with a plus-2 rating in 13 games since being acquired from the New York Rangers.

3. Boston D Torey Krug, who has seven points in the last four games, needs one to top his career high of 14 goals set in 2013-14.

PREDICTION: Bruins 3, Lightning 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Detroit Red Wings vs. Buffalo Sabres Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
Not much has gone right this season for both the Detroit Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, who have been out of the playoff picture and playing out the string for weeks. However, each team will be looking to post consecutive victories for the first time in over a month when they square off in Buffalo on Thursday night.

The Sabres had scored only two goals during a four-game slide before snapping Toronto's 13-game home winning streak with a 3-2 victory on Monday. They were shut out twice at home as part of that skid, but have won five of the last six meetings versus Detroit -- with each victory coming by one goal. The Red Wings had dropped 13 of 14 (1-12-1) before knocking off two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh on Tuesday. It marked Detroit's first regulation win since Feb. 24, which was followed up with a victory 24 hours later -- the last time the team won back-to-back games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET; FS Detroit Plus, MSG-Buffalo

ABOUT THE RED WINGS (28-38-11): Veteran defenseman Niklas Kronwall scored a goal Tuesday for his 400th career point, but rookie blue-liner Joe Hicketts had a noteworthy night in his own right. Appearing in his second NHL game, Hicketts collected his first career points with a pair of assists. "He doesn't look like a normal NHL defenseman with his size, skating combo," coach Jeff Blashill said of the 5-foot-8 Hicketts. "He's been able to defy odds. Can he keep defying odds? We'll see."

ABOUT THE SABRES (24-40-12): Jack Eichel had one assist in his first five games since returning from a five-week absence due to an ankle injury, but he broke through with a pair of goals against Toronto, including the deciding tally. Buffalo will get a glimpse at another elite young talent when 2017 first-round pick Casey Mittelstadt makes his NHL debut Thursday. Mittelstadt, who finished his season at Minnesota earlier this month, will center a line with Sam Reinhart and Evan Rodrigues.

OVERTIME

1. Eichel has four goals and seven points in 10 games versus Detroit.

2. Red Wings C Luke Glendening scored twice Tuesday to move within one of matching his career-best 12 goals in 2014-15.

3. Buffalo has allowed five power-play goals in the past four games.

PREDICTION: Sabres 4, Red Wings 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The New Jersey Devils vie for their fourth straight victory overall and fourth in as many meetings with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season when the Metropolitan Division rivals meet at the Prudential Center on Thursday. The Devils began their current win streak on Friday as Taylor Hall capped a three-point performance by scoring 27 seconds into overtime in a 4-3 victory over the Penguins.

Hall set up three goals to increase his point streak to five games (two goals, seven assists) in Tuesday's 4-3 triumph over Carolina, moving New Jersey three points clear of red-hot Florida for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Kyle Palmieri also recorded a three-point performance with two goals and an assist against the Hurricanes to give him nine points (six goals, three assists) in the last 10 games. While the Devils are bidding for their first playoff berth since the 2011-12 season, two-time reigning Stanley Cup-champion Pittsburgh is clinging to second place in the Metropolitan after losing for the fifth time in nine outings with a 5-2 setback at Detroit on Tuesday. "We need to start playing like every game is the most important game of the season," defenseman Kris Letang said. "Right now, we're not playing with the same urgency against teams below us in the standings as we are with the teams around us.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T Sportsnet-Pittsburgh, MSG-Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (43-28-6): Superstar captain Sidney Crosby has scored in four straight outings and added three assists during his point streak. Jake Guentzel set up Crosby's early tally on a 2-on-1 rush Tuesday to boost his point streak to four games (one goal, five assists) entering Thursday's tilt versus New Jersey, against which he has three assists this season. Evgeni Malkin leads Pittsburgh in goals (42) and points (93), but has just one of each during three encounters with the Devils.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (40-28-8): Coach John Hynes is asking his relatively young team to be accepting of the moment as it enters the postseason stretch. "It's important for our group to go through it because you can't replicate it in Game 20 or Game 30," Hynes told reporters on Wednesday after an optional practice. "In the situation that we're in, if you happen to get in (to the playoffs), it's a big part of the game. The games are so emotional and so intense and you're always playing teams where everyone is all in and everyone is a strong team." Goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who owns a 12-3-0 mark in his past 15 decisions, is 3-0-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average and .938 save percentage versus the Penguins this season.

OVERTIME

1. Pittsburgh has yielded 10 power-play goals in its last nine games.

2. New Jersey rookie D Will Butcher has collected nine points (one goal, eight assists) in the past 10 contests.

3. Penguins G Matt Murray has permitted four goals in each of his last three outings and 15 total since returning from a nine-game absence due to a concussion.

PREDICTION: Penguins 4, Devils 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Florida Panthers vs. Ottawa Senators Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Florida Panthers failed to take advantage of their chance to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race last time out, making their quest for a postseason berth more difficult. The Panthers give it another try when they continue their four-game road trip Thursday against the Ottawa Senators.

Florida fell into an early three-goal hole at Toronto on Wednesday and was unable to recover, dropping a 4-3 decision to remain three points behind New Jersey for the second wild-card spot with seven games remaining. Jonathan Huberdeau scored twice to end his seven-game drought for the Panthers, who rolled to a 7-2 victory in Ottawa on March 20. The Senators' losing streak reached six games with Tuesday's 4-3 home setback against the New York Islanders, which marked the fifth straight contest in which they allowed at least four goals. Bobby Ryan and Matt Duchene each recorded a goal and two assists for Ottawa, which is just three points ahead of last-place Buffalo in the East with six contests left.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Florida, TSN5, RDS (Ottawa)

ABOUT THE PANTHERS (39-29-7): Henrik Borgstrom was a healthy scratch against Toronto but could make his NHL debut versus the Senators. The 20-year-old Finnish center, who was the 23rd overall pick in the 2016 draft and is a Top-10 finalist for the 2018 Hobey Baker Award after completing his sophomore season at the University of Denver, was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday. Aleksander Barkov remains one goal away from 100 for his career after his drought reached five games on Wednesday.

ABOUT THE SENATORS (26-39-11): Duchene's goal against the Islanders drew him within two of 200 in the NHL. The 27-year-old's three-point performance was his fourth of the season and fourth multi-point effort in his last nine games. Captain Erik Karlsson has collected four goals and 20 assists in 22 contests since last being kept off the scoresheet in consecutive games (Feb. 3 and 4).

OVERTIME

1. Senators LW Tom Pyatt has gone four games without a point, keeping him two shy of 100 for his career.

2. Florida D Keith Yandle, who has recorded 15 points in his last 14 contests, looks to extend the longest active consecutive games streak to 709 on Thursday.

3. Ottawa signed RW Andrew Sturtz, the all-time goals leader (54) in Penn State history, to a two-year, entry-level contract.

PREDICTION: Panthers 4, Senators 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Dallas Stars vs. Minnesota Wild Preview and Predictions 03-29-2018

28th March 2018 by Gracenote
The Dallas Stars likely will have to win out to have a chance to squeeze into the playoffs and the schedule certainly does not favor them the rest of the way. After finally ending an eight-game winless drought (0-6-2), the Stars will visit the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night in the front end of a home-and-home series.

Dallas kept its fading postseason hopes alive by pulling out a dramatic 3-2 overtime win over Philadelphia on Tuesday, but it sits five points out of a playoff slot and plays four of its last five away from home. "We live to fight another day," coach Ken Hitchcock said after his team ended its longest winless streak since moving to Dallas in 1993. "We've got to go win a road game. That's the player's attitude; one game at a time." Minnesota, which finishes the season with three road games against Pacific Division foes, extended its point streak to six games (3-0-3) as it attempts to lock down third place in the Central Division. "You don't want to wait going through the gauntlet in California needing all three wins or something like that," Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk said after Tuesday's 2-1 shootout loss at NHL-best Nashville. "We've been playing some good hockey and some good playoff-like hockey. So it's nice for us. We have to keep going."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE STARS (39-30-8): Tyler Seguin eschewed an opportunity to reach 40 goals for the first time when, on a 2-on-0 breakaway in overtime, he opted to pass to Alexander Radulov for the game-winning tally against Philadelphia. "I knew he wasn't going to miss that," Seguin said of Radulov, and his second assist did provide another milestone in the form of his 500th career point. Seguin notched a goal and two assists in the last meeting with the Wild and has 22 points in the last 17 games.

ABOUT THE WILD (42-24-10): Eric Staal scored Minnesota's lone goal Tuesday and in the process etched his name in the history books. It was the team-leading 40th goal for Staal, enabling him to join the legendary Gordie Howe as the only players to go nine seasons between 40-goal campaigns. "Year-to-year, I don't think about specific numbers," Staal said. "This year, it's just been a year where it's kind of snowballed goal-scoring wise. I've been on the right end of some pretty good plays."

OVERTIME

1. Staal needs two goals to match the franchise record of 42, set by Marian Gaborik.

2. Dallas had lost four in a row in the series before a 6-1 romp at home on Feb. 3.

3. Minnesota is 1-for-24 on the power play over the past nine games.

PREDICTION: Wild 4, Stars 3