Wednesday 11-7-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:28 AM

Ohio Bobcats at Miami of Ohio Redhawks Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NCAAF Predictions 5th November 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
by Charles Jay Scores & Stats on 11/05/2018

A national television audience will bear witness to another installment of one of the great football rivalries in the Mid-American Conference on Wednesday night, as the Ohio Bobcats and Miami of Ohio Redhawks will engage in the
"Battle of the Bricks" at Yager Stadium.

Ohio's hallmark has been strong execution under Frank Solich, the former coach at Nebraska who recently topped 100 wins with the Bobcats. And they have a quarterback who may be the top dual threat in the MAC.

Miami of Ohio, the home team here, keeps on coming, and they know how to take care of the football with capable QB Gus Ragland. But they have experienced some difficulty in moving up in level of opposition and given a golden opportunity to put themselves in a position to contend for a spot in the MAC title game, they couldn't slow down the Buffalo offense.

TV: ESPNU, 7 PM ET. LINE: Ohio -3.5

ABOUT OHIO: They didn't leave a lot of room for doubt last time out. The Bobcats (6-3 SU & ATS) led Western Michigan 45-0 at the half and cruised home for a 59-14 victory. Nathan Rourke was almost perfect, completing twelve of 14. He tossed three touchdown passes and ran for two more. The defense held WMU, being led by freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby, to 4.6 yards per play. They've now covered four games in a row and scored 160 points over their last three. With a 4-1 record in the MAC East, Ohio has a chance to get to the conference championship game. They obviously have to win out, and that includes a meeting next week with division leader Buffalo. The Bobcats have always been able to run the ball pretty well under Frank Solich, and this year is no exception. They have averaged 236 yards a game on the ground, ranking them 15th nationally. And they are averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Rourke runs the Ohio offensive attack with an awful lot of gusto, with a 63% accuracy rate and a robust 9.5 yards an attempt. Although AJ Oullette (609 yards) and Maleek Irons (596 yards) have been great, Rourke is also the team's leading rusher, with 637 yards on a 7.3-yard average.

ABOUT MIAMI OF OHIO: There wasn't a huge problem with Miami moving the ball last time out, as they rang up 453 yards against Buffalo, including 313 through the air from Gus Ragland. But they just couldn't put the clamps on Buffalo's connection of Tyree Jackson and Anthony Johnson, who looked like they were operating downhill. They hooked up for 238 of Jackson's 358 passing yards in the 51-42 RedHawks loss, which dropped them to 3-6 straight-up and 5-4 against the pointspread. There was something of an implosion in pass protection, as Ragland was sacked six times after having sustained only seven sacks over the first eight games. They had come into the meeting with Buffalo having covered five consecutive games, scoring 30 points or more in all of them. How significant is that? Well, the last time they hit the 30-mark six games in a row was back in 2003, when a young man named Ben Roethlisberger was their quarterback. But now the big challenge for this team, which brought back sixteen starters from last year, including the entire offensive line, is to get bowl-eligible, and the only way they can do that is to win all three remaining games. After this one, they have Northern Illinois and Ball State on the schedule.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Ohio has forced 23 turnovers, the second most in the nation, and this has produced a turnover margin of +9, which is ninth best.

2. Ohio has won the last five installments of the "Battle of the Bricks," but Miami of Ohio leads the overall series by a 52-40-2 margin. The RedHawks' last win in the series, in 2012, was a big one, as they beat Ohio when the Bobcats were ranked #23 in the nation.

3. This season, Miami of Ohio has scored on 33 of 34 trips inside the red zone, with 27 TD's. They are third in the country in the category of Red Zone Offense.

PREDICTION: Ohio 35, Miami of Ohio 29

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:28 AM

Toledo Toledo Rockets vs. Northern Illinois Huskies Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NCAAF Predictions 6th November 2018 By Charles Jay for Scores And Stats
by Charles Jay Scores & Stats on 11/06/2018

As we get down to the nitty-gritty in the Mid-American Conference, it appears very much as if, barring a collapse, the Northern Illinois Huskies are going to earn themselves a berth in the league's title game. They have certainly demonstrated an ability to "punch above their weight," so to speak, although that isn't necessarily what Wednesday's assignment calls for.

The Toledo Rockets still have to win another game to become bowl-eligible, but they looked pretty good last time out. In recent years they have shown the ability to score on just about anybody, but they'll be facing one of their toughest tests of the season against a rock-ribbed defense. Although they are not completely out of the race for the MAC title, they need to win and get some help.

These teams will battle before a national TV audience at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, IL.

TV: ESPN2, 8 PM ET. LINE: Northern Illinois -3

ABOUT TOLEDO: Coming off a resounding 51-24 win over Western Michigan the week before, UT found not many tricks, but mostly treats on Halloween night, getting off to a 21-0 first-quarter lead and gliding to a 45-13 victory over Ball State. Mitch Guadagni, who had sustained a shoulder injury against Western Michigan, did not play, but Eli Peters, his backup, threw for 327 yards. Cody Thompson had 75 yards and a touchdown catch; Diontae Johnson has five receptions for 100 yards. A two-fisted ground attack got 162 combined yards out of Art Thompkins and Bryant Koback. Their defense forced five turnovers but allowed Drew Plitt, Ball State's backup quarterback, to throw for 340 yards. Toledo (5-4 SU, 4-5 ATS) is the highest-scoring team in the MAC and is eleventh in the country at 41.2 points per game. They are 40th in Total Offense, but curiously, they are outside of the nation's top 100 (109th, to be exact) in converting on third downs. Guadagni, who is 12th in the nation in passing efficiency, has been ruled out of this game, and head coach Jason Candle did not have any answers regarding his status for the rest of the schedule. The Rockets have allowed 279 passing yards per game, but they are fortunate that they are not facing a high-powered air attack here.

ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS: It wasn't all that easy for NIU (6-3 SU, 5-4 ATS) last time out against Akron, as they were about to be tied by Akron in the third quarter. But they brought back a blocked extra point for a two-pointer and scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to create the 36-26 margin. They are now 5-0 in the MAC and very much in the driver's seat for a spot in the conference title game. They got plenty of production on the ground, with 296 yards (169 from Tre Harbison), and Marcus Childers showed great accuracy, completing 21 of his 28 passes. Walk-on Jalen McKie returned an interception for a touchdown as well. They held Akron to just 35 rushing yards, and this is becoming something of a habit for the Huskies, who are 13th in the nation in rushing defense, holding opponents to just 104 yards a game and 2.6 yards per attempt. By contrast, Toledo has surrendered 4.5 yards a carry and 22 TD's on the ground. Still, the Huskies generally don't get a lot of breathing room; they are fifth from the bottom in Total Offense and had not scored more than 26 points in any single game prior to playing Akron - a game which produced an over/under the figure of 37. One of the things to note on the Huskies' schedule is that not only are there not any FCS teams, but there are very good programs on the non-conference slate. Yes, there were losses to Iowa and Utah (which both achieved national rankings) and Florida State, but also a 7-6 victory at BYU.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Toledo kicker Jameson Vest set school records for most field goals and most extra points in the victory over Ball State.

2. Northern Illinois' All-American defensive end Sutton Smith ranks among the top 15 in the nation in sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles.

3. Toledo has the decisive 31-14 lead in the overall series. The Rockets, however, have not won in DeKalb since the 2006 season.

PREDICTION: Northern Illinois 24, Toledo 17

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:29 AM

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
Thunder vs. Cavaliers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

Just when the Oklahoma City Thunder were beginning to find their form, Russell Westbrook went down with an ankle injury. The Thunder will be without their star when they try to push their winning streak to six straight with a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Westbrook, who has a history of knee injuries, went down in the third quarter of Monday's 122-116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans but X-rays revealed only an ankle sprain, which is expected to keep him out on a game-to-game basis. "Russ has a pretty high pain tolerance, so I knew it was something that was serious," Oklahoma City forward Paul George told reporters. "I was just hoping it wasn't his knee. I thought I saw him holding his knee. I think we can all say it's unfortunate, we can all say as bad as it was, we're happy it wasn't the knee and that it was just an ankle sprain." The Cavaliers could be without small forward Sam Dekker for up to a month due to an ankle sprain suffered in Monday's 102-100 loss to the Orlando Magic, which dropped them to an NBA-worst 1-9. Post-LeBron James Cleveland suffered its closest loss at Orlando and is intent on using the setback as a learning experience for its rebuilding club.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Oklahoma, FS Ohio (Cleveland)

ABOUT THE THUNDER (5-4): Reserve point guard Dennis Schroder stepped up in Westbrook's absence on Monday and finished with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, and he will likely get the start on Wednesday. Schroder started the first two games of the season while Westbrook recovered from arthroscopic surgery and averaged 14.5 points but shot 26.5 percent from the floor in that role. George, who led the Thunder with 23 points on Monday, is battling a shooting slump and went 6-of-17 from the floor on Monday - two games removed from a 4-of-20 performance that included 0-of-10 from 3-point range.

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (1-9): Cleveland had the win in sight on Monday before a pair of late turnovers with a three-point lead and the shot clock turned off allowed the Magic to pull ahead. Cedi Osman, who is starting in James' old spot at small forward, made the first of the miscues. "Many plays and many stretches where we could have put ourselves in better position," center Tristan Thompson told reporters. "The last minute is a great learning experience for us. It's great to have Cedi out there, Rodney (Hood) out there and Jordan Clarkson out there to be in those situations. We trust them. I think it's a great learning experience for them and if ever in that situation again we will learn from that and continue to grow. I think no one should hold their head down."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Thunder C Steven Adams is 15-of-19 from the floor in the last two games.

2. Thompson recorded season highs of 19 points and 16 rebounds in his third double-double on Monday.

3. The visiting team took each of the two meetings last season, with Oklahoma City earning a 148-124 win in Cleveland behind 23 points and 20 assists from Westbrook.

PREDICTION: Thunder 113, Cavaliers 104

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:29 AM

Detroit Pistons vs. Orlando Magic Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The Detroit Pistons just can't seem to snap out of a slide that has seen them drop five straight after four wins to begin the campaign. The Pistons will hope for better luck when they hit the road to visit the Orlando Magic in the opener of a two-game trip on Wednesday.

Detroit took two of its last three opponents to overtime but could not find a way to make the winning shot, and first-year coach Dwane Casey sees it as part of the learning process. "It is on us to continue to improve, to put ourselves in the playoff hunt, which we are going to be, and get better," Casey told reporters. "I see improvement, I know it's not showing in the record, but I do see improvement. I see the little things that we are getting better at, but there are some other things we got to continue to harp on, especially the turnovers and the shot making when the ball does come out." The Magic come into Wednesday's meeting with all the momentum after posting back-to-back wins, including a 102-100 triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday that ended when Evan Fournier's jumper splashed through at the buzzer. "It's huge to build momentum so that we can really believe in ourselves and believe we can beat anyone, because we can," Fournier said. "But the more we do it, the more we gain confidence. Now, we have two tough games coming up against two tough teams, so it's going to be another good test for us."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Florida (Orlando)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (4-5): Detroit moved Glenn Robinson III into the starting lineup to provide more floor spacing with an extra shooter, and he finished with 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Robinson had the ball in his hands with a chance to give the Pistons the lead late in overtime and star forward Blake Griffin fouled out but came up just short on a 3-point attempt. "I'll take Glenn Robinson's look right there at the end to put us up, any time of the day," Casey told reporters. "You can call 15 timeouts in that situation, I just looked at it, he was wide open, he was 2-for-3 at the time. So, would have, could have, should have, we got our situation now where we have to continue to fight, continue to stay together because that's what this league is going to be about the rest of this year."

ABOUT THE MAGIC (4-6): Orlando earned a 117-110 win in San Antonio on Sunday night and wanted to prove something to itself by taking both ends of the back-to-back. "We were conscious that when you've won a game like that in San Antonio and losing a game like this (on Monday), it wouldn't have really meant anything," Magic swingman Terrence Ross told the team's website. "(Losing on Monday) would have taken away all of that confidence that we had just gotten. We were just focused on trying to play the right way and we were able to get a win." Playing the right way included another solid effort from power forward Aaron Gordon, who averaged 24.5 points while going 20-of-35 from the floor in the two victories.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons C Andre Drummond collected 25 points and 24 rebounds on Monday - his fourth 20-20 game of the season.

2. Magic PF Jonathan Isaac (ankle) missed the last two games and is day-to-day.

3. Orlando took five of the last six in the series.

PREDICTION: Magic 109, Pistons 105

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:29 AM

San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
Spurs vs. Heat Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The San Antonio Spurs had a few days to dwell on a home loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday and hope to turn their fortunes when they begin a stretch with nine of 12 on the road by visiting the Miami Heat on Wednesday. The Heat snapped a three-game slide with an overtime victory at Detroit Pistons on Monday.

San Antonio held opponents to an average of 99.8 points during a four-game winning streak but struggled to bring the same execution on that end in the 117-110 loss to Orlando. "We were a step slow on everything," Spurs All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge told reporters. "You have nights like that. They were just moving faster than us and we were one step behind. We let that snowball into not communicating. It was just a perfect storm to be terrible on defense." Miami snapped its three-game slide by turning it up at the defensive end, holding the Pistons to 41.3 percent from the floor while forcing 20 turnovers. "That's what we hang our hats on," Miami forward Justise Winslow told reporters. "We got a lot of tough guys, defensive minded guys. We just got to get back to who we are. We're going to score enough points. But I think the big thing (Monday) was we got stops when we needed to, and it paid off."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (San Antonio), FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE SPURS (6-3): San Antonio figured to take some time to gel after adding All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan, but the former Toronto Raptor has been remarkably consistent. DeRozan is averaging 27.3 points on 51.6 percent shooting and scored at least 25 points in each of the last five contests. DeRozan is getting some help spacing the floor from point guard Patty Mills, who went 4-of-14 from beyond the arc in the first four games but is 13-of-23 in the last five contests.

ABOUT THE HEAT (4-5): Miami shooting guard Josh Richardson is taking on a larger role in the offense and scored 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting in Monday's win - the third time in the last four games that he scored at least 27. "It's something we all celebrated here and wanted him to do it," veteran guard Dwyane Wade told reporters of Richardson. "It's still impressive. The shots he was taking in overtime and making, those are big-time shots. Not a lot of players can do it that way. We want him to continue to have the confidence to take it to the next level, and we're going to need it." Richardson is 9-of-15 from 3-point range in the last two games and is often tasked with guarding the opposing team's best wing player.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Spurs SF Rudy Gay (heel) sat out the last game and is day-to-day.

2. Heat C Hassan Whiteside (knee) sat out Monday and is questionable for Wednesday.

3. San Antonio took each of the last 11 meetings, going back to the final three games of the 2014 NBA Finals.

PREDICTION: Spurs 115, Heat 106

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:29 AM

Chicago Bulls vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The New Orleans Pelicans are giving up far too much on the defensive end and can't find their way out of the loss column. The Pelicans will try to snap a six-game slide when they return home to host the pesky Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.

New Orleans just got back from a five-game road trip against Western Conference playoff contenders, during which it surrendered an average of 122 points to push its NBA-worst scoring defense to 120.7. "Guys, we've got 72 games left," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters. "We're disappointed in a road trip like this - in the West, you don't want to have any kind of losing streak - but we're going to stay at an even keel. We're going to compete at a high level, get better and correct the mistakes." The Bulls dropped three games by a total of 11 points before finally breaking through with a 116-115 double-overtime win at New York on Monday. "Our guys needed to get a close one," Chicago coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters. "We needed our guys to get a little confidence. We had a lot of miscues, but we needed a big stop and we got it (at the end of regulation and the first overtime). The guys hung tough and they stuck together. We found a way to get the win."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS New Orleans

ABOUT THE BULLS (3-8): Guard Zach LaVine scored a career-high 41 points on Monday, including the deciding free throw in the second overtime, and is averaging 27.9 points. "At the end of the day, I am going to do what I do to help us get a win," LaVine told reporters. "I've worked hard to get to the next level." Chicago has several players trying to get to the next level on a young team and rookie power forward Wendell Carter Jr. recorded his second straight double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds in Monday's triumph.

ABOUT THE PELICANS (4-6): New Orleans believes some of its problems on the defensive end are self-inflicted, and the team committed 21 turnovers in the 122-116 loss at Oklahoma City on Monday. "At the end of the day we had 21 turnovers for 28 points," Gentry told reporters. "They were plus-16 points in turnovers and plus-10 in the paint. To me, that was the difference in the game. We talk about it all the time, we're playing from behind way too much. ... So, what we're doing is putting ourselves in the position where we have to have the perfect storm to win." The Pelicans could also use more from superstar Anthony Davis, who is 18-of-49 from the floor in his last three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pelicans PG Elfrid Payton (ankle) sat out the last five games and remains questionable.

2. Chicago PG Cameron Payne is 3-of-17 from 3-point range over the last six games.

3. New Orleans took both matchups last season in overtime.

PREDICTION: Pelicans 123, Bulls 114

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:29 AM

Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The Denver Nuggets are playing with a chip on their shoulders after just missing the playoffs the last two seasons, and the results have been very favorable. They will try to continue to match the best start in franchise history when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

Behind a career-high 48 points from Jamal Murray, Denver picked up a 115-107 win at home over the Boston Celtics on Monday, improving to 9-1 for the first time since 1976. "I think that's the biggest thing," Murray told reporters Monday while discussing the team narrowly missing the playoffs. "We talked about it in training camp, but I think everyone has that feeling that if we lose one game now, it's going to come back and haunt us at the end of the year." The Grizzlies are 3-0 at home but are coming off a three-game road trip capped by losses at Phoenix and Golden State. They were tied with the mighty Warriors at halftime Monday night before getting outscored by 19 points in the third quarter en route to a 117-101 loss.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FS Southeast (Memphis)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (9-1): Murray drew some criticism from the Celtics for a late attempt at 50 points but his teammates are all on board with the third-year guard's willingness to take charge. "Jamal is a gamer," fellow guard Gary Harris told reporters. "He plays his best in big games, and he came ready to play. He's the reason why we won tonight." Center Nikola Jokic was held to single digits Monday for the third straight time but he has 27 assists and 26 rebounds in that span.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (5-4): The starters combined for just 49 points in Monday's loss as the team completed its first back-to-back, and stars Michael Conley and Marc Gasol totaled only 17 points. Dillon Brooks provided a spark off the bench with 18 points and he is averaging 17.5 in 26.5 minutes over his last two games. Brooks scored 24 points in a win over the Nuggets in the last meeting of the 2017-18 season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Murray was 5-for-11 from 3-point range against the Celtics after opening the season 11-for-40.

2. Gasol averages 17 points on 57.6 percent shooting at home, compared to 12.2 on 33.3 percent on the road.

3. Jokic averaged 17 points and 10.5 rebounds to help Denver win three of four matchups with Memphis last season.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 110, Grizzlies 104

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:29 AM

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Indiana Pacers Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
76ers vs. Pacers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

Not only have the Philadelphia 76ers been unable to win on the road, but they've barely been competitive in those games. The Sixers will try for a sixth time to gain their first road victory when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

Four of their five losses away from home have come by at least 15 points and Sunday's dreadful 122-97 setback at Brooklyn, which featured an NBA-high 28 turnovers by Philadelphia, was a rather alarming result for a team hoping to be among the elites in the Eastern Conference. "To win on the road, you better not turn it over at the rate we've been turning it over," coach Brett Brown told reporters. "You better have an incredible focus on rebounding. Historically, those are the tenets of road wins -- caring for the ball and finishing plays with rebounds. ... I think that togetherness, that toughness, that ability to take punches and come out together on the other side, that is part of growth. We don't have that right now." The Pacers won three straight by a total of nine points before suffering a 98-94 loss to Houston on Monday in the second of three straight at home. Victor Oladipo scored 28 points in the defeat to record his NBA-leading 10th straight game with at least 20 points

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Indiana

ABOUT THE 76ERS (6-5): Ben Simmons scored 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the loss to the Nets but he had five turnovers and has given the ball up 16 times over his last two road games. Joel Embiid added 16 points and 15 rebounds while missing his only 3-point attempt, part of a 4-for-20 showing from beyond the arc for Philadelphia. "The coaches don't control us making shots and they don't control us turning the ball over," Embiid told the media. "That's none of their fault. At times we can all do a better job as far as controlling the game. I don't think it's none of their fault; it's on the players. We're the ones that go out there and we have a game plan, and we should just follow it and trust it."

ABOUT THE PACERS (7-4): Indiana is attempting an average of 85 shots a game -- fewest in the East -- and a few more scoring chances might make the difference in close games like Monday's loss, but the team is not prepared to force anything. "We don't want to just get into a run-and-gun game and make it a shootout," coach Nate McMillan told reporters after the loss to the Rockets. "If we have something early (in the possession), we'll take it. If not we want to make them defend it." It helps that the team ranks fifth overall in field-goal percentage (48.9), led by a 68.4 percent showing by forward Domantas Sabonis.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pacers PG Cory Joseph has one point while missing all nine of his shots from the floor over the last two games.

2. Sixers SG JJ Redick is shooting 31.3 percent from 3-point range on the road, compared to 44.7 percent at home.

3. Indiana has won eight straight meetings at home.

PREDICTION: Pacers 112, 76ers 106

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:30 AM

Toronto Raptors vs. Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The Toronto Raptors are piling up the victories and strive to add another when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday. Toronto is tied with the Golden State Warriors for the best record in the NBA and is looking to complete a sweep of a four-game road trip.

The availability of Raptors standout small forward Kawhi Leonard is unknown due to the left ankle injury that led him to miss the past two games. Leonard suffered the injury against the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 2 and sat out victories over the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz. Sacramento was obliterated 144-109 by the Milwaukee Bucks in its last outing to see a five-game winning streak evaporate. "We just went 3-1 on a four-game road trip," Kings forward Justin Jackson said after the loss. "Obviously, it hurts a little bit to lose like that, but I think we're extremely happy of how we played this road trip."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), NBCS California (Sacramento)

ABOUT THE RAPTORS (10-1): Power forward Serge Ibaka connected on all eight shots while scoring 17 points in Monday's 124-111 win over the Jazz just one night after scoring a career-best 34 points on 15-of-17 shooting in a 121-107 victory over the Lakers. Ibaka registered three career 30-point outings and two of them have occurred in the past five games. Point guard Kyle Lowry is also playing solid with nine straight outings of 10 or more assists while averaging 17.9 points and an NBA-best 11.5 assists.

ABOUT THE KINGS (6-4): Sacramento looks to move on from the pounding it absorbed with a four-game homestand that concludes against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 12. The Kings have ramped up the offensive attack this season and rank fourth in scoring (118.7) but the defense has been suspect and stands 26th while allowing 119.3 points per game. Shooting guard Buddy Hield had 19 points against the Bucks to fall a point short of his sixth straight 20-point game and the third-year pro is shooting a stellar 48 percent from 3-point range.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Raptors won each of last season's two meetings by 15 points after the Kings won the previous four.

2. Sacramento backup SG Ben McLemore won't play Wednesday as he grieves the death of his brother, Kevin.

3. Toronto G Norman Powell (shoulder) was injured against Utah and is unlikely to play Wednesday.

PREDICTION: Raptors 116, Kings 113

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 05:30 AM

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The Los Angeles Lakers are still trying to find their stride as they enter Wednesday's home game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Inconsistency plagued the team during the first 10 games of the LeBron James era and the Lakers will attempt to rebound from Sunday's debacle against the Toronto Raptors.

Los Angeles trailed 41-17 after the first quarter on Sunday en route to succumbing 121-107 to the Raptors in a contest in which Toronto was missing star forward Kawhi Leonard. "They just came out and just hit us right in the mouth," James told reporters. "It's very, very hard to make a game out of that when you're trying to expend so much energy trying to get back into it." Minnesota is experiencing its own issues with three straight losses to begin a five-game road trip and the near-daily drama circulating around disgruntled shooting guard Jimmy Butler. "I just hoop," Butler, who has requested a trade, told reporters. "I play basketball. I go out there, and I try to win home or away. I think that's my job. I'm not worried about nothing -- none of that. (Reporters) continue to ask those questions, but it's not going to change how I go about the game. It's not going to change how I interact with guys in this locker room. We'll be just fine."

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (4-7): Guard Derrick Rose recorded 21 points in Monday's 120-109 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers after missing most of the previous two games with an ankle injury. Rose has been surprisingly good this season while averaging 17.4 points, with his best outing being the career-high 50 he put up against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 31. Center Karl-Anthony Towns recovered from a slow start to post four double-doubles in the past five games and he is averaging 21.8 points and 12 rebounds during the stretch.

ABOUT THE LAKERS (4-6): Los Angeles has its own bouts of drama percolating as coach Luke Walton is coming under fire during the early stages of James' tenure. Management usually understands patience is required to make so many new moving parts fit but president of basketball operations Magic Johnson's proclamation that Walton's job is safe included this disclaimer: "Unless something drastic happen." The defense has been a huge problem -- the Lakers allowed over 120 points in five of their six losses and stand 27th in scoring defense (120 per game) while the offense ranks third at 118.9.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Butler scored 32 points as the Timberwolves prevailed 124-120 on Oct. 29 for their fifth consecutive win over the Lakers.

2. Minnesota PG Jeff Teague (knee) is expected to miss his fifth straight game.

3. Los Angeles backup G Josh Hart is just 13-of-39 shooting over the past six contests.

PREDICTION: Lakers 117, Timberwolves 112

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 08:05 AM

Dallas Mavericks vs. Utah Jazz Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NBA Predictions 7th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/07/2018

Star guard Donovan Mitchell is expected to be back in the lineup when the Utah Jazz host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. The Jazz listed Mitchell as probable for the contest after he missed Monday's loss to Toronto due to a sprained left ankle.

Utah has dropped four straight games and also stands 0-4 at home after falling 124-111 to a Toronto team playing without star forward Kawhi Leonard. "We've shown patches where we can be really good and be the team we know we can be," forward Joe Ingles told reporters, "but we've shown a lot more of the other side of it, to this point." Dallas halted its six-game losing streak by building a 21-point halftime lead en route to notching a 119-100 home win over Washington on Tuesday. The Mavericks are 0-5 on the road this season after posting a miserable 9-32 record last campaign.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Dallas), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Utah) Linea: Jazz -9.5

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (3-7): Forward Luka Doncic is living up to his billing as an impact rookie as the third overall draft pick scored 23 points against Washington for his fifth 20-point performance of the campaign. The 19-year-old Doncic, who is averaging 19.8 points, has recorded as least 14 in every game and said he can feel the trust building with his teammates. "It's always hard when you first have new teammates," Doncic said in a postgame television interview. "Everything is hard to build the chemistry. But as the games go, everything gets better."

ABOUT THE JAZZ (4-6): Utah is looking nothing like the team that won 48 games last season, and players are searching for answers as to why the intensity is lacking. "Teams come here with the mindset of attacking us. You can feel it," standout center Rudy Gobert told reporters. "We're not the Utah Jazz of last year in their head, and they come in here trying to be aggressive, so it's on us to get past that and be aggressive." Gobert had his way against the Mavericks on Oct. 28, when he registered 23 points and 16 rebounds as the Jazz recorded a 113-104 victory.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Jazz have won each of the last four meetings and seven of the last eight.

2. Dallas C DeAndre Jordan collected 12 rebounds on Tuesday and has been in double digits in all 10 games.

3. Utah PG Ricky Rubio is 4-of-20 shooting over the last two contests.

PREDICTION: Jazz 107, Mavericks 98

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 08:05 AM

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NHL Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The Pittsburgh Penguins are facing a matchup on the road with the reigning Stanley Cup champions, but that may not be a bad thing given their ongoing struggles overall and at home. Pittsburgh has stumbled badly after completing a perfect four-game road trip through Canada and has dropped four in a row (0-3-1) entering Wednesday night's game at the Washington Capitals.

While team captains and resident superstars Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin going head-to-head is always a headline attraction, the Penguins are more concerned by their recent slump that culminated with back-to-back losses at home by a 10-1 margin. "It's not a good feeling when you're in these types of situations, but we have to rely on one another to get out of it," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan told reporters. "We believe we have what it takes to be a very good team in the league." Ovechkin helped Washington end a two-game slide of its own, scoring a late goal to provide the icing on a 4-2 win over Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night. It will mark the first meeting between the Metropolitan Division rivals since the Penguins edged the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals 7-6 in overtime on Oct. 4.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA, Sportsnet

ABOUT THE PENGUINS (6-4-3): Pittsburgh has yet to lose in regulation away from home and pumped in 23 goals in its dominating four-game road trip, but it has been limited to six tallies during its current slide - including back-to-back drubbings by Toronto and New Jersey. "We have high expectations of ourselves and on our teammates and everything and no one is playing up to those expectations right now," forward Patric Hornqvist told reporters. "But we need to stop the bleeding next game." Sullivan juggled his lines at Tuesday's practice, moving Evgeni Malkin between Hornqvist and Carl Hagelin.

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (6-4-3): Washington received a boost from its newly configured fourth line to jump-start the win over Edmonton, getting goals from Jakub Vrana and Devante Smith-Pelly within the first six minutes of the game. Vrana was demoted to the fourth line after struggling in the previous game and was joined by Travis Boyd, who collected a pair of assists in his season debut. "We had a couple of good shifts and were able to capitalize right away," Boyd told reporters. "Overall, it was a good first night back for me and a great night for the team to get back in the win column, too."

OVERTIME

1. Washington has yet to win back-to-back games this season.

2. The Penguins are 2-for-19 on the power play in the past five games.

3. Ovechkin is tied for eighth on the all-time list with 234 power-play goals - two behind Mario Lemieux.

PREDICTION: Capitals 3, Penguins 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 08:05 AM

Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NHL Predictions 6th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/06/2018

The Colorado Avalanche will hope to get back on track after a winless three-game road trip, but they will have to do it against a team that has been perfect away from home. The Nashville Predators, who became the fifth team in NHL history to open a season with at least six consecutive road victories, begin a five-game trek with a visit to the Avalanche on Wednesday night.

"We haven't talked about (it) too much," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette told reporters of the unblemished road record. "I know it's hard to win on the road, but I think our group has done a pretty good job of focusing on the opponent and the game and not necessarily the location." The league's first team to reach 11 wins and 22 points, the Predators have won three in a row and allowed a scant two goals as they make their first visit to Colorado since closing out a six-game postseason series against the Avalanche in April. Colorado ranks second in the NHL in scoring with 3.71 goals per game, but it struggled at the defensive end in Western Canada, allowing 13 tallies in losses to Calgary and Vancouver. "It wasn't the best road trip," said backup netminder Philipp Grubauer. "We'll need to keep working. If we're smart as a team we'll learn from this road trip, learn from our mistakes."

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (11-3-0): Top-line forward Viktor Arvidsson has sat out the past two games due to a lower-body injury and is eligible to come off injured reserve Wednesday, but he was wearing a non-contact jersey at Tuesday's practice. Colton Sissons and Kevin Fiala each played on the No. 1 unit alongside Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg in the past two games, but Ryan Hartman skated with the team's top two scorers during Wednesday's practice. Pekka Rinne has won both starts since returning from a five-game injury absence, including a 1-0 shutout of Boston on Saturday.

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (7-4-3): Entering Tuesday's games, Colorado featured the league's Nos. 1 and 3 top scorers in Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon, who form a potent top line with captain Gabriel Landeskog. Rantanen, who celebrated his 22nd birthday on Oct. 29 by being named the NHL's Third Star of the Week, collected a goal and seven assists over the last four games. "We have to prove we can do it every night and be consistent," Rantanen said of his line's production. "I knew I could play in the NHL but I never thought I would be playing on a line like this. I can't deny, it's been a lot of fun."

OVERTIME

1. Forsberg had three goals and three assists in four matches against the Avalanche in 2017-18.

2. Landeskog has 10 goals in his last nine games, but his one tally was his only point in four games versus Nashville last season.

3. Rinne needs three wins to tie Miikka Kiprusoff (319) for the most by a Finnish-born goalie.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Predators 3

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 11-07-2018, 08:06 AM

Calgary Flames vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview and Predictions 11-07-2018

NHL Predictions 7th November 2018 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 11/07/2018

Sean Monahan has been unstoppable of late, registering two points in each of the last four contests of his six-game point streak. The 24-year-old center looks to extend the run and reach a milestone Wednesday as the Calgary Flames seek their fifth straight win when they kick off a three-game road trip against the Anaheim Ducks.

Monahan has collected four goals and six assists during his point streak, putting him one away from 300 for his career. The sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft, he has recorded all four tallies and four assists during the Flames' winning streak to earn the NHL's First Star of the Week honors. Anaheim's struggles continued Tuesday as it dropped a 4-1 decision in Los Angeles two days after ending its seven-game slide. Ryan Kesler ended his eight-game goal-scoring drought in the loss by the Ducks, who are in the midst of a stretch during which they play 11 of 13 at home.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet West (Calgary), Prime Ticket (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (9-5-1): Michael Frolik is heating up as he has scored three of his seven goals over his last four games. The 30-year-old Czech, who recorded only 10 tallies in 70 contests last season, has yet to notch an assist in 2018-19 - keeping him at 199 for his career. Captain Mark Giordano was kept off the scoresheet in Saturday's 5-3 victory over Chicago after collecting a goal and seven assists during a four-game point streak.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (6-7-3): Captain Ryan Getzlaf was back in the lineup Tuesday after missing one game with an upper-body injury. The 33-year-old center, who is second on the team with 10 points, was a minus-2 and had his four-game point streak halted but registered four shots, four hits and three blocked shots while going 12-8 on faceoffs. Randy Carlyle's next victory will be his 461st as an NHL coach, breaking a tie with Roger Neilson for 30th place on the all-time list.

OVERTIME

1. The Flames have scored a league-leading 28 goals in the third period this season.

2. Anaheim C Chase De Leo was a healthy scratch Tuesday after being recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League earlier in the day.

3. Calgary rookie C Dillon Dube, who was injured in Saturday's win over Chicago, has not practiced and remains in concussion protocol.

PREDICTION: Flames 5, Ducks 3

Wednesday 11-7-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

Wednesday 11-7-18 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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