Wednesday 1-23-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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Charlotte Hornets vs. Memphis Grizzlies Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NBA Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

If the Charlotte Hornets find themselves on the outside of the Eastern Conference playoffs this spring, their road record could be the reason. The Hornets will try to avoid another loss away from home when they continue a three-game trip by visiting the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

Charlotte, which finishes the excursion at Milwaukee on Friday, was ripped 120-95 in the opener of the trip on Sunday at Indiana to fall to 6-16 on the road. "Our turnovers fueled a lot of their offense," Hornets coach James Borrego told reporters after the latest setback. "When we turned it over offensively, it just created points for them. We move on. We have to get better from this game. (We need to work on) our transition defense. We have to battle defensively. ... We'll be better." The Grizzlies dropped five of their last six home games and watched their overall slide reach six in a row with a demoralizing 105-85 home loss on Monday to a New Orleans Pelicans team that was missing superstar Anthony Davis. "My emotional state is steady," Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "We've got to do a better job as coaches of maintaining our guys' spirit. I think that is the difficult piece: those moments, again because of what has happened the past six weeks, we're kind of beat and we allow one play to impact the next play and then it impacts the next play."

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

ABOUT THE HORNETS (22-24): Charlotte star guard Kemba Walker is averaging 26.2 points over the last five games and scored 23 on Sunday but did not get a lot of help as no other player scored more than 11 in the loss. Power forward Marvin Williams scored in double figures in three straight wins prior to Sunday but slumped to nine points on 3-of-13 shooting in the setback. Center Bismack Biyombo was a bright point in the loss while recording his second straight double-double and owns three double-doubles this month while starting in place of Cody Zeller (hand).

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (19-28): Memphis lost 12 of its last 13 games and 17 of 20 and shot 37.5 percent from the floor on Monday while dropping its league-worst scoring average to 100.6 points. "Nobody's going to come and save us," point guard Mike Conley told reporters. "We have nobody coming in the door tomorrow that's going to change what we're doing. We've got guys down. We've got eight, nine, 10 guys that can suit up. We need everybody to find it in themselves to get us out of this thing." Conley leads the struggling offense at an average of 19.8 points and collected 20 points, eight assists and four steals on Monday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Grizzlies C Marc Gasol scored 22 points in 35 minutes on Monday but is considered questionable for Wednesday due to back soreness.

2. Hornets SF Nicolas Batum is shooting 43.3 percent from 3-point range at home and 36.8 percent on the road.

3. Charlotte posted the largest win in franchise history with a 140-79 home drubbing of Memphis in the last meeting on March 22.

PREDICTION: Hornets 102, Grizzlies 97

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Atlanta Hawks vs. Chicago Bulls Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NBA Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

There have been signs of promise with the Atlanta Hawks of late, but after a lackluster performance in Monday's home defeat to Orlando they now embark on a seven-game road trip starting Wednesday at Chicago. The Hawks had split their previous 16 games and led by three points after one quarter Monday before running out of gas, falling 122-103 to the Magic to end their homestand with back-to-back losses.

"In the first quarter, I thought we were good," Atlanta rookie point guard Trae Young told reporters after scoring a team-best 21 points. "After that, we were just out of rhythm, up and down from there." The Bulls are one of only four teams with fewer wins than the Hawks, but tasted victory for the first time since Dec. 28 on Monday with a 104-88 triumph at Cleveland to snap a 10-game losing streak. Chicago never trailed in the game, jumping out to a 31-18 lead as guard Zach LaVine scored 25 points. "It stinks to lose 10 in a row," Chicago guard Kris Dunn told the media afterward. "A game like this can galvanize us."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), WGN (Chicago)

ABOUT THE HAWKS (14-32): Young has raised his scoring average to 16.1 per game to go with 7.2 assists, and is fourth on the franchise list for 3-pointers made by a rookie (69) and fifth in assists (331). Forward John Collins averages team highs in scoring (18.8) and rebounding (10.4), and ranks ninth in the NBA in field-goal percentage (57.9 percent). Atlanta forces 16.1 turnovers per game (fifth in the league) and is 10th in steals per game (8.48).

ABOUT THE BULLS (11-36): LaVine has recorded 20-plus points in 30 games this season and leads Chicago in scoring at 22.9 points per game. Forward Lauri Markkanen reached double-figures scoring in 14 of his past 15 contests, finishing with 13 points Monday. Chicago forced 10 or more turnovers in 13 of the past 14 games, and limited opponents to eight of fewer steals in 16 straight contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Chicago scored 100 or more points in nine consecutive games, the team's longest streak in the past three seasons.

2. Atlanta rookie G Kevin Huerter, who has made 16 3-pointers in his past four games, did not play Monday due to a sore neck.

3. LaVine scored 27 points with 13 rebounds in Chicago's first meeting with the Hawks this season, a 97-85 victory in Atlanta on Oct. 27.

PREDICTION: Hawks 105, Bulls 101

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San Antonio Spurs vs. Philadelphia 76ers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NBA Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
Spurs vs. 76ers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

The Philadelphia 76ers could be without Jimmy Butler for the second straight game when they host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. Butler missed Monday's 121-93 whipping of the visiting Houston Rockets and is listed as questionable to play against the Spurs.

Point guard Ben Simmons (upper respiratory infection) is also questionable for Philadelphia, which silenced the high-scoring Rockets for most of Monday's contest while recording 14 blocked shots. "Our defense was great, especially in the third quarter," center Joel Embiid told reporters after contributing 32 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. "I think they only had 13 points. We did a pretty good job, so we've got to keep moving on that and get better but it was good to see." The Spurs are coming off a disappointing 103-95 home loss against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday when they committed 18 turnovers. "I think they out-executed us and out-competed us every way, shape and form," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich told reporters. "And, we were sloppy with the ball on top of it, so that's a bad combination."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, KENS (San Antonio), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE SPURS (27-21): Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan missed one game with ankle soreness and then was off the mark often against the Clippers. DeRozan was just 4-of-16 shooting and the eight points represented his second-lowest outing of the season but backcourt mate Derrick White expects DeRozan to bounce back fast. "The next game's going to come and he's going to do what he does," White told reporters about DeRozan. "It happens, it's a long season. I'm not too worried about it."

ABOUT THE 76ERS (31-17): With Butler ailing, Philadelphia coach Brett Brown surprisingly inserted forward Corey Brewer into the lineup and the 12-year veteran played solidly against the Rockets. Brewer energized the squad with 11 points, two steals and two blocked shots in 33 minutes in just his second game with the team. "Isn't that what life's all about?" Brown said during his postgame press conference. "You get an opportunity and you hope to deliver. He did deliver. I feel that what he did was unique. It was special. He's good people, and I'm thrilled he had the opportunity and to live it like he did."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. SF Rudy Gay scored 21 points as the Spurs rolled to a 123-96 victory over the 76ers on Dec. 17.

2. Philadelphia rookie SG Landry Shamet is 10-of-16 shooting over the past two games.

3. San Antonio F Davis Bertans (personal reasons) will sit out Wednesday's game.

PREDICTION: 76ers 111, Spurs 106

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Denver Nuggets vs. Utah Jazz Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NBA Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

The Denver Nuggets look to halt a seven-game losing streak in Salt Lake City when they visit the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. The Jazz have won the seven meetings by an average of 14 points and held Denver under 90 in five of the games.

Utah had a six-game winning streak halted on Monday, when it suffered a 109-104 home loss to the Portland Trail Blazers despite Donovan Mitchell again excelling with 36 points. Mitchell has scored more than 20 points in each of the past nine games and is averaging 29.8 points during the stretch. Denver won 10 of its past 13 games and defeated the lowly Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers by an average of 26 points in its last two outings. "Besides a few slipups here and there, we've been taking care of the teams we need to take care of," Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris told reporters after Saturday's 124-102 rout of the Cavaliers.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Altitude 2 (Denver), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (31-14): Point guard Jamal Murray scored 26 points in the win over Cleveland for his fourth straight game of shooting 50 percent or better. Murray is averaging 24 points during the stretch and is 15-of-25 from 3-point range over the past three contests. Standout center Nikola Jokic had 19 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers for his third triple-double in the past seven games and he recorded a season-high 16 assists in a win over Utah earlier this season.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (26-22): Point guard Ricky Rubio (hamstring) returned from a six-game absence to score 12 points in 14 minutes against Portland. Rubio was on a minutes restriction and he admitted he was having trouble being patient as he felt he could have made a bigger difference against the Trail Blazers. "You've got to trust the doctors," Rubio told reporters. "They're (some) of the best in the business. I want to be able to see the big picture. Sometimes it's frustrating. I wish I would have played more minutes. But I know this is a marathon. It's not just (Monday). It's a long season and I have to take care of my body."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Nuggets outscored the Jazz 35-15 in the fourth quarter while registering a 103-88 home win on Nov. 3.

2. Utah C Rudy Gobert notched eight straight double-doubles and has 39 on the season.

3. Denver reserve SG Malik Beasley scored in double digits in six straight games and is averaging 16.2 points on 37-of-62 shooting during the stretch.

PREDICTION: Jazz 106, Nuggets 104

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Arizona Coyotes vs. Montreal Canadiens Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NHL Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019

The Montreal Canadiens have had plenty of time to mull over their last performance and work on a punchless power play as they prepare to host the surging Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. The Canadiens saw their four-game winning streak come to end with a 5-2 home loss to struggling Philadelphia on Saturday - the fourth setback in their last seven games at Bell Centre.

"If you want to be a playoff team, you want to be in a situation where teams don't want to come here and play us, but that hasn't been the case this season," Montreal's Jonathan Drouin told reporters of his team's 13-10-2 record at home. "We've been playing well on the road (14-8-3, including wins in four of the last five) and we have to figure a way to play the same kind of game here." The Canadiens are last in the league on the power play (12.6 percent) despite scoring with the man advantage in a 2-1 win on Dec. 20 at Arizona, which leads the NHL in penalty-killing (87.4 percent overall, 88.2 on the road). The Coyotes have put themselves in the race for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference by collecting points in eight of their last nine games (6-1-2) after holding on for 3-2 victory at Ottawa on Tuesday. The win may have come at a bit of cost, though, as second-leading scorer Oliver Ekman-Larsson (26 points) left the game with a lower-body injury and did not return - making his status for the game in Montreal uncertain.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Arizona, Sportsnet One, RDS (Montreal)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (23-22-4): Vinnie Hinostroza, who scored in Sunday's win at Toronto, recorded two goals and an assist in the victory over Ottawa while Richard Panik registered a pair of assists - giving him four points in as many games. Clayton Keller scored in the previous two contests to push his team-leading total to 34 points but was kept off the scoresheet on Tuesday. Darcy Kuemper has played a big part in Arizona's revival by going 6-0-2 with a .928 save percentage this month, but he is expected to give way to backup Calvin Pickard on Wednesday after making 25 saves to beat Ottawa.

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (27-18-5): Montreal was tied for sixth in the league in 5-on-5 goals (112) and power-play opportunities (159) entering Tuesday and is 2-for-27 with the man advantage in its last 11 contests. "Just talking about it is beating a dead horse, right?" leading scorer Max Domi told the Montreal Gazette. "We know what we have to do. It's just keep it simple, shoot pucks and just trust the system, and that's how we're going to have to play." Domi has landed on the scoresheet in four straight games and tops the Canadiens with 44 points while Brendan Gallagher leads the way with 19 goals.

OVERTIME

1. Montreal G Carey Price, who has allowed a total of three goals while winning his last three starts, is 10-1-0 with a .931 save percentage in his career versus the Coyotes.

2. Arizona C Derek Stepan reached double figures in goals Tuesday and has collected five points in his last five contests.

3. Canadiens LW Paul Byron (10 goals) will serve the final contest of the three-game suspension he received for an illegal hit against Florida.

PREDICTION: Canadiens 4, Coyotes 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Capitals vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NHL Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

The Toronto Maple Leafs have tumbled into a tailspin that has seen them drop seven of their last 10 games overall and six of seven at home. The Maple Leafs likely won't receive much sympathy on Wednesday when they host the Washington Capitals, who have lost a season-high six in a row (0-4-2) and surrendered at least seven goals in three of their last four contests.

Auston Matthews is mired in an offensive funk, as the 21-year-old has just one goal in his last 13 games and three assists along with a minus-11 rating in his past seven. Matthews, however, has found success versus Washington as he boosted his point total to six (two goals, four assists) in six encounters after scoring and setting up a goal in Toronto's 4-2 win on Oct. 13. Three-time Hart Trophy recipient Alex Ovechkin set up goals by countryman Evgeny Kuznetsov and Chandler Stephenson in that contest and registered his third hat trick of the season - 23rd of his career - in Tuesday's 7-6 overtime loss to San Jose. The Capitals, who allowed the tying goal in the final second of regulation before falling in overtime, will look to avoid losing seven in a row for the first time since the 2013-14 season.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA, Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, (Toronto)

ABOUT THE CAPITALS (27-16-6): T.J. Oshie scored one goal and set up two others against the Sharks to boost his point total to 10 (four goals, six assists) in his last eight games. Nicklas Backstrom had an assist in the first meeting with Toronto and set up a pair of goals on Tuesday to lift his total to 37, one shy of defenseman John Carlson for the team lead. The 29-year-old Carlson set up Oshie's first-period goal against San Jose and has seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last eight games.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (29-17-2): William Nylander, who has just one goal in 20 games, posted his first point since Jan. 3 when he set up defenseman Travis Dermott's first-period tally in Sunday's 4-2 setback to Arizona. The assist was the 22-year-old Nylander's third in 20 contests this season after he recorded 41 in 82 games in 2017-18. Offense hasn't been an issue for John Tavares, who reached the 30-goal plateau for the fifth time in his career on Sunday when he scored in the third period.

OVERTIME

1. Toronto F Mitch Marner has four goals and two assists in his last six games.

2. Washington G Pheonix Copley likely will get the nod on Wednesday and bid for his first win since Jan. 8, when he turned aside 37 shots in a 5-3 victory versus Philadelphia.

3. Maple Leafs G Frederik Andersen (21-11-1) is just 9-7-0 at home this season despite sporting a 2.28 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Capitals 3

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Minnesota Wild vs. Colorado Avalanche Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NHL Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

The Minnesota Wild have struggled against some of the league's lightweights but they have a chance to head into the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak after they visit the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night. Colorado has been a nemesis for Minnesota, outscoring it 23-5 during a four-game winning streak before the Wild prevailed 3-2 on Oct. 27.

After losing three of four, with each of the defeats by three goals, Minnesota knocked off Columbus before winning at Vegas to move into third place in the Central Division -- one point ahead of the Avalanche. "It's important for us because when you do have the break, you're not gaining points by sitting out for eight days," said Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, whose team will have its league-mandated break following the All-Star Game. "You've gotta make hay when the sun shines." Colorado has been in a tailspin for more than 6 1/2 weeks, losing for the 15th time in 20 games (5-12-3) after suffering a 4-1 home loss to Nashville on Monday. "We need the points," Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon said. "I think Minny is ahead of us now, so we need to beat them and get back ahead of them during the break."

TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, FS North, FS Wisconsin (Minnesota), Altitude (Colorado)

ABOUT THE WILD (25-21-3): Minnesota showed what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas, acquiring defenseman Brad Hunt from the Golden Knights in exchange for a sixth-round draft choice hours after beating them 4-2 on Monday. Hunt, who appeared in 33 games over parts of his first four seasons, recorded a career-best 18 points in 45 games with Vegas last season, including two goals and 10 assists on the power play. "He's a really good offensive player," Boudreau said. "Other than that, he's a great person, he can really move the puck as a smaller type D. He's got a really hard shot on the power play."

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (22-19-8): After returning home from a five-game road trip and mauling Los Angeles 7-1, Colorado's bid to win back-to-back games for the first time since Nov. 27-28 fizzled in the loss to the Predators. The No. 1 line of Mikko Rantanen, captain Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon, all bound for the All-Star Game, was a collective minus-6 and failed to hit the scoresheet. "Their success and our team success is are all tied to one another in that sense," coach Jared Bednar said. "I think those guys have a hunger to excel at what they do and help get our team to where we want it to go."

OVERTIME

1. MacKinnon has nine goals and 20 points in 24 games against the Wild.

2. Wild F Zach Parise has 15 goals and 34 points in 34 games versus Colorado.

3. Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov has yielded three goals in splitting two decisions against Minnesota this season.

PREDICTION: Avalanche 4, Wild 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

St. Louis Blues vs. Anaheim Ducks Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NHL Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

The Anaheim Ducks finally get a break from the road -- albeit a brief one -- when they return home to face the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night in the final game for both clubs before the All-Star break. It will mark the only home game in a span of a month for Anaheim, which ended a franchise-record 12-game slide on its just-concluded five-game road trip.

The break could not come at a better time for the Ducks, who have dropped 13 of 15 (2-9-4) and face the prospect of heading back out on the road for another five-game trek following the All-Star Game. Fans at the Honda Center may have trouble recognizing the team after general manager Bob Murray made a flurry of moves last week, acquiring four players via trade and promoting three from the minors. The Blues lost for the third time in four games, squandering an early two-goal lead in Monday's 4-3 loss at Los Angeles in the opener of a five-game road trip. It continued a disturbing pattern for St. Louis, which has won only two of eight games (2-4-2) against the five teams with the fewest points in the league.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, FS Midwest (St. Louis), FS West (Anaheim)

ABOUT THE BLUES (21-22-5): After not allowing more than two goals in each of his first seven appearances this season, rookie netminder Jordan Binnington was victimized four times against Los Angeles to suffer his first regulation defeat (4-1-1). Center Ryan O'Reilly took over the team lead by scoring his 18th goal Monday to extend his point streak to five games and boost his team-high point total to 49 after collecting five tallies and a dozen assists over the past 14 games. MacKenzie MacEachern, a third-round pick in 2012 who played three seasons at Michigan State, notched his first NHL goal and point.

ABOUT THE DUCKS (21-20-9): Anaheim's punchless offense is not being helped by a slew of injuries as forwards Jakob Silfverberg (lower body), Ryan Kesler (lower body) and Ondrej Kase (upper body) all did not practice Monday. One positive sign was an appearance by Corey Perry, who practiced for the first time since suffering a serious injury in preseason, although he was wearing a non-contact jersey and there is no timetable for when he will be ready to rejoin the lineup. Goaltender John Gibson has won his last two starts but is 3-3-1 with a 2.57 goals-against average versus St. Louis.

OVERTIME

1. Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf has one goal and two assists in his last 14 games.

2. Blues F Vladimir Tarasenko has five goals in his last nine games overall but has only four in 18 contests against the Ducks.

3. Anaheim recalled F Adam Cracknell from San Diego of the American Hockey League.

PREDICTION: Ducks 3, Blues 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Nashville Predators vs. Vegas Golden Knights Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NHL Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

The Nashville Predators answered a puzzling stretch in which they lost four of five contests with a milestone victory for their coach in their last outing. The Predators look to head into their league-mandated bye week with back-to-back wins on Wednesday when they visit the Vegas Golden Knights.

"It's huge for us. We wanted to respond, we had some meetings and figured it out, and we just have to keep going into the right direction," said Nashville forward Nick Bonino, who scored his 100th career goal to help Peter Laviolette claim his 600th coaching victory in Monday's 4-1 triumph over Colorado. Red-hot Viktor Arvidsson, who tallied for the 11th time in 14 outings to claim the team lead in goals (19), also scored as the Predators posted a 4-1 win over visiting Vegas on Oct. 30. Vegas has answered a seven-game winning streak with losses in three of its last five contests, including a 4-2 setback versus Minnesota on Monday. Alex Tuch scored his career-high 16th goal versus the Wild to give him 13 (four goals, nine assists) of his club-best 39 points in the last 12 games.

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

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (29-18-4): Nashville's offense is expected to receive a jolt with the return of Ryan Johansen from a two-game suspension for a high stick on Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele. The 26-year-old Johansen boosted his team-leading totals in assists (34) and points (42) by setting up six goals in five contests prior to the ban. Reigning Vezina Trophy recipient Pekka Rinne returned to form against the Avalanche by stopping 35 of 36 shots after yielding 14 goals during his three-game winless skid.

ABOUT THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS (29-18-4): Max Pacioretty has scored a goal in back-to-back games for the second time this month to move within three tallies of team leader Jonathan Marchessault (17). Speaking of Marchessault, the 28-year-old Quebec native followed up his hat trick in Saturday's 7-3 win over Pittsburgh by setting up a goal against the Wild for his 99th career assist. Defenseman Colin Miller has set up two goals in consecutive contests since returning from a 13-game absence due to upper-body injury.

OVERTIME

1. Vegas G Marc-Andre Fleury boasts a 9-5-1 mark with two shutouts and a 1.95 goals-against average in 15 career appearances versus Nashville.

2. Predators RW Ryan Hartman scored twice in a 57-second span in the first meeting with the Golden Knights.

3. Vegas RW Reilly Smith, who scored his team's lone goal in the first encounter with Nashville, wore a non-contact practice jersey on Tuesday as he inches closer to a return from an undisclosed injury.

PREDICTION: Golden Knights 3, Predators 1

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Vancouver Canucks Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NHL Predictions 23rd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/23/2019

Rookie Elias Pettersson's return from injury was a successful one as he helped lead the Vancouver Canucks to victory with a goal and an assist. The Canucks hope for a repeat performance from the 20-year-old Swede as they attempt to conclude their six-game homestand without a regulation loss when they host the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday.

Pettersson, who missed five games with a sprained knee, leads Vancouver - and all NHL rookies - with 23 goals and 44 points after registering his 11th multi-point performance of the season in Sunday's 3-2 victory over Detroit. He also has proven to be a clutch scorer as he is tied for second in the league with seven game-winning tallies for the Canucks, who are 3-0-2 on their homestand. Carolina began its three-game trek through Western Canada with a triumph in Edmonton on Sunday and battled back to earn a point at Calgary before dropping a 3-2 decision in overtime two nights later. Sebastian Aho, who notched three assists against the Oilers, scored with 44 seconds remaining in the third period Tuesday to increase his team-leading totals to 22 goals and 55 points.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FS Carolinas, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver)

ABOUT THE HURRICANES (23-20-6): Teuvo Teravainen, who signed a five-year, $27 million contract extension Monday, has recorded an assist in back-to-back contests but has gone 10 games without a goal. The 24-year-old Finn has tallied in only three of his last 27 contests, scoring twice in two of those outings. Micheal Ferland is questionable to face Vancouver as he exited Tuesday's game in the second period with an upper-body injury, which also kept him out of the victory in Edmonton.

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (23-21-6): Bo Horvat ended his 11-game goal-scoring drought in Sunday's 3-2 triumph over Detroit, leaving him two tallies shy of his third consecutive 20-goal season. Brock Boeser has posted back-to-back two-point performances after notching one point over his previous five contests. The 21-year-old right wing is seven points away from 100 for his career.

OVERTIME

1. Canucks D Alex Edler is four goals away from tying Matthias Ohlund (93) for most by a blue-liner in franchise history.

2. Carolina D Jaccob Slavin has notched four assists over the first two games of the team's road trip.

3. Vancouver LW Loui Eriksson needs one goal to reach double digits for the 12th consecutive season.

PREDICTION: Canucks 4, Hurricanes 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Louisiana State Tigers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NCAAB Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

LSU is off to its best start in SEC play since 2006 and has won its last 17 home games, and looks to keep pace with No. 1 Tennessee at the top of the conference when it hosts Georgia on Wednesday. The Tigers never were threatened in Saturday's 89-67 thrashing of South Carolina, extending their winning streak to seven games by winning the rebounding battle 49-29 and hitting 32-of-35 free-throw attempts.

"We did a great job attacking the paint," LSU coach Will Wade told reporters following the game. "We had good pace and good spacing, especially in the first half." While everything is clicking for the Tigers, the Bulldogs come in on a three-game losing streak after a 62-52 home defeat Saturday against Florida. Georgia crumbled down the stretch, seeing a five-point lead evaporate thanks in part to not making another shot from the field until 22 seconds remained, and were outscored 28-10 in points off turnovers. "I think we've got to be aware of our surroundings when we catch the ball," Georgia guard Jordan Harris told the media afterward.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

ABOUT GEORGIA (9-8, 1-4 SEC): The Bulldogs are averaging just 62.2 points in conference games, and only one player is scoring in double figures (forward Nicolas Claxton, 10.2 per game). Forward Rayshaun Hammonds is Georgia's top scorer overall at 12.9 points per contest, but has been held scoreless twice in SEC play - including Saturday against Florida. Harris, inserted into the starting lineup, led the Bulldogs with 10 points Saturday.

ABOUT LSU (14-3, 4-0): Forward Kavell Bigby-Williams earned SEC player of the week after averaging 13 points, 10.5 rebounds and three blocked shots in victories over Ole Miss and South Carolina. Guard Tremont Waters leads a balanced scoring attack at 13.5 points per game, averaging 17 points in SEC play on 52.3 percent shooting from the field. The Tigers are third in the SEC and tied for 27th nationally in scoring at 82.5 points per game entering Tuesday.

TIP-INS

1. Georgia is 9-of-41 from 3-point range in its past two games.

2. Waters leads the SEC and is fourth nationally in steals per game (2.94), and the Tigers are tied for sixth in the country at 9.76 steals per contest through Monday.

3. The Bulldogs swept the two-game season series from LSU last season, but the Tigers hold a 35-15 advantage in home games.

PREDICTION: LSU 83, Georgia 67

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Providence Friars vs. Xavier Musketeers Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NCAAB Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

Xavier already has lost as many conference games as it did in 2017-18, when it went 15-3 in league play to win the Big East regular-season title. The Musketeers have split their first six games in conference play this season and will hope a return home will get them back on track when they host struggling Providence on Wednesday night.

Xavier was denied in its bid for a third consecutive victory, dropping an 85-75 decision at No. 18 Villanova on Friday, and expects another rugged battle against Providence. "They're a team a lot like us," Musketeers coach Travis Steele said. "It's gonna be a war on the glass. I think that's the biggest key to the game." The Friars also are coming off a loss to a ranked opponent, falling at No. 11 Marquette to lose for the fourth time in five games. "As a leader of this group, I have to try to keep everyone's heads up and make sure we're looking ahead to the next game and not dwell on this loss," Providence leading scorer Alpha Diallo said.

TV: 6:30 p.m. ET, FSI

ABOUT PROVIDENCE (11-7, 1-4 Big East): Sophomore center Nate Watson is becoming a bigger force for the Friars, scoring 16 of his 21 points in the second half against Marquette to match his season-high point total set against Georgetown on Jan. 12. "We're trying to give Nate the ball as much as we can," Providence coach Ed Cooley said of the 6-foot-10, 250-pound Watson, who is averaging 11.1 points. "I think he's a physical presence in there." Diallo, who tops the Big East at 8.6 rebounds per game, averaged 13.4 points and only three boards in three meetings versus Xavier in 2017-18.

ABOUT XAVIER (11-8, 3-3): While the Musketeers have great balance on offense with five players scoring in double figures, bruising forward Tyrique Jones registered his second double-double in three games with a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds against Villanova. Sophomore Naji Marshall, the team's leading scorer at 13.3 points, shot 37.5 percent from long range as a freshman but has connected on only 19.7 percent of his 3-point attempts this season after going 1-for-7 for the second straight game. "That's been a little bit of an Achilles heel for our team this year," Steele said.

OVERTIME

1. Xavier has won all seven home matchups versus Providence.

2. The Friars lead the conference in offensive rebounds at 12.3 per game.

3. The Musketeers are averaging seven turnovers over the past three games.

PREDICTION: Xavier 77, Providence 73

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Ohio St Buckeyes Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NCAAB Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

Value City Arena has not been kind to Purdue, but the Boilermakers were winners in their last visit in 2017 for only the second time in 15 games on Ohio State's home court and will try to make it two in a row in Columbus on Wednesday night. Purdue will face an Ohio State team that's in the throes of a four-game Big Ten losing streak and received more bad news Tuesday when it was learned that forward Kyle Young will be out several weeks with a stress fracture.

The Buckeyes were humming along at 12-1 and had moved into the top 15 of the rankings before they started to have difficulty scoring in January. During the skid, they've been held to 62 or fewer points three times, shot 27.6 percent from 3-point range in three of the losses and committed 21 turnovers in another. Defenses have surrounded 6-foot-9, 270-pound Kaleb Wesson, Ohio State's top player, and forced his teammates to try to make shots. If they don't come through, that could mean more bad news for Ohio State against Purdue, which has played tenacious defense during its three-game winning streak that includes a 70-55 victory at home Saturday over rival Indiana.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PURDUE (12-6, 5-2 Big Ten): Carsen Edwards is one of the nation's most dynamic offensive players and ranks among the leading scorers at 24.6 points per game. The next closest to Edwards on the team is Ryan Cline at 12.3 points. Seven-foot-3 center Matt Haarms comes off the bench and averages 7.7 points and 1.6 blocked shots per game.

ABOUT OHIO STATE (12-5, 2-4): Wesson leads the Buckeyes in scoring and rebounding, but C.J. Jackson is up to 13.1 points and 3.8 assists per game, and Ohio State relies on him to be a key contributor. Freshman Luther Muhammad follows Jackson at 9.1 points, and the rest of the Buckeyes who receive the bulk of playing time average between 7.3 and 7.9 points. With Young unavailable to provide help in the frontcourt, that puts more pressure on Wesson to stay out of foul trouble and for reserves Jaedon LeDee, Musa Jallow and Justin Ahrens to step up their contributions.

TIP-INS

1. Purdue has 10 or more steals in each game during its winning streak.

2. Cline is shooting 51.6 percent from 3-point range in the last five games.

3. Wesson was held scoreless while battling foul trouble in the only meeting last season, a 64-63 victory for Ohio State.

PREDICTION: Purdue 71, Ohio State 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Tennessee Volunteers vs. Vanderbilt Commodores Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NCAAB Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

Tennessee plays its first game as the No. 1 team in the nation when the Volunteers go after a 13th straight victory Wednesday night at struggling rival Vanderbilt in an SEC contest. Tennessee won its first four league games by an average of 25 points before holding on to edge Alabama 71-68 at home on Saturday to vault into the No. 1 spot for the first time since 2008.

"It's all about keeping it here, letting it last," Volunteers leading scorer Grant Williams told the Knoxville News Sentinel. "For me, I've always thought my goal was to hang banners rather than worry about halfway through the season. If we get caught up in that, we're not going to meet what our goals are." Tennessee won both meetings last season, including a 92-84 win at Nashville as Williams poured in 37 points, and will attempt to extend Vanderbilt's overall losing streak to six games. The Commodores, who lost leading scorer Darius Garland (16.2) to a season-ending injury after five games, are primarily depending on freshmen and sophomores to lead them to their first SEC victory this season. "Unfortunately I can't create any drills or anything in practice that equals experience, and so a lot of times we do it well in practice and you get into the game and it's usually underclassmen that just don't make the simple play we practiced," Vanderbilt coach Bryce Drew told reporters.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT TENNESSEE (16-1, 5-0 SEC): Williams, a junior forward, is averaging 18.9 points (19.7 the last three) on 56.1 percent shooting from the field and grabbing 7.5 rebounds per contest. Senior guard Admiral Schofield, who recorded his second double-double of the season Saturday, averages 17.4 points and 6.5 rebounds while connecting on 45.1 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Junior point guard Jordan Bone (13.2 points) tops the team in assists (6.4) and senior forward Kyle Alexander (9.9 points) leads the Volunteers in rebounding (7.8) along with blocks (1.9).

ABOUT VANDERBILT (9-8, 0-5): Freshman forward Simisola Shittu leads the team in scoring (13.6) on 49.7 percent shooting from the floor - despite averaging 9.5 the last four games - and rebounding (7.6). Sophomore guard Saben Lee scored 30 points combined in the last two games to push his average to 12.4 and he leads the Commodores in assists (3.5). Senior guard Joe Toye (9.6 points) is just 3-of-10 from the field the last two games and freshman forward Aaron Nesmith (9.2) has raised his production level the last three contests, averaging 15 points and five boards.

TIP-INS

1. Vanderbilt junior F Matt Ryan averaged almost 11 points the first 13 games, but managed 15 combined in the last four.

2. Tennessee junior G Jordan Bowden is averaging 17.6 points the last five games to push his season mark to 10.8.

3. The Volunteers sat second in the nation in field-goal percentage (51.1) and Vanderbilt (44.6) was tied for 183rd through Monday.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 82, Vanderbilt 64

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Texas Longhorns vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs Preview and Predictions 2019-01-23

NCAAB Predictions 22nd January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/22/2019

Texas finally got over the hump in a tight Big 12 game to end a string of three straight close losses. The Longhorns will try to build some momentum and move over .500 in conference play when they visit TCU on Wednesday.

After setbacks against Oklahoma State, No. 13 Texas Tech and No. 10 Kansas by a total of 11 points, Texas squeezed past then-No. 19 Oklahoma 75-72 on Saturday behind 23 points and eight rebounds from senior guard Kerwin Roach II. "It's definitely a game to get back on track," Roach told reporters after shooting 9-for-16 from the floor and bumping his team-leading scoring average to 14.1 points per game. "Any win is an atonement game." The Horned Frogs have won their only two home games in Big 12 play but they've dropped all three on the road, including a 65-55 defeat at Kansas State on Saturday. Just three TCU players scored in double figures - led by senior guard Alex Robinson's 17 points - as TCU was held under 60 points in a regular-season game for the first time since Feb. 11, 2017.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT TEXAS (11-7, 3-3 Big 12): Roach, sophomore guard Matt Coleman III, freshman forward Jaxson Hayes and senior forward Dylan Osetkowski each scored at least 15 points against Oklahoma while shooting a combined 22-of-36 from the floor, while the rest of the team went 3-of-19. Hayes made all four of his shot attempts and ranks first in the league - second nationally - in field-goal percentage (76.0). Coleman tops the team in assists (3.6) and is averaging 15.5 points over his last two contests.

ABOUT TCU (13-4, 2-3): Robinson averages 13.8 points - third on the team - but has posted a 15.4 average in Big 12 action and leads the conference by a wide margin in assists (7.9). Junior guard Desmond Bane tops the squad with 14.8 points per game after producing 16 in the loss to the Wildcats, but the Horned Frogs missed sophomore forward Kouat Noi (14.2 points per game), who was out with the flu Saturday. "That hurt not having Kouat in there, but we can't make excuses," coach Jamie Dixon told reporters. "They are experienced and stuck to their game plan tonight."

TIP-INS

1. Hayes has at least four blocked shots in three of his last five games, including a personal-best five against the Sooners.

2. Bane is averaging 24 points on 65.5 percent shooting in TCU's two conference wins, and 12.7 points on 40.5 percent in its three Big 12 losses.

3. The Horned Frogs have won four of the last six meetings after dropping 11 straight to the Longhorns between 1995 and 2015.

PREDICTION: TCU 74, Texas 71