Thursday 1-31-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NHL Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

The All-Star break helped the New Jersey Devils snap out of a funk but had the opposite effect on the New York Rangers, stalling their momentum from a rare winning streak. After ending a three-game slide with a 6-3 rout of the Pittsburgh Penguins, New Jersey looks to continue the momentum when they host the Rangers on Thursday night in the first of four meetings this season.

Travis Zajac had his fourth career four-point game with a goal and three assists as the Devils drubbed Pittsburgh for only their sixth road win in 26 games (6-17-3). "Everyone looked fresh. Everyone was moving," New Jersey goaltender Keith Kinkaid said. "We just have to be consistent and that starts from me out to consistency the rest of the way." New York, which has a five-game homestand following Thursday's matchup, was denied in its bid to match a season-high winning streak in a 1-0 loss to Philadelphia. "We came out and we looked a little -- I don't want to say disjointed, but it just looked like the hands, the head and the feet weren't working together," Rangers coach David Quinn said.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN-Plus, MSG, MSG-Plus

ABOUT THE RANGERS (21-21-7): Kevin Hayes recorded a team high-tying nine shots on goal in his return to the lineup after missing nine games due to an upper-body injury, but he could be headed out of town given his status as an impending free agent. "I love everything about New York," Hayes said. "I've been here five years. I never thought I would call New York home and I do now, and it's been an absolute blast for five years. If I had my choice, I'd be here." Rookie Brett Howden suffered a knee sprain against the Flyers and was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday, but Quinn said he will be sidelined for a while.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (19-23-7): Defenseman Sami Vatanen suffered a concussion after he was knocked into the boards by Derick Brassard in Monday's game and was unable to practice Tuesday and Wednesday. "Next morning, he came in, got evaluated, but then he wasn't feeling totally right," New Jersey coach John Hynes said. "So they did the test (Tuesday) after practice. So I don't have a timetable on him yet." Reigning league MVP Taylor Hall, who has been sidelined since suffering a lower-body injury on Dec. 23, also did not practice Tuesday and Wednesday while defenseman Ben Lovejoy and forward Stefan Noesen are skating on their own.

OVERTIME

1. Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist has more wins (36) and shutouts (8) against the Devils than any other opponent.

2. New Jersey won three of four meetings last season and owns a six-game point streak (5-0-1) at home against New York.

3. Rangers F Mats Zuccarello is expected to be back in the lineup after missing Tuesday's game.

PREDICTION: Devils 3, Rangers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NHL Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
Flyers vs. Bruins Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Tuukka Rask could be in line to set the franchise record for victories on Thursday when the Boston Bruins host the streaking Philadelphia Flyers, who have won a season-high five in a row. The 2014 Vezina Trophy recipient practiced on Wednesday for the first time since sustaining a concussion in a collision with New York Rangers forward Filip Chytil during Boston's 3-2 loss on Jan. 19.

"Good chance (Rask will be in). We're going to wait," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "Normally I'll announce (the goaltender) the day before. Let's see how he does in the morning. It was his first full practice, we want to make sure there's no fatigue and whatnot." Rask, who sports a sterling 14-2-3 mark with two shutouts, a 1.99 goals-against average and .930 save percentage against Philadelphia, is bidding for his 253rd win to move past Tiny Thompson for first place on Boston's all-time list. The Flyers, who have been outshot in all five contests of their winning streak, tightened up defensively after Oskar Lindblom's early first-period goal in Tuesday's 1-0 victory versus the Rangers. Sean Couturier (team-leading 19 goals), who set up Lindblom's tally to record at least a point in seven of his last eight games, posted his first regular-season hat trick as Philadelphia overcame an early deficit in a 4-3 win over Boston on Jan. 16.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet, TVAS, NBCS Philadelphia, NESN (Boston)

ABOUT THE FLYERS (21-23-6): Rookie Carter Hart has been confirmed to get the nod on Thursday after fellow goaltender Anthony Stolarz recorded his second career shutout following a 38-save performance versus New York. The 20-year-old Hart has turned aside 137 of 147 shots during his personal four-game win streak, highlighted by a career-high 39-save performance in the Flyers' victory versus the Bruins two weeks ago. Jakub Voracek had an assist in that contest as well as in Tuesday's tilt with the Rangers, giving him eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his last eight games.

ABOUT THE BRUINS (27-17-6): Patrice Bergeron tallied twice in Tuesday's 4-3 shootout loss to Winnipeg, boosting his point total to 12 (four goals, eight assists) in 11 games this month. Although the four-time Selke Trophy recipient has been held off the scoresheet in both encounters this season versus the Flyers, linemate David Pastrnak (team-high 28 goals, 59 points) scored in the more recent meeting and had a goal and two assists against the Jets to push his point total to 11 (five goals, six assists) this month. Brad Marchand set up two goals versus the Flyers two weeks ago and pushed his point streak to five games (three goals, six assists) with three of his club-best 37 assists this season on Tuesday.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux set up two goals in the most recent meeting with Boston to boost his team-leading totals in assists (38) and points (52).

2. Bruins G Jaroslav Halak, who is 1-5-0 in his last six appearances, made 26 saves in a 3-0 win over the Flyers on Oct. 25 before surrendering four goals on 19 shots in the rematch.

3. Lindblom has two goals and two assists in his last four games.

PREDICTION: Bruins 4, Flyers 2

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Winnipeg Jets Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NHL Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

The Winnipeg Jets have posted a Western Conference-leading 18 wins at Bell MTS Place and look to add to that mark when they open a three-game homestand against the slumping Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. Winnipeg, which owns a two-point lead over the Nashville Predators atop the Central Division, wrapped up a four-game road trip with a 4-3 shootout win at Boston on Tuesday.

Kyle Connor helped the Jets rebound from a lackluster 3-1 loss at Philadelphia 24 hours earlier by scoring twice in the third period before netting the lone goal in the shootout. "It's always tough coming off a break, no matter how much you put into it and stay in shape," Connor said. "Nothing's like game shape." Columbus saw its losing streak reach a season-high three games with a 5-4 home loss to Buffalo on Tuesday in the first contest since star forward Artemi Panarin announced he would not address his contract situation until after the season. "Everything needs to improve," coach John Tortorella said. "I don't want to hear it was because of the (All-Star) break. You can't be as sloppy as we were."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN-Plus, FS Ohio (Columbus), TSN3 (Winnipeg)

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (28-18-3): All-Star forward Cam Atkinson is on pace to shatter his career high of 35 goals set in 2016-17, scoring for the fourth time in six games to boost his season total to 28 while linemates Pierre-Luc Dubois and Panarin matched him with two points apiece. Despite the three-game slide, Columbus is receiving stellar work from its penalty-killing units, snuffing out 25 straight short-handed situations and not allowing a power-play goal in 11 games. "We have momentum going right now with it," defenseman Seth Jones said. "We feel like every time we go out there, we can kill it off and even create off of it."

ABOUT THE JETS (32-16-2): Forward Patrik Laine is tied for the team lead with 25 goals despite being mired in a slump that has seen him produce one tally and two assists over the past dozen games. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft, Laine amassed 80 goals over his first two seasons and erupted for 18 tallies in the month of November before hitting a wall, managing only four goals over the past 26 games and bottoming out in Tuesday's win in Boston. Coach Paul Maurice had Laine on the bench for much of the second period and the third-year forward wound up playing a career-low 10:55 while failing to register a shot on goal.

OVERTIME

1. Jets C Mark Scheifele collected two assists Tuesday to give him 12 points in his last 10 games.

2. Blue Jackets C Boone Jenner will miss his second straight game with an undisclosed injury.

3. Jets captain Blake Wheeler has 12 points in his last 10 games overall and 10 in 13 matchups versus Columbus.

PREDICTION: Jets 4, Blue Jackets 3

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Penn St. Nittany Lions Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Purdue will try to follow up a significant win over the Big Ten's leaders when it visits the conference doormats Thursday night with a matchup at Penn State. The 18th-ranked Boilermakers ran their winning streak to five games with a 73-63 victory over No. 8 Michigan State on Sunday, opening up a 23-point lead before fending off a late charge to avenge their last defeat.

"There were a lot of regrets coming out of that game," sophomore center Matt Haarms told reporters in reference to the earlier loss to the Spartans. "This time we felt we really had something to prove, because I don't think what we showed in East Lansing was representative of this team. Today we had a great opportunity to show everybody what this team is really about, and I think we definitely did that." Purdue is 1 1/2 games behind Michigan and Michigan State in the race for the top spot in the Big Ten, and it has just one team currently ranked - No. 24 Maryland - remaining in the final 11 games, including two matchups with the last-place Nittany Lions. Penn State saw another chance for its first league win vanish with a 64-60 home loss to Rutgers on Saturday, and the pressure continues to build on head coach Pat Chambers. "I feel really good about where we are as a staff and what we're doing as a program," Chambers told reporters Tuesday. "My expectations are high. I did not expect to be in this situation. We just have to keep getting better and keep growing."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT PURDUE (14-6, 7-2 Big Ten): Junior guard Carsen Edwards entered Wednesday ranked sixth nationally in scoring (24.2 points per game) but was held to 14 on 4-of-19 shooting against Michigan State. Senior guard Ryan Cline picked up some of the slack with 17 points - boosting his average to 12.6 - while making 5-of-10 from 3-point range. Freshman forward Aaron Wheeler hit all three of his attempts from long range in the victory and he and Cline rank second and third, respectively, in 3-point shooting in conference play, combining to make 39-of-82 attempts versus Big Ten opponents.

ABOUT PENN STATE (7-13, 0-9): Junior forward Lamar Stevens scored 21 points in the loss to the Scarlet Knights to bump his average to 18.7, third in the Big Ten. His teammates combined to shoot 13-of-41 from the floor for a squad that is shooting 39.3 percent in league play, which ranks 13th out of the conference's 14 teams. Guard Rasir Bolton (11.4 points per game) bounced back from a scoreless effort at Minnesota to score 11 against Rutgers while fellow freshman Myles Dread (8.8) has reached double figures in four of his last five contests.

TIP-INS

1. Boilermakers G Nojel Eastern had a career high-tying 12 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and zero turnovers in 25 minutes against Michigan State.

2. Nittany Lions G Jamari Wheeler is scoreless without a shot attempt in 40 minutes over his last two games and has 12 points on 4-of-21 shooting in Big Ten play.

3. Purdue has won seven straight meetings, including the semifinals of the conference tournament last March.

PREDICTION: Purdue 72, Penn State 62

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Xavier Musketeers vs. Georgetown Hoyas Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Still in search of its first winning streak in the Big East, Georgetown will have a good chance to get it Thursday against visiting Xavier. The Hoyas rode freshmen Mac McClung, James Akinjo and Josh LeBlanc to a critical win at St. John's, but it will all be for naught if they cannot thwart the struggling Musketeers.

As they have in many games this season, the Hoyas had every opportunity to fold down the stretch against St. John's, but their freshmen would not allow it as they accounted for the final 10 points in an 89-78 victory. McClung shined the brightest of the trio, hitting for 25 points - his most in a Big East contest - one game after struggling in a bad home loss to Creighton. "We're learning. We've got some good leaders, but we're learning and trying to take everything in," McClung told the media. "Having a coach (Patrick Ewing) that has your back is the biggest thing in my opinion." The Musketeers won the first meeting with the Hoyas 81-75 on Jan. 9 behind a double-double from Zach Hankins and followed it up with another home win against Butler before dropping three straight games, the latest 87-82 to No. 9 Marquette on Saturday.

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

ABOUT XAVIER (11-10, 3-5 Big East): Hankins hasn't been able to match or exceed his 23-point, 10-rebound effort he enjoyed in the first meeting against Georgetown, but the senior from Charlevoix, Mich., is still on pace to break the Big East and Xavier records for field goal percentage in a season. The 6-11 forward sits at 71.5 percent, which would easily top the school standard of 65.4 percent set by Xavier Hall of Famer Brian Grant in 1992-93. The Big East mark of 68.3 percent belongs to David Padgett, who did it for Louisville in 2007-08.

ABOUT GEORGETOWN (13-7, 3-4): Meaningful contributions have been few and far between for Jamorko Pickett, who after a solid freshman season has been relegated to a lesser role behind this season's newcomers. The 6-8 guard from Washington, D.C., supplied nine points and seven rebounds to the win over St. John's, including a big 3-pointer that kick started a 10-0 run for the Hoyas early in the second half. LeBlanc also scored his most points in a Big East game with 15 against the Red Storm and the Baton Rouge, La., native had two dunks and made a pair of free throws as the Hoyas pulled away down the stretch.

TIP-INS

1. Paul Scruggs, who leads the Musketeers in scoring at 13.3 points per game, has made 11-of-20 from 3-point land over the last four games to climb to fourth in the Big East (46.4 percent).

2. Xavier has dominated the series with the Hoyas with 14 wins in 18 meetings, including six straight and 10 of 12 as Big East foes.

3. A loss would add peril to Xavier's streak of 36 straight seasons with a .500 or better record in conference play, a mark that is five seasons longer than any other Division I program.

PREDICTION: Xavier 78, Georgetown 73

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Oregon St. Beavers vs. Colorado Buffaloes Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Oregon State and Colorado have fallen on tough times of late, both dropping three of their last four games to slide in the Pac-12 standings. They meet Thursday night in Boulder, giving one of the two the chance to start a much-needed turnaround.


At 4-3 and tied for sixth place in the conference, the Beavers are in better shape than the 2-5 (10th-place) Buffaloes. Still, Oregon State's usually smooth-running offense has hit some rough patches of late as the Beavers have finished with more turnovers than assists in each of their last two losses and have shot 44 percent or worse in two of their last three defeats. Now they head back out on the road where they've won only two of their last 21 Pac-12 contests dating back to the 2016-17 season. Colorado, meanwhile, is home for four of its next six but will have to pick things up offensively as the team ranks 11th in the conference with an average of 68.3 points in Pac-12 play.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Pac-12 Network


ABOUT OREGON STATE (12-7, 4-3 Pac-12): The Beavers split a home series last week against the Washington schools, but senior guard Stephen Thompson Jr. did just about all he could to propel his team toward a sweep, totaling 52 points on 20-of-35 shooting while pulling down nine rebounds and dishing out eight assists. Thompson is averaging 15.9 points per game overall, and joins his younger brother Ethan Thompson (13.5 points) and forward Tres Tinkle (20.3 points, team-leading 8.2 rebounds) in averaging double figures. The Beavers rank second in the conference in both field-goal percentage (46.9) and assists per game (16.0) but are shooting a conference-worst 32.8 percent from 3-point range.

ABOUT COLORADO (11-8, 2-5): The Buffaloes' only Pac-12 wins have come against cellar-dwellers California and Washington State and they've lost their other five conference contests by at least seven points apiece. Leading scorer/point guard McKinley Wright (12.7 points, 5.1 assists) returned last week after missing the Jan. 20 loss at Utah with a shoulder injury, but due to injuries and academic issues, Colorado is down to nine scholarship players overall. Guards Tyler Bey (12.6 points) and Shane Gatling (11.6) and forward Lucas Siewert (10.6) are the team's leading scorers in conference play, and the 6-7 Bey has even been better of late, averaging 15.4 points and 9.6 rebounds over his last five games.


TIP-INS

1. Colorado has won eight of the 13 meetings since joining the Pac-12 in 2011 and is 9-1 at home against Oregon State.

2. The Beavers are shooting 74.2 percent from the free-throw line, which is on track to be the program's best single-season mark since 1976-77 (74.3).

3. The battle on the boards looks to be dead even with Colorado (5.4) and Oregon State (5.3) ranking third and fourth, respectively, in Pac-12 average rebounding margin.

PREDICTION: Colorado 74, Oregon State 71

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Oregon Ducks vs. Utah Utes Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Surging Utah has won four straight games and is coming off its first ever Bay Area road sweep. The Utes will look to build on the momentum Thursday night when they host Oregon.


Utah's surge has elevated it into a second-place Pac-12 tie with USC at 5-2 in the conference. Now the Utes are back home for a pair of games and four of their next six as they try to add to their 7-2 mark at the Huntsman Center, but coach Larry Krystkowiak says simply playing in Salt Lake City isn't a guarantee in itself. "There's nothing magical about (being) home," Krystkowiak told the Salt Lake Tribune last weekend. "We've got to keep grinding with this group." Oregon, meanwhile, has lost two of its last three to fall to 3-4 (eighth place in the Pac-12) and now must play five of its next seven on the road, beginning Thursday night.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1


ABOUT OREGON (12-8, 3-4 Pac-12): After consecutive losses at Arizona State (78-64) and at home against first-place Washington (61-56), the Ducks salvaged a homestand split Saturday with a 78-58 rout of Washington State. Freshman forward Louis King led the way with 22 points against the Cougars and now has scored in double figures in all seven conference games to pace the team with a 17.9 scoring average in Pac-12 play. Fellow forward Paul White (14.4 points) is the only other Oregon player averaging double figures in conference action while senior point guard Payton Pritchard is averaging 9.9 points, 4.9 assists and 2.1 steals against Pac-12 foes.

ABOUT UTAH (11-8, 5-2): Senior guard Sedrick Barefield leads the Utes with 16.2 points per outing - 18.1 in conference play - and has averaged 20.3 over the team's last three contests. Freshman forward Timmy Allen has stepped up to give the Utes a formidable inside-outside punch as he's averaging 13.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in Pac-12 games following his double-double (17 points and 12 boards) Saturday - his second in his last three contests. As a team, Utah ranks sixth in the conference with 75.3 points per game but is tops in overall field-goal percentage (47.3) and 3-point accuracy (38.2).


TIP-INS

1. Oregon has won 10 of the last 11 meetings, including a 68-66 victory in last season's Pac-12 tournament quarterfinals and three straight triumphs in Salt Lake City.

2. The pressing Ducks easily pace the Pac-12 in allowing just 64.4 points per outing and also are tops in 3-point percentage defense with opponents shooting only 30.2 percent from long range.

3. The 6-6 Allen has averaged 9.2 rebounds over his last five games after averaging 3.4 over his first 14 contests.


PREDICTION: Utah 72, Oregon 70

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Arizona Wildcats vs. Arizona State Sun Devils Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Following last week's dismal road trip, Arizona looks to regroup Thursday against rival Arizona State in Tempe. The Wildcats suffered two blowout losses at USC and UCLA and face another strong test against the Sun Devils, who have won five of their last seven games.

The Wildcats are clearly a different team without Duke transfer Chase Jeter, who has missed the last two games with a sore back and will be a game-time decision Thursday. The 6-10 junior averages 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds for an Arizona team that was outrebounded 98-69 in last week's two losses. "We're a much better team with Chase," coach Sean Miller told reporters. "I don't know the outcome of those games if he had played, but he gives us the size up front. He also allows everybody to be in the role that they want to be in. Everybody's in a different role right now, and we're playing shorthanded." If Jeter is forced to miss his third straight game, the Wildcats could struggle to keep pace with an Arizona State team that is 9-2 at home and leads the Pac-12 in scoring at 78.8 points per game.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT ARIZONA (14-7, 5-3 Pac-12): These are unusual times for Arizona, a traditional power that lost to the Los Angeles teams by a combined 44 points and ranks last in the league in shooting percentage (43.3). Freshman guard Brandon Williams was one of the few bright spots in last Saturday's 90-69 loss to UCLA, scoring 19 points while shooting 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Sophomore guard Brandon Randolph averages a team-high 14.9 points but needs to regain his stroke after shooting a combined 15-for-51 from the field over the past four games.

ABOUT ARIZONA STATE (14-6, 5-3): Senior forward Zylan Cheatham is averaging 11.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists for the Sun Devils, who saw their three-game win streak come to an end with last Saturday's 69-67 loss to USC. The San Diego State transfer grabbed a total of 34 rebounds in two games last week, but the Sun Devils struggled on the offensive end in the loss to USC, shooting 30.6 percent from the field. Freshman guard Luguentz Dort averages a team-high 12.9 points in league play but was held to nine points on 2-of-13 shooting against the Trojans.

TIP-INS

1. Arizona has won the last six meetings against Arizona State and holds a 152-82 lead in the series.

2. Arizona State forward Taeshon Cherry (head injury) missed last Saturday's contest and is listed as day-to-day.

3. Arizona is 210-27 under Miller when leading at halftime - including 12-2 this season.

PREDICTION: Arizona State 74, Arizona 69

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Connecticut Huskies vs. Central Florida Knights Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Central Florida tries to bounce back from its worst loss of the season when it hosts Connecticut on Thursday in an American Athletic Conference game. The Knights had won nine of their last 10 contests before they were routed 77-57 at Memphis on Sunday, getting outrebounded 46-28 - 21-12 offensively - and going 6-for-26 from 3-point range.

"This is a tough, tough loss for us, but we have to go home and regroup," UCF coach Johnny Dawkins told reporters. "This is a great league. Everybody's going to play well. You have to bring your A game." The Huskies have won two straight after Saturday's 80-60 victory over Wichita State with the backcourt duo of junior Christian Vital (season-high 21 points) and senior Jalen Adams (19 points, 12 rebounds) leading the way. "I feel like we kind of have the best chemistry in the country," Vital told reporters about his relationship with Adams. "Just because we know each other's game so much. We know where we want the ball and then, as you saw, when it's time to take over, we can do that together." UCF prevailed 65-53 on Jan. 5 for its first victory at Connecticut in seven tries behind a season-high 23 points from junior guard Aubrey Dawkins.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT UCONN (12-8, 3-4 American): Adams leads the team in scoring at 18.2 points and has averaged 22.8 in his last five games since recording only eight in the first meeting with the Knights. Vital has averaged 16 points in conference games, raising his season average to 13.7 to go along with 5.6 rebounds. Sophomore guard Alterique Gilbert (13.0 points, club-most 3.8 assists) re-injured his left shoulder Saturday and did not practice Monday or Tuesday.

ABOUT UCF (15-4, 5-2): Senior guard B.J. Taylor, the conference preseason player of the year, is bidding to lead the club in scoring for the third straight season with an average of 16.7 points. Dawkins (15.4 points, 5.4 rebounds) was held to two points versus Memphis after averaging 18.8 in his previous five games. Senior 7-6 center Tacko Fall (9.8 points, team-high 7.1 rebounds) leads the conference and was seventh nationally with 2.84 blocks per game entering Wednesday, and paces the American in field-goal shooting at 74.8 percent to help the Knights shoot a conference-best 46.7.

TIP-INS

1. The Huskies used the same starting lineup in their first 20 games: Adams, Vital, Gilbert, sophomore F Josh Carlton (7.8 points, 4.8 rebounds) and sophomore F Tyler Polley (7.5 points).

2. UCF, which has won nine straight at home, is off to its best 19-game start since the 2003-04 team began 16-3 and its best conference start since joining the American in 2013-14.

3. Connecticut is 0-3 in true road games this season after going 6-17 over the previous two campaigns, including 2-9 in 2017-18.

PREDICTION: UCF 79, UConn 74

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Brigham Young Cougars Preview and Predictions 2019-01-31

NCAAB Predictions 30th January 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 01/30/2019

Fourth-ranked Gonzaga looks to record its 11th consecutive victory when it visits BYU in West Coast Conference play on Thursday. The Bulldogs have won by an average of 36.2 points during their 10-game winning streak but could be tested by the Cougars, who are 10-1 at home.

A triumph would give Gonzaga its 22nd straight 20-win season as well as extend its NCAA record of consecutive conference road victories to 28. The Bulldogs are coming off a 98-39 steamrolling of Santa Clara and the 59-point margin of victory ranks third in school history while the program record 61-point shellacking of Denver also occurred this season on Dec. 21. "Before we start a game, we talk about making a statement that we're No. 1 in the country," junior forward Rui Hachimura told reporters. "It doesn't matter who we are against. We have bigger goals." BYU recorded a 71-66 win over Saint Mary's in its last outing as standout junior forward Yoeli Childs had 23 points and 11 rebounds for his 32nd career double-double.

TV: 11 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT GONZAGA (19-2, 6-0 WCC): The Bulldogs set a program record by committing just two turnovers against Santa Clara while forcing 18 miscues and turning them into 26 points. Senior point guard Josh Perkins (11-point scoring average) has been a solid ball-handler all season and is averaging 6.6 assists while committing just 40 turnovers in 21 games. Hachimura averages a team-best 19.9 points with junior power forward Brandon Clarke (16.3 points, team-leading 7.7 rebounds) and sophomore guard Zach Norvell Jr. (15.7 points) also enjoying solid campaigns.

ABOUT BYU (13-9, 5-2): The Cougars have won four of their past five games and also committed only two turnovers in their last outing while pressuring Saint Mary's into 15 and converting the mistakes into 17 points. Childs leads the WCC in scoring (22.3) and rebounding (9.7) and has scored 20 or more points in each of the past six games. Junior guard TJ Haws is averaging 17.6 points and leads BYU in assists (5.2) and 3-point baskets (43).

TIP-INS

1. Gonzaga has won in each of its last four visits to Provo and is 5-2 overall on BYU's home floor.

2. Childs has 15 20-point efforts and 12 double-doubles this season.

3. Clarke has 66 blocked shots and is four shy of matching the school's single-season mark set by Austin Daye in the 2008-09 campaign.

PREDICTION: Gonzaga 81, BYU 74

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Thursday, January 31

Trend Report

Indiana Pacers
Indiana is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games
Indiana is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games
The total has gone OVER in 11 of Indiana's last 15 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana's last 5 games on the road
Indiana is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Orlando
Indiana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Orlando
Indiana is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Indiana is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Orlando
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Indiana's last 6 games when playing on the road against Orlando
Orlando Magic
Orlando is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Orlando's last 9 games
Orlando is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Indiana
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Indiana
Orlando is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
Orlando is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Orlando's last 6 games when playing at home against Indiana

Dallas Mavericks
Dallas is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Dallas's last 13 games
Dallas is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games on the road
Dallas is 2-13 SU in its last 15 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 6 games on the road
Dallas is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Detroit
Dallas is 14-6 SU in its last 20 games when playing Detroit
Dallas is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Detroit
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Dallas's last 10 games when playing on the road against Detroit
Detroit Pistons
Detroit is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Detroit is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Detroit's last 11 games
Detroit is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games when playing Dallas
Detroit is 2-5 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Dallas
The total has gone OVER in 8 of Detroit's last 10 games when playing at home against Dallas

Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee is 1-3-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Milwaukee is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Milwaukee's last 11 games
Milwaukee is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Milwaukee's last 14 games on the road
Milwaukee is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Milwaukee's last 6 games when playing Toronto
Milwaukee is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Milwaukee is 4-10 SU in its last 14 games when playing on the road against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Milwaukee's last 5 games when playing on the road against Toronto
Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 6 games
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games at home
Toronto is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Toronto's last 6 games when playing Milwaukee
Toronto is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
Toronto is 10-4 SU in its last 14 games when playing at home against Milwaukee
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games when playing at home against Milwaukee

Brooklyn Nets
Brooklyn is 6-2 ATS in its last 8 games
Brooklyn is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Brooklyn is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Brooklyn's last 8 games on the road
Brooklyn is 0-3-2 ATS in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
Brooklyn is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Brooklyn's last 10 games when playing San Antonio
Brooklyn is 0-4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
Brooklyn is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing on the road against San Antonio
San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio is 16-6 ATS in its last 22 games
San Antonio is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games
San Antonio is 13-4 ATS in its last 17 games at home
San Antonio is 14-3 SU in its last 17 games at home
San Antonio is 9-2-2 ATS in its last 13 games when playing Brooklyn
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Brooklyn
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of San Antonio's last 10 games when playing Brooklyn
San Antonio is 5-0-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
San Antonio is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Brooklyn
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio's last 6 games when playing at home against Brooklyn

Los Angeles Lakers
LA Lakers is 3-5-1 ATS in its last 9 games
LA Lakers is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of LA Lakers's last 12 games
LA Lakers is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
LA Lakers is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games on the road
LA Lakers is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Lakers is 2-18 SU in its last 20 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of LA Lakers's last 16 games when playing LA Clippers
LA Lakers is 5-14 ATS in its last 19 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
LA Lakers is 1-11 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Lakers's last 9 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
LA Clippers is 4-2 ATS in its last 6 games
LA Clippers is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 11 of LA Clippers's last 15 games
LA Clippers is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
LA Clippers is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
LA Clippers is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Clippers is 18-2 SU in its last 20 games when playing LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 12 of LA Clippers's last 16 games when playing LA Lakers
LA Clippers is 14-5 ATS in its last 19 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
LA Clippers is 11-1 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against LA Lakers
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of LA Clippers's last 9 games when playing at home against LA Lakers

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Philadelphia's last 6 games
Philadelphia is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Philadelphia's last 9 games on the road
Philadelphia is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Golden State
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing Golden State
Philadelphia is 5-12 ATS in its last 17 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Philadelphia is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Golden State
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 7 games when playing on the road against Golden State
Golden State Warriors
Golden State is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 7 of Golden State's last 9 games
Golden State is 3-9-1 ATS in its last 13 games at home
Golden State is 19-6 SU in its last 25 games at home
Golden State is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing Philadelphia
Golden State is 12-5 ATS in its last 17 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Philadelphia
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Golden State's last 7 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA

Thursday, January 31

Pacers are 0-3 since Oladipo got hurt, losing by 3-32-18 points; five of their last seven games stayed under total. Indy is 6-2 vs spread if they played night before. Orlando lost seven of its last eight games; they’re 0-4 vs spread in last four home games. Seven of their last nine games went over the total. Indiana won its last eight games with the Magic (7-1 vs spread); Pacers covered their last five trips to Orlando (under 3-2).

Mavericks won three of their last four games, are 4-1 vs spread in last five road games. Under is 5-1-1 in their last seven games. Detroit lost four of its last five games; they’re 3-5 vs spread in last eight home games. Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Pistons won five of last eight games with Dallas; six of last eight series games stayed under the total. Mavericks are 3-2 vs spread in last five visits to Detroit.

Bucks won seven of their last eight games; they’re 4-1 vs spread in last five road games. Under is 7-4 in their last 11 games. Toronto won 11 of its last 14 games; they covered five of their last seven home games. 10 of their last 13 games went over. Road teams won six of last nine Milwaukee-Toronto games; Bucks covered three of last four visits to Canada. Five of last six series games went over the total.

Nets won six of their last eight games; they’re 4-3 vs spread in last seven road games. Over is 6-2 in their last eight road games. San Antonio won five of its last seven games; they’re 1-3 vs spread in its last four home games. Over is 11-5 in their last 16 games. Spurs won/covered their last six games with Brooklyn; under is 8-1-1 in last ten series games. Nets are 0-4 vs spread in their last four visits to the Alamo.

76ers won six of their last eight games; they’re 2-4 vs spread in last six games as an underdog. Four of their last six games stayed under. Warriors won their last 11 games (8-3 vs spread); they covered their last three home games. Over is 10-3 inn their last 13 games. Golden State won its last ten games vs Philly, but 76ers covered six of last seven; under is 7-3 in last ten series games. Sixers are 2-3 vs spread in their last five visits to Oakland.

Lakers lost four of their last five games; they’re 2-4 vs spread in last six Staples games. Under is 8-3 in their last 11 games. Clippers won four of their last six games; they’re 1-5 vs spread in last six Staples games. Under is 8-2-1 in their last 11 games. Clippers won seven of their last eight games with the Lakers (6-2 vs spread); under is 5-4-1 in last ten series games.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA
Long Sheet

Thursday, January 31

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

INDIANA (32 - 18) at ORLANDO (20 - 31) - 1/31/2019, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
INDIANA is 76-61 ATS (+8.9 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
INDIANA is 29-15 ATS (+12.5 Units) after a loss by 10 points or more over the last 3 seasons.
INDIANA is 49-35 ATS (+10.5 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 93-116 ATS (-34.6 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 8-18 ATS (-11.8 Units) as a favorite over the last 2 seasons.
ORLANDO is 40-64 ATS (-30.4 Units) in home games over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 11-23 ATS (-14.3 Units) in home games after a non-conference game over the last 3 seasons.
ORLANDO is 27-43 ATS (-20.3 Units) in home games revenging a loss vs opponent over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
INDIANA is 7-1 against the spread versus ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
INDIANA is 8-0 straight up against ORLANDO over the last 3 seasons
4 of 8 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DALLAS (23 - 27) at DETROIT (21 - 28) - 1/31/2019, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DALLAS is 31-19 ATS (+10.1 Units) in all games this season.
DALLAS is 20-10 ATS (+9.0 Units) as an underdog this season.
DALLAS is 516-436 ATS (+36.4 Units) in road games since 1996.
DALLAS is 191-144 ATS (+32.6 Units) in road games after a non-conference game since 1996.
DALLAS is 13-5 ATS (+7.5 Units) in non-conference games this season.
DALLAS is 26-13 ATS (+11.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game this season.
DETROIT is 63-89 ATS (-34.9 Units) in home games in January games since 1996.
DETROIT is 117-164 ATS (-63.4 Units) in home games after a division game since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 2-2 against the spread versus DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
DETROIT is 3-2 straight up against DALLAS over the last 3 seasons
3 of 5 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MILWAUKEE (36 - 13) at TORONTO (37 - 15) - 1/31/2019, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MILWAUKEE is 9-20 ATS (-13.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 2 seasons.
MILWAUKEE is 138-104 ATS (+23.6 Units) in road games against Atlantic division opponents since 1996.
MILWAUKEE is 52-32 ATS (+16.8 Units) in road games versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game since 1996.
TORONTO is 202-254 ATS (-77.4 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
TORONTO is 8-8 against the spread versus MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
TORONTO is 10-6 straight up against MILWAUKEE over the last 3 seasons
8 of 16 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BROOKLYN (28 - 24) at SAN ANTONIO (30 - 22) - 1/31/2019, 8:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
SAN ANTONIO is 31-20 ATS (+9.0 Units) in all games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 851-723 ATS (+55.7 Units) as a favorite since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 18-9 ATS (+8.1 Units) in home games this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 357-292 ATS (+35.8 Units) in non-conference games since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 15-7 ATS (+7.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record this season.
SAN ANTONIO is 192-143 ATS (+34.7 Units) in home games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
SAN ANTONIO is 26-15 ATS (+9.5 Units) in home games versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game over the last 2 seasons.
SAN ANTONIO is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.
BROOKLYN is 75-58 ATS (+11.2 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 34-21 ATS (+10.9 Units) when the total is greater than or equal to 220 over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 56-43 ATS (+8.7 Units) as an underdog over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 42-24 ATS (+15.6 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 20-9 ATS (+10.1 Units) in January games over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 41-27 ATS (+11.3 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record over the last 2 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 18-7 ATS (+10.3 Units) in road games when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
BROOKLYN is 23-12 ATS (+9.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
SAN ANTONIO is 3-0 against the spread versus BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
SAN ANTONIO is 4-0 straight up against BROOKLYN over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PHILADELPHIA (33 - 18) at GOLDEN STATE (36 - 14) - 1/31/2019, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
PHILADELPHIA is 9-18 ATS (-10.8 Units) after scoring 115 points or more this season.
GOLDEN STATE is 75-44 ATS (+26.6 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season since 1996.
PHILADELPHIA is 126-98 ATS (+18.2 Units) in all games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 30-17 ATS (+11.3 Units) after a non-conference game over the last 2 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 48-30 ATS (+15.0 Units) in non-conference games over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 29-13 ATS (+14.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 65-42 ATS (+18.8 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game over the last 3 seasons.
PHILADELPHIA is 32-11 ATS (+19.9 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 106+ points/game - 2nd half of the season over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
PHILADELPHIA is 3-1 against the spread versus GOLDEN STATE over the last 3 seasons
GOLDEN STATE is 4-0 straight up against PHILADELPHIA over the last 3 seasons
2 of 4 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LA LAKERS (26 - 25) at LA CLIPPERS (28 - 23) - 1/31/2019, 10:35 PM
There are no Top Trends with records of significance that apply to this game.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 6-3 against the spread versus LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 7-2 straight up against LA LAKERS over the last 3 seasons
5 of 9 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

[Can'tPickAWinner]

NBA
Dunkel

Thursday, January 31


Indiana @ Orlando

Game 569-570
January 31, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Indiana
116.473
Orlando
116.881
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Indiana
Even
213
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Orlando
by 3
209
Dunkel Pick:
Indiana
(+3); Over

Dallas @ Detroit

Game 571-572
January 31, 2019 @ 7:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Dallas
115.135
Detroit
118.679
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Detroit
by 3 1/2
201
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Detroit
by 2
208
Dunkel Pick:
Detroit
(-2); Under

Milwaukee @ Toronto

Game 573-574
January 31, 2019 @ 8:00 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Milwaukee
122.992
Toronto
122.210
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Milwaukee
by 1
235
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Toronto
by 3
230
Dunkel Pick:
Milwaukee
(+3); Over

Brooklyn @ San Antonio

Game 575-576
January 31, 2019 @ 8:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Brooklyn
113.860
San Antonio
123.255
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
San Antonio
by 9 1/2
230
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
San Antonio
by 7 1/2
227
Dunkel Pick:
San Antonio
(-7 1/2); Over

Philadelphia @ Golden State

Game 577-578
January 31, 2019 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
Philadelphia
114.141
Golden State
126.360
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
Golden State
by 12
244
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
Golden State
by 9 1/2
240
Dunkel Pick:
Golden State
(-9 1/2); Over

LA Lakers @ LA Clippers

Game 579-580
January 31, 2019 @ 10:30 pm

Dunkel Rating:
LA Lakers
115.240
LA Clippers
122.149
Dunkel Team:
Dunkel Line:
Dunkel Total:
LA Clippers
by 7
233
Vegas Team:
Vegas Line:
Vegas Total:
LA Clippers
by 5 1/2
228
Dunkel Pick:
LA Clippers
(-5 1/2); Over

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Inside the Paint - Thursday
Chris David

Milwaukee (36-13 SU, 27-20-2 ATS) at Toronto (37-15 SU, 22-29-1 ATS)

The TNT double-header (8:05 p.m. ET) begins Thursday with a possible preview of this year’s Eastern Conference Finals as the Bucks and Raptors meet for the fourth and final time in the regular season. The latest futures market has Toronto (2/1) and Milwaukee (3/1) as the top contenders to win the East along with Boston (2/1) and Philadelphia (6/1).

Toronto holds a one-game over Milwaukee for the top seed in the Eastern Conference and the sense of urgency should be with the home squad. The Bucks won and covered their first two encounters against the Raptors this season, a 124-109 decision at home on Oct. 29 before a 104-99 road win on Dec. 9.

Toronto avenged those losses with a 123-116 win over Milwaukee as a 5 ½-point road underdog on Jan. 5 and it will need to claim Thursday’s win to salvage a season split.

The Raptors didn’t have Kawhi Leonard available for the loss in Milwaukee at the end of October but he did post 30 points on the Bucks in early January. Make a note that Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo also missed the first meeting of the regular season between the two teams but the Greek product posted 43 points in the recent setback to the Raptors. Unfortunately, Milwaukee’s supporting cast couldn’t buy a shot and that’s been an issue on the road.

The Bucks are ranked first in scoring offense at home with 120 points per game but that number drops to 114.1 on the road. Expecting a high-scoring game could be wishful thinking knowing the Toronto is holding opponents to 106.7 PPG at home.

That defensive effort has helped Toronto go 21-4 at home but it hasn’t been profitable (12-13 ATS) for bettors. Keep in mind that 11 of the 13 non-covers occurred in straight up wins when the team was laying 8 ½ points or more.

BookMaker sent out Toronto as a 2 ½-point home favorite for this installment, which is a drop-off from the spread (Raptors -5) in their first encounter from Scotiabank Arena in December. Since Milwaukee won that game at Toronto, the Raptors have ripped off 10 straight wins at home.

The adjustment from +5 to +2 ½ on the Bucks certainly shows how much respect Milwaukee has earned from the oddsmakers this season. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has been able to pull the right strings and he also has one of the deepest teams in the league. He’s surrounded Antetokounmpo with a ton of shooters and they’re not afraid to hoist from distance. The Bucks are ranked second in the league with 37.7 attempts from 3-point land, only behind Houston. When those bombs are connecting, 40-point quarters become the norm for Milwaukee.

The Bucks have only been listed as underdogs five times this season and they’ve gone 4-1 both SU and ATS in those games while the ‘over’ has gone 4-1 as well. The lone loss was a four-point setback (117-113) at Boston on Nov. 1, which was a highly competitive game.

Only four teams in the East owning winning records on the road and Milwaukee (14-9 SU, 11-10-2 ATS) is one of them. The Bucks enter this game with a 4-1 record in their last five away games, which includes Tuesday’s 115-105 win at Detroit as a seven-point favorite.

Toronto hasn’t played since Sunday when it snapped a two-game losing skid at Dallas with a 123-120 win as a 4 ½-point road favorite. The Raptors have gone 2-0 (0-2 ATS) this season when playing on three days or rest or more and the ‘over’ has cashed in both those games.

The total on this game opened 230 ½ and the early money has pushed the number to 232 as of Thursday morning. The ‘over’ is on a 5-1 run in this series and that includes a 2-1 mark in the last three games play in Canada.

Philadelphia (33-18 SU, 24-27 ATS) at Golden State (36-14 SU, 23-26-1 ATS)

The Warriors and 76ers will wrap up the TNT double-header at 10:35 p.m. ET in a quality non-conference matchup. Oddsmakers sent out Golden State as an 8 ½-point home favorite and the number has been nudged up to -9 ½ as of Thursday morning.

The Warriors have been on a roll, winners in 11 straight games and they’ve produced a 6-4-1 ATS mark during the streak. The team is 5-0 since DeMarcus Cousins suited up on Jan. 18 and the defense (106.8 PPG) has actually dropped from their season average (111.8 PPG).

This will be the first game back at Oracle Arena after winning five straight on the road and getting up for the first contest back at home is never easy. Plus, the 76ers are no slouch and they’re starting to click on all cylinders as well.

Philadelphia has gone 10-4 in 2019 and while a couple of the losses were embarrassing (Wizards, Hawks), they’ve posted some quality wins recently over the Pacers, Rockets and Spurs.

After losing at Denver 126-110 on Saturday with a short-handed squad, Philadelphia bounced back on Tuesday with a wire-to-wire 121-105 blowout over the L.A. Lakers from the Staples Center. The 76ers have won seven of their last nine games against the Western Conference and the offense is averaging 120.4 PPG in those games.

Philly is going to need hit that average and perhaps more on Thursday because Golden State’s offense has been lights out. During its 11-game winning streak, the Warriors are averaging 128.9 PPG and that’s helped the ‘over’ go 8-3.

Along with its current winning streak, Golden State has also won 10 in a row against Philadelphia. The 76ers have saved some face and turned profits for bettors during this run by going 6-1- ATS in the last seven meetings and they were catching some heavy digits.

Last season in the Bay Area, the Warriors ran the 76ers by 21 points (135-114) at home as 13 ½-point favorites.

Versus the East this season, Golden State has gone 15-4 SU and 12-7 ATS. Two of those non-conference losses did come at home to the clubs (Bucks, Raptors) playing in the first game on TNT tonight. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Philadelphia join the duo and the money-line (+380) does seem tempting, especially knowing that the 76ers have gone 13-5 against the West this season. Make a note that a lot of those wins came against the cellar dwellers in that conference and they’re just 4-4 away from home.

Anytime I see a total listed in the 230s, my initial instinct is to play the ‘over’ and Thursday’s opener was sent out at 240 ½.

Golden State (28-22) and Philadelphia (28-23) have both leaned to the ‘over’ this season but most of the high side tickets for the Warriors have come on the road (17-9) as opposed to home (11-13).

The Warriors have had six totals this season close in the 240s and the ‘over/under’ went 3-3 in those games. Philadelphia has never been in that totals neighborhood but it has had 10 numbers close in the 230s and the ‘under’ is 7-3.

If there is one flaw in the 76ers game this season, it’s their defense. The unit is ranked 22nd in scoring, surrendering 112.1 PPG and that’s a big jump from 105.3 PPG last season.

The pair will meet again on Mar. 2 from Philadelphia in a Saturday night showdown.

Along with the nationally televised games on TNT, we’ve got four other contests set for Thursday.

Indiana at Orlando: Since Victor Oladipo (quad) went down for the season, the Pacers have dropped three straight games and that includes last night’s 107-89 loss at Washington. Indiana has been solid on no rest (6-2 SU, 6-2 ATS) but it looks mentally shook right now. While I’m not sold on the Pacers, it’s hard to back the Magic as home favorites. They’ve gone 4-6 SAU and 3-7 ATS when laying points at home and none of those wins came against a team with a winning record.

Dallas at Detroit: Quick rematch game here as the Mavericks defeated the Pistons 106-101 last Friday as five-point favorites. The game pushed and the total pushed (207) as well. For the rematch, Detroit (-2) is listed as a short favorite and they’re catching Dallas on no rest. This has been an issue for the Mavericks, who have gone 1-7 SU and 4-4 ATS when facing back-to-back sets.

Brooklyn at San Antonio: DeMar DeRozan (knee) is expected to be back tonight but this line seems a little short with San Antonio only laying seven points. The Spurs have won six straight against the Nets and they’ve gone 4-0-2 ATS during this run while the ‘under’ is 5-1. San Antonio has been a solid investment at home recently, going 15-5 SU and 14-6 ATS. The spread only mattered in one of those games, which took place on Tuesday as the Spurs defeated the Suns 126-124 but failed to cover as 13 ½-point home favorites.

L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers: LeBron James (groin) has been ruled ‘out’ for this game and the Clippers opened as home favorites (-5 ½) over the Lakers. The pair recently played in late December and the Clippers captured a 118-107 over the Lakers as seven-point road favorites. The Clippers have been solid as home favorites, going 13-6 SU and 12-7 ATS.