Monday 2-4-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:47 AM

Denver Nuggets vs. Detroit Pistons Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NBA Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The Denver Nuggets have a chance at matching their longest winning streak of the season when they continue a four-game road trip at the Detroit Pistons on Monday. With Saturday's 107-106 victory at Minnesota, the Nuggets had won six in a row, were tied atop the Western Conference with the Golden State Warriors and clinched an All-Star trip later this month for their coaching staff.

"There was a very small part of me that wanted just to relax with my family and be a husband, be a father for a few days," coach Michael Malone told reporters Saturday. "But any time you can represent your team, your city, your fans at the All-Star game is an honor. ... Our staff deserves a ton of credit. They work their butts off. Very thankful for everything they do for me every single day." Malone will take with him just one player in center Nikola Jokic, who secured his ninth triple-double of the season and the 25th of his career in the win over the Timberwolves. The Pistons are 1-2 thus far on their four-game homestand following a collapse Saturday night in a 111-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, who trailed by 23 points in the third quarter. Reggie Jackson had 29 points and seven assists in the defeat as Detroit fell for the 10th time in its last 15 home games.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Altitude (Denver), FS Detroit LINE: Nuggets -4

ABOUT THE NUGGETS (37-15): Jokic recorded 13 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists -- including one on a full-court heave to Malik Beasley with about a minute left -- on Saturday as Denver improved to 9-2 in games decided by three points or fewer. "We just kind of find a way to win the games, especially the close ones. We never quit anymore," Jokic told reporters. Beasley finished with 22 points one game after recording a career-high 35 in a win over Houston, and the third-year pro is averaging 26.3 points over his last three contests as he helps the Nuggets survive the absences of guards Jamal Murray (ankle) and Gary Harris (groin).

ABOUT THE PISTONS (22-29): After opening the season 4-0 and improving to 13-7 with a win over the defending champion Warriors on Dec. 1, it's been mostly rough going for Detroit and Saturday's defeat may have been the worst of the bunch. "Devastating," coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "We played as good a basketball as we could play. We're like two different teams." All-Star Blake Griffin scored 24 points but needed 23 shots -- 12 3-point attempts -- to get there and also turned the ball over five times.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pistons SG Bruce Brown is 0-for-8 from the floor over the last two games.

2. Nuggets PG Monte Morris started the last three games and is averaging 18.3 points and 8.3 assists in that span.

3. Denver took both meetings last season and Jokic had a triple-double in the one game he played against Detroit in 2017-18.

PREDICTION: Nuggets 111, Pistons 106

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:48 AM

Atlanta Hawks vs. Washington Wizards Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NBA Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

There was plenty of criticism of the Atlanta's draft-night trade that sent Luka Doncic to Dallas for Trae Young, but the Hawks head into the finale of a seven-game road trip Monday at the Washington Wizards with their rookie point guard shining brightly. Young scored 20 or more points with eight-plus assists in each of his past four games, scoring 27 points with eight assists and seven rebounds in Saturday's 118-112 victory at Phoenix.

"I don't think I helped my team in the first three quarters," Young told reporters after scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter Saturday to help lift Atlanta to 3-3 on its 12-day road swing, the longest trip of the Hawks season due to Super Bowl LIII being in Atlanta on Sunday. "Everyone on the team played well expect for me, so I decided to do a little bit more for my team in the fourth quarter." The Wizards continue to adjust to life without point guard John Wall, losing 131-115 at home to Milwaukee on Saturday for their fourth defeat in the past six games. Guard Bradley Beal scored 24 points in the loss but continues to raise his game in Wall's absence, averaging 27.3 points and shooting 37.5 percent from 3-point range in the 17 games since Wall was shut down with a season-ending ankle injury. "We would have been alright if we hadn't been down by 30," Beal told the media after the game, citing Washington trailing by as many as 32 points early in the third quarter.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), NBCS Washington LINE: Wizards -6

ABOUT THE HAWKS (17-35): Young is tied for seventh in the NBA in assists and his shooting continues to improve, the rookie hitting 48 percent of his shots from the field while averaging 23.2 points and 8.8 assists on Atlanta's road trip. Forward John Collins matched his career high with 35 points Saturday and added 16 rebounds (one off his career best), and the second-year player is averaging 19.7 points and 9.9 rebounds on 58.6 percent shooting from the field. Atlanta continues to struggle with turnovers, committing 25 on Saturday and averaging an NBA-worst 18.6 on the season.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (22-30): Beal averages 24.1 points and recorded one of his biggest games of the season on Dec. 5 against the Hawks, scoring 36 points with nine assists and six rebounds. Otto Porter Jr. returned to the starting lineup after coming off the bench for most of January, and despite a sprained toe finished with 18 points and seven rebounds Saturday. Point guard Tomas Satoransky, who made 41 starts when Wall was injured last season, is averaging 10.4 points and 5.8 assists in 30 starts this season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Wizards are fourth in the NBA in steals per game (8.9); Atlanta ranks eighth (8.5).

2. The Hawks play nine of their next 10 games at home, including seven in a row starting Thursday against Toronto.

3. Beal has averaged 29.7 points in three matchups against Atlanta this season, helping Washington take a 2-1 lead in the season series.

PREDICTION: Wizards 117, Hawks 104

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:48 AM

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Brooklyn Nets Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NBA Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
Bucks vs. Nets Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The Milwaukee Bucks are thriving on both ends of the floor and entered Sunday enjoying their largest lead in the Eastern Conference this season. The streaking Bucks will try to make it four wins in a row to cap a five-game road trip when they visit the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.

After clamping down on the Toronto Raptors in a 105-92 win Thursday night, Milwaukee scored 73 first-half points and made 17 3-pointers overall in a 131-115 victory at Washington on Saturday to open a two-game lead in the East. "As a team, I feel like we think about the game less," All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo told reporters after scoring 37 points versus the Wizards. "We just smile. We just have fun. And we know when the game starts at 7:30 or 7 o'clock, we're going to do whatever it takes to win. We don't try to overthink things." The Nets have lost two in a row for the first time since late-December after falling 102-89 at Orlando on Saturday. All-Star D'Angelo Russell scored 23 points but his fellow starters combined for 20 on 9-of-32 shooting.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), YES (Brooklyn) LINE: Bucks -7

ABOUT THE BUCKS (38-13): Antetokounmpo was 17-for-17 from the foul line Saturday and Milwaukee hit all 24 of its attempts as the conference's best offensive team hit the 130-point mark for the eighth time. The effort came with point guard Eric Bledsoe sidelined with an Achilles strain, although his absence does not appear to be a long-term issue. "We'll see today and tomorrow," coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters of Bledsoe. "We play again on Monday. I think it's the right thing for Eric."

ABOUT THE NETS (28-26): The 89-point effort against the Magic was Brooklyn's worst since Dec. 28, and there seemed to be a rare lack of energy for a team that recently stormed through a 21-6 stretch. "We've got to freshen up a little bit," coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters after his team shot 36.3 percent. "I don't think we had great juice tonight, one through 12. We didn't have the pop we normally do. It happens. It's slippage, but this isn't the end of the world. I just wish we would have played better." Russell has scored at least 20 points in 13 of 16 games since missing the team's visit to Milwaukee on Dec. 29 in order to rest.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Antetokounmpo had one of his four triple-doubles this season with 31 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the 129-115 win over the Nets earlier this season.

2. Brooklyn PF Ed Davis is averaging 12.2 rebounds in 21.6 minutes over his last five games.

3. The Nets have won nine in a row at home.

PREDICTION: Bucks 113, Nets 108

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:48 AM

Indiana Pacers vs. New Orleans Pelicans Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NBA Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The Indiana Pacers and the New Orleans Pelicans have some things in common, namely that they're both missing their All-Star leading scorers. The Pacers are just beginning to move past the loss of Victor Oladipo and will try to take advantage of the Anthony Davis-less Pelicans when they meet in New Orleans on Monday.

The Pacers earned their first win since Oladipo went down with a season-ending knee injury, snapping a four-game slide with a 95-88 triumph at the Miami Heat on Saturday. "We have a great group of guys in this locker room that can put up numbers, too," Indiana guard Bojan Bogdanovic told reporters after the victory. "Without Victor we have to be better defensively, and we executed that tonight. It's a mental thing and this win was important to us." The Pelicans are apparently moving on from Davis after he demanded a trade last week, though officially he is out of the lineup due to a sprained finger. "Nothing has really changed," New Orleans point guard Jrue Holiday told ESPN. "It's just that people keep asking us the question: 'Is it weird?'"

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FS Indiana, FS New Orleans LINE: Pacers -1.5

ABOUT THE PACERS (33-19): Bogdanovic scored 31 points on 13-of-19 shooting in Saturday's win and is expected to take over as the team's top scoring option with Oladipo out. "I told him before the game to allow the game to come to him," Indiana coach Nate McMillan told reporters of Bogdanovic. "I thought that he did that tonight. We did a good job of screening and freeing him up. When he gets good looks at the basket, he normally knocks down those shots. It was good to see the ball fall for him tonight." Point guard Darren Collison is stepping up as well and collected 20 points and six assists in Saturday's triumph.

ABOUT THE PELICANS (23-30): New Orleans dropped five of its last six games but is still playing hard and fell to the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs in the last two games by an average of 5.5 points. "We never give up," Holiday told ESPN. "I feel like people think we're shorthanded or maybe that we're going to get blown out, but we haven't had many blowouts this year, and that's because we're always going to fight until there's zero on the clock, no matter who is playing." Holiday was held to 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting in Saturday's 113-108 loss at the Spurs but scored 20 or more points in seven of the previous eight contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pacers PF Domantas Sabonis is 2-of-16 from the floor over the last two games.

2. Pelicans PF Julius Randle (ankle), PG Elfrid Payton (ankle) and SG E'Twaun Moore (quad) are all questionable for Monday.

3. New Orleans took both meetings last season.

PREDICTION: Pacers 115, Pelicans 112

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:48 AM

Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NBA Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

James Harden's scoring streak shows no end in sight, but the Houston Rockets' trend of letting the other team score was getting out of hand. The Rockets finally found some force on the defensive end Saturday and will try to put up the same effort in consecutive games when they visit the Phoenix Suns on Monday.

Harden scored 43 points on Saturday to reach 30 for the 26th straight game and Houston locked down on the defensive end, holding the Utah Jazz to 36 percent shooting in a 125-98 triumph. "It was a must-win for us, and we played like it," Harden told reporters. "Defensively, we got after it. Offensively, we moved the basketball and everybody played well. But that's the effort that it's going to take for us every night." The Suns are no strangers to defensive issues and are surrendering an average of 122.3 points during a 10-game losing streak. "I always say you can't get comfortable with losing and I think we're comfortable with it right now," Phoenix guard Devin Booker told reporters after a 118-112 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS Arizona (Phoenix) LINE: Rockets -8.5

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (30-22): Houston allowed the New Orleans Pelicans and Denver Nuggets to average 128.5 points in back-to-back losses, but Harden led the charge on the defensive end Friday by collecting six steals and four blocks to go with his 43 points on 12-of-22 shooting and 12 rebounds. Saturday marked the 15th time in the last 26 games that Harden scored at least 40 points and the 15th time that he recorded at least a double-double. Harden continues to be supported by strong performances from power forward Kenneth Faried, who is averaging 16.4 points and 9.6 rebounds in seven games since joining the team.

ABOUT THE SUNS (11-43): Booker collected 32 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds on Saturday but was upset that Phoenix failed to execute down the stretch of another game after a second consecutive single-digit setback. "It's two in a row that we've dropped, but you have to move on from it," Booker told reporters. "Just try to remain positive at all times. Lead this young group the best I can. Hope they realize how important attention to detail is and coverages and just the will to win. We need to learn that." Rookie center Deandre Ayton (ankle) returned from a six-game absence on Saturday and recorded 13 points and 11 rebounds.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rockets SG Gerald Green scored 25 points on Saturday, four more than his total from the previous four games.

2. Suns SF Josh Jackson went 10-of-15 from the floor on Saturday after going 17-of-53 over the previous four contests.

3. Houston is enjoying an eight-game winning streak in the series.

PREDICTION: Rockets 126, Suns 109

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:48 AM

San Antonio Spurs vs. Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NBA Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
Spurs vs. Kings Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The San Antonio Spurs are surging again with wins in five straight games and will need that momentum to last as they get set to embark on the annual "rodeo road trip." The Spurs will begin an eight-game road trip that bridges the All-Star break when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Monday.

San Antonio annually gives up its arena to the rodeo with mixed results and is hoping for a better showing than the 2-4 trip that bridged the break last season. The Spurs are heading into this season's trip on a roll and finished off a sweep of a four-game homestand with a 113-108 triumph over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday as All-Star forward LaMarcus Aldridge recorded his third consecutive double-double. The Kings are gaining confidence with each victory and are winners of six straight at home after knocking off the Philadelphia 76ers 115-108 on Saturday. Sacramento will challenge San Antonio's veterans with a young core led by shooting guard Buddy Hield, who scored 34 points on 12-of-21 shooting to lead the way against the 76ers.

TV: 10 p.m. ET, NBATV, FS Southwest (San Antonio), NBCS California (Sacramento) LINE: Spurs -2

ABOUT THE SPURS (32-22): Aldridge needed only 27 minutes to record 25 points and 14 rebounds on Saturday and is averaging 26.4 points and 12.4 boards over the last five contests. The 33-year-old is getting some help in the frontcourt from fellow veteran Rudy Gay, who is averaging 17 points in nine games since returning from a sprained wrist. The two are holding things down on the offensive end until the return to form of shooting guard DeMar DeRozan, who is 8-of-26 from the floor in two games since returning from a knee injury.

ABOUT THE KINGS (27-25): Hield is not the only young player developing quickly this season and rookie power forward Marvin Bagley III is making a leap of late. The 19-year-old Duke product collected 17 points and 12 rebounds in a 135-113 win over the Atlanta Hawks to open the homestand on Wednesday and followed that with 14 points and 13 boards in 33 minutes off the bench on Saturday. Hield and Bagley are benefiting from the play of second-year point guard De'Aaron Fox, who added 19 points and eight assists to Saturday's triumph.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Spurs PF Dante Cunningham (ankle) sat out Saturday and is day-to-day.

2. Kings SG Bogdan Bogdanovic is 6-of-33 from 3-point range over the last five games.

3. Sacramento snapped a 14-game losing streak in the series with a 104-99 home win over San Antonio on Nov. 12.

PREDICTION: Spurs 121, Kings 119

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:48 AM

Vancouver Canucks vs. Philadelphia Flyers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NHL Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
Canucks vs. Flyers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

While celebrated rookie Carter Hart is receiving his fair share of credit for the Philadelphia Flyers' turnaround, a now potent power play has packed a punch during the last two contests. The resurgent Flyers look to push their season-high winning streak to eight when they play the second contest of their five-game homestand on Monday versus the Vancouver Canucks.

"Confidence helps in the power play. You make plays, you keep it simple. The power play hasn't won us a lot of games this year, but (Saturday) we were able to make a few plays," captain Claude Giroux told reporters following Saturday afternoon's 5-4 overtime win over Edmonton. Giroux joined Sean Couturier, Wayne Simmonds and Travis Konecny in scoring with the man advantage, marking the first time Philadelphia has scored four power-play goals in a contest since 2008 -and giving the club's formerly NHL worst power play six tallies in its last two games. While the Flyers sit seven points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, Vancouver moved past sliding Colorado for the second wild card in the West by opening its four-game road trip with Saturday's 5-1 rout of the Avalanche. "You want to be in the mix and we're right in it right now," goaltender Jacob Markstrom told reporters. "They're seven, eight teams for two spots, three spots. It's tight. You need to win games, especially against a team that's in that race as well. Points are important."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, TVA, Sportsnet Pacific (Vancouver), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE CANUCKS (24-22-6): Brock Boeser scored on Saturday to lift the Canucks to a 4-1-2 mark in their last seven games and the right wing had a goal and an assist in a 5-1 win over Philadelphia on Dec. 15. The 21-year-old Boeser has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past six contests while fellow forward Bo Horvat (team-leading 24 assists) is riding a four-game point streak. Celebrated rookie Elias Pettersson (club-best 23 goals, 46 points), who had an assist in the previous encounter with the Flyers, has four points (one goal, three assists) in three games since returning from a knee sprain.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (23-23-6): Hart overcame a sluggish start to turn aside a career-high 40 shots versus the Oilers and become the first Philadelphia rookie to record a six-game winning streak since eventual two-time Vezina Trophy recipient Sergei Bobrovsky accomplished the feat on two occasions in the 2010-11 season. With a win Monday, the 20-year-old Hart will match Tom Barrasso (Buffalo) and Carey Price (Montreal) with seven-game win streaks before their 21st birthday and move just one behind Jocelyn Thibault (Quebec). Couturier has helped provide offense for Hart, recording 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in his last 10 games.

OVERTIME

1. Vancouver answered a 1-for-21 stretch on the power play in its previous eight contests by scoring a power-play goal on Saturday and thwarted all three short-handed situations to improve to 13-for-14 on the penalty kill in the last four.

2. Philadelphia RW Jakub Voracek has set up six goals during his three-game assist streak.

3. Although the Canucks defeated the Flyers in December, they are just 3-7-0 versus Metropolitan Division representatives.

PREDICTION: Canucks 3, Flyers 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:49 AM

Los Angeles Kings vs. New York Rangers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NHL Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
Kings vs. Rangers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The New York Rangers put forth a spirited effort versus the front-runner for the Presidents' Trophy before falling short in the opener of their season-high five-game homestand. The Rangers bid to rebound on Monday when they host the sputtering Los Angeles Kings, who have dropped seven of their last 11 contests to reside in the cellar of the Western Conference.

"We battled hard. We played a really good game, but it's not enough. You've got to win hockey games and we didn't do it," said Mats Zuccarello, who recorded his 13th point (five goals, eight assists) in seven games after scoring in Saturday's 3-2 setback to Tampa Bay. New York, which resides eight points out of the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, has answered a three-game winning streak with losses in two of three since returning from the All-Star break. Los Angeles fell victim to late uprising on Saturday after allowing three goals in less than five minutes during the third period of a 4-2 setback to the New York Islanders in the opener of its six-game road trip. "I mean, it's cliche, but you've got to play 60 minutes in this league if you want to win," said Kings defenseman Alec Martinez, who scored the go-ahead goal with 55 seconds to play in the Kings' 4-3 win over the Rangers on Oct. 28.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NHL Network, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet West, FS West (Los Angeles), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE KINGS (20-27-4): Captain Anze Kopitar has collected a goal and an assist in back-to-back games to boost his team-leading totals in goals (15) and points (36). Kopitar set up a goal in the first contest versus the Rangers while defenseman Drew Doughty (club-best 23 assists) notched an assist on a pair of power-play tallies in the second period. Dustin Brown, who had one of those man-advantage goals in that game, has three assists in his last two outings to reside two points shy of 600 for his career.

ABOUT THE RANGERS (22-22-7): Kevin Hayes scored a power-play goal versus the Lightning to lift his point total to 19 (six goals, 13 assists) in his last 14 contests. "There's no moral victories in the NHL, but if you watch the game film, we put together a good three games," Hayes told reporters of the team's run since returning from the All-Star break. Hayes has six points (four goals, two assists) in seven career games versus the Kings, including a goal in all three contests of the series at Madison Square Garden.

OVERTIME

1. Los Angeles LW Ilya Kovalchuk had a goal and two assists in the first encounter versus New York.

2. The Rangers are 7-for-17 on the power play in their last six contests and have killed off 25-of-29 penalties over the last eight.

3. Kings F Jeff Carter sits three points shy of 700 for his career.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Kings 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:49 AM

Anaheim Ducks vs. Toronto Maple Leafs Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NHL Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The Toronto Maple Leafs appear to be still finding their legs since returning from the All-Star break and league-mandated bye, with their high-octane offense mustering just five goals in two games. The Maple Leafs have a chance to stretch those legs heading into Monday's game against the visiting Anaheim Ducks, who fell for the 15th time in 17 outings (2-11-4) after a 9-3 shellacking in their last outing.

Toronto defenseman Morgan Rielly matched his career high in points (52) by setting up Zach Hyman's go-ahead goal late in the second period of Saturday's 3-2 win over Pittsburgh. Rielly, who has four assists in his last three games, scored 3:17 into overtime to lift Toronto to a 2-1 triumph over Anaheim on Nov. 16. That defensive battle doesn't appear likely to repeat itself based on the Ducks' woeful performance on Saturday, as they saw goaltender John Gibson permit six goals to Winnipeg on 14 shots before being pulled with 2:19 remaining in the first period. "To give up six in the first period. Unacceptable," forward Corey Perry told reporters following his season debut in the opener of their five-game road trip. "We as a team have to be better, have to be better in front of (Gibson)."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Prime (Anaheim), TSN4 (Toronto)

ABOUT THE DUCKS (21-22-9): Although Nick Ritchie recorded his fourth multi-point performance after scoring and setting up a goal versus the Jets, the 23-year-old Ontario native wasn't interested in talking about that end of the ice. "There is no excuse for that kind of effort," Ritchie told reporters. "It would be one thing if we played hard and made a couple mistakes with the puck, but that was a pretty bad (first) period. That's all I can really say." Ritchie, who has six points (two goals, four assists) in his last eight games, set up former teammate Pontus Aberg's goal in the first encounter versus Toronto.

ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS (31-17-3): Auston Matthews scored in the first period versus the Penguins to push his goal-scoring streak to three games after being limited to just one tally in his previous 13. The top overall pick of the 2016 NHL Draft has flourished in front of the home fans, recording 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 20 games at Scotiabank Arena. Patrick Marleau set up defenseman Travis Dermott's second-period goal against the Pittsburgh, moving him past Hall of Famer Michel Goulet and giving him sole possession of 54th place on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,154.

OVERTIME

1. Anaheim's Cam Fowler is tied with Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer (204) for the franchise's all-time assist record for defensemen.

2. Toronto F Mitch Marner, who leads the team in assists (43) and points (63), has 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 27 home games this season.

3. Ducks RW Daniel Sprong has collected seven points (four goals, three assists) in his last eight games.

PREDICTION: Maple Leafs 5, Ducks 1

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:49 AM

Arizona Coyotes vs. Dallas Stars Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NHL Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

The Dallas Stars have solidified their playoff position in the Western Conference with a strong run of defense and look to extend their winning streak to a season-high five games when the improving Arizona Coyotes pay a visit Monday night. The Stars are third in the Central Division and own a six-point cushion for a playoff spot after allowing just four goals while winning the last four, following Saturday's 3-1 triumph at Nashville.

"Absolutely, it gains confidence," Dallas defenseman John Klingberg told reporters. "We're still building something here. Defensively, again, I think we're doing a good job, and obviously the goalies are playing really good as well." The Stars go after their ninth straight victory against the Coyotes, who are just three points out of the second wild-card spot in the West after a 3-2 overtime loss at San Jose on Saturday made them 6-2-3 over the last 11 contests. Arizona, which was playing for the first time since Jan. 23, went 0-for-5 on the power play and scored the only goal in third period to earn a point against the Sharks. "If guys were feeling a little rusty they were making up for it with work ethic," Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper told reporters after improving to 6-0-3 in his last nine games with 32 saves. "One point is better than zero. It would have been nice to get the win; it didn't happen tonight, but the effort was there."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FS Arizona Plus, FS Southwest (Dallas)

ABOUT THE COYOTES (23-23-5): Right wing Conor Garland notched his 10th goal Saturday to pull within one of the team lead despite playing just 24 games since being recalled for the first time in December. All-Star Clayton Keller shares the team lead in goals (11) with fellow forwards Christian Fischer and injured Brad Richardson (upper body) while topping Arizona in points with 35, but had seven shots without making the scoresheet Saturday. Captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson (26 points) returned Saturday from a knee injury that forced him to miss just one game due to the bye week.

ABOUT THE STARS (27-21-4): Tyler Seguin boasts four goals along with an assist and a plus-3 rating in the past four games to lead the team with 21 tallies and 48 points - six more than fellow forward Alexander Radulov. Captain Jamie Benn has been kept off the scoresheet in three straight games and the 29-year-old left wing remains one goal shy of reaching 20 for the ninth time in 10 seasons. Anton Khudobin turned aside 38 shots in Saturday's victory and Ben Bishop (18-12-2, .925 save percentage) is expected back in net after winning his last three starts, allowing just three goals in the process.

OVERTIME

1. Arizona D Jakob Chychrun (lower body) missed Saturday's game and is questionable for Monday's contest.

2. Dallas D Esa Lindell recorded a goal and five assists in the last five games to push his season total to 23 points.

3. The Coyotes lead the NHL in penalty killing at 87.1 percent and boast 12 shorthanded tallies - second in the league.

PREDICTION: Coyotes 3, Stars 2

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:49 AM

Louisville Cardinals vs. Virginia Tech Hokies Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NCAAB Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
No. 11 Virginia Tech will have a difficult time matching its last defensive effort, but the Hokies need another strong performance on that end of the court when they host 16th-ranked Louisville on Monday night in an ACC contest. Virginia Tech held North Carolina State to 16.7 percent from the field - the lowest mark in ACC history - and 24 points, the least by a Division I team in a conference game since 2008, in Saturday's win.

"It still doesn't seem real," Hokies leading scorer Nikeil Alexander-Walker told reporters after the 47-24 victory in Raleigh, N.C. ". ... It was one of those days for them where they couldn't make (shots) and we just kept getting stops. And we just kept getting more confident and growing more powerful." However, Virginia Tech will be shorthanded with second-leading scorer Justin Robinson (foot) out indefinitely as it goes for its first ACC win against Louisville, which was rolling along with six straight victories overall before suffering a 79-69 setback against 10th-ranked North Carolina at home Saturday. The Cardinals, who average 79.1 points, fell behind by 16 at halftime and could not recover - losing for the first time since Jan. 9. "We didn't come out with much fire," Louisville coach Chris Mack told reporters. "It was a great environment, and to essentially end the half with no offensive rebounds and let Carolina dismantle us on the glass, I can't tell you how disappointed in that effort alone."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN LINE: Check Intertops for the latest line

ABOUT LOUISVILLE (16-6, 7-2 ACC): Sophomore forward Jordan Nwora, the team's leading scorer (17.9) and rebounder (7.7), was held to 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting Saturday after averaging 21.4 over the last five games. Junior forward Dwayne Sutton scored 19 on Saturday to raise his season mark to 10.6 while senior transfer guard Christen Cunningham (10.4 points, team-high 4.6 assists) scored 15 and dished out nine assists against North Carolina. Junior center Steven Enoch (9.3 points, 56.2 percent shooting) did not score Saturday in 16 minutes after averaging 11.5 the previous four games.

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (18-3, 7-2): Robinson (14.4 points, team-high 5.4 assists) missed Saturday's game and it showed offensively as the Hokies managed to shoot just 35.6 percent from the field. "We can tell that we miss some of his poise," junior forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. told reporters after recording 13 points and 13 rebounds Saturday. "But I think each and every person stepped up. It wasn't a single person who picks up what he does. It takes all of us and it's going to take all of us." Alexander-Walker tops the team in scoring (17.5) and steals (2.3) while shooting 53.5 percent from the field.

TIP-INS

1. Louisville sophomore C Malik Williams is averaging 11 points over the last five contests and leads the team in blocks per game overall (1.5).

2. Virginia Tech senior G Ahmed Hill is averaging 14.3 points in league action (13.4 overall), scoring at least 15 in five of the nine ACC games.

3. The Hokies are off to their best start in ACC play since joining the league in 2004-05, but the Cardinals won all five meetings in that stretch.

PREDICTION: Virginia Tech 62, Louisville 60

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:49 AM

Penn St. Nittany Lions vs. Northwestern Wildcats Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NCAAB Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

Northwestern looks to halt a two-game losing skid when it hosts Penn State in Big Ten play on Monday. The Wildcats dropped a 62-46 decision to No. 23 Wisconsin before suffering a 70-52 setback to No. 24 Maryland on Jan. 29 to fall to 0-5 against ranked teams this season, and they hope to kick off the second half of the conference campaign on a winning note by avenging a 65-57 loss to the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten Tournament last year.

"We've been in a little bit of a rut the last couple of games and we can't get the ball to go in the basket," Northwestern coach Chris Collins told reporters. "We've got to get our confidence back and hopefully it will be a different story on Monday." Penn State is still winless in Big Ten play after coming up short in its upset bid of No. 18 Purdue on Thursday. The Nittany Lions rallied from a 17-point deficit to force overtime against the red-hot Boilermakers, but ended up on the wrong side of a 99-90 scoreline, and they hope to get over the disappointment by earning their first win since Dec. 29. "I know our record isn't what we expect or where we want it to be but the kids are competing and playing hard," Penn State coach Patrick Chambers told reporters. "The ultimate goal down the stretch here in February is that they continue to progress."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

ABOUT PENN STATE (7-14, 0-10 Big Ten): Lamar Stevens went 14-of-17 from the free throw line en route to a team-high 24 points and pulled down six rebounds in the loss to Purdue. Rasir Bolton added 18 points and four assists to finish in double figures for the second time in as many games after being held scoreless in the loss to Rutgers on Jan. 26, while fellow freshman Myles Dread knocked down four 3-pointers to finish with 14 points against the Boilermakers. Josh Reaves scored 11 points and corralled six rebounds while Mike Watkins contributed 10 points and 11 boards to notch his fifth double-double of the season.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (12-9, 3-7): Anthony Gaines scored 11 of his career-high 18 points in the second half and pulled down seven rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the Wildcats shot 31 percent from the floor in the loss to Maryland. Dererk Pardon added 14 points and seven rebounds against the Terrapins to finish in double figures for the 19th time in 21 games this season while Ryan Taylor tallied seven points. Vic Law, who leads the team in points per game (15.3) was limited to five, but moved past Craig Moore for 18th place on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,295 career points.

TIP-INS

1. Northwestern has held 12 opponents under their season scoring average.

2. Penn State has lost eight consecutive road games.

3. Stevens has scored 20 or more points 26 times in his career.

PREDICTION: Penn State 71, Northwestern 70

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:49 AM

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Oklahoma Sooners Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NCAAB Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/03/2019

No. 20 Iowa State aims to extend its winning streak to four games on Monday when it travels to Oklahoma to play a struggling Sooners team that has lost two straight and four of their last five Big 12 games. The Cyclones saw a 13-point first half lead evaporate Saturday against Texas, but used some clutch shooting late to hold on for a 65-60 victory.

Marial Shayok, the Big 12's second-leading scorer (19.2 points per game), had his worst shooting performance of the season Saturday (3-for-14) but scored the last four points for the Cyclones including a jumper with 23 seconds left that made it a two-possession game. "(My teammates and coaches) told me to keep shooting it and not to worry about it," Shayok told the media after netting 12 points Saturday. "It was just one of those days for me. Obviously, I was frustrated but I had to try to keep (calm) to win the game." Oklahoma's leading scorer, senior Christian James (16 points per game), struggled in two losses last week combining to go 3-for-19 from the floor, including a 1-for-10 showing in Saturday's 79-71 setback at West Virginia. The Sooners lost their spot as the top rebounding team in the conference Saturday, as they were outrebounded 46-30 and gave up 18 offensive rebounds that led to 27 second-chance points for the Mountaineers.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT IOWA STATE (17-5, 6-3 Big 12): Freshman Tyrese Haliburton sits second in the country with a 5.53 assist-to-turnover ratio and has 34 assists to just three giveaways over his last seven contests. Head coach Steve Prohm is putting more trust in forward Cameron Lard as the sophomore scored 11 points off the bench Saturday in a season-high 21 minutes. With a five-point showing against the Longhorns, Lindell Wigginton's scoring average dropped to 12.4 points per game but the sophomore combined for 46 in two contests against the Sooners last season.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA (15-7, 3-6): After scoring three points in a loss to Baylor Monday, Brady Manek tallied the first seven for the Sooners Saturday and finished 4-for-6 from behind the arc en route to a team-high 18 points. Aaron Calixte added 17 points against West Virginia - his highest output since the Sooners' second game of the season and his first time hitting double-figures since scoring 12 against TCU on Jan. 12. Freshman Jamal Bieniemy led the squad with five assists Saturday and enters the week sitting fifth nationally with a 3.83 assist-to-turnover ratio.

TIP-INS

1. Shayok surpassed 1,000 career points on Saturday - 423 of which have come this season, the senior's first with Iowa State after spending three years at Virginia.

2. James is 19 3-pointers shy of tying Mookie Blaylock for 10th place on Oklahoma's career list in the category.

3. Iowa State leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage (48.4), free throw percentage (73.3) and scoring offense (79.0).

PREDICTION: Iowa State 85, Oklahoma 75

**Can'tPickAWinner** · 02-04-2019, 10:50 AM

West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders Preview and Predictions 2019-02-04

NCAAB Predictions 3rd February 2019 by Gracenote
With West Virginia riding a three-game losing streak and dropping eight of nine overall, freshman reserve guard Brandon Knapper picked up his team by scoring a career-high 25 points in a 79-71 win over Oklahoma on Saturday. The Mountaineers will seek their first winning streak since late December on Monday night when they travel to play a 15th-ranked Texas Tech squad that is reeling after a beat down at No. 12 Kansas.

Knapper, who entered Saturday averaging 4.5 points per game with seven more turnovers than assists, shot 7-of-10 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from behind the arc, and drained a 3-pointer along with six consecutive free throws in the closing minutes to help seal the victory. "I think we've all been waiting on it. His problem has been ball security. He's thrown the ball everywhere. He did a good job today under some tough circumstances. He got double-teamed at the end and did a good job stepping to the double-team like he was supposed to." West Virginia coach Bob Huggins told reporters of Knapper. Texas Tech had hoped its mini three-game losing streak was behind it after consecutive wins, but the Red Raiders trailed by 20 at the half as star guard Jarrett Culver was held in check in the 79-63 defeat at Kansas. Texas Tech won in Morgantown, W.V. for the first time ever after six losses 62-59 on Jan. 2, a game in which the teams combined for 50 fouls and 35 turnovers - 22 by Tech.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN LINE: Check Intertops for the latest line

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA (10-12, 2-7 Big 12): Knapper got plenty of help from his frontline, as freshman center Derek Culver finished with 13 points and 14 rebounds in his first start while Esa Ahmad scored 12 and grabbed 13 rebounds and Wesley Harris contributed 13 points along with seven boards. "Thirty-four rebounds from our frontline, that's awfully good," Huggins told reporters. "I thought it was the best effort combined from those three we've had all year." West Virginia outrebounded Oklahoma 46-30, and Ahmad, Culver and Harris combined for 16 of the team's 18 offensive boards.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH (17-5, 5-4): Culver (18.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists) had one of his worst games of the season Saturday, scoring just 10 on 5-of-17 shooting - missing all six of his 3-point attempts and committing five turnovers. The Jayhawks made a season-high 13 3-pointers while the Red Raiders shot 34.4 percent from the floor, including 6-of-28 from the arc. Forward Tariq Owens (8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 blocks) posted his second double-double of the season with 12 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, while guard Davide Moretti had three 3-pointers for the third straight game and led the team with 14 points.

TIP-INS

1. In the first contest against West Virginia this season, Culver had 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting with six rebounds, G Matt Mooney chipped in 14 and Moretti had 12 for Tech.

2. Mountaineers G James Bolden (12.2 points per contest) has missed the last two games with an injured ankle.

3. West Virginia's Culver (11.2 points, 8.3 rebounds), who was suspended for the first 10 contests, has posted four double-doubles in 12 games while averaging 23.3 minutes per game.

PREDICTION: Texas Tech 69, West Virginia 63

Monday 2-4-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

Monday 2-4-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

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