Wednesday 2-27-19 Free Plays / Trends / Betting Info / Etc

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Stephen Nover

Feb 27 '19, 8:05 PM in 10h
NBA | Blazers vs Celtics
Play on: Celtics -2½ -105 at pinnacle

Here is a lesson on how the NBA works. Portland is 3-0 SU and ATS coming out of All-Star break. All of the Trail Blazers' victories during this span have impressively come on the road. Boston is 0-3 following All-Star weekend. It's clear the Trail Blazers are playing well and the Celtics aren't. Boston just got blown out in Toronto Tuesday. The oddsmaker opened the Celtics a short favorite. Wrong choice, correct? Nope. The oddsmaker isn't stupid. The NBA doesn't always make sense on the surface. But a closer look at the situation reveals that the Celtics should be favored and likely will cover the spread. Portland's wins have occurred versus the Nets, 76ers minus Joel Embiid and the Cavaliers. This marks the Trail Blazers' fourth game in seven days. Portland is fat and happy. The Celtics, during the post-All-Star game period, lost to the Bucks by one point. Milwaukee has the best record in the NBA. The Celtics then got caught in a sandwich spot getting upset by the Bulls, in which they obviously got caught looking ahead to their Atlantic Division showdown against the Raptors. That game didn't go the Celtics' way. No surprise since the Celtics don't win in Toronto having lost eight in a row there. Now it's circle-the-wagons time for Boston. The Celtics have covered 69 percent of their last 51 home contests. They will be sky-high for this matchup with Brad Stevens cracking the whip and they certainly aren't outclassed.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Mark Wilson

Feb 27 '19, 9:00 PM in 11h
NCAA-B | Cincinnati vs SMU
Play on: SMU +4½ -108 at pinnacle

Free Play on SMU +4½ -108

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Marc Lawrence

Feb 27 '19, 9:00 PM in 11h
NCAA-B | Texas vs Baylor
Play on: Baylor -4½ -105 at BMaker

Play - Baylor (Game 816).
Edges - Bears:11-1 SU and 8-0-1 ATS at home with 3 or more days of rest, and 4-1 ATS at home with same season loss revenge of 12 or more points … Longhorns: 3-8 SUATS in this series … With the Bears looking to avenge an 84-72 loss at Texas earlier this season, we recommend a 1* play on Baylor. Thank you and good luck as always.

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Houston Rockets vs. Charlotte Hornets Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

James Harden's 30-point scoring streak is over, but the Houston Rockets are still winning. Harden and the Rockets will try to stretch their winning streak to three straight when they visit the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.

Harden moved into second-place on the all-time list with 32 straight games of 30 or more points but failed to make it even halfway to Wilt Chamberlain's record of 65 in a row when he was held to 28 points in Monday's 119-111 home win over the Atlanta Hawks. "It was cool," Harden told reporters of the streak. "I knew I wasn't going to get to No. 1." The Hornets are trying to remain in the top eight of the Eastern Conference but are struggling to take advantage of a stretch of home games coming out of the All-Star break. Charlotte knocked off Washington in its first game after the break on Friday but fell to Brooklyn and Golden State in the next two contests, dropping it to 20-11 at home and into eighth place in the East.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), FS Southeast (Charlotte)

ABOUT THE ROCKETS (35-25): Houston, which knocked off Golden State with Harden sitting out on Saturday, is rounding into form from a health perspective and had nine players log at least 13 minutes on Monday, including newcomer Iman Shumpert. "I don't care. We won," Harden told reporters of his streak ending. "Made shots, missed shots, we won the game. That streak was great, but I was just doing it because that's what we had to do in order to keep our heads above water. Now, we get our full roster back. You look at the stat line, and we had multiple guys in double figures, which is great to see. Hopefully, we can keep that up." Harden went 7-of-21 from the floor on Monday and 0-of-10 from 3-point range.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (28-32): Charlotte, which plays at Brooklyn on Friday before returning home for three more, failed to take advantage of a big night on Monday from center Cody Zeller, who scored a career-high 28 points on 13-of-14 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds in the 121-110 loss to the Warriors. "I thought Cody was great," Hornets coach James Borrego told reporters. "He's just battling, playing so hard. Creating offense, battling defensively. He's done this two nights in a row. I thought last game was maybe his best game of the season. I think he followed it up with another impressive performance. Warrior. He's battling, competing, gave us a chance tonight. So, a fantastic job by Cody." Zeller recorded a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds in Saturday's 117-115 loss to the Nets.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Rockets PF Kenneth Faried recorded a double-double in 10 of 15 games since joining the team.

2. Hornets SG Malik Monk totaled six points on 1-of-10 shooting in the last three games.

3. Houston is enjoying a four-game winning streak in the series.

PREDICTION: Rockets 121, Hornets 115

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Golden State Warriors vs. Miami Heat Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The Miami Heat intend to get the most out of Dwyane Wade in his final season but aren't looking like a team that will end that campaign in the playoffs with losses in three straight games. Things don't get any easier on Wednesday, when the defending champion Golden State Warriors come to Miami.

The Heat sit 1 1/2 games behind the eighth-place Charlotte Hornets in the Eastern Conference and dropped nine of 11 after allowing the Phoenix Suns to snap their franchise-record 17-game slide on Monday. "I know I sound like I've been saying this for a while, but there is a lot of good things going on with this basketball team," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "We just have to keep on forging, persevere, and not take any steps back from these unfortunate results because eventually you get your breakthrough. I know there's not a tremendous amount of time in the season, but there are some good things." The Warriors haven't looked their best since coming out of the All-Star break but managed to win the opener of the four-game road trip 121-110 at Charlotte on Monday behind a strong performance from center DeMarcus Cousins. "This is the happiest he has looked," Golden State coach Steve Kerr told reporters of Cousins. "He looked the most comfortable tonight. He made a couple of moves around the hoop where he showed great agility, but I think this is the best he's looked."

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Bay Area (Golden State), FS Sun (Miami)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (43-17): Cousins logged a season-high 31 minutes against the Hornets and finished with 24 points on 9-of-15 shooting, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in the win. The fiery former All-Star was also involved in a bizarre sequence in which he was hit with a technical foul (since rescinded) for tossing a shoe off the court. "He's got to be a little bit more delicate throwing it to the sideline -- like horseshoes," star guard Stephen Curry joked to reporters of the incident. "Just got to touch the line and sit down, not throw it in the stands. He's too strong, that's all. Too strong."

ABOUT THE HEAT (26-33): Miami will host the Warriors and then the surging Houston Rockets on Thursday in a brutal back-to-back and insists that it is not losing confidence, though it could use more effort on the defensive end. "We got to find a win and it has to be on the defensive end, instead of putting so much pressure on the offensive end," Wade told reporters. "That's where we've lost a lot of games this year, where normally that's where we win games. Just getting that stop, getting that rebound that we haven't been able to get." The Heat allowed the Western Conference-worst Suns shoot 50.6 percent from the floor on Monday.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Heat PG Goran Dragic totaled 14 points on 7-of-18 shooting in his first two games after returning from knee surgery.

2. Warriors PF Jordan Bell (illness) sat out Monday and is day-to-day.

3. Golden State edged Miami 120-118 at home on Feb. 10 behind 39 points from Durant.

PREDICTION: Warriors 115, Heat 112

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Atlanta Hawks Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

With a healthy and thriving Karl-Anthony Towns, the Minnesota Timberwolves are charging toward a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Winners of four of their last five, the Timberwolves begin a three-game road trip at the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.

Towns returned from a two-game absence following a scary car accident last week to record 34 points, 21 rebounds and five assists in a 112-105 win over Sacramento on Monday. "You're so used to just grinding your body to dust every single day, and you don't get a chance to realize how much you appreciate being there," Towns told reporters after the impressive return. "I've always wanted to be available for my teammates, be available for the Wolves, but when you sit out you're looking at a different perspective." Minnesota's surge has it three games out of a playoff spot. The rebuilding Hawks are 8 1/2 behind in the playoff race in the East after dropping two of three out of the All-Star break.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Southeast (Atlanta)

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (29-31): Injuries at the point guard position have been commonplace this season for Minnesota, as Jeff Teague, Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones have missed a combined 38 games. With Teague (knee) sidelined Monday, Jones made his first start since Jan. 2 and finished with 16 points and eight assists. Rose chipped in 20 points off the bench and he is averaging 21 in 23.7 minutes over his last three games.

ABOUT THE HAWKS (20-41): Rookie Trae Young scored a career-high 36 points while making eight 3-pointers in Monday's 119-111 loss at Houston and later showed his team-first attitude. "For me, I've grown up with a dad who raised me that winning is the only thing that matters," Young told the media. "So for me, of course you want to play well, of course you want to do well in the game and help your team, but at the end of the day I don't feel good about it." John Collins notched his second straight double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds in the loss.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Hawks SG Kent Bazemore scored 32 points -- tied for his season high -- in a 123-120 overtime win at Minnesota earlier this season.

2. Towns is shooting 64.7 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from 3-point range in February.

3. Young is 21-for-40 from beyond the arc over a four-game span.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 117, Hawks 116

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Washington Wizards vs. Brooklyn Nets Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
Wizards vs. Nets Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The Brooklyn Nets are in possession of their first winning streak in a month and will try to push it to three victories in a row when they continue a three-game homestand against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. After emerging from the All-Star break with a 14-point home loss to Portland, the Nets bounced back with a 117-115 triumph at Charlotte and then opened the homestand with an impressive 101-85 win over San Antonio on Monday.

The homestand comes before a stretch run that sees Brooklyn play nine of its final 13 on the road, lending a greater degree of significance to these games. "I think it's an advantage playing here," coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters Monday. "I think we have to make some money, especially knowing what comes after that." The Nets are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, 1 1/2 games up on seventh-place Detroit and well ahead of the Wizards, who have lost four in a row while giving up an average of 123 points. Three of those losses have come on the road, where Washington is just 7-24, a record better than only three teams in the league.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBCS Washington, YES (Brooklyn)

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (24-36): Despite the slide, Washington is just four games out of a playoff spot with 22 to play and it has an upcoming stretch loaded with home games, giving some hope for a final push if the team can correct some issues on the defensive end. "For sure," All-Star guard Bradley Beal told reporters after Saturday's 119-112 loss to Indiana. "Scoring is not the problem. It's not our problem. It's just defending and getting stops, and controlling stuff we can control." Beal had 35 points in the loss to the Pacers and is averaging 30.9 in February.

ABOUT THE NETS (32-30): Guard Caris LeVert had his best game since returning from a foot injury with 15 points, seven assists and zero turnovers in 27 minutes against the Spurs. "Very encouraging," Atkinson told reporters of LeVert. "I thought his drive game was good. He hit a big 3 I thought in the fourth quarter when we were struggling to get a bucket. D'Angelo (Russell) found him off a drive. Those two, I think they're getting their chemistry back a little." Russell followed up a 40-point effort at Charlotte with 23 points to go along with eight assists versus San Antonio.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Wizards C Thomas Bryant came off the bench Saturday for the first time since Nov. 18 and responded with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

2. Russell has been held to a total of 16 points on 6-of-20 shooting over the last two matchups with Washington.

3. Brooklyn has won three straight meetings at home.

PREDICTION: Nets 114, Wizards 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Chicago Bulls vs. Memphis Grizzlies Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The Chicago Bulls began their longest winning streak of the season -- a three-game run -- with a win over Memphis earlier this month. They'll try to begin another one when they visit the Grizzlies on Wednesday in the opener of a two-game road trip.

Chicago went into the All-Star break on the heels of a 122-110 defeat of Memphis at home Feb. 13 and followed it up with solid victories at Orlando and at home against Boston after the intermission. The run came to an end Monday against Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee, but there is a degree of pride in the otherwise quality stretch of play. "I'm proud of our guys," coach Jim Boylen told reporters after the 117-106 loss to the Bucks on Monday. "There's no consolation prizes at this level, but to have 6½ days off [and then] play three in four against three playoff teams and the way we played and competed -- I'm really happy about our team." The loss in Chicago was part of a four-game losing streak for the Grizzlies, who got back into the win column with Monday's 110-105 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

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

ABOUT THE BULLS (16-45): Otto Porter Jr. scored a career-high 37 points against the Grizzlies earlier this month and is questionable for the rematch due to a leg injury that kept him out of the Milwaukee game. Fellow forward Lauri Markkanen finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds versus the Bucks for his third straight double-double. Center Robin Lopez also had 26 points in the loss while posting his 10th straight game of shooting at least 61.5 percent from the floor.

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (24-38): Although he went from a title contender in Toronto to an also-ran in Memphis, newly acquired center Jonas Valanciunas seemed content with his situation following the win over the Lakers. "It felt really good and was really needed," Valanciunas told reporters after recording 20 points and 13 rebounds. "It's fun to play with this group." Guard Mike Conley led the way Monday with 30 points, his best total since Jan. 23.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Grizzlies SF Chandler Parsons is 4-for-24 from the floor in three games since returning from a lengthy layoff.

2. Bulls PG Kris Dunn (migraine) missed Monday's game and is questionable for this one.

3. Chicago is aiming to sweep the season series for the second straight time.

PREDICTION: Grizzlies 106, Bulls 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Portland Trail Blazers vs. Boston Celtics Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 27th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/27/2019

The struggling Boston Celtics are mired in a funk and will try to begin a turnaround when they host the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday. Boston has lost five of its last seven games, with Tuesday's 118-95 setback in Toronto representing the end of a winless three-game road trip.

Kyrie Irving had a miserable game for the Celtics, scoring only seven points, and coach Brad Stevens ripped his club following the lackluster effort against the Raptors. "I thought we were all over the place defensively. We're taking too many shortcuts," Stevens told reporters. "We have to be a lot more connected as a team. That's been a theme for a while." Portland has reeled off four straight victories and led by 23 points at halftime before letting Cleveland back in the game before finishing strong in Monday's 123-110 road win. "We've been through a lot," Trail Blazers shooting guard CJ McCollum told reporters. "We've been in some great wins and some terrible losses, so you know how to win games down the stretch. We know what we need to do on the offensive and defensive end to give ourselves a chance."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Northwest (Portland), NBCS Boston

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (37-23): McCollum made 7-of-8 3-point attempts while scoring 35 points against Cleveland to record his 12th 30-point effort of the season. "CJ carried us on the offensive end," point guard Damian Lillard told reporters. "We tried to just keep that rolling because it seemed like he was making every shot. When a scorer gets in that rhythm, it's important not to cool him off." Lillard contributed 21 points after making just 10-of-31 shots in his first two games following the All-Star break.

ABOUT THE CELTICS (37-24): Irving has been increasingly frustrated in recent weeks, and his response to a question about how to fix the defensive issues was a brief one - "That's up to Brad," he said of the coach. The Raptors were 17-for-36 from 3-point range and built a 21-point halftime advantage as Boston allowed at least 109 points for the sixth time in seven games. Marcus Morris was the high scorer with 17 points in a game in which the Celtics were just 6-for-30 from beyond the arc.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Trail Blazers C Jusuf Nurkic recorded 18 points and 17 rebounds as the team registered a 100-94 home triumph over the Celtics on Nov. 11.

2. Boston SF Gordon Hayward is averaging just seven points on 4-of-14 shooting over his last two games.

3. Portland swingman Evan Turner (knee) will miss his third straight contest.

PREDICTION: Trail Blazers 112, Celtics 109

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Indiana Pacers vs. Dallas Mavericks Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The Indiana Pacers seek to post their ninth victory in the past 11 games when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday. The Pacers endured a 113-109 road loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday and look to bounce back against a Dallas team that has dropped five straight games.

Indiana was on the uphill climb against Detroit after falling behind by 16 after one quarter and was unable to make up the difference. "We've been notorious for getting off to slow starts," Pacers forward Thaddeus Young said after the loss. "We can't come out like we're warming up. We have to come out ready to jump on teams and be mentally prepared and physically prepared from the start." Dallas rookie sensation Luka Doncic (ankle) returned from a two-game absence to produce 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in Monday's 121-112 road loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. All four of Doncic's triple-doubles have occurred in his past 12 games.

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

ABOUT THE PACERS (40-21): Forward Domantas Sabonis scored 23 points against the Pistons - tying his second-highest output of the season - but departed late in the contest with a sprained ankle. Indiana coach Nate McMillan was unsure what Sabaonis' status would be and his availability might not be determined until close to game time. Small forward Bojan Bogdanovic poured in 25 points against Detroit and topped 20 points in eight of the past 11 games and 22 times overall.

ABOUT THE MAVERICKS (26-34): Doncic's latest stellar night came with a bad component as he committed a season-worst nine turnovers, marking the 12th time he has had five or more miscues in a game. "He thinks he can thread any needle and throw the ball through one guy's nose and out his rear end," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said after the loss to the Clippers. "You just can't do that in this league on a consistent basis." Reserve forward Dwight Powell scored a career-best 24 points on 10-of-11 shooting and reached 20 points in two of the past three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Pacers won six of the past nine meetings, including a 111-99 home victory on Jan. 19.

2. Dallas SG Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 20 points against Los Angeles for this third 20-point effort in the past four games.

3. Indiana C Myles Turner (left hip) returned from a two-game absence against Detroit but had just seven points on 3-of-10 shooting in 30 minutes.

PREDICTION: Pacers 107, Mavericks 105

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
Pistons vs. Spurs Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The San Antonio Spurs limped to the end of their annual rodeo road trip and return home a team fighting to stay in the top eight of the Western Conference. The Spurs, who went 1-7 on the eight-game excursion that bridged the All-Star break, return to host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.

Two of the worst performances on the trip came in the last two games, when San Antonio dropped a 130-118 decision at the lowly New York Knicks and then shot 36.5 percent in a 101-85 setback at the Brooklyn Nets. "We show spurts when we can play and beat anybody in this league, but then we go out there and lose to a team that is one of the worst teams in the league like (Sunday against the Knicks)," Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan told reporters. "The rollercoaster ride of it is so high and so low. We've got to find that balance and really level off these last 20 games." San Antonio is returning home to face a red-hot Pistons team that checked off its seventh win in eight games by beating the Indiana Pacers 113-109 on Monday. "I talked before the break, we were playing our basketball," All-Star forward Blake Griffin told reporters. "We were executing our principles that we've gone over since day one of training camp. We were taking care of the ball, playing basketball the right way, extra passes, the right passes, taking shots when we're supposed to. That brand of basketball has made us successful. We beat some good teams playing that type of basketball, so it's about us. And in this stretch, it's been about us."

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FS Detroit, FS Southwest (San Antonio)

ABOUT THE PISTONS (29-30): One factor in Detroit's surge has been the improved play of shooting guard Luke Kennard, who scored 19 points in Monday's win and is 16-of-27 from the floor in three games since the All-Star break. "We're being aggressive," Kennard told reporters. "The pace has been great. Our point guards have gotten the ball up the floor really fast for us. The pace opens the floor up and we've got guys ready to shoot, being aggressive to shoot the ball. And they want us to shoot. We have any kind of space, they want us to shoot. That's what we've been doing, and we've got to continue it." Leading the charge is Griffin, who recorded a triple-double on Monday with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

ABOUT THE SPURS (33-29): All-Star power forward LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points on 12-of-21 shooting and DeRozan went for 23 on 9-of-14 against Brooklyn on Monday, but the rest of the team was a combined 14-of-61 from the floor. "Guys are not happy, (they're) frustrated, want to win and want to do the things to win," Aldridge told reporters. "So, it's on us, no one's going to save us. We've got to figure it out ourselves." San Antonio went 4-of-24 from 3-point range in the loss while letting the Nets bury 19 from beyond the arc.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Pistons are trying to reach .500 for the first time since they were 16-16 after a win over Washington on Dec. 26.

2. Spurs SG Bryn Forbes is 3-of-21 from 3-point range over the last four games.

3. San Antonio earned a 119-107 win at Detroit on Jan. 7, when Aldridge and DeRozan combined for 51 points.

PREDICTION: Spurs 109, Pistons 105

[Can'tPickAWinner]

LA Clippers vs. Utah Jazz Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The Utah Jazz are starting to enjoy success against the Los Angeles Clippers and look to record their fifth straight win in the series on Wednesday in Salt Lake City. Before the recent run, the Clippers won 19 of 21 meetings behind the likes of Blake Griffin, Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan.

Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points in Saturday's 125-109 home win over the Dallas Mavericks in a contest in which Utah committed just seven turnovers. "The mentality we have to have is one of precision," Jazz coach Quin Snyder told reporters. "It has to be an appreciation where we cherish a possession. If you're in that mindset, you can be aggressive and you won't be mistake-prone." Los Angeles won three of its last four games after registering a 121-112 home win over the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. Rising power forward Montrezl Harrell scored a career-best 32 points for his second 30-point effort in a three-game span.

TV: 9 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Utah)

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (34-28): Harrell was 14-of-17 shooting in his stellar effort on Monday with eight of his baskets being dunks, some of the show-stopping variety. "It's a big game for him, he dominated his position," stellar sixth man Lou Williams said after the victory. "One of those games where we needed him and he came out and played tremendous." Williams had 21 points and 10 assists for his second double-double in four games and seventh of the season.

ABOUT THE JAZZ (33-26): Standout center Rudy Gobert had 23 points and 22 rebounds in a 129-109 thumping of the Clippers on Jan. 16 for his lone 20-20 outing of the campaign and one of his two 20-rebound performances. Gobert collected 15 points and 12 rebounds against Dallas for his seventh straight double-double and 48th of the season - he's tied with Philadelphia's Joel Embiid for the league lead. Point guard Ricky Rubio scored 25 points against the Mavericks for his 10th 20-point outing of the campaign.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Mitchell scored 28 points in last month's win in Los Angeles.

2. Los Angeles rookie SG Landry Shamet is just 10-of-32 shooting over the past four contests.

3. Utah swingman Kyle Korver is 7-of-24 shooting over the past five games.

PREDICTION: Jazz 109, Clippers 104

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Sacramento Kings Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
Bucks vs. Kings Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

The Milwaukee Bucks are the owners of the best record in the NBA and a five-game winning streak as they get set to tackle the West Coast portion of a five-game road trip. The Bucks will begin their stretch of four games against Western Conference teams when they visit the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday.

Milwaukee earned a 117-106 victory at Chicago on Monday to begin the trip despite superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting out to rest a sore knee. "I've been saying it all year, we have a great team," guard Pat Connaughton told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I think some people overlook the amount of depth we have because they're not necessarily quote-unquote names. It's guys that are making names for themselves. If you look at our roster, I think everybody's contributed at some point in time to help us get to the best record in the NBA." The Kings are fighting for a playoff spot in the West and return home after going 1-3 on a four-game road trip, capped by a 112-105 setback at Minnesota on Monday. Sacramento fell to the top two teams in the west - Golden State and Denver - by a total of four points to begin the trip and knocked off third-place Oklahoma City before suffering a letdown against the Timberwolves.

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

ABOUT THE BUCKS (46-14): Antetokounmpo, who averages 27.2 points on 58.1 percent shooting, 12.7 rebounds and six assists, is not expected to miss extended time and is traveling with the team. All-Star swingman Khris Middleton and guard Malcolm Brogdon each scored 22 points to lead the way on Monday while center Brook Lopez anchored the defensive end with five blocks. "It's all about feel," Brogdon told reporters. "Me and Khris started off slow, but we're guys that think the game first. We're just trying to figure out how we can get to our spots, how we can get each other going, but also how we can get ourselves going."

ABOUT THE KINGS (31-29): Shooting guard Buddy Hield leads the Kings in scoring at an average of 20.7 points and scored 34 to key the 119-116 win over the Thunder on Saturday but was left on the bench for the final five minutes of Monday's setback. "I'm a competitor. I always want to be on the court," Hield told reporters. "That's what I do, man. We all make mistakes out there. We aren't perfect. ... Everybody knows what I can do, and everybody knows what I bring to the table. Yeah, it's hard. I'm not going to lie to you. It's hard to watch." Coach Dave Joerger suggested that the benching had something to do with Hield's five turnovers.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lopez is 9-of-46 from 3-point range over the last six games.

2. Sacramento rookie PF Marvin Bagley III recorded a double-double in each of the last three games.

3. Milwaukee stretched its winning streak in the series to five straight with a 144-109 home win on Nov. 4.

PREDICTION: Bucks 123, Kings 120

[Can'tPickAWinner]

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Los Angeles Lakers Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NBA Predictions 26th February 2019 by Gracenote
Pelicans vs. Lakers Preview and Predictions

by Gracenote on 02/26/2019

Anthony Davis will be on the floor against his possible future team when the New Orleans Pelicans visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Davis requested a trade in late January but the Pelicans declined the offer from the Lakers and the perennial All-Star has been playing reduced minutes as New Orleans attempts to protect his trade value.

Davis didn't play when the Lakers visited New Orleans on Saturday but the Pelicans still posted a 128-115 victory. Davis had 18 points in 21 minutes during Monday's 111-110 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers for the club's 12th setback in the past 18 games. The Lakers lost six of their past eight games after dropping a 110-105 decision to the host Memphis Grizzlies on Monday and forward LeBron James is trying to push his teammates who may not understand the urgency. "If you're distracted by playoff pushes, out of all the stuff that's been talked about this year -- just come and do your job, do our job at a high level," James told reporters afterward. "That's not a distraction. That's what you want. That's what you want every game. You want to feel like you're fighting for something."

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

ABOUT THE PELICANS (27-35): Davis was on the bench watching when New Orleans needed a last-second, game-winning shot on Monday and he said he is having a hard time staying in a good flow under the minutes' restriction. Davis and coach Alvin Gentry had a discussion about changing his substitution pattern to see if that would help a situation that is slated to last the remainder of the season. "That way I can stay in a rhythm longer," Davis told reporters. "I've never been a guy who sat in the fourth quarter, you know, so it's a little tough. But I'll sit on the bench and cheer for these guys and they did a good job."

ABOUT THE LAKERS (29-31): James has become increasingly frustrated in recent weeks with the inconsistency of a club that is trying to halt a five-season playoff drought but had a more even-keel approach after Monday's loss. "Just to stay positive and keep knocking on the door," James told reporters of how the squad needs to handle the final stretch of the season. "I feel like if we play like we did (Monday), then we've got to continue that consistent effort to get us over this hump while we make this push." Forward Brandon Ingram scored 32 points against Memphis for the second-highest output of his three-year career and he is averaging 29.3 points over the last three contests.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The teams split two meetings this season after the Pelicans won all three of last season's matchups.

2. James had 11 assists against Memphis to move into 10th place on the all-time list with 8,535.

3. New Orleans SF Darius Miller (ankle) is expected to miss his third straight game.

PREDICTION: Lakers 114, Pelicans 111

[Can'tPickAWinner]

Calgary Flames vs. New Jersey Devils Preview and Predictions 2019-02-27

NHL Predictions 27th February 2019 by Gracenote
by Gracenote on 02/27/2019

The Calgary Flames attempt to increase their lead in the Pacific Division when they conclude their three-game road trip Wednesday against the New Jersey Devils. Calgary posted a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday to extend its winning streak to a season-high six games and move five points ahead of San Jose in the Pacific.

Mikael Backlund and defenseman Rasmus Andersson scored less than two minutes apart early in the third period for the Flames, who have earned at least one point in four straight on the road (3-0-1). Backlund's goal was his fourth in five contests and extended his point streak to six games. New Jersey hopes to extend its home winning streak to three games after edging Montreal 2-1 on Monday in the first of three straight contests at Prudential Center. Veteran Cory Schneider made 34 saves en route to his fourth win in five decisions while a mix of rookies and newcomers provided the offense for the Devils, who have won four of their last five on their own rink and four of six overall.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One (Calgary), MSG Plus (New Jersey)

ABOUT THE FLAMES (40-16-7): Johnny Gaudreau notched an assist versus New York to raise his team-leading point total to 80 - four shy of the career high he set last campaign. The 25-year-old native of New Jersey is the 11th player in franchise history to post consecutive 80-point seasons and second since 1994-95 (Jarome Iginla, three straight from 2006-09). Matthew Tkachuk netted his career-high 25th tally on Tuesday, ending a 14-game drought that followed a four-game streak during which he recorded five goals.

ABOUT THE DEVILS (25-30-8): Nathan Bastian, a 21-year-old right wing who was appearing in his second NHL game, scored his first career goal on Monday while fellow rookie Kurtis Gabriel tallied for the second time in three contests after recording just one assist in his first nine games this season. Defenseman Connor Carrick, who was acquired from Dallas two days earlier, notched a pair of assists in his debut with the Devils while rookie Kevin Rooney and first-year blue-liner Egor Yakovlev registered one apiece. The 25-year-old Carrick is playing for his fourth team since being selected by Washington in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, as he also has suited up for the Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and Stars.

OVERTIME

1. Devils LW Miles Wood (lower body) and C John Quenneville (undisclosed) both were injured in the win over Montreal and are day-to-day.

2. Flames C Sean Monahan, who has gone seven games without a goal and scored in just one of his last 13 contests, is two tallies shy of tying the career high of 31 he set in 2014-15 and matched last season.

3. New Jersey D Will Butcher (lower body) did not play Monday and is questionable to face Calgary.

PREDICTION: Flames 6, Devils 1