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Preview: Panthers (7-9) at Red Wings (12-8)

Date: November 29, 2015 2:00 PM EDT

The Florida Panthers are heading into one of their longest road trips of the season on a positive note and will try to stay in a good mood by adding to their recent success in Detroit.

The Panthers seek a fifth consecutive road win against the Red Wings but will face a team attempting to extend a six-game point streak Sunday.

Florida (9-9-4) topped the New York Islanders 3-2 in a shootout and snapped a three-game skid in Friday's finale to its five-game homestand. Aleksander Barkov and goaltender Roberto Luongo allowed the Panthers come away with two points after they blew a two-goal lead in the third period.

Luongo moved into eighth place all-time with his 408th win, surpassing Glenn Hall.

"It was big for us," Luongo said. "We've been up and down for quite a while, but this was the last game before a long road trip, so it was important for us to get the win."

The Panthers are beginning their five-game trek at Joe Louis Arena, where they've gone 5-0-1 in their last six visits. Each of those games has been decided by one goal or in a shootout.

They won three of four overall against Detroit in 2014-15, but the Red Wings (12-8-3) are 4-0-2 in their last six contests. They opened a six-game homestand with a 3-2 overtime loss to Boston on Wednesday but won 4-3 in the extra period against Edmonton two days later.

Niklas Kronwall scored the winning goal in Detroit's third consecutive overtime game and sixth straight home contest that's been decided by one goal.

"We got to continue to mature as a hockey team and learn how to win those games in regulation," coach Jeff Blashill said. "It's a process, it's something we're going to have to get better at."

Rookie forward Dylan Larkin registered his fifth goal in six contests while Tomas Tatar scored his fifth in eight games. Tatar has two goals and four assists in nine career matchups versus Florida.

Luongo kept him out of the net and stopped 26 shots in a 3-1 victory March 19 after going 2-4-0 with a 4.47 goals-against average in his prior six matchups.

Petr Mrazek will start in net for the Red Wings on Sunday and is 1-1-0 with a 3.55 GAA in two matchups against Florida, both on the road last season. He's 2-1-2 with a 1.72 GAA in six home appearances in 2015-16.

Tomas Jurco is expected return to Detroit's lineup after getting sent down to the minors Nov. 17, and Jakub Kindl is slated to get back on the ice after being a healthy scratch the last four contests.

Jurco, who had one assist in his first four games for the Red Wings, had five goals and four assists in five games with Grand Rapids.

"He went down and did what we asked him to do," Blashill told the team's official website. "He went down and was great from all accounts. We wanted him to gain some confidence. We think obviously playing the way he's played down there, he should come back with lots of confidence."

Detroit's Gustav Nyquist has five goals and one assist in his last seven games against Florida. His goal and assist in Friday's victory gave him just four points in his last nine contests.

The Panthers' Jaromir Jagr needs one goal to tie Marcel Dionne for fourth on the all-time list. He has three goals and two assists in his past five games against Detroit.

NHL

Hot teams
-- Red Wings won four of last six games, with three wins in OT.

Cold teams
-- Florida lost nine of its last thirteen games.

Series records
-- Red Wings lost three of last four games with Florida.

Totals
-- Under is 3-1-1 in last five Florida games.

Preview: Bucks (6-10) at Hornets (9-7)

Date: November 29, 2015 2:00 PM EDT

While strong play in the fourth quarter wasn't an issue for the Charlotte Hornets until their last contest, it's been the larger theme during Milwaukee's lengthy slump.

The Hornets will try to rediscover their finishing touch Sunday while intensifying the visiting Bucks' fourth-quarter headaches.

Charlotte (9-7) outscored Sacramento 38-21 in the fourth Monday to force overtime in a 127-122 win and bested Washington 27-6 in the final quarter of Wednesday's 101-87 victory.

Those wins improved the Hornets to 4-0 on a seven-game homestand, and they had outscored the opposition 123-70 in the fourth quarter during that span before Cleveland's strong defensive effort ended the trend Friday.

The Cavaliers rallied in the final 12 minutes for a 95-90 win, limiting Charlotte to 7-of-24 shooting while holding the club to its fewest fourth-quarter points this season with a 23-14 edge in the period. The Hornets' home win streak ended at seven.

"In the fourth quarter, actually I thought we got decent shots against a good defensive team and the ball just didn't go in the basket," coach Steve Clifford said. "Sometimes that happens. We did some good things, and, you know, we were right there."

Clifford seemed more concerned with Cleveland's 50-38 advantage on the glass and the fact that not one of his players posted double digits in rebounds. Charlotte also went just 5 of 25 from 3-point range - a season-low 20.0 percent.

The Hornets could again find some trouble in the blocks against the Bucks with big men Cody Zeller (right shoulder contusion) and Frank Kaminsky (back spasms) questionable.

Milwaukee (6-10) had won four straight from Nov. 2-7 while holding opponents to 90.3 points on 42.4 percent shooting, including 23.8 from 3-point range, but its defense has since faltered during a 2-7 stretch.

In their last five losses, four coming on the road, the Bucks have allowed an average of 119.2 points, 54.0 percent shooting and 47.6 from 3-point range.

"We just have to play defense," forward John Henson said. "If we don't fix it, it's going to be a long season. You got to care about it."

The biggest issues have come in the fourth. Milwaukee has been outscored in the quarter for seven straight games by an average of 8.0 points. It entered the weekend with the NBA's lowest scoring average in the period at 22.1 points.

The latest loss, however, wasn't due so much to inefficiencies in the fourth as the third. The Bucks trailed 49-43 at halftime but were outscored 37-22 by Orlando en route to a 114-90 loss on Friday.

Milwaukee lost its fifth straight road game and fell to 0-8 when trailing at halftime.

"We have to be a more consistent team," said assistant Joe Prunty, who stepped in for coach Jason Kidd while he served a one-game suspension for an altercation with an official during Wednesday's 129-118 loss to Sacramento.

"In the first half we were competing, but in the second half there were a couple of things that make you question what kind of team we are."

The Magic scored 32 points off 22 turnovers, which was just short of the Bucks' season-high 23 giveaways in a loss at Indiana on Nov. 21.

Charlotte had won seven straight in this series until Milwaukee's 104-94 overtime victory at Time Warner Cable Arena on Dec. 29.

Preview: Timberwolves (8-8) at Clippers (8-8)

Date: November 29, 2015 3:30 PM EDT

A season after Minnesota won 16 games and the Los Angeles Clippers went to the Western Conference semifinals, it's the Timberwolves who are considerably closer to first place as they conclude their November schedule.

That's mostly because the Clippers are chasing a record-setting team, while Minnesota sits in a more reasonable division and has already won half the games it did in 2014-15.

The teams meet Sunday in Los Angeles with the visitors chasing their first four-game win streak in three years, though it's been even longer since they beat the Clippers.

The Wolves (8-8), who moved to 6-2 on the road with a 101-91 win at Sacramento on Friday, haven't won four in a row overall since Dec. 7-15, 2012. Ricky Rubio and Nikola Pekovic were the only two players on the current roster around for that, and Rubio has missed five games this season while Pekovic is yet to play because of an Achilles injury.

"I don't care if it's home or road, it's hard to win in this league," coach Sam Mitchell said. "Our guys, for a young team, to just grind it out, play defense, rebound, and limit their mistakes ... I'm proud of them."

Andrew Wiggins had 22 points to bounce back from an off shooting night in Wednesday's home win over Atlanta, and the 20-year-old is averaging 21.8 per game to headline an organization that's beginning to get some attention from the rest of the league.

"I think Sam Mitchell has done an amazing job in an incredibly difficult situation," Clippers coach Doc Rivers told the teams official website, referring to the death of Flip Saunders shortly before the start of the season. "I think that young team is the team of the future in the West. They're playing amazing basketball."

It's yet to happen against the Clippers, who have taken the last 12 meetings since Minnesota beat them twice in just over a week in 2011-12.

A three-game sweep last season included 22.3 points, 53.3 percent shooting and an 11-of-21 mark from 3-point range out of J.J. Redick. DeAndre Jordan is averaging 13.5 points and 18.0 boards in the last four meetings, and rebounding could be key in this one.

Los Angeles (8-8) earned its second win in three games Friday, beating New Orleans 111-90 at home despite conceding a 15-5 advantage on the offensive glass.

The Clippers actually have yet to post an overall rebounding advantage. While they've been even twice, their minus-5.0 differential is better than only Milwaukee. That includes a 12.0-9.1 disadvantage on the offensive glass, and the Timberwolves hold a rebounding edge of 2.3 and are among the league leaders in second-chance points with 14.3 per game.

Los Angeles can counter that by holding onto the ball. The club is averaging 13.5 turnovers, which is flirting with the league low, while youthful Minnesota is at 15.2.

That could be exploited by the Clippers if Rubio can't go. He sat against the Kings with an ankle injury, but the Timberwolves won without him for the first time this season.

The Clippers, meanwhile, should have a healthy and rested starting five after none of them played more than 29 minutes against the Pelicans. Another win would give them consecutive victories for the first time since winning their first four games.

They're well aware that consistency is lacking as Golden State runs away with the Pacific Division, while Minnesota is 2 1/2 games behind Oklahoma City in the Northwest.

"I wish we were like this every night," Chris Paul said. "I think we defended pretty well, moved the ball and made shots. Most of all, we sustained it, pretty much."

Preview: Suns (7-9) at Raptors (11-6)

Date: November 29, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

While the Toronto Raptors have turned things around on defense during an impressive winning streak, the slumping Phoenix Suns are struggling to slow their opponents.

Things could get worse before they get better if Tyson Chandler remains out.

In a matchup of two high-scoring backcourts, the Raptors seek their fifth consecutive victory Sunday night against a visiting Suns team trying to avoid a five-game skid.

Since allowing an average of 101.7 points on 46.5 percent shooting in the last six of a 2-6 stretch, Toronto has limited opponents to 88.0 per game and a 40.3 field-goal percentage in its past four.

The Raptors trailed by as many as 10 on Saturday but held Washington without a field goal over the final 4:24 before Cory Joseph hits a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give them an 84-82 road win.

"As long as there's time on the clock, it don't matter, anything can happen," guard DeMar DeRozan said. "As long as we stay with it until the last second comes off the clock, we feel we have a chance."

Kyle Lowry led the way with 27 points and was 6 of 11 from 3-point range, while DeRozan added 23 to help Toronto (11-6) overcome a season-high 22 turnovers. Lowry and DeRozan are one of only three backcourts averaging at least 20 points apiece.

DeRozan finished with 23 in a 104-100 win over the Suns on Nov. 24, 2014, in the most recent meeting at Toronto, but did not play in a 125-109 loss in Phoenix on Jan. 4.

The Raptors have defeated three 2014-15 playoff clubs during their run, including the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland. Tied for the fewest home games among Eastern Conference teams, they can take advantage of a favorable stretch with seven of the next eight coming at Air Canada Centre.

Phoenix (7-9) makes its first stop on a five-game trip after allowing season highs in points, field-goal percentage (56.8) and 3-point percentage (57.9) in Friday's 135-116 loss to Golden State. The Suns let the Warriors hit 22 of 38 from beyond the arc, falling one shy of the NBA record for 3s.

"We had defensive breakdowns with the flow of the game," said T.J. Warren, who had a career-high 28 points. "That's part of basketball. We just have to keep playing hard through the adversity."

The Suns haven't been able to do that during their season-high losing streak, allowing an average of 118.8 points on 51.4 percent shooting - including 47.3 from beyond the arc.

Making matters worse, Chandler, their primary rim protector and leading rebounder with 8.8 per game, is doubtful after straining his right hamstring in the first quarter Friday.

At least Phoenix won't have to worry about Jonas Valanciunas, who totaled 48 points and 21 rebounds in last season's series. The 7-footer is expected to miss six weeks with a broken left hand.

Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe each scored 21 on a combined 18-of-32 shooting against the Warriors. They're the league's only backcourt averaging 21 points or more each.

"You've got to pick your poison," Bledsoe, who totaled 45 points versus Toronto last season, told the team's official website. "Is it going to be me or Brandon?"

Since winning 14 in a row in the series, the Suns have lost four of the past seven meetings.

Preview: Pistons (8-8) at Nets (3-13)

Date: November 29, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

Detroit is one of the worst offensive teams in the league, but it also happens to be one of the NBA's best rebounding squads. The result is a .500 record with five of its eight wins coming when shooting under 43.0 percent.

The Pistons got a taste of how ugly things would be if they lost that edge on the glass to begin the weekend, and they'll try to end it by recovering Sunday night in a visit to the Brooklyn Nets.

Friday's 103-87 loss in Oklahoma City came with the Thunder posting a 58-38 advantage on the glass after the Pistons (8-8) entered as the league's top rebounding team before matching a season-low total. League-leading rebounder Andre Drummond, who averages 17.1, finished with a season-low seven for his first single-digit total since the team's second-to-last game last season.

"That's something we should've been able to do a better job of," coach Stan Van Gundy told the team's official website. "We're minus-20 on the glass. I didn't think anybody on our team rebounded the ball at all."

Combine that with a team shooting mark of 34.4 percent, and the result is predictable. For the season, Detroit is shooting 41.3 percent and scoring 96.3 points. Reggie Jackson leads the way with 19.1, but he was held to 15 on 4-of-16 shooting. When he scores over 20, the Pistons are 4-0. When he doesn't, they're 4-8.

"A combination of poor shooting in the second half - we couldn't buy a basket - and them really beating us up on the offensive glass," Jackson said. "It was definitely more evident in the second half, especially since we couldn't get a basket. It started wearing on us."

Brooklyn (3-13) could be the team to correct that against, but the Nets won two of three last season, and Detroit is 1-4 there since the Nets moved prior to the 2012-13 season.

The Nets also happen to be coming off a decent defensive showing against Cleveland, falling 90-88 Saturday after building a 50-44 halftime lead and watching LeBron James hit the game-winning shot with 1.1 seconds remaining.

"They made a tough shot at the end, but I thought we were pretty decent," Joe Johnson told the team's official website. "It's definitely frustrating for everybody in this locker room, because we work hard time and time again and we know we can put ourselves in position to be in the ball game or to win and we are coming up short."

They held the Cavaliers to 40.2 percent but had a mark of 40.7 themselves and made 4 of 17 from 3-point range. That puts them at 7 of 30 in the last two games, and their 29.5 percent season mark is the worst in the league.

It places all the more pressure on Brook Lopez inside, but he's making 49.0 percent of his shots for his lowest mark since the team was in New Jersey. Nevertheless, he's averaging 23.7 points in the last three games and went 10 of 15 for 22 against Cleveland.

Despite not having won consecutive games yet this season, the Nets do have a two-game home winning streak going after starting the season 0-3 at the Barclays Center.

Detroit has lost six of seven on the road after starting 3-0.

Preview: 76ers (0-17) at Grizzlies (9-8)

Date: November 29, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

With one of the league's top rookies facing a potential suspension and their top rebounder hurting, the Philadelphia 76ers are hardly in any shape to end their historic run of futility.

Jahlil Okafor is still slated to play while Nerlens Noel's status is murkier as the 76ers attempt to avoid matching the NBA's worst start Sunday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Boston police announced this weekend that a man filed a report claiming that he was the victim in a fight with Okafor outside a nightclub early Thursday morning. That department said Friday it wouldn't investigate the incident unless someone came forward.

That means the No. 3 overall draft pick could face team and league discipline as well as a possible court date.

"It was definitely dumb on my part," Okafor said before a 116-114 loss in Houston on Friday. "Something I'm embarrassed about. Still dealing with the league and the team but I'm not happy about it all. We're still going through the process of what we're going to do."

Okafor, averaging 18.0 points and 7.9 rebounds, was held to 11 points on 4-of-12 shooting and six boards against the Rockets. Robert Covington scored a career-high 28 points, but the 76ers' franchise-record 16 3-pointers were not enough to keep the them from blowing a fourth-quarter lead for the fourth consecutive game.

"This one was a little bit different because we clawed out way back. We got down 16 points in the third and we found a way to go ahead," coach Brett Brown said. "It really wasn't a game where we were holding on to a lead."

Noel, averaging 8.4 rebounds, sat out with a sore right knee as the 76ers (0-17) set a U.S. major professional sports record with their 27th consecutive loss. It's unclear if he'll be available to help them avoid matching the 2009-10 New Jersey Nets' 0-18 start.

Philadelphia barely avoided that unwanted mark last season, winning 85-77 at Minnesota on Dec. 3 following 17 consecutive defeats.

The 76ers have lost five in a row to the Grizzlies (9-8) but took them to overtime in a 120-115 home defeat Dec. 13. They've dropped four of five in Memphis and have lost their past two games there by a combined 40 points, taking a 101-83 defeat Jan. 24.

Philadelphia has lost 15 in a row on the road dating back to March 29 and will match its longest skid there since 1987-88 with another defeat.

"You can say their backs are against the wall but it's really not because they're still out there hunting for that first win," Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee said. "They're playing pressure free and they're playing loose. Those are the most dangerous teams."

Memphis had a four-game home win streak snapped and suffered just their second loss in the past eight overall games with a 116-101 defeat to Atlanta on Friday.

It was the first time Memphis allowed 100 or more points in five games. The Grizzlies yielded an average of 91.3 points in their previous four contests, and they've given up 92.5 in the last four matchups with the 76ers while outshooting them 50.8 percent to 42.2.

Mike Conley had a career-high 36 points in the overtime win in Philadelphia in December but had just nine while sitting out the fourth quarter in the victory in Memphis.

Zach Randolph, who has been sidelined the past five games because of an ailing right knee, could be a game-time decision for this one. He's averaged 20.5 points on 72.0 percent shooting and 12.5 rebounds in last season's two meetings.

Preview: Celtics (9-7) at Magic (8-8)

Date: November 29, 2015 6:00 PM EDT

Evan Fournier has been one of the NBA's most improved players and a big reason Orlando is off to a surprising start, but the Magic might have to move on without him.

With its leading scorer likely to be a game-time decision, Orlando will try to win its third in a row and seventh in eight home games Sunday night against the Boston Celtics.

Although Denver used a first-round pick on the France native in 2012, Fournier played sparingly in his rookie season before averaging just 8.4 points over 19.8 minutes per game in 2013-14.

The 6-foot-7 swingman got a fresh start with Orlando on June 26, 2014, when he was traded along with the draft rights to Roy Devyn Marble in exchange for Arron Afflalo. After averaging 12.0 points in 2014-15, Fournier is enjoying a breakout start with a team-high 17.7 per game this season.

He finished with 17 points and hit 3 of 6 from 3-point range Friday when the Magic shot a season-best 52.4 percent and 12 of 27 (44.4 percent) from beyond the arc in a 114-90 win over Milwaukee. The victory may have been a costly one, however, as Fournier was awfully sore after bruising his hip.

Orlando will likely be cautious with Fournier after he missed 18 games last season with a hip injury. If he can't go, Victor Oladipo could start after totaling 41 points off the bench in his last two.

"Evan didn't do anything (Saturday), so I'm not sure what his status is going to be," said coach Scott Skiles, who has replaced Oladipo in the lineup with Channing Frye.

The Magic have been particularly good defensively at home, allowing an average of 94.0 points on 40.3 percent shooting - including a 29.8 mark from long range - during a 6-1 stretch.

Orlando has dropped nine straight in Boston, but has won the past three home meetings. Oladipo led the way with 22 points, Tobias Harris had 21 and Elfrid Payton added 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in a 103-98 win March 8 in the most recent meeting in Florida.

Payton also had 22 points on 10-of-12 shooting to go along with 10 assists and Harris scored 19 with four 3-pointers on Friday. The Magic improved to 8-8 after losing 57 games last season.

Now they'll try to sweep this three-game homestand with a win over a Boston team that was outstanding on the defensive end in back-to-back home victories. After holding winless Philadelphia to 37.3 percent shooting Wednesday while escaping with an 84-80 win, the Celtics (9-7) limited Washington to a season-low 32.1 from the field in Friday's 111-78 victory.

Isaiah Thomas led the way with 21 points and Jared Sullinger had 18 points and 15 rebounds.

'I felt we had a pretty good shootaround and then felt like we played on both ends probably as consistently for 48 minutes as we've played all year," coach Brad Stevens said.

Evan Turner hopes to regroup after he finished with four points on 2-of-7 shooting against the Wizards. The reserve guard scored 30 in a 95-88 home win over Orlando on March 13.

The Celtics, who have lost their last two on the road, are expected to be without Marcus Smart on this five-game trip because of a lower left leg injury.

Preview: Rockets (6-10) at Knicks (8-9)

Date: November 29, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

James Harden is coming off the NBA's highest-scoring performance of November, and it led to a rare Houston Rockets win. The total was more than double what he had last week against the New York Knicks, and not surprisingly, his team lost.

The Knicks were riding a lot of momentum after that matchup but have failed to post a victory since, so they'll certainly want to keep Harden in check again Sunday night when he brings the Rockets into Madison Square Garden.

Only Stephen Curry's 53-point outburst on Halloween has been better this season than what Harden produced Friday, when he scored 50 to come within one of a career high. Still, Houston only narrowly avoided an embarrassing defeat, dropping Philadelphia to 0-17 with a 116-114 victory.

The disappointing Rockets (6-10) have won all four games this season when Harden has surpassed 40 points. They're 6-2 when he scores at least 28, compared to 0-8 when he doesn't.

"He's gotta be aggressive, and he's gotta take what's there, but we can't count on him to score 50 points every night and win," coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. "That's just not sustainable. So we gotta do some things to help him. ... We have to do more to get everyone else involved as well."

It was the second win in nine games for Houston, and though it came against the woeful 76ers, Bickerstaff was encouraged his team didn't fold after blowing an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.

"In past situations this year, we didn't handle those situations well," said Bickerstaff, who is 2-3 since taking over for the fired Kevin McHale. "There's a growing belief in that locker room that they can do the things that they need to do to win."

Still, they've yet to prove they can win without Harden having a big night. He was limited to 24 points in last Saturday's 107-102 home loss to New York (8-9), which sent him to the free-throw line only five times. Harden leads the NBA with 11.7 attempts per game and is near the top in accuracy at 88.2 percent.

Rookie Kristaps Porzingis also scored 24 that night while grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking seven shots, leading New York to a fourth consecutive victory. A three-game losing streak has followed, with the No. 4 overall pick failing to be as effective offensively. He shot 10 of 31 from the field in the first two defeats, then was limited to 24 minutes due to foul trouble Friday and scored only 11.

Carmelo Anthony also was held to 11, and no other Knick scored that many in their 97-78 home loss to Miami.

"I don't know what's missing, but we need to figure it out," Anthony said. "To drop three after we've been playing so well, we got a reality check and we gotta figure it out on our own. Nobody else is gonna help us figure it out."

New York ranks last in the NBA in shooting at 41.1 percent after hitting 35.7 during the skid, including top reserve Langston Galloway going 4 for 23.

The Knicks halted an 11-game losing streak in the series last week, and it was just their second victory in the past 21 meetings. The other came at MSG on Jan. 26, 2009, and Houston has since won five straight there.

Anthony has totaled 28 points in his last two matchups with the Rockets.

"This should be a must-win for us coming in on Sunday," Anthony said. "... We just gotta do a collective effort to stop (Harden)."

Preview: Pacers (10-5) at Lakers (2-13)

Date: November 29, 2015 9:30 PM EDT

Roy Hibbert is about to see his former team up close for the first time. He might miss the show if he blinks.

The surging Indiana Pacers look to keep speeding through the league when they visit their former center and the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.

Hibbert was a two-time All-Star and helped the Pacers reach the postseason four times during his seven years in Indiana. The 7-foot-2 center was traded in the offseason to the Lakers, who now own the worst record in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Pacers transitioned into an up-tempo style and are displaying some of the most electric offense in the league.

Indiana (10-5) has won 10 of 12, but the offense has really taken off during a four-game streak. The Pacers have averaged 115.5 points in their last four with matching 48.6 percentages overall from the field and from 3-point range.

Paul George has been the driving force behind Indiana's surge. He missed the first 76 games of the 2014-15 season after breaking his leg at a USA Basketball scrimmage, but he has averaged 30.3 points in his last 10 games while shooting 49.5 percent from the field and 52.1 from beyond the arc.

He finished three points off his career high with 40 after hitting 7 of 8 3-pointers during a 123-106 win at Washington on Tuesday, and he poured in 33 more in Friday's 104-92 home victory over Chicago.

'I feel confident that when it's time to settle things down, I'm ready,' George said. 'I'm ready for that opportunity, I'm ready for that moment to get the ball in my hand and make the right play.'

Indiana opens a four-game road trip with two at Staples Center, the second Wednesday night against the Clippers, before playing at Portland Thursday and Utah Saturday.

The Pacers began the season 2-3 on the road but have won their last two.

"I think everybody's starting to realize that we've got a heck of an opportunity here," coach Frank Vogel said. "This team, this style of play, the way we're playing right now has a chance to really catch fire and we can accomplish some great things. We've got to go into this trip looking to really take care of our business."

Los Angeles (2-13) will play its only home game in a stretch of 11 before starting an eight-game road trip Tuesday in Philadelphia.

They dropped their fifth consecutive game with a 108-96 defeat at Portland on Saturday. The Trail Blazers made 48.7 percent of their shots to become the third team in a row to reach that number against the Lakers.

Hibbert averages 8.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots, but he has just eight points, 12 rebounds and one block in the last two games combined.

Kobe Bryant scored 21 points - his highest total since the season opener - against Portland on 7-of-20 shooting, but he logged 34 minutes. Bryant, who clutched his back after falling hard to the floor after a layup, and coach Byron Scott said they would wait to make a decision on his status for Sunday.

'It's tough,' Bryant said. 'The legs aren't what they used to be. But I just continue to fight through and take the opportunities when they are there.'

The Lakers are 0-2 in the second of consecutive games, and Bryant did not play in either. Scott said Lou Williams will likely miss his second straight game for personal reasons, while Indiana's Jordan Hill, who spent three-plus seasons with the Lakers, is questionable with a sore lower back.

NBA

Hot teams
-- Charlotte won three of its last four games (3-2HF).
-- Minnesota won its last three games (8-0AU).
-- Toronto won three of its last four games (3-2HF).
-- Grizzlies won six of their last eight games (3-4HF).
-- Celtics won eight of last twelve games (1-2AF). Orlando is 7-4 in its last 11 games (4-0HU).
-- Indiana won seven of its last eight games (1-0AF).

Cold teams
-- Bucks lost five of their last six games (0-4 last four AU).
-- Clippers lost eight of last 12 games (3-6HF).
-- Suns lost their last four games (1-1HU).
-- Nets lost four of last five games, covered eight of its last nine. Detroit lost three of last four games (1-3AF).
-- 0-17 Philly covered five of last six games as a road underdog.
-- Knicks lost their last three games (2-3HU). Houston lost seven of its last nine games (1-1AF).
-- Lakers lost nine of their last ten games (1-3HU).

Series records
-- Hornets won seven of last eight games with Milwaukee.
-- Clippers won last 10 games with Minnesota (7-3 vs spread).
-- Suns won three of last four games with Toronto.
-- Nets won three of last four games with Detroit.
-- 76ers lost eight of last nine games with Memphis (2-6-1 against the spread).
-- Home side won last seven Boston-Orlando games.
-- Knicks won in Houston Nov 21, ending 9-game series skid.
-- Lakers lost five of last seven games with Indiana.

Totals
-- Seven of last eight Milwaukee games went over.
-- Five of last six Minnesota games stayed under.
-- Four of last five Phoenix games went over; last four Toronto games stayed under the total.
-- Eight of last ten Detroit games stayed under total.
-- Six of last nine Philly games stayed under the total.
-- Five of last seven Orlando games went over total.
-- Under is 7-1-1 in last nine New York games.
-- Nine of last ten Laker games stayed under the total.

Preview: Shockers (2-3) at Hawkeyes (3-2)

Date: November 29, 2015 10:00 AM EDT

Wichita State's health has followed its early-season record downhill. Following some good news on Anton Grady, the 20th-ranked Shockers can return their focus to winning.

Banged-up Wichita State looks to get its season on track and avoid taking last place in the eight-team AdvoCare Invitational with Sunday's seventh-place game against Iowa.

The Shockers (2-3) dropped their first two games by a combined seven points and have likely ended their 42-week stay in the Top 25 dating to Oct. 31, 2013 - the fourth-longest active streak in the national rankings behind Duke, Kansas and Arizona.

They have played this entire tournament in Orlando without star guard Fred VanVleet, who has missed three straight games with ankle and hamstring issues, and they watched another key contributor suffer a scary injury Friday.

The Shockers' 64-60 loss to Alabama was largely overshadowed by a collision that left Grady motionless on the court late in the second half. The senior forward was taken off on a stretcher and transported to a hospital.

Good news came Saturday, however, when Wichita State said tests showed no signs of spinal cord trauma, and doctors anticipate a return of Grady's motor function and strength. They believe he sustained a spinal cord concussion, and he'll undergo physical therapy over the next few days before a decision is made on his release from the hospital.

With their teammate expected to recover, the Shockers can shift the focus back to the court as they try to avoid their worst start since 2-4 in 1998-99. They'll also try to avoid their longest skid since dropping three straight from Jan. 29-Feb. 5, 2013.

The loss to Alabama was similar to a 72-69 defeat to USC in the tournament opener and a 77-67 loss at Tulsa on Nov. 17 in that Wichita State could not hold a second-half lead.

The Shockers shot a season-worst 31.1 percent and went 9 of 31 inside the arc.

"Disappointing," coach Gregg Marshall said. "I thought we had a chance again, a lead midway through the second half and didn't finish."

Ron Baker has been the only player producing in VanVleet's absence, but he made just 4 of 12 shots for 15 points. Baker is averaging 20.2 points and shooting 41.9 percent.

Grady is Wichita State's second leading scorer with 9.0 points per game, leaving the Shockers with a struggling young group. That includes freshman Ty Taylor II, who is shooting 26.8 percent and 22.2 from 3-point range.

"We've got too many guys who can't make a play or make a basket on the floor right now," Marshall told the team's official website.

Iowa (3-2) also suffered two tight losses to open the tournament, falling 82-77 to Dayton and 68-62 to No. 17 Notre Dame.

The Hawkeyes trailed the Fighting Irish 46-31 early in the second half Friday, but a 16-0 run helped them jump ahead 47-46 with 10:06 to go. Notre Dame regained the lead shortly after, though, and never trailed again.

"When you're really good, you're close to struggling," Iowa coach Fran McCaffery said. "When you're struggling, you're close to being really good. We played two really good teams right to the wire."

Wichita State has won its only three matchups with Iowa, the most recent a 75-63 victory on Nov. 21, 2012. Baker was a freshman starter at the time and was held to two points while missing all seven of his shots.

The Hawkeyes have three wins in their last eight games against ranked opponents after a 71-55 victory over No. 17 Maryland on Feb. 8.

Preview: Aggies (4-0) at Blue Devils (5-1)

Date: November 29, 2015 12:30 PM EDT

A young Duke squad was challenged in the opening half in its latest game and could get another test against an unbeaten team.

Utah State, though, hasn't seen an opponent anywhere near the No. 6 Blue Devils' caliber and will be trying for its first road upset of a ranked team in 24 seasons Sunday.

Duke (5-1) has won its first three home games by a combined 75 points, but the latest was much tougher than the first two. The Blue Devils trailed 9-0 in the first 2 1/2 minutes and led by just two at the break before pulling away to beat Yale 80-61 on Wednesday.

"We're young, and I thought we were tired from (last week's 2K Classic in New York). They made us more tired," coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "It's going to be tough to get them all to play at the consistent level that we would like. We've got to play with energy and hopefully we have enough to win as we're getting better."

Matt Jones had a team-best 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting while sophomore Grayson Allen was held to 14 after scoring at least 30 in wins over VCU and Georgetown last weekend. Freshman Derryck Thornton totaled 33 points in those games but had just six Wednesday.

"We've got a lot of growing up to do. That will be a cool thing to grow with this team," Krzyzewski said. "We're playing good teams and we'll play another on Sunday, too. ... They're undefeated so we've got to keep growing."

Utah State is 4-0 in longtime assistant coach Tim Duryea's first season leading the program after 17 campaigns under Stew Morrill. Only half of the Aggies' wins have come against Division I teams, including an 81-55 victory over Utah Valley on Tuesday to conclude a three-game homestand.

Utah State has lost 11 in a row to ranked teams since a 79-77 win over No. 10 Nevada on March 9, 2007. The Aggies have dropped 11 consecutive road games versus Top 25 opponents since a 74-72 victory at No. 10 Utah on Dec. 10, 1991.

The highest-ranked team they've beaten on the road was also the Utes, who were No. 5 in Utah State's 73-61 victory in January 1960.

Utah State has never faced the Blue Devils, who have won an NCAA-best 119 consecutive non-conference home games dating to a loss to St. John's on Feb. 26, 2000.

"Duke is the gold standard in how hard you play, how hard you compete and everything that is good about college basketball," Duryea said. "We are thrilled to be here and I think our guys will respond to the challenge and be ready to go."

Two Duke freshmen who have strongly preferred playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Brandon Ingram is averaging 17.0 points in three games there, compared to 5.7 in three neutral-site games on 5-of-20 shooting. Freshman Luke Kennard has 12 points on 2-of-14 shooting over those three games but has totaled 32 points at home.

Chris Smith leads the Aggies with 16.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game while shooting 60.5 percent. Junior Lew Evans had 15 points and a career-best 14 rebounds in 20 minutes off the bench Tuesday.