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Preview: Minnesota at Chicago

When: 8:30 PM ET, Monday, October 31, 2016
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Their perfect record now a thing of the past, the Minnesota Vikings look to get back on track when they visit the Chicago Bears on Monday night in a matchup of NFC North rivals. The Vikings opened the season with five consecutive wins prior to their bye week but absorbed their first loss in a 21-10 defeat at Philadelphia last week.

Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer would not blame the bye week for stemming his team's momentum, instead pointing to a sea of mistakes that included four turnovers, six quarterback sacks and a kickoff return for a touchdown allowed. "So if you're going to do those things, you have no chance to win," Zimmer said. Chicago, which has dropped three in a row and six of seven, has a burgeoning soap opera building. Jay Cutler, who suffered a thumb injury in Week 2, is poised to return to the starting lineup amid a published report that Bears coach John Fox told friends that he is "done" with the veteran quarterback after this season.

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Vikings -4.5. O/U: 40.5

ABOUT THE BEARS (1-6): Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a broken arm and third-stringer Matt Barkley appeared totally overmatched in last week's 26-10 loss at Green Bay. While Fox denied the report by the Chicago Tribune, insisting there's "absolutely no truth" to it, Cutler acknowledged: "He doesn't have a choice, I guess, at this point." The most pressing issue facing Fox and Cutler is how to jump-start an offense that is averaging a league-low 15.9 points per game and ranks 25th in the NFL in rush with an average of 87.9 yards. Chicago's defense sits 20th in the league, permitting an average of 24.1 points per game.

ABOUT THE VIKINGS (5-1): Injuries to top running back Adrian Peterson and along the offensive line are stagnating Minnesota, which ranks 31st in total offense (299.2 yards) and 30th in rushing (74.3). Quarterback Sam Bradford had six touchdowns and zero interceptions in his first four starts but was picked off once and lost a pair of fumbles last week against his former team. One of his new favorite targets, wideout Cordarrelle Patterson, has 16 receptions and two touchdowns over the last three games but missed practice Thursday with a concussion. Still, the Vikings rely on a defense that is limiting foes to an NFL-low 14.0 points.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Minnesota swept the season series in 2015-16 and has won the last three meetings.

2. Chicago WR Alshon Jeffery has five TD receptions and is averaging 108.8 receiving yards in his last five games versus Minnesota.

3. Vikings WR Stefon Diggs hauled in two scoring passes in the last meeting versus Chicago.

PREDICTION: Vikings 23, Bears 16

NFL
LONG SHEET

Monday, October 31

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MINNESOTA (5 - 1) at CHICAGO (1 - 6) - 10/31/2016, 8:30 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MINNESOTA is 19-4 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 19-4 ATS (+14.6 Units) in all lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 9-2 ATS (+6.8 Units) in road lined games over the last 2 seasons.
MINNESOTA is 13-4 ATS (+8.6 Units) against conference opponents over the last 2 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
CHICAGO is 2-2 against the spread versus MINNESOTA over the last 3 seasons
MINNESOTA is 3-1 straight up against CHICAGO over the last 3 seasons
3 of 4 games in this series have gone UNDER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

NFL TRENDS

Monday, October 31

8:30 PM
MINNESOTA vs. CHICAGO
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 6 games when playing on the road against Chicago
Chicago is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Minnesota
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chicago's last 5 games when playing Minnesota

NFL Injury Report

MINNESOTA VIKINGS at CHICAGO BEARS on Monday night
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
--Out: DT Sharrif Floyd (knee), C/G Zac Kerin (hand), RB Jerick McKinnon (ankle), S Andrew Sendejo, (ankle)
--Questionable: WR Cordarrelle Patterson (concussion), TE MyCole Pruitt (knee), CB Marcus Sherels (wrist), WR Jarius Wright (ankle)
CHICAGO BEARS
--Out: CB Deiondre� Hall (ankle)
--Doubtful: NT Eddie Goldman (ankle), OT Kyle Long (triceps), WR Eddie Royal (toe)
--Questionable: CB Bryce Callahan (hamstring), RB Jeremy Langford (ankle), LB Pernell McPhee (knee), WR Cameron Meredith (shoulder), CB Tracy Porter (knee), G Josh Sitton (ankle).

Bears look for MNF upset

NFL Week 8 Monday Night Football Betting Preview
Minnesota Vikings (5-1 SU; 5-1 ATS) vs. Chicago Bears (1-6 SU; 1-6 ATS)

Odds: Minnesota (-5); Total set at 40.5

The Minnesota Vikings were the NFL's last remaining undefeated team entering Week 7 but that all changed after the game. The 1972 Miami Dolphins got to celebrate being the lone NFL team to finish a year undefeated rather early this season with the Vikings falling to the Eagles, and now Minnesota is left to pick up the pieces and get back on track.

Minnesota is back on the road to face a divisional opponent this week and although the Vikings and Bears have gone in different directions in 2016, this MNF game might not be as lopsided as the numbers and records suggest.

Chicago gets QB Jay Cutler back this week and while the jury on Cutler still remains negative, he is an upgrade over what the Bears had been trotting out there under center. Yes, Cutler is prone to INT's and poor decisions, but he's been around the NFL for long enough to be a productive player at the position and could surprise many this week.

The Bears have been atrocious for the most part this year, scoring more than 17 points once in seven games, and now they'll be up against one of the best defenses in the league. Even with all of Cutler's flaws as a NFL QB, Chicago would prefer to have him taking the snaps in a game like this and maybe even some moderate success against a top tier defense will help the Bears offense get back on track.

Typically, once a NFL team is 4-0 SU or better and suffers their first defeat of the year they are usually a good “play against” team the following week. That aura of invincibility is gone and it takes a week or two for those teams to get rolling again. That would mean that playing against the Vikings this week would be a play, but I don't believe that's the best betting option here.

Yes, Minnesota has their own issues to worry about – primarily a poor offensive line – but they will be able to put up some points against this porous Bears defense and I wouldn't be surprised to see this ATS result come right down to the wire with a point or two deciding the winner. That's why I believe the better betting play here is on the total as we could actually see some points in a primetime NFL game this year.

The total of 40.5 has been bet down after opening at 41 and it's in part because of the Bears ineptitude on offense and them facing a top quality Minnesota defense. But while nearly 65% of the bettors flock to the low side of this total, I'm going the other way.

Yes, the Bears have only scored more than 17 points once this year, and the Vikings gave up more than 17 points for the first time all year last week, but I'm expecting both teams to hit the 20-point mark and then decide a winner from there.

For one, Cutler's return allows Chicago to open up the playbook a bit more given his experience within the system. Whether that works out to a win or not is yet to be seen, but throwing different looks at this Vikings D and not becoming one-dimensional is how teams have success against them.

Cutler also loves to gunsling it and that's a style of play that generally favors points – whether it's for the Bears on a big play or a costly turnover that turns into points for the Vikings – we will see Cutler not shy about letting things loose.

Secondly, if Minnesota wants to become the legit Super Bowl contender that they deserve to be with their defense, their offense is going to have to start pulling it's own weight. Facing a Bears defense that has had its struggles this year is a good place to start and we could see Sam Bradford have a solid night.

Finally, although many of the recent historical trends between these two teams favor an 'under' play, two of the most four recent 'unders' between these organizations finished with 41 or more points. Both were in 23-20 victories for Minnesota – including in Minnesota's trip to Chicago last year – and this game should end up with a very similar result.

Best Bet: Take Over 40.5 points.

Preview: Vikings (5-1) at Bears (1-6)

Date: October 31, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- The Minnesota Vikings will look to bounce back from their first loss of the season when they visit the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

The way some Vikings players see it, last week's loss against the Philadelphia Eagles might have been exactly what the group needed to stay sharp going forward.

"No one likes to lose, but at the same time, we can be helped by it," Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "You can learn from it."

However, rest assured that nobody on the Vikings wants to learn from back-to-back losses.

The Vikings (5-1) are the road favorites against the struggling Bears (1-6), who have dropped three consecutive games and are tied for the second-worst record in the NFL. Minnesota has won three consecutive games against Chicago and five of the past seven meetings.

The prime-time matchup on Halloween night will feature a Vikings defense that is -- ahem -- scary. Coach Mike Zimmer's crew is No. 1 in the NFL with 16 takeaways, including nine interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. Minnesota also leads the NFL in turnover ratio (plus-11) and total defense (279.5 yards per game), and it is tied for No. 1 in scoring defense (14 points allowed per game).

Only one team in the league has four players with three-plus sacks this season. Care to guess? Here's a hint: They wear purple. Vikings defensive linemen Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter and Brian Robison have registered four sacks apiece, while Linval Joseph has three sacks.

All of that spells a major challenge for Bears quarterback Jay Cutler as he returns to action for the first time in six games. Cutler has been sidelined since Week 2, when he sprained ligaments in his right thumb. He healed in time to reclaim his starting job from Brian Hoyer, who broke his left arm last week against Green Bay and has been placed on injured reserve.

This week, reporters asked Cutler whether he felt as if he had the support of coach John Fox.

"Um, he doesn't have a choice, I guess, at this point," Cutler told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Brian's out, so I've got to go. I've had good conversations with Foxy this week, last week, the week before. There's never been any strain in our relationship. We're both very open and honest, and we're on the same page. We just want to win football games."

To do so, the Bears might want to look for Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery in the red zone. Jeffery remains without a touchdown reception through his first seven games. Perhaps that helps to explain how Chicago is ranked last in scoring with 15.9 points per game.

Bears running back Jeremy Langford could return from a sprained ankle that has kept him out for the past four games. If Langford is able to play, he likely would join a backfield committee that includes Ka'Deem Carey and Jordan Howard.

Although the Vikings defense appears to have a decisive edge against the Bears offense, the same does not hold true on the opposite side of the ball. Minnesota is No. 31 in total offense with 299.2 yards per game, and Chicago is No. 12 in total defense with 350.4 yards allowed per game.

Bears linebacker Willie Young has provided consistent bursts of energy as a pass rusher in a 3-4 defensive scheme. Young has posted multiple-sack performances in two of his past three games.

Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford was nearly flawless to start the season, but he struggled against the Eagles a week ago. The former No. 1 overall draft choice threw his first interception in six games and committed four fumbles, two of which resulted in turnovers.

Bradford's top target has been wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who leads the team with 27 receptions for 390 yards and a touchdown. Diggs will try to regroup after catching two passes for 18 yards against the Eagles.

On the ground, look for Vikings running backs Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon to split carries. Both will run behind a revamped offensive line that returned only one starter (center Joe Berger) at the same spot as in 2015.

Zimmer said he believed the Vikings and, in particular, the offensive line, could get back on track after a dismal performance in Week 7.

"I do have faith in this football team," Zimmer said. "Obviously, faith is belief without proof. So, right now, I don't have any proof, so I have to have faith that we'll get it done and I think we will. But until we prove it, it's just throwing stuff against the wall."

NFL Week 8 Essentials
By Tony Mejia

Monday, Oct. 31

Minnesota at Chicago: After three straight nights in the spotlight hosting the World Series, the Windy City will be on center stage once more thanks to this Monday night game, and as with the goings-on in Wrigley, you need to be aware of what Mother Nature is up to before picking aside, particularly on the total. Wind gusts should affect this contest, which sees the Vikings looking to avoid consecutive losses after faltering against the Eagles. Mike Zimmer, who has only had one losing streak of two games since taking the Minnesota gig, called out his offensive line for awful play in Philadelphia and is counting on a better effort. Jerick McKinnon, who took over for Adrian Peterson and gives the Vikes offense a different look as an option QB, is questionable with an ankle injury, the same ailment afflicting key safety Andrew Sendejo. Jay Cutler (thumb) returns to the Bears lineup after missing a month of action and is 8-5 against Minnesota despite a three-game losing streak. He’s thrown 26 touchdowns, but has only beaten Zimmer once. He many have RB Jeremy Langford back from a significant ankle injury, so Chicago should have a decent combination in play with him and rookie Jordan Howard available, but that’s likely to depend on whether starters Jake Long and Josh Sitton are back up front. Both were brought on board to stabilize a shaky offensive line, a prerequisite for beating Minnesota.

Week 8 NFL

Monday Night

Vikings (5-1) @ Bears (1-6)— Trap game for Minnesota coming off first loss of year; they’re 2-1 on road, with wins at Tennessee (25-16), Carolina (22-10). Vikings had only 7 points in four trips to red zone in Philly, a red flag; they’re 3-2 as road favorites under Zimmer, 1-1 this year. Chicago lost last three games by 6-1-16 points, losing last home game 17-16 to Jaguars when they led 13-0 in 4th quarter. Bears are 3-10 in last 13 games as a home underdog, 1-0 this season. Home side won seven of last eight Viking-Bear games, with Minnesota 5-2 in last seven. Vikings’ 23-20 win here LY was their first win in last eight visits to Windy City. NFL-wide, home underdogs are 10-2 vs spread in divisional games. Under is 5-1 in Viking games, 4-2-1 in Chicago games.

Tech Trends - Week 8
By Bruce Marshall

Monday, Oct. 31

MINNESOTA at CHICAGO (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Bears on 2-9 spread skid, “over” 6-4-1 last 11. Vikes 19-4 last 23 vs. line!
Tech Edge: Vikings, based on team trends.

Italian Serie A TODAY 18:00

Udinese

v

Torino

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		17/10	9/4	17/10	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT UDINESE	RECENT FORM
H DA LH LA LH WA W​ Most recent​	1 - 5 3 - 2 0 - 2 1 - 0	A DH WH WA WH DA L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Udinese have not kept a clean sheet in their last seven matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Successive victories have lifted Udinese into mid-table and the Little Zebras’ improvement can continue with a draw at home to Torino. Udinese are playing better than in the early part of the season but Torino have lost just one of their last seven games and will be tough to beat.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1

Spanish La Liga TODAY 19:45

Deportivo

v

Valencia

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS2		19/10	23/10	6/4	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT DEPORTIVO	RECENT FORM
A DH LA LH WA LA L​ Most recent​	1 - 1 3 - 0 2 - 3 0 - 2	A LH WA WH LA WH L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Deportivo have lost four of their last five matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Deportivo and Valencia both languish near the bottom of the La Liga table but it’s the away side who look worthy of support at the Riazor. Los Che lost their opening four matches of the season but have won three of their last five, with their only defeats coming against Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.

RECOMMENDATION: Valencia
1

Italian Serie A TODAY 20:00

Cagliari

v

Palermo

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT1		8/11	11/4	4	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CAGLIARI	RECENT FORM
A LH WH WA WH LA L​ Most recent​	0 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 1 3 - 1	A WH LA DH LA LH L​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Palermo have conceded three goals or more in each of their last three fixtures

EXPERT VERDICT: Back-to-back defeats have pushed Cagliari into the bottom half but they can respond with a victory over struggling Palermo. Three of Cagliari’s four league wins this season have come in Sardinia and home advantage should give them the edge over Palermo, who sustained a disappointing 3-1 loss at home to Udinese on Thursday.

RECOMMENDATION: Cagliari
1

Premier League TODAY 20:00

Stoke

v

Swansea

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		21/20	13/5	14/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT STOKE	RECENT FORM
A LH LH DA DH WA W​ Most recent​	2 - 2 2 - 1 1 - 1 2 - 0	A LH LH LH LA LH D​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: None of Stoke’s last four Premier League games have produced over 2.5 goals

EXPERT VERDICT: After a dreadful start to the season, Stoke have now put together a four-match unbeaten run, conceding just two goals in that time. Swansea ended a run of four successive defeats when drawing at Watford last weekend, recording their first clean sheet in eight league outings.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

JOE WIZ

Over 205 Phoenix and Clippers

CAPPERS ACCESS

Vikings

NHL roundup: Sceviour scores hat trick in Panthers' win
By The Sports Xchange

DETROIT -- Colton Sceviour had three goals -- one at even strength, one on the power play and one shorthanded -- and an assist for his first career hat trick to lead the Florida Panthers to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at Joe Louis Arena.
Vincent Trocheck had a goal and an assist and Jonathan Marchessault also scored for Florida while James Reimer made 34 saves.
Dylan Larkin and Brendan Smith scored for Detroit and Frans Nielsen had two assists. Peter Mrazek stopped five shots before being replaced by netminder Jimmy Howard in the second period. Howard made 14 saves.

Sabres 3, Jets 1
WINNIPEG, Manitoba -- Kyle Okposo scored twice and Robin Lehner kicked out 37 of 38 shots in Buffalo's win over Winnipeg.
Sabres captain Brian Gionta scored the game winner before the game was 13 minutes old while Nikolaj Ehlers had the lone marker for the Jets. The Jets (4-5) outshot the Sabres 38-28.
Michael Hutchinson got the start in the Jets net for the second consecutive game -- he posted a shutout against the Avalanche two nights ago -- the first time this season that Paul Maurice hasn't alternated his goalies. But after Okposo beat him high to the blocker side to give the Sabres a 3-0 lead, Maurice got out his hook and put Connor Hellebuyck in net.

Flyers 4, Hurricanes 3
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Brandon Manning scored a shorthanded goal with 12 minutes left and Claude Giroux added a goal and assist as Philadelphia beat Carolina for the second time in eight days.
It was just Manning's third goal in 87 career games -- including two against Carolina in October -- as the Flyers snapped a two-game losing skid.
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes, who started the season with six straight away from home, now hit the road again for two games after going 1-1 on their brief homestand.
Justin Faulk, Jeff Skinner and Viktor Stalberg scored for the Hurricanes and Radko Gudas and Shayne Gostisbehere also scored for the Flyers.

Islanders 5, Maple Leafs 1
NEW YORK -- Travis Hamonic scored 61 seconds into the first period to give New York a lead they never relinquished over Toronto at Barclays Center.
Casey Cizikas scored later in the first while Shane Prince and Brock Nelson added goals during a span less than three minutes early in the third for the Islanders, who snapped a two-game losing streak in the opener of a five-game homestand. Josh Bailey added another insurance goal with 43.4 seconds remaining.
Goalie Thomas Greiss recorded 33 saves.

Blackhawks 3, Kings 0
CHICAGO -- Jonathan Toews, Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa scored goals, and Corey Crawford made 32 saves as Chicago shut out Los Angeles at the United Center.
Anisimov's second-period goal gave the Blackhawks a two-goal advantage. Anisimov took a perfect pass from Hossa and shoveled the puck into a yawning cage with Kings goalie Peter Budaj's focus on Hossa.
Anisimov's goal extended his career-best scoring streak to seven games, a stretch in which he has all six of his goals.

Rangers 6, Lightning 1
NEW YORK -- Michael Grabner had a hat trick and Antti Raanta stopped 31 shots as New York blitzed Tampa Bay at Madison Square Garden.
Rick Nash, Jimmy Vesey and J.T. Miller also scored for the Rangers.
Ben Bishop allowed six goals on 37 shots. Steven Stamkos prevented the shutout by scoring with 3:24 remaining.

Senators 2, Oilers 0
EDMONTON, Alberta -- Craig Anderson, rejoining the Senators after his wife was diagnosed with cancer, made 37 saves for a victory over high-scoring Edmonton.
After returning home to Ottawa from a road trip last week to be with his wife, Anderson flew back west Sunday when backup Andrew Hammond sustained a lower-body injury Friday in Calgary.
Mike Hoffman gave the Senators a 1-0 lead at 12:18 of the second period, marking just the second goal that Oilers goalie Cam Talbot (20 saves) allowed in 248 minutes. Bobby Ryan scored an insurance goal into an empty net with 33 seconds remaining.

Capitals 3, Flames 1
CALGARY, Alberta -- Brett Connolly and Marcus Johansson scored first-period goals, and Braden Holtby made 21 saves as Washington downed Calgary.
Johansson's power-play marker stood up as his second straight game-winning goal for the Capitals, whose 5-2 road win over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday snapped a two-game losing streak.
Johansson added an empty-net goal in the third period to finish with his second-straight two-goal game. Connolly, who signed a one-year contract with Washington in the offseason, recorded his first goal for the Capitals in his fourth game.

Grand Salami - October

The Grand Salami in pro hockey is decided by adding up all the goals scored in every game scheduled for that particular day. You can wager on 'over' or 'under' the Grand Salami total. The total is set by adding up all listed 'over/under' odds for each game on that particular day.

Note: The Grand Salami will have no action if any game is suspended or cancelled before the regulation time of three twenty minute periods. Also, regardless of the number of goals scored during the shoot out portion of the overtime, the final scored recorded for the game will give the winning team on more goal than its opponent based on the score at the end of regulation time.

*The majority of sportsbooks do not put out a total on the Grand Salami when there is only one game on the card. For tracking purposes, we will continue to show the 'over/under' for goals and combined goals scored on days with just one game.

NHL GRAND SALAMI
Date No. of Games Total Goals Combined Goals Scored Result
10/12 4 21.5 30 OVER
10/13 9 48.5 60 OVER
10/14 3 16 19 OVER
10/15 13 69 76 OVER
10/16 3 16 20 OVER
10/17 4 22 29 OVER
10/18 12 67.5 71 OVER
10/19 2 11.5 12 OVER
10/20 11 60.5 55 UNDER
10/21 3 16.5 18 OVER
10/22 12 64 74 OVER
10/23 4 21 23 OVER
10/24 2 10.5 9 UNDER
10/25 11 60.5 62 OVER
10/26 4 21.5 24 OVER
10/27 9 49.5 45 UNDER
10/28 6 32 24 UNDER
10/29 10 53 42 UNDER
10/30 8 42.5 40 UNDER
10/31 No games scheduled - - -

NHL

Monday’s games

There is no hockey on Monday. Happy Halloween.

Preview: Nuggets (1-1) at Raptors (1-1)

Date: October 31, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

TORONTO -- The Toronto Raptors will look to close out its first homestand of the season on a winning note after dropping a 94-91 decision to the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.

The Raptors (1-1) wrap up a three-game home stretch against the visiting Denver Nuggets (1-1) on Monday night at Air Canada Centre. The Nuggets begin a five-game road trip in Toronto after falling 115-113 to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.

Despite the home loss, there's good news on the horizon for the Nuggets. Both forward Darrell Arthur and guard Gary Harris could return from injury against the Raptors.

Harris has missed the first two games with a groin injury.

"It's good to see him on the court (Friday). And as is always the case, how does he feel the next day," coach Michael Malone told the Denver Post prior to Saturday's game.

Arthur, meanwhile, has missed both games due to a knee injury.

"Gary is a guy that is one of the better young two-way players in the NBA," Malone said. "We are going to be really smart and prudent about his injury and not rush him back so when he does come back, we can have him for an extended stay."

Facing the Raptors will mark the first NBA game north of the border for Canadian guard Jamal Murray. The 19-year-old University of Kentucky product grew up 70 miles west of Toronto.

Through his first two games of the season, Murray has averaged 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

"It's very difficult, you've got to have some intellect going your way," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said of a young player like Murray adjusting to the NBA. "He's a very intelligent kid.

"He's going to be a nice young player, also, his speed with the basketball, his ability to shoot the ball -- once he understands the speed of the game, angles and personnel and understands the league after he goes through it a couple times -- he's going to be a really really effective player for Denver."

The Raptors dropped both games against the Nuggets last season falling 106-105 at home in December and losing 112-93 at Denver in February.

"People looked at them last year and said, 'Well how did you lose to them twice?' They're a very talented, skilled team that I think is underrated just because they're so young," Casey said.

Toronto opened its 22nd season with a 109-91 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday before falling to the Cavaliers.

Following Monday's game, Toronto heads to Washington to play the Wizards on Wednesday before returning home to host the Miami Heat on Friday.

'Raptors in dangerous betting territory'

Denver Nuggets at Toronto Raptors October 31, 7:30 EST

Toronto Raptors (1-1 SU/ATS) conclude a three-game home stand Monday night against visitng Denver Nuggets (1-1 SU/ATS). Raptors a far superior team along with being tough nuts to crack on Air Canada Center hardwood posting a 23-5 SU regular season record last twenty-eight in front of the home audience, Nuggets ridding a 16-26 stretch away from the comfort of Pepsi Center sportsbooks have opened Purple Dinos -7.0 point home favorites.

Backing Toronto in the situation they find themselves today could be costly. The Raptors are not only a cash draining 1-7 against the betting line hosting a Northwest opponent, they've failed to cash in six straight as home chalk vs Nuggets. Also, Raptors dropping a 94-91 decision to NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday does not bode well for the teams chances. Raptors have stumbled against the number in regular season after running the hardwood with Cavaliers. In the last four such situations, Purple Dinos are 1-3 against the betting line. Additionally, rest has not worked in Toronto's favour, Raptors have cashed just 2-of-7 as favorites with two days rest.

Finally, despite the road woes, Nuggets are a cash stuffing 10-2 ATS last twelve handed +7.0 to +10.0 points on unfriendly hardwood. The clincher, Nuggets are a money-making 7-1 ATS off a loss on the road* facing a team also off a loss.

Preview: Suns (0-3) at Clippers (2-0)

Date: October 31, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- The health of center DeAndre Jordan was a major concern for the Los Angeles Clippers heading into Monday's matchup against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center.

Jordan suffered what was initially diagnosed as a sprained right thumb in the third quarter of Sunday's 88-75 win over the Utah Jazz.

Jordan, who was in noticeable pain, went to the bench and was treated by a trainer before returning to play almost five minutes in the fourth quarter. He finished with seven points and 16 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Jordan was examined more extensively Sunday night. The Clippers said an X-ray was negative, meaning Jordan does not have any broken bones.

"I was worried because I saw the swelling in his hand," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said after the game. "When it's that quick, that's never a good thing. Then, he went back in and I started feeling a little bit better."

The Clippers (2-0) have relied on Jordan, their defense, rebounding and key contributions from their bench to start the season well. They limited the Jazz to 39.7 percent shooting and enjoyed a slight edge in rebounding (49-43), an area the Clippers were lax in last season.

"We've just got to continue to grow and continue to defend," said backup guard Austin Rivers, who delivered a game-high 19 points against the Jazz.

Reserve forward-center Marreese Speights, who joined the Clippers as a free agent after three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, has come up with crucial plays in both of the team's victories. After scoring 15 points in the season-opening triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, Speights drew four offensive fouls against Utah.

The Suns (0-3) will continue charging toward a win. Sunday's 106-100 loss to the Golden State Warriors came on the heels of setbacks to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Sacramento Kings.

"The wins are going to come this season," said forward T.J. Warren, who had 26 points against the Warriors and has been one of the early surprises for the Suns.

Warren is averaging a team-best 22 points per game with seven rebounds. He scored a career-high 30 against the Thunder.

"So we're not worried; we've just got to continue to play hard. My teammates are doing a good job of finding me and I just have to stay aggressive" Warren said.

The Suns also have injury woes.

Guard Devin Booker, who showed much promise last season by scoring 13.8 points per game in his rookie campaign, is nursing a sprained big toe. Booker got hurt in Friday's loss to the Thunder. He was bothered by the toe against Golden State, managing just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting.

"Devin's tough," Suns coach Earl Watson said. "But if you watch him, he's been limping around a lot. He has no excuses, but we need him to be efficient and he has to be healthy to be efficient."

Eric Bledsoe, a former Clipper, is off to a solid start. Bledsoe is averaging 16 points and 5.7 assists per game.

Phoenix's Tyson Chandler remains one of the NBA's top defensive centers, averaging 12.7 boards per game.

NBA roundup: Another Westbrook triple-double
By The Sports Xchange

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook recorded his second consecutive triple-double to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 113-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Westbrook posted 33 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds while taking only 21 shots en route to his 39th career triple-double. Through three games, he is averaging 38.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 11.6 assists.
Victor Oladipo added 20 points, while Steven Adams scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for the Thunder.
D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle paced the Lakers with 20 points apiece. Randle also grabbed nine rebounds. Nick Young scored 16 for Los Angeles.

Warriors 106, Suns 100
PHOENIX -- Kevin Durant scored 37 points and Stephen Curry added 28 as Golden State held off pesky Phoenix.
Klay Thompson had 14 points and Draymond Green had 13 rebounds for the Warriors, who trailed by as many as 13 in the first half before limiting the Suns to 43 second-half points.
T.J. Warren had 26 points and Eric Bledsoe added 21 for the Suns, who have opened the season with three straight losses. Devin Booker scored seven points on 3-for 12 shooting and didn't score his first basket until the 8:13 mark of the third quarter.

Pistons 98, Bucks 83
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Andre Drummond notched his 10th career 20-20 game with 20 points and 23 rebounds, and Detroit won its second straight, topping Milwaukee.
Drummond added three blocks and two steals for the Pistons. Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope supplied 21 points and six rebounds, Tobias Harris had 16 points, and Marcus Morris and Ish Smith chipped in 11 points apiece for Detroit.
Giannis Antetokounmpo carried the Bucks with 17 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. Jabari Parker had 13 points and six rebounds, center Greg Monroe tossed in 11 points off the bench, and Matthew Dellavedova contributed 10 points and five assists for Milwaukee.

Clippers 88, Utah 75
LOS ANGELES -- Austin Rivers came off the bench to score 19 points, and Blake Griffin added 18 points and 10 rebounds, sparking Los Angeles to a victory over Utah Jazz in the Clippers' home opener.
Reserve Jamal Crawford chipped in 12 points, while DeAndre Jordan contributed 10 points and 16 rebounds for the Clippers.
George Hill paced the Jazz with 18 points and was the only Utah player to reach double figures. Joe Johnson scored seven points in the opening quarter, but failed to score again.

Grizzlies 112, Wizards 103 (OT)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Mike Conley scored 24 points -- 11 coming in the closing minutes of regulation and in overtime -- and Marc Gasol added 20, including three key 3-pointers in the same time span, to lift Memphis past Washington.
Gasol's 3-pointer with 15.7 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, and two more treys in OT clinched the win. Memphis made 15 3-pointers.
John Wall had 22 points and 13 assists and Marcin Gortat added 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Wizards. Each of the Wizards' starters scored in double figures.

Rockets 93, Mavericks 92
HOUSTON -- James Harden scored a game-high 28 points, including one free throw with 0.1 seconds remaining, to lift Houston over Dallas.
Harden drew a foul from Mavericks swingman Wesley Matthews on a desperate drive to the basket immediately after Matthews pulled Dallas even with a 3-pointer with 4.1 seconds remaining. Matthews fouled out on the play, and Harden made the second free throw after missing the first.
Matthews paced Dallas with 25 points. Harden added seven rebounds and seven assists.

Spurs 106, Heat 99
MIAMI -- Kawhi Leonard posted 27 points and six assists and Pau Gasol added 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead San Antonio past Miami.
Leonard scored the Spurs' final 12 points. San Antonio also got 18 points from backup point guard Patty Mills.
The Heat, who overcame a 16-point second-quarter deficit and took a lead midway through the fourth, have lost six straight games in its series with the Spurs. Miami center Hassan Whiteside had 27 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks but was forced out due to leg cramps with 4:54 left in the fourth quarter. He did not return. Goran Dragic scored 25 points for the Heat.