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Premier League TODAY 12:30

Middlesbro

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Leicester

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		9/5	21/10	19/10	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MIDDLESBRO	RECENT FORM
HWALHLHWALAL​ Most recent​	1 - 2 1 - 2 0 - 0 3 - 3	ALHWALADHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Leicester have collected only two of their 20 league points away from the King Power Stadium

EXPERT VERDICT: No Leicester supporter will ever forget 2016 but the surprise champions are likely to have much less to cheer this year and their start to 2017 could set the tone at the Riverside. Home is where the heart is for Boro, who have beaten Bournemouth, Swansea and Hull to nil in three of their last five at the Riverside.

RECOMMENDATION: Middlesbrough
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REFEREE: Robert Madley STADIUM:

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Man City

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Burnley

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		1/6	7	20	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT MAN CITY	RECENT FORM
HDALHWHWAWAL​ Most recent​	2 - 2 3 - 3 5 - 1 5 - 0	ALHWALALHWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Burnley have collected one point from eight away games

EXPERT VERDICT: It won't be a simple task lifting the Manchester City squad after their 1-0 defeat at Anfield on Saturday but Pep Guardiola has resources that opposite number Sean Dyche can only dream about. City's attacking prowess should be too much for Burnley, who have been dismal on the road.

RECOMMENDATION: Man City to win 3-0
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REFEREE: Lee Mason STADIUM:

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Sunderland

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Liverpool

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		9	19/4	1/3	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT SUNDERLAND	RECENT FORM
HWALHLHWALAL​ Most recent​	0 - 1 0 - 1 1 - 3 1 - 1	ALHDAWAWHWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Liverpool's ten league away matches have produced 34 goals

EXPERT VERDICT: Liverpool have been gifted a superb chance to narrow the gap on Premier League leaders Chelsea to just three points and they should take it against the beleaguered Black Cats. Battered 4-1 at Burnley on Saturday and called "useless" by their manager David Moyes, Sunderland are ravaged by injuries which leaves the spine of the team even weaker than usual.

RECOMMENDATION: Liverpool-Liverpool double result
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REFEREE: Anthony Taylor STADIUM:

Premier League TODAY 15:00

West Brom

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Hull

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		4/5	13/5	17/4	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST BROM	RECENT FORM
HWALHWHLALAW​ Most recent​	1 - 0 3 - 2 1 - 1 0 - 3	ALHDALALHLHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Brom have kept one clean sheet in 16 matches

EXPERT VERDICT: The extra day of rest having played on Friday could come in handy for Hull and Mike Phelan's side have shown a more positive attitude in recent matches that could at the very least see them notch against a West Brom side who have scored ten times in their last four home games. The Baggies don't keep many clean sheets either.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg STADIUM:

Premier League TODAY 15:00

Everton

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Southampton

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		6/5	12/5	13/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT EVERTON	RECENT FORM
HDALHWHLAWAD​ Most recent​	1 - 1 1 - 0 2 - 1 3 - 1	HDHWADAWHLHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Southampton have not won on their last 11 visits to Goodison Park

EXPERT VERDICT: This will be Southampton's third game in six days and, following home defeats to Tottenham and West Brom, visiting gaffer Claude Puel has said he will be making changes. Among those to miss out will be suspended star Virgil van Dijk and this is a good chance for Everton to cement seventh spot.

RECOMMENDATION: Everton
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REFEREE: Kevin Friend STADIUM:

Championship TODAY 15:00

Blackburn

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Newcastle

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SS1		19/4	3	13/20	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT BLACKBURN	RECENT FORM
HDALHLHLALAD​ Most recent​	0 - 2 4 - 3 0 - 0 3 - 0	ALHWAWAWHLHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Newcastle have scored in their last 11 away league matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Newcastle beat ten-man Newcastle 3-1 on Friday and the extra rest could be telling when they head to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn. Rovers conceded late on in a 1-1 draw at Huddersfield on Saturday and this looks the ideal chance for Newcastle to gain revenge for their surprise 1-0 defeat in the reverse fixture in November.

RECOMMENDATION: Newcastle
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REFEREE: Andy Woolmer STADIUM:

NHL roundup: Matthews stars for Leafs at Centennial Classic
By The Sports Xchange

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs splurged for four third-period goals, then needed overtime to defeat the Detroit Red Wings 5-4 on Sunday at BMO Field to extend their winning streak to five games.
Auston Matthews scored his second goal of the game and his 20th of the season for the Maple Leafs at 3:40 of overtime
The Red Wings, who trailed 4-1 in the third period, tied the score with 1.1 seconds left in regulation time when Anthony Mantha scored his second goal of the game.
Leo Komarov, Mitch Marner, Connor Brown and Matthews scored in regulation for the Maple Leafs in the Centennial Classic played outdoors before an announced crowd of 40,148. Zach Hyman added two assists for Toronto.
Mantha added an assist for the Red Wings, who have lost two of their past three games. Jonathan Ericsson and Tomas Tatar also scored for Detroit.

Ducks 4, Flyers 3 (SO)
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- John Gibson had a career high 51 saves as Anaheim defeated Philadelphia at Honda Center.
Ryan Kesler accounted for all the scoring in regulation for Anaheim as he recorded his fourth career hat trick for the Ducks, who beat the Flyers for the eighth straight time. Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry scored in the shootout for the Ducks, who were outshot 55-28.
Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn and Travis Konecny scored for the Flyers in regulation.

Capitals 2, Senators 1
WASHINGTON -- Seldom-used defenseman Taylor Chorney scored early in the third period to break a tie and Washington opened up 2017 and a three-game home stand with a victory over Ottawa.
The tally was just the third goal in 130 career games for Chorney and first since March 2 against Toronto. The Capitals, who also got a goal from Karl Alzner, have had seven goals from their defenseman in their last 11 contests.
Kyle Turris -- who had hit a post in the first -- scored the Senators lone goal, his 100th with the club.

Preview: Blackhawks (23-11) at Blues (19-13)

Date: January 02, 2017 1:00 PM EDT

ST. LOUIS -- Playing in one of the NHL's outdoor games is becoming an almost annual event for the Chicago Blackhawks, but for all but two members of the St. Louis Blues, Monday's game will be a new experience.

The Winter Classic matchup at Busch Stadium will be the fifth outdoor game for the Blackhawks since 2009. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook each played in the previous four, and Corey Crawford started the last three in goal.

The only players who will be on the ice for the Blues to have played in an outdoor game are defenseman Carl Gunnarsson, who was with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the game against the Detroit Red Wings at the University of Michigan stadium on Jan. 1, 2014, and defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who was with Calgary for an outdoor game in 2011.

A third Blues defenseman, Robert Bortuzzo, played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in an outdoor game, but he is on injured reserve and won't play on Monday.

Toews thinks there is at least one area where the extra experience playing outdoors could give the Blackhawks an advantage.

"Sometimes in games, it's not like you get caught looking around but you are still trying to get your bearings," he said after Sunday's practice. "Everything is a little bit different. In hockey you use your peripheral vision a lot too. You don't quite see your teammates, everything's white and it's harder to see in the distance where guys are. That's the kind of thing you have to get used to a little bit."

It also will be the first outdoor game -- at least in the NHL -- for Blues coach Ken Hitchcock, who has logged 1,441 regular-season games behind the bench since 1995.

Hitchcock said Sunday he coached an outdoor game before -- against a team of prison inmates years ago when he was coaching in Prince Albert, Canada.

"I had this bright idea that we were going to give back to the community so I organized a game against the inmates," he said. "They were playing for real and we were trying to play for fun. They won.

"It was a lot scarier than the one is going to be tomorrow. Really scary as a matter of fact. We were afraid to score a goal to be honest with you. ... It wasn't one of my brightest ideas."

Hitchcock said being on the ice outdoors on Sunday also was emotional, reminding him of when he was growing up in Edmonton.

"My dad was a caretaker for two outdoor rinks and it just brings you back to the old days," he said. "I told the guys I could be a laborer and they gave me two pieces of wood to carry onto a wheelbarrow, so I did my day's work. It was really neat when I was out there with the workers."

One of the challenges both teams might have to deal with is the weather. Rain is in the forecast, and there is a possibility the game could be delayed or even postponed until Tuesday. An NHL announcement on the game time is scheduled for 8 a.m. Monday.

"That's the fun part about these types of games, all the different kinds of challenges and things that you run into," Keith said. "I like that sort of thing, it's different, it changes it up."

The Blackhawks will be without Marcus Kruger, who was placed on injured reserve on Sunday because of an upper-body injury suffered on Friday night. Jaden Schwartz of the Blues missed practice on Sunday because of illness, but Hitchcock said he is hoping Schwartz will be well enough to play on Monday.

Preview: Bruins (20-15) at Devils (14-16)

Date: January 02, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

The season started so promisingly for the New Jersey Devils. They were 9-3-3 and didn't suffer a regulation home loss until Dec. 9, a sign that they may have been ready to improve on last season's middling results.

But as they welcome the Boston Bruins to Prudential Center on Monday to start 2017, the Devils have lost 10 and 12 are coming off a 6-2 blowout loss to the Washington Capitals at home.

"Every team in this conference is a challenge for us, and everyone is playing good hockey, including the Bruins," Devils winger Luke Gazdic. "So, we need to execute better than we have and cut down on our mistakes. We will definitely be better (than Saturday). I can promise you there will be a better effort on Monday."

The Bruins are coming off a home-and-home sweep of the Buffalo Sabres and bring the NHL's second-best penalty kill to New Jersey. They have thwarted 87 percent of penalties this season, which is something that doesn't bode well for the reeling Devils.

The Devils went 0-for-9 on the power play against the Capitals and are 1-for-22 with the man advantage over the past four games.

"It's a combination of things right now," Devils coach John Hynes said. "It's a lack of execution. It's a lack of not making the right puck decisions. Our puck support needs to be better; and our battle level when we get into battles needs to be stronger. So, we have a little bit of a perfect storm right now with the power play. We have to work our way out of it."

The Bruins will be without forward David Backes, who is out indefinitely with a concussion he suffered Thursday against the Sabres. He has nine goals and 19 points in 33 games after signing a five-year, $30 million contract in July.

"I haven't talked to him in two days," said coach Claude Julien to the Boston Globe about Backes. "I talked to him on the plane (home from Buffalo). He has been told to stay home. He has been told to stay away from TVs and shouldn't be texting."

While the Bruins have won two straight, they were anything but hot before those wins. They had lost eight of 11 and had allowed the first goal in four of their previous six games before beating the Sabres on Saturday.

"I think (the win) tells you a lot too. When you start the game the right way, you don't put yourself in a bad spot," said Patrice Bergeron to CSN New England. "We showed some character lately getting back in games, but it's not good enough when you play for 40 minutes. Tonight, was a perfect example. When you start the right way, it makes a huge difference."

With the Bruins looking for a third straight and the Devils sitting in next-to-last place in the Eastern Conference, a good start could lead to an easy win against a New Jersey team that's confidence appears shaken.

"Guys are trying. Guys are battling hard," Devils captain Andy Greene said. "Unfortunately, sometimes things just don't go your way, and that's happened a lot lately; but it's not for lack of effort. Sometimes it's lack of execution; but it's not a lack of effort."

Preview: Avalanche (12-23) at Canucks (17-18)

Date: January 02, 2017 10:00 PM EDT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- For a change, the Vancouver Canucks have fewer worries than their next opponent.

These days, the Colorado Avalanche (12-23-1) are making headlines for only the wrong reasons. Heading into Monday's contest against the Canucks at Rogers Arena, the Avs have only two wins in their last 10 games, and lost a whopping 10 straight at home.

"I mean, 10 straight at home, that's embarrassing -- that's flat-out embarrassing," Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog told reporters in Denver. "That isn't the way anyone wants to play at home. We talk about it all the time. You want to be a dominant home team and, obviously, the end of 2016 at home and on the road hasn't been good enough.

"We have to start fresh and that starts on Monday in Vancouver."

In other words, the Avs, who have lost three straight games overall, hope that the Canucks can provide just the tonic that they are looking for. Colorado's New Year's resolutions appear simple: Play with more confidence and consistency, and cut down on silly mistakes.

"It seems like we find a way to lose differently every night," Matt Duchene told reporters in Denver.

"It just seems like there isn't much going our way and it's getting pretty crazy at this point," added goaltender Calvin Pickard.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, who has called his team "a work in progress," wants players to show more mental toughness.

"You can see (a mental letdown) when the other team scores," Bednar told reporters. "We've talked about it. They get down and we try to pick them up. But still, half of that is part of our own mistakes. We're still making critical mistakes in a 2-2 hockey game."

The Avs are reeling after a 6-2 home loss to the New York Rangers on New Year's Eve. Sitting last in the 30-team National Hockey League, Colorado was outscored 24-9 in its past six games -- or almost three to one.

Injured No. 1 goaltender Semyen Varlamov can't return soon enough from a groin injury that has kept him out since Dec. 22. Although Bednar indicated before Christmas that Varlamov could return soon, he is not on the two-game road trip that ends in Calgary on Wednesday. Pickard is slated to make his fifth consecutive start Monday.

Jeremy Smith, 27, a career minor leaguer who has yet to play an NHL game, is serving as Colorado's backup goaltender for the time being after being promoted from San Antonio of the American Hockey League.

Usually, it's the Canucks who are battling to find consistency. But coach Willie Desjardins' crew won three straight games since the Christmas break. The Canucks are on their most successful stretch of the season since starting the campaign with four wins in a row.

Vancouver's latest triumph came Saturday night in a shootout win over the Oilers in Edmonton.

"We have got lots of confidence in the group right now," center Bo Horvat, who scored the shootout winner, told reporters in the Alberta capital. "It has been a long time since we have won three straight and a while since we have had a fairly healthy lineup. To get some guys back in on the back end and be rolling up front, it gives us lots of confidence."

Horvat himself has been extremely confident lately. In the three games since the Christmas break, he recorded a goal and four assists. At other times, he has made key plays that led to Vancouver goals without getting an assist while also standing out defensively and in the face-off circle.

As a result, the 21-year-old Horvat now leads Vancouver in points on the basis of 10 goals and 15 assists. He has overtaken Henrik and Daniel Sedin -- two former NHL scoring champions.

Meanwhile, the Canucks are also getting strong goaltending from both of their netminders. Jacob Markstrom, the nominal backup, posted 42 saves in Saturday's win over the Oilers, one of the most potent offensive teams in the league, while limiting teenage wunderkind Connor McDavid to just one late tally. Markstrom got the call to prevent starter Ryan Miller from playing in back-to-back games after the Canucks rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks in a shootout Friday in Vancouver.

In his two starts since the Christmas break, Miller only allowed three goals on 63 shots.

Miller's play is just one of many reasons why -- for a change, however fleeting -- the Canucks have fewer concerns than their next opponent.

NBA roundup: McCollum scores 43 to lead Blazers by Wolves
By The Sports Xchange

MINNEAPOLIS -- C.J. McCollum scored a career-high 43 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 95-89 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
McCollum surpassed his previous career high of 37 points set in two previous games. He shot 16 of 25 from the field, setting a career-high for field goals.
It was the seventh time McCollum scored at least 30 points this season and fourth straight game over 20 in place of Damian Lillard (left ankle sprain). McCollum is averaging 27.1 points in his last eight games.
Andrew Wiggins led the Timberwolves with 24 points. Minnesota's young trio of Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Zach LaVine combined for 48 points after getting 73 Friday against Milwaukee.

Hawks 114, Spurs 112 (OT)
ATLANTA -- Tim Hardaway Jr. tied his career high with 29 points, including the go-ahead free throw in overtime and Atlanta ended an 11-game losing streak to San Antonio.
Paul Millsap scored a season-high 32 points, including 14 in a row in the third and fourth quarters. Dennis Schroder added 16 points and Kyle Korver contributed 14 for the Hawks.
LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Tony Parker added 22 points.

Pistons 107, Heat 98
MIAMI -- Reggie Jackson scored 27 points and Detroit defeated Miami.
Jackson made 10 of 17 shots for Detroit, which rallied from a 14-point deficit in the first half. Andre Drummond collected 25 points and 18 rebounds for Detroit.
Tyler Johnson scored 20 points and Wayne Ellington added 18 for the Heat. Miami played without injured starters Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow.

Pacers 117, Magic 104
INDIANAPOLIS -- Myles Turner recorded a double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds to lead Indiana past Orlando.
Paul George added 19 points for the Pacers, who are 13-2 in their last 15 meetings with Orlando. Jeff Teague contributed 12 points and nine assists.
Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 18 points off the bench. Jeff Green and Serge Ibaka added 17 points apiece.

Raptors 123, Lakers 114
LOS ANGELES -- Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan combined for 72 points as Toronto became the latest team to take advantage of fading Los Angeles, handing the Lakers a defeat at Staples Center.
Lowry led all scorers with 41 points as the Raptors avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season and ran their record to 23-10. He added seven assists and nine rebounds for the Raptors.
The Lakers, meanwhile, continued their trend of fading late in games. They led midway through the third quarter but wound up losing for the 15th time since the start of December. After a surprising 10-10 start, they have gone 2-15.

Preview: Pelicans (14-21) at Cavaliers (25-7)

Date: January 02, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

A few days at home was all the New Orleans Pelicans needed to at least temporarily turn their season around. Now one of the league's hottest teams will have to tangle with the defending champions to keep it going.

The Pelicans spent most of this season digging out of an 0-8 start to the season, but they enter Cleveland on Monday winners of four straight to match their longest streak of the season. They went 4-1 on a recently concluded homestand that coach Alvin Gentry said would be key in keeping the Pelicans on the cusp of playoff contention.

Now they are. New Orleans is one of four teams clogged around the eighth seed as the season nears the midway point.

"We have to do whatever we can to try to make the playoffs," Gentry told the New Orleans Times Picayune. "There's a lot of basketball left, but what we have to try to do is put ourselves in a position that if we play good basketball we'd be one of those teams (in the playoffs)."

The Pelicans waived swingman Reggie Williams on Sunday three weeks after acquiring him when injuries were piling up. Williams, 30, appeared in only five games and averaged 5.0 points and 1.2 rebounds with the Pelicans.

It may not take them long to fill the roster spot. Both ESPN and Yahoo reported the Pelicans are nearing a deal with forward Donatas Motiejunas that could be announced as early as Monday.

New Orleans will face a wounded Cavs team that is still finding ways to win. They beat the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday without their starting backcourt of Kyrie Irving and J.R. Smith, who remains sidelined for the next few months with a fractured wrist.

Irving missed the game with a right hamstring injury and is considered questionable for the Pelicans. Cleveland responded with a combined 30 points from little-used role players Kay Felder and Jordan McRae, who made his second career start in place of Irving. McRae will likely remain in the starting lineup if Irving again can't go.

Ever since he took a week off last month to rest tired legs, Irving's assist numbers have been soaring. He has averaged 10 assists over his last seven games, boosting his season average to 6.0. That puts him on par with his career-high of 6.1 set the year before LeBron James returned to Cleveland.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue told Irving long ago to stop worrying about assist totals and instead attack the basket, knowing full well that Irving's style of play would open things up for him to facilitate once he got in the lane. It has taken time, but Irving is now getting his shots and setting up teammates the way Lue believed he could all along.

"I don't think he can come down and just control the game with his passing like Jason Kidd or Magic or someone like that. He has to look to score, attack and be aggressive," Lue said. "Then when he gets into the paint, that's when his passing opens up. When he comes off looking to pass, it makes it tough on a lot of people. I want him to be aggressive looking to score and that will open up his passing for him."

Preview: Thunder (21-13) at Bucks (16-16)

Date: January 02, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

MILWAUKEE -- Two of the NBA's most versatile talents will face off Monday night when Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center.

Westbrook has been a triple-double machine this season, recording a league best 16 while leading the Thunder with 30.9 points per game.

Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, has only recorded two this season, but is Milwaukee's leader in scoring (23.8 points), rebounds (8.9), assists (5.9), blocks (2.0) and steals (2.0).

"I think he's going to be a very, very prominent player," Milwaukee rookie point guard Malcolm Brogdon said. "He already is one of the best players in the NBA. He's leading this team every night and I think he deserves a lot of credit."

Antetokounmpo totaled 35 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in Saturday's 116-96 rout of the Chicago Bulls. His supporting cast is starting to get noticed, as well.

Jabari Parker scored 27 Saturday while Brogdon record his first career triple-double in the same contest. Brogdon is fifth among first-year in scoring with 8.6 points per game, putting him into discussion for rookie of the year honors.

"He's ahead of his years, man," Milwaukee guard Jason Terry said. "They won't talk about him in the rookie of the year conversation, but who else is there

"Joel Embiid has been in the league three years already. Malcolm is the true rookie and he deserves consideration, for sure.

The youthful Bucks will have their work ahead of them stopping Westbrook and Oklahoma City, which has won five of its last six games and is coming off a 114-80 victory Saturday over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Westbrook needed just under 20 minutes to notch his latest triple-double. He accomplished the feat before halftime and finished with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists.

"It's a blessing, man," Westbrook said. "My teammates did a great job of making it easier for me. My job is to keep the pace high and keep reading the game."

Oklahoma City's offense was bolstered by the return of Victor Oladipo, who was sidelined for the last nine games with a right wrist injury.

Oladipo is Oklahoma City's second-leading scorer with 16 points per game and scored 15 on 4-of-9 shooting with a pair of 3-pointers in 29 minutes Saturday.

"I felt like in shootaround (on Saturday) he was back to himself shooting the basketball," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. "He wasn't really wincing and it wasn't a problem. It was great to see him come back and get his feet under him and play as well as he did tonight."

Oklahoma City swept its two meetings with the Bucks last season and has won three in a row against Milwaukee overall.

Antetokounmpo and Westbrook each recorded a triple-double when the two teams last met in Milwaukee on March 6. Antetokounmpo had 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists while Westbrook had 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

Preview: Jazz (21-13) at Nets (8-24)

Date: January 02, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Utah Jazz experienced mixed results during two different injuries to George Hill.

Now the Jazz will discover how they perform without Hill for a third time, though they hope their point guard's absence will not be lengthy.

Hill's third absence due to injury will begin Monday night when Utah opens a five-game road trip with a visit to the Brooklyn Nets.

Hill was elbowed by Phoenix Suns center Alex Len in Saturday's 91-86 victory and received multiple stitches for a lower lip laceration before undergoing concussion testing, and the tests discovered concussion-like symptoms.

Those symptoms mean Hill will was placed in the league's mandated concussion protocol, and there is not a timetable for his return.

"It's obviously frustrating, I think for everybody," Utah forward Gordon Hayward said. "For him, for sure. But I think for us too. Hopefully he has a speedy recovery."

Including Saturday's win, the Jazz are 9-4 when Hill plays. Without Hill, who scored 21 points in his return from a sprained left toe Thursday, the Jazz leaned on their defense in the fourth and held the Suns to 15 points.

"We just got stops," Hayward said after the league's top-ranked scoring defense allowed fewer than 90 points for the 13th time. "We started to lock up on the defensive end. We struggled offensively but because we were able to guard in the fourth there, we had more opportunities and were able to convert some of them."

Hill missed eight games with a sprained right thumb and the Jazz averaged 94.6 points and were 3-5 from Nov. 7 to Nov. 20. Hill missed 13 games with his second injury and the Jazz averaged 99.8 points and won eight times.

In Hill's first two absences, Shelvin Mack and Dante Exum were Utah's starting point guards, Mack is averaging 12 points and 4.2 assists in six starts while Exum is average 7.6 points in 16 starts.

Exum missed his fifth straight game with left knee tendinitis on Saturday and in Hill's latest absence, Mack will likely get the start at point guard.

Among his options will be Hayward, who scored 18 points Saturday and Rudy Gobert, whose 18 points and 13 rebounds Saturday marked his 23rd double-double of the season.

Gobert takes a 19-game streak of double-digit rebounds into Monday's game and the Jazz are 19-9 when he grabs double-digit boards this season. Last season, Gobert reached double digits in rebounding in 38 games, including 19 in a two-point loss to the Nets on March 19.

Gobert could have another big night on the boards as the Nets' average 44 rebounds per game, which places them in the bottom third of the league. Brooklyn also gives up 48.1 rebounds per game, which places them in the bottom third.

Brooklyn is 3-19 when getting outrebounded. The latest instance occurred during a 118-95 rout at Washington Friday, when the Nets were outrebounded by a 44-32 margin.

Brooklyn lost for the 19th time in 23 games since Nov. 12. All but one of the wins are at home, where the Nets are 7-8.

In the last 23 games, the league's worst scoring defense allowed 100 points in 22 games and over 110 20 times. During this skid, 13 of Brooklyn's defeats came by double-digits, and Friday the frustration seemed to boil over on the court.

According to the New York Post, Sean Kilpatrick said the players were "bickering with each other and not playing together" during the blowout. On Saturday, coach Kenny Atkinson and Brook Lopez confirmed Kilpatrick's comments and stated the Nets held a players-only meeting after Friday's loss.

"It happens with every team throughout the year," Lopez told reporters. "We talked about it after the game as a team. None of the coaches were there. It's important we all have respect for each other, and at the same time, we have the ability to hold each other accountable and ourselves accountable. To do that, we have to be able to have a dialogue with one another."

At times, the Nets have been praised for competitiveness by opposing coaches and players. However, there have been a number of games that turned south quickly, and Atkinson is hoping the meeting starts translating to wins.

"The fact they have conflict with each other is not the worst thing in the world as long as the rhetoric stays within the realm of decency," Atkinson said. "It helps you get better out of those moments of conflict that later resolve. I think it's great."

Frustration or not, the Nets will likely be without Jeremy Lin for the third straight game and 21st time overall. Lin has missed 20 games with two instances of a strained left hamstring and one game with a back injury.

The Nets are 5-15 when he does not play, and the team has not provided an update on when Lin will return.

Preview: Magic (15-19) at Knicks (16-17)

Date: January 02, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks enter the new year under .500 for the fourth straight season and 12 out of the past 15 seasons, excluding the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign.

New York (16-17) will try to get back on track after dropping three straight in a southern road swing when it hosts the Orlando Magic (15-20) Monday at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks defeated the Magic at the Garden, 106-95, on Dec. 22.

The Knicks surrendered at least 100 points in their recent three-game road slide, losing to the Atlanta Hawks (102-98), the New Orleans Pelicans (104-92) and the Houston Rockets (129-122). New York has the sixth-worst defensive rating in the league.

"We have three guys (Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose) on this team that can score with the best of them. If we can just somehow find a way to build defensively, I think we can really make some noise."

The Knicks could be without two of them on Monday. Porzingis sat out the loss to the Rockets with an Achilles injury. His condition is day-to-day.

"I don't even know how it happened," Porzingis told the New York Post. "It's a situation that finally got a little sore from playing I guess. I'm not too worried. Just a little soreness. Keep doing treatments, ice all that stuff. It will go away pretty soon."

Anthony, who is averaging 21.9 points a game, left the Rockets game with a left knee injury. His status against the Magic is uncertain.

The Knicks could also be without starting guard Courtney Lee, who has missed the last three games with a wrist injury.

If the Knicks want to make a run for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs, this is the month to start. New York's first seven opponents in January have a record of at or below .500 and are a combined 31 games under .500.

The Magic dropped a 117-104 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday. Nikola Vucevic led Orlando with 18 points off the bench. Jeff Green and Serge Ibaka each added 17 points.

Ibaka has led the Magic in scoring eight times in the first 35 games of the season. During seven seasons with Oklahoma City, Ibaka led or tied for the team lead in scoring just 10 times.

They could be missing their leading scorer, guard Evan Fournier, who is averaging 17.8 points. Fournier missed his fourth consecutive game on Sunday with a right heel contusion.

Orlando is also struggling defensively. It ranks 17th in the league in defensive rating.

The Pacers shot 50 percent (43 of 86).

"We didn't play a truly tough-minded defensive game," said Orlando coach Frank Vogel, whose team shot 43.3 percent.

"It started on the basketball on the perimeter. We weren't very good. On the press, we weren't containing the basketball."

Vogel said his team has had trouble matching up defensively the past few weeks.

"Until that turns around and we change our fortunes there, we're not going to be very good."

Preview: Wizards (16-16) at Rockets (26-9)

Date: January 02, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- What was a dismal start to the season for the Washington Wizards has yielded to a run of success that seemed inevitable given the talented backcourt tandem of John Wall and Bradley Beal.

And, even without Beal (ankle) on Friday night, the Wizards (16-16) closed the month of December with a 10-5 record via their 118-95 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Washington. The Wizards stretched their home winning streak to eight games, won for the seventh time in nine contests, and reached .500 for the first time this season, continuing their long trek from a miserable 2-8 start.

And while Beal, with averages of 21.8 points and 3.6 assists, is integral to that success, Wall remains the linchpin as the Wizards visit the Rockets (26-9) on Monday night at Toyota Center.

Wall finished with 19 points and 14 assists for his eighth double-double in nine games. The NBA is in full celebration of big point guards and Wall (6-4, 195) was at the forefront of that movement, with his current averages of 23.6 points, 10 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals showcasing his supreme talents.

"It's a great month that we had. We've got to let it translate over to a new year," Wall said. "We've got a good road trip coming up. We're going to Houston, a team that's hot and shoots a lot of 3s. But this is something to end the year that we wanted to, to get 10 wins in a month and getting back to where we thought we could be.

"If we didn't get to the point where we are now we would have been in a lot of trouble. It would have put a lot of pressure on us. It was great for us to have a lot of home games -- we got on a roll. Hopefully we can keep this going into a new year."

The Wizards first game of 2017 is a matchup that will feature another dominant, big point guard in James Harden (6-5, 220).

Widely considered an early co-favorite for MVP honors along with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, Harden produced a historic performance on Saturday, becoming the first player in league history to post 50 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a single game. Harden finished with a career-high 53 points, 16 rebounds and a career-high-tying 17 assists in a 129-122 win over the New York Knicks.

Those mindboggling numbers left players and coaches from both teams scrambling for plaudits. Harden matched Wilt Chamberlain for the highest scoring output in a triple-double, and with averages of 28.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 12 assists is proving to be the best of the new supersized point guards.

"He is a great passer and he knows when to pass it and he has the size to look over guys and they have shooters out there which helps him spread the floor," Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. "He was just great."

Said Rockets forward Ryan Anderson: "It looked very effortless. But it just goes to show how great of a player he is. He's just the best offensive player in my opinion by far in the NBA."

Preview: Hornets (19-15) at Bulls (16-18)

Date: January 02, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

CHICAGO -- The Charlotte Hornets may be entering the new year as a winning team, but coach Steve Clifford isn't convinced his team is playing winning basketball -- at least not on a consistent basis.

On the other side, consistency is something that managed to elude the slumping Chicago Bulls for much of the season.

Entering Monday night's road test against the Bulls, the Hornets are performing well with the exception of being winless in six games against the Eastern Conference's three top teams after dropping a 121-115 loss to defending champion Cleveland on Saturday night.

But what's most concerning to Clifford is the lack of urgency the Hornets (19-15) display against struggling teams like Chicago, which lost two straight and eight of its last 11 games after falling to Milwaukee, 116-96, on Saturday night.

"The players get a little bit more juiced for (the Cleveland) game, but, look, the best teams, the great teams, may get up for a (national) TV game, but it's every game and that's what we need to get to," Clifford told reporters Saturday, according to the Charlotte Observer. "If you're a team that's pretty good and you don't understand that, you're not going to get to be (really) good. It's every game."

Charlotte struggled defensively early against the Cavaliers and allowed 71 first-half points. The Hornets will attempt to rectify that against the Bulls, who they beat 103-91 on Dec. 23.

"We have to be better," Hornets guard Kemba Walker told reporters Saturday night after scoring 37 points against the Cavs.

With every game, the problems continue to mount for the Bulls (16-18). Last week, an ESPN report suggested that coach Fred Hoiberg is on an ever-increasing hot seat due to Chicago's roller coaster play.

In addition to that, starting point guard Rajon Rondo has fallen out of favor with Hoiberg. Rondo was benched twice in the past week and did not play in Saturday's 20-point loss to the Bucks. Hoiberg elected to start Michael-Carter Williams in Rondo's place and used Jerian Grant off the bench.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Rondo met with Bulls general manager Gar Forman Saturday night. Asked if he felt like he had enough status as a veteran to ask to be moved if he continued to see his playing time diminish, Rondo -- according to the Tribune -- replied, "Absolutely."

Rondo told reporters that Hoiberg has told him that he has looked slow over the past five games.

"(Hoiberg) asks me all the time if I'm healthy," Rondo told reporters. "I respond the same, that this is the best I've ever felt this part of the season."

The Bulls struggled down the stretch against the Bucks. Despite 26 points, eight assists and seven rebounds for the game from Jimmy Butler, Chicago was outscored 36-20 in the fourth quarter and the defense allowed Milwaukee to shoot 56.6 percent shooting from the field.

Hoiberg told reporters before Saturday's game that Rondo has been "very professional" about being benched. Rondo said if the trend continued, he would use the time on the bench to advise younger players while doing his best to keep his game and his body in shape despite not playing as much as he would like to.

But when asked if he felt like he was being singled out for the Bulls' struggles this year, Rondo -- who has a history of chemistry issues with teammates before coming to Chicago in the offseason -- was succinct in his response.

"I'm Rajon Rondo," he told reporters. "It is what it is."

Preview: Nuggets (14-19) at Warriors (29-5)

Date: January 02, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors hope to open 2017 the same way they waltzed through the last two calendar years when they host the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

En route to a championship in 2015, a runner-up finish last June and the best record in the NBA at Sunday's flip of the calendar, the Warriors recorded identical 72-12 marks the last two calendar years.

The 144 wins were seven more than any other team had ever registered in consecutive years, topping the previous mark set by the Chicago Bulls in 1996 and '97.

The Warriors rebounded from an opening night loss to the visiting San Antonio Spurs to win 14 of their next 15 home games in November and December while securing the best record in the NBA at 29-5 entering 2017.

One of those 29 wins came at Denver on Nov. 10, a 24-point victory that was one of 11 Golden State has recorded by at least 20 points this season.

The Warriors have beaten the Nuggets five straight times dating back to March 13, 2015.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr found himself cautioning his team -- and fans -- on Friday night that nothing is automatic in the NBA.

"I feel like there is kind of an expectation for us to win from our players and from everybody," he said after an unspectacular 108-99 home win over the Dallas Mavericks. "It can take the life and the joy out of it. I want to make sure that our players are still out there having fun and that our fans are also not taking anything for granted."

The Nuggets (14-19) will take the court Monday having won five of eight to creep into playoff contention in the Western Conference. It's early, but it's a far cry from where the Nuggets were a year ago, when they had lost seven of eight to bury themselves in the West by the time they visited Golden State on Jan. 2.

Denver is coming off one of its most disappointing games of the season in a 124-122 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

Interestingly, Nuggets coach Michael Malone, a former Warriors assistant, walked away from the defeat delivering basically the same message as Kerr did after his win: There are no free passes in the NBA.

"When you win a few games, you start to feel pretty good about yourself and you forget why you've been winning games," he told reporters after the game. "We're not a team that can just show up."

One reason for the Nuggets' improved play of late has been the return of Gary Harris. Since re-entering the starting lineup following an injury, he's scored in double figures in seven of eight games, including 17 apiece in the last two.

Harris' matchup Monday will not be an easy one. He figures to draw Warriors defensive ace Klay Thompson, one of the league's best two-way guards who has scored 20 or more in three straight games.

Thompson outscored Harris 19-11 in the November meeting in Denver.

Preview: Suns (10-24) at Clippers (22-14)

Date: January 02, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

When they take the court on Monday night, the Los Angeles Clippers will welcome in more than just a new calendar year.

They'll also gladly welcome the Phoenix Suns.

Desperate for a soft spot in what's been a rugged schedule, the injury-riddled Clippers catch a break when they begin a stretch where they won't leave the state of California for three weeks against one of the league's losingest teams.

Of course, playing anywhere without Blake Griffin and Chris Paul can be problematical. Griffin has missed the last eight games following knee surgery, Paul five of the last six with a hamstring issue.

The Clippers have lost all five games in which they were without both standouts, and six in a row in all.

Griffin is out at least into February. Paul is doubtful for Monday's game after returning from a three-game absence last week, only to tweak the hamstring and miss the club's last two outings.

Shooting guard J.J. Redick, who also is battling a hamstring problem, insisted after Saturday's blowout loss at Oklahoma City that injuries and a tough schedule that's included eight games in 12 days following when Griffin went down aren't the team's only problems.

"We have to play better collectively. It's not one thing; it's a lot of things," he told reporters. "One thing that we can all just sort of do better is playing a little bit harder, and that's evident by the fast break points. It's been a problem."

Actually, defense as a whole has been a problem. The Clippers have given up 114.6 points per game in their last five losses.

Phoenix is a team that can relate to defensive shortcomings. The Suns had allowed 100 or more points in 15 straight games, dropping to a No. 29 defensive ranking, before holding their last two opponents to double digits.

The Suns have lost five straight on the road. Coincidentally, their last road win came in the same building at which they will be playing Monday night -- the Staples Center, where they beat the Los Angeles Lakers 119-115 on Dec. 9.

If there's been a positive for Phoenix in recent games, it's been the play of their three prized rookies -- Marquese Chriss, Dragan Bender and Tyler Ulis.

Chriss had his best two-game sequence of the season last week, scoring 12 and 13 points in losses at Houston and San Antonio.

Bender recorded his first career double-double (11 points, 13 rebounds) last Monday at Houston, and followed that up with 10 points at San Antonio.

And Ulis has played so well the last two games (16 points on 7-for-13 shooting), he's been phasing veteran Brandon Knight out of the regular rotation.

Suns veteran P.J. Tucker has been impressed of late with Bender, the 19-year-old who had totaled only 59 points in the Suns' first 30 games after having been the No. 4 overall pick in the June draft.

"He's coming out and playing hard," Tucker told reporters after Saturday's loss at Utah. "He listens. As a rookie, that's all you can ask for."

StatFox Super Situations

NBA*|*WASHINGTON*at*HOUSTON
Play Against - Favorites of 10 or more points (HOUSTON) after a home game where both teams score 100 or more points, tired team - playing 8 or more games in 14 days
78-38*since 1997.**(*67.2%*|*36.2 units*)
2-1*this year.**(*66.7%*|*0.9 units*)

NBA*|*CHARLOTTE*at*CHICAGO
Play Against - Any team vs the money line (CHICAGO) off an upset loss to a division rival as a favorite, with a winning percentage of between 40-49% on the season
36-21*over the last 5 seasons.**(*63.2%*|*26.2 units*)
4-3*this year.**(*57.1%*|*-1.3 units*)

NBA*|*DENVER*at*GOLDEN STATE
Play Over - Home teams where the first half total is greater than 105 hot team - having won 8 or more of their last 10 games, well rested team - playing 4 or less games in 10 days
29-8*over the last 5 seasons.**(*78.4%*|*20.2 units*)
1-0*this year.**(*100.0%*|*1.0 units*)

Non-playoff bowl games opening line report: Plenty of movement expected
By PATRICK EVERSON

The two College Football Playoff games are biggies, to be sure, but the four other matchups in the New Year’s Six should also draw plenty of eyeballs and betting interest. We talk with John Lester, senior lines manager, about the opening lines on those four games.

No. 14 Western Michigan Broncos vs. No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers (-7.5)

Wisconsin had the Big Ten title game well within its grasp Saturday, but fell apart after taking a 28-7 second-quarter lead over Penn State. The Badgers (10-3 SU, 9-3-1 ATS) scored only a field goal the rest of the way, losing 38-31 as a 3-point neutral-site fave.

Western Michigan (13-0 SU, 9-4 ATS) joins Alabama as the only unbeaten teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Broncos won the Mid-American Conference title game Saturday, outlasting Ohio 29-23 while falling well short as a 16.5-point neutral-site chalk.

“Most of the weekend bettors will be looking at this spread and scratching their heads,” Lester said. “It will be interesting to see how the Broncos can hold up in the trenches against a powerful front seven. This spread will likely close north of where it opened.”

Rose Bowl

No. 9 Southern California Trojans vs. No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions (+6.5)

Penn State had perhaps the best argument for being included in the four-team CFP, since it won the Big Ten championship game Saturday, but that wasn’t enough for the committee. The Nittany Lions (11-2 SU, 9-3-1 ATS) topped Wisconsin 38-31 catching 3 points on a neutral field, and the reward is a matchup against one of the nation’s hottest teams right now.

Southern Cal (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS) has won eight in a row (7-1 ATS), including a road upset of CFP participant Washington on Nov. 12. The Trojans wrapped up their season with a 45-27 victory over Notre Dame laying 17.5 points at home Nov. 26.

“The Trojans are already a public team, and over the course of the last month or so, the sharps pounded them almost every week,” Lester said.

“USC may have been the hottest team at the book during the second half of the season. I doubt this closes under a touchdown.”

Sugar Bowl

No. 17 Auburn Tigers vs. No. 7 Oklahoma Sooners (-6)

If not for an early-season home loss to Ohio State, Big 12 champion Oklahoma could have found itself in the four-team playoff, instead of on Bourbon Street over New Year’s weekend. The Sooners (10-2 SU, 6-6 ATS) followed that setback with nine consecutive victories (6-3 ATS), including a 38-20 home win over Oklahoma State giving 12 points Saturday in the Bedlam game.

Auburn, with four losses on its ledger, should be thrilled about heading to New Orleans. The Tigers (8-4 SU, 9-3 ATS) finished the regular season with a 30-12 loss at Alabama as a 20.5-point road pup.

“This feels like a good line, and I think we could see some smart money come in on the underdog when it’s all said and done,” Lester said.

“Oklahoma certainly has caught the eye of the public the last few weeks, but Auburn is a quality team that shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Bowl Unders to Watch

Defenses Likely To Rule In Military, Outback Bowls

College football fans love up-tempo offenses and high-scoring games. The days of "three yards and a cloud of dust" in the Big Ten or the best teams in the Big 12 running the wishbone are long gone. Now it's all about spread offenses and scoring at will. For the first time ever, sportsbooks opened a college football total at 90 in the 2016 regular season.

Because fans love scoring, college athletic directors and presidents love it too because they want to keep the stands full and the boosters happy so they will keep giving money. Thus, nearly every new head coaching hire around the country these days is an offensive mind -- like Oregon luring South Florida's Willie Taggert, for example.

But there are two games on the bowl schedule that stand apart from these offensive trends, and they have easily the lowest totals on the board with both at 40.5:

As for the Outback Bowl, Florida (8-4) will play only a two-hour drive or so south of its campus in Gainesville. This season in many ways mirrored 2015 for the Gators.

They won a very weak SEC East Division on the back of their defense, but then their offense was dominated in a blowout loss to Florida State to close the regular season and then against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.

UF totaled 468 yards in those defeats this year. Florida averages just 23.3 points (114th) but allows only 17.9 (10th).

Iowa (8-4) was sitting at 5-4 in early November and potentially looking at sitting out the bowl season a year after playing in the Big Ten Championship Game for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

But the Hawkeyes' defense rose to the occasion in the final three games in allowing just 23 total points in wins over No. 3 Michigan, Illinois and No. 16 Nebraska, the latter two blowout wins.

The Hawkeyes have one of the nation's best defensive backs in All-American Desmond King, the 2015 Thorpe Award winner. Just like Florida, Iowa allows just 17.9 points this season.

So first one to 18 should win the Outback Bowl. The Gators and Hawkeyes last played in the Outback Bowl following the 2005 season. UF won 31-24. Florida is a 2.5-point favorite.

College football bowl betting 'Handicapped by Haiku'
By JASON LOGAN

Well before Twitter limited us to 140 characters, 17th Century Japanese poets where saying more than most with just 17 syllables. The Haiku - with its 5/7/5 format, - keeps it short and sweet, which is what college football bettors are often looking for during the busy holiday season.

With bowls on the board and a long list of Christmas commitments, you don’t always have time to handicap thoroughly. But you’re home and really want some action down. For those, we give you “Handicap by Haiku” for all 40 college football bowl games…

Cotton Bowl

Western Michigan vs. Wisconsin (-7.5, 54)

Unblemished Broncos
No strangers to Big Ten brutes
Fleck finds ways to win

Outback Bowl

Florida vs. Iowa (+2.5, 40.5)

Like watching paint dry
Lowest total on the board
Just bet the Under

Rose Bowl

Southern California vs. Penn State (+6.5, 62)

Trojans are red hot
The Granddaddy of Them All
Don’t over think it

Sugar Bowl

Auburn vs. Oklahoma (-3, 62.5)

Sooners have bowl blues
Cover in three of last ten
Auburn bets move line

Need-to-know betting notes for college football bowl teams
By JOE FORTENBAUGH

Indulge me for a moment as I impart one piece of advice upon you before we dive into this year’s 80 need-to-know betting notes for each of the 80 college football bowl teams: above all else, put an increased emphasis on the motivation factor when handicapping each of these 40 matchups.

Why? Because there’s some easy money to be made during bowl season. Every year we are blessed with at least a handful of matchups that feature one team experiencing unbridled enthusiasm to play in its respective game against an opponent that has virtually no interest whatsoever in trying to win the showdown in question.

Case in point: Alabama’s 45-31 loss to Oklahoma in the 2014 Sugar Bowl. The Crimson Tide couldn’t have cared less about that game after watching an 11-0 season go up in smoke thanks to a 34-28 upset loss at Auburn which prevented the Tide from advancing to the SEC Championship Game.

Let’s go to work. Happy holidays to all!

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic: Monday, January 2 (1 p.m. ET)

Western Michigan Broncos (13-0 SU, 9-4 ATS): This is the biggest bowl game in the history of Western Michigan football, so you don’t have to worry about whether or not head coach P.J. Fleck will have his team ready to play. What you may need to worry about, however, is the size and strength advantage Wisconsin will possess in the trenches. Still, Western Michigan is a perfect 4-0 ATS over its last four games against Big Ten opposition.

Wisconsin Badgers (10-3 SU, 9-3-1 ATS): The Badgers are a ridiculously profitable 11-3-1 ATS over their last 15 games overall and a picture-perfect 5-0 ATS over their last five encounters with MAC opponents. But after watching a six-game winning streak evaporate in the Big Ten Championship game against Penn State after leading 28-7 late in the first half, you can’t help but wonder whether or not the Badgers are properly motivated for this matchup.

Outback Bowl: Monday, January 2 (1 p.m. ET)

Florida Gators (8-4 SU, 4-7-1 ATS): Florida’s final two games of the 2016 season featured a step up in competition that the Gators handled rather poorly courtesy of a 31-13 defeat at Florida State one week before a 54-16 slaughtering at the hands of Alabama. However, despite the fact that Florida is an abysmal 0-7 ATS over its last seven non-conference matchups, the Gators are 5-2 ATS over their last seven bowl games and 6-2 ATS over their last eight neutral site showdowns.

Iowa Hawkeyes (8-4 SU, 6-6 ATS): The Hawkeyes concluded the 2016 campaign with a three-game winning and covering streak that came against Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska, so it’s safe to say that Iowa is feeling the mojo right about now. However, be advised that head coach Kirk Ferentz is on a four-game bowl losing streak, not to mention the fact that Iowa is just 1-4-1 ATS over its last six neutral site matchups.

Rose Bowl: Monday, January 2 (5 p.m. ET)

USC Trojans (9-3 SU, 8-4 ATS): Talk about a couple of teams that caught fire at the right time. As it pertains to the Men of Troy, USC is riding an eight-game winning streak in which the Trojans have defeated the opposition by an average of 19.8 points per contest. Additionally, the Trojans are 6-0 ATS over their last six games overall, but 1-4 ATS over their last five matchups with Big Ten opposition.

Penn State Nittany Lions (11-2 SU, 9-3-1 ATS): A 49-10 loss at Michigan on September 24 was the last time this Penn State program tasted defeat, as the Nittany Lions enter the Rose Bowl on a nine-game winning streak that featured eight point spread covers. But does James Franklin’s squad have both the manpower and firepower to hang with the white-hot Trojans? This should be a good one.

Allstate Sugar Bowl: Monday, January 2 (8:30 p.m. ET)

Auburn Tigers (8-4 SU, 9-3 ATS): This game features one of the bigger line moves of bowl season to date, as Auburn has already been adjusted from +6 to +3. The good news for the Tigers is the fact that quarterback Sean White (shoulder) and defensive backs Joshua Holsey (ankle) and Johnathan Ford (ankle) are listed as probable for the Sugar Bowl. In addition, Auburn is 4-1 ATS over its last four bowl games and 5-0 ATS over its last five non-conference matchups.

Oklahoma Sooners (10-2 SU, 6-6 ATS): In classic Bob Stoops fashion, the Sooners turned a rocky start (1-2) into a tremendous finish (9-0) that featured three consecutive point spread covers to close out the season. However, bettors must take into account the fact that Oklahoma is 0-6 ATS over its last six neutral site games, 0-5 ATS over its last five non-conference games and 3-7 ATS over its last 10 bowl games.