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German Bundesliga TODAY 19:30

Hamburg

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B Leverkusen

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT2		23/10	5/2	23/20	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT HAMBURG	RECENT FORM
AWHWALHWALAL​ Most recent​	0 - 0 1 - 0 2 - 1 0 - 1	HWAWHLADHWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Hamburg have conceded 17 goals in eight home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Bayer Leverkusen matches are rarely dull and another goalfest may await when they visit Hamburg. The hosts, who let a two-goal lead slip to lose 3-2 against Gladbach last week, will see the trip to relegation-threatened Hamburg as a perfect opportunity to make amends and could prevail in an open encounter.

RECOMMENDATION: Leverkusen to win 3-1
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Spanish La Liga TODAY 19:45

Deportivo

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Real Betis

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS5		11/10	12/5	13/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT DEPORTIVO	RECENT FORM
HDADADHDADAL​ Most recent​	3 - 1 2 - 2 2 - 3 1 - 1	ALALHWALHDHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Real Betis have lost seven of their nine La Liga away games

EXPERT VERDICT: Deportivo have put in some encouraging performances over the last few months and look fair value at odds-against to enhance their survival claims at the Riazor with a victory over Real Betis. All four of Depor's wins this season have come on home soil while only strugglers Sporting Gijon and Granada have lost more games on the road than Betis.

RECOMMENDATION: Deportivo
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French Ligue 1 TODAY 19:45

Metz

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Marseille

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
BT3		10/3	13/5	17/20	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT METZ	RECENT FORM
HDAL*ALADHWAL​ Most recent​	0 - 2 1 - 2 1 - 0 0 - 1	AWAD*HLALHWHD*​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Metz are unbeaten in their last five home games

EXPERT VERDICT: Marseille's away form has been average this season with just two road victories and they might struggle to justify a short price when they visit Metz. The Maroons are floating just above the relegation zone but they have not lost at the Stade Saint-Symphorien since October. The draw looks value.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
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Premier League Sa 4Feb 12:30

Chelsea

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Arsenal

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
SS1		19/20	13/5	16/5	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT CHELSEA	RECENT FORM
ALHWAWHWHWAD​ Most recent​	2 - 0 2 - 0 6 - 0 2 - 1	ADAWAWHWAWHL​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Chelsea have won their last ten home games, scoring 32 goals and conceding four

EXPERT VERDICT: Chelsea can gain revenge for their 3-0 defeat at Arsenal by landing a comfortable victory over the Gunners at Stamford Bridge. That defeat saw Antonio Conte switch to a 3-4-3 and since then the Blues have won 15 of their 17 league games, while Arsenal travel across London on the back of a damaging 2-1 home loss to Watford.

RECOMMENDATION: Chelsea
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REFEREE: Martin Atkinson STADIUM:

Premier League Sa 4Feb 15:00

West Brom

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Stoke

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		13/10	9/4	5/2	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WEST BROM	RECENT FORM
AWHWHLALHWAD​ Most recent​	2 - 1 1 - 0 1 - 2 0 - 1	ALHWHLAWHDHD​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: West Brom have blanked in just two of their 15 meetings with teams outside the top six

EXPERT VERDICT: Both West Brom and Stoke are in fine form and should produce an entertaining mid-table clash.The Baggies haven’t lost to an opponent outside the top six since September, while Stoke have scored in their last nine away games, so the decent prices being offered about both sides to score looks a steal.

RECOMMENDATION: Both teams to score
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REFEREE: Kevin Friend STADIUM:

Premier League Sa 4Feb 15:00

Watford

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Burnley

	HOME	DRAW	AWAY
		23/20	23/10	29/10	More markets

RECENT FORM	LAST HEAD-TO-HEADSAT WATFORD	RECENT FORM
ALHWHDADALAW​ Most recent​	1 - 1 3 - 3 3 - 2 1 - 3	ADHWHWALHWHW​ Most recent​

KEY STAT: Burnley have scored in each of their last seven matches

EXPERT VERDICT: Watford were in poor form before their stunning success at Arsenal and they may struggle to repeat those heroics against a dogged visiting side. Burnley are capable enough on home soil and their shocking run on the road could be about to change in what should be a low-scoring encounter.

RECOMMENDATION: Draw
1


REFEREE: Michael Oliver STADIUM:

NHL roundup: Rangers edge Sabres in OT
By The Sports Xchange

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Chris Kreider scored at 3:56 of overtime to lead the New York Rangers to a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.
It was Kreider's 20th goal of the season. Following a give-and-go sequence with left winger J.T. Miller, Kreider's shot from the right circle beat goaltender Robin Lehner.
Mats Zuccarello also scored for the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist made 36 saves.
Cody Franson scored for the Sabres. Lehner stopped 42 shots for Buffalo.

Senators 5, Lightning 2
TAMPA, Fla. -- Mark Stone scored twice and added an assist as Ottawa defeated Tampa Bay at Amalie Arena.
Erik Karlsson had three assists, Kyle Turris and Mike Hoffman each had a goal and assist, and Chris Kelly added a goal for the Senators. Mike Condon finished with 19 saves.
Tyler Johnson and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning. Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 25 saves.

Flyers 3, Canadiens 1
PHILADELPHIA -- Matt Read scored the winning goal 3:32 into the third period and Michal Neuvirth turned away 15 of the 16 shots he faced as Philadelphia topped Montreal.
Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier also scored for the Flyers, who battled back from an early 1-0 deficit to win for the fourth time in five games and erase the memories of Tuesday night's 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh.
Nikita Nesterov scored the only goal for the Canadiens, whose 16 shots were their lowest since they took 17 shots in a 5-4 over Philadelphia on Nov. 5.

Predators 2, Oilers 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Pekka Rinne stopped 31 Edmonton shots for his 42nd career shutout at Bridgestone Arena.
Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson scored the Predators goals.
Cam Talbot finished with 25 saves for the Oilers, who started a three-game trip with the loss.

Jets 4, Stars 3
DALLAS -- Mark Scheifele scored two goals and Ondrej Pavelec made 38 saves for Winnipeg in a win against Dallas at American Airlines Center.
The Jets also got a goal and an assist from Nikolaj Ehlers, a goal from Bryan Little and two assists from Patrik Laine.
The Stars got goals from John Klingberg, who also had an assist, from Jamie Benn, who added two assists, and Patrick Eaves. Kari Lehtonen stopped 25 shots.

Blackhawks 4, Coyotes 3
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The line of Artem Anisimov, Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin broke out of a scoring slump to beat Arizona.
Kane, Ryan Hartman and Marian Hossa scored in the first period, Panarin scored early in the second and Corey Crawford turned aside 24 shots as the Blackhawks snapped a three-game losing streak.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Christian Dvorak and rookie Brendan Perlini scored for the Coyotes, who lost their second straight contest following a season-high three-game winning streak. Mike Smith made 22 saves for Arizona, surpassing Bob Essensa's franchise record of 8,056 saves in the second period. Smith has 8,064.

Blues 5, Maple Leafs 1
ST. LOUIS -- Paul Stastny and Vladimir Tarasenko scored 35 seconds apart in the second period to lead St. Louis over Toronto in Mike Yeo's debut as the Blues head coach.
Jake Allen stopped 25 of 26 shots to get his first win in goal since Jan. 2, while Stastny had another goal and Alexander Steen and Colton Parayko also scored for the Blues.
Mitchell Marner scored for the Maple Leafs.

Sharks 4, Canucks 1
VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- Patrick Marleau scored his 500th NHL goal on a first-period power play as San Jose defeated Vancouver.
Chris Tierney scored twice for the Sharks and Brent Burns had a goal and an assist. Philip Larsen scored for the Canucks.
Ryan Miller made 28 saves for Vancouver and Martin Jones, making his 44th start, stopped 32 shots for San Jose.

Preview: Blue Jackets (33-12) at Penguins (31-13)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

PITTSBURGH -- Sidelined since Jan. 16 due to a foot injury, Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen could rejoin the lineup when his team plays host to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday at PPG Paints Arena.

Normally the team's fourth-line center, Cullen's potential return could see him manning the left wing on the first line.

With left winger Conor Sheary sidelined four to six weeks due to an undisclosed injury, Cullen skated alongside center Sidney Crosby and Patric Hornqvist in practice Thursday.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan stopped short of guaranteeing Cullen would play Friday, but offered some assurance Cullen would be up to the task of skating with a superstar like Crosby.

"If we play him there, he's a guy that has hockey sense," Sullivan said. "He's very sound defensively. He can take faceoffs. He can take some of the load off Sid down low in our end zone. He's got real good hockey sense and puck skills on the offensive side of the game."

"For me, it's about getting in and just try to get on pucks and just try to help out offensively," said Cullen. "I think there are (challenges) but I think there's more positives. I think the challenges are just trying to play at that level. He plays at a level that no one else plays at. A guy like that elevates your game. To me, it's fun to play with guys like that."

Cullen, 40, has lasted 18 seasons in the NHL thanks in part to his versatility. A move to left wing doesn't appear to pose a challenge.

"I haven't played a lot there this year but it's not a major adjustment," Cullen said. "I feel real comfortable over there. I've played a lot of wing over the last few years."

If he does play, Cullen will face a Blue Jackets team which has a three-point lead over the Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division. In the first game following the All-Star break Tuesday, the Blue Jackets claimed 6-4 road win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Despite the victory, the Blue Jackets were not happy with their defensive game.

"We're gravitating (toward the puck), and it's almost like we're playing man-to-man on defense, and we don't play man-to-man," coach John Tortorella said to the Columbus Dispatch. "There's no communication, so a lot of people get (stuck) in between. Four or five times (against the Rangers), it's a two-on-zero in front of our net. There's a number of times they had guys just wide open."

With the Penguins leading the NHL with a goals-per-game average of 3.55, the Blue Jackets realize they need to be better in front of their net.

"Everybody got so wound up (Tuesday)," center Brandon Dubinsky said. "Just relax and focus on doing the little things, doing your job, making simple plays. We have to get back to being stiffer, being harder. If we lose it, we have to get it back in a few minutes. But we can't just completely fold the tent for a period or 25 minutes, and that's been the situation for is in the last 10 games or so."

According to the Columbus Dispatch, Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara, sidelined for seven games due to an undisclosed ailment, traveled with the team to Pittsburgh but is expected to remain sidelined.

Preview: Oilers (28-17) at Hurricanes (22-20)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid isn't the only young emerging star gathering attention these days.

Carolina Hurricanes right winger Sebastian Aho is receiving a large dose of praise as well.

Their teams meet Friday night at PNC Arena.

McDavid has been on the radar from the get-go as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, while Aho has been putting together a nice rookie season after he was selected 35th in 2015. Aho's talent was magnified in Carolina's most recent game when he registered his first hat trick Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

"He's settling in in North America, settling in the NHL," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. "He has gained confidence by playing well, playing hard. The thing nobody talks about with (Aho) is how competitive he is. He's a competitive guy."

Aho, 19, has excelled at times on a line with Jordan Staal and Elias Lindholm.

"I try to play a simpler game, go to the net, shoot the puck," Aho said. "I've got some confidence. ... It's pretty easy to go to the net."

Peters said it will take the entire team's attention in order to keep tabs on McDavid, a 20-year-old in his second NHL season. McDavid has 59 points in 53 games this season.

"He sees the game at a high, high level," Peters said. "He's physically hard to contain. He's going to have the puck a lot. He's a factor in each and every game that you see him. A dangerous, dangerous hockey team."

The Friday night game is the Oilers' third contest in a stretch of four games in six nights. The sequence precedes a five-day break.

"It feels busy," Edmonton coach Todd McLellan said, pointing out he would like the Oilers to build on their playoff position. "You have to win some games to do that."

The Oilers were involved in what was expected to be an emotional game Thursday night at Nashville because the teams had a feisty previous encounter. The 2-0 loss dropped Edmonton to 0-2 since the All-Star break.

Whether the energy can be restored quickly will be vital for the Oilers.

"I don't think you can count on it being that way every night just based on the schedule," McLellan said.

The Oilers are 7-3-1 in their past 11 games, yet there could be some line shuffling.

"We have to look at the lineup and see how individuals or groups may be getting stale," McLellan said.

Oilers left winger Patrick Maroon said the team is trending in the right direction in general. Yet these next couple of games are crucial before another layoff.

"We all know we have the offense, but we have to focus on defense," Maroon said despite the shutout Thursday night. "We have to get points in every single game. These are huge points for us."

Peters said he liked how the Hurricanes came out in the 5-1 romp past Philadelphia.

"The guys used the break wisely, obviously," he said. "We learned that we're a good team when everyone is dialed in and plays at a high level."

Preview: Flames (26-24) at Devils (21-21)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

The Calgary Flames and New Jersey Devils, who meet Friday night at the Prudential Center, need to buck recent trends in order to remain in the playoff hunt during this crucial month of February.

Beginning with the contest in New Jersey, the Flames (26-24-3) play eight of their next 10 games on the road. While the Flames have a respectable 12-11-3 road record, they have only one win (1-4-1) in their last six as the visiting team.

"Some of the games we've lost recently on the road, we were playing well," Flames coach Glen Gulutzan said to reporters earlier in the week. "We just couldn't get the first goal. We've never had trouble this year playing with the lead. We have trouble when we get down; and, for me, that's something where we have to make a conscious effort, both mentally and physically during games, to handle those situations."

The Devils (21-21-9), meanwhile, need to figure out how to win games on home ice. They are mired in a six-game skid (0-5-1) at the Prudential Center and last won at home Jan. 2 and are 1-7-1 their last nine in New Jersey.

That creates a make or break scenario for the Devils because including Friday's game with the Flames, they play nine of their next 11 games at home before the schedule becomes a bit more road heavy in March.

"Right now we are not playing well enough at home to win, and we know that's something we need to be better at because we have quite a few home games coming up here," Devils coach John Hynes said. "I don't think there's a rhyme or reason to it, but it's something we are cognizant of as a group. We have to find a way to have more success at home."

Ironically, the Devils did not lose their first game in regulation at the Prudential Center until Dec. 9. Along the way, they established a franchise record by going 10 straight games to open the season without losing a game in regulation at home (8-0-2).

"We proved we can win here, and on the road," Devils goaltender Cory Schneider said. "We have to be consistent in every game, both home and road. They all matter right now. We can't take a night off or have an off night no matter where we are."

The Devils came out of the All-Star break Tuesday with a 4-3 victory over the Red Wings in Detroit. Schneider made 27 saves, Kyle Palmieri scored twice, including the first short-handed goal of his career, and Adam Henrique also scored a shortie.

Rookie Stefan Noesen also scored his second goal in as many games for the Devils after being claimed off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks.

"It's definitely our time to step up and start stringing together some wins," Palmieri told reporters after Tuesday's victory.

Like the Devils, the Flames won their first game following the break, skating to a convincing 5-1 home-ice victory over the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. In doing so, Calgary snapped Minnesota's 14-game road points streak.

Sean Monahan paced the Flames with a pair of goals and leads the club with 18 this season. Brian Elliott backstopped the victory, Calgary's second straight after a four-game skid, with 28 saves while rugged Deryk Engelland scored a goal and added an assist.

"We've got a big three-game road trip here before our next break and we have to be ready to go because they are three good teams (the Devils, Rangers and Penguins) that are looking for points, too, because they're also in the race," Engelland told reporters.

This is the second and final meeting this season. The Devils edged the Flames 2-1 on Jan. 13. behind a goal and an assist from Palmieri.

Preview: Islanders (22-17) at Red Wings (20-21)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

The Detroit Red Wings recognize that the time to get started is long overdue, so their first order of business must be to start on time.

Slow starts to games have proven problematic for the Red Wings all season long, such as Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils in which Detroit fall behind 2-0 by the 6:21 mark of the first period.

Detroit looks to rectify that problem Friday as it hosts the New York Islanders at Joe Louis Arena.

"Everyone has to be prepared. I think we've had good starts this year but we haven't been consistent," Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader said. "We've put ourselves behind one or two goals and that's tough in this league.

"You've really got to fight for that first goal, fight for the momentum, especially at home."

Detroit has surrendered the first goal in 30 of 50 games and is 11-15-4 in those games. The Red Wings also are 6-12-2 when trailing after one period.

"Does it anger me as a coach?" Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "Yeah, and then we've got to make sure we do something about it. I'm responsible for having these guys ready and I'll take responsibility for that.

"We've got to make sure we're way better here at the start of games the rest of the way."

The Red Wings (20-21-9) are 0-2-3 in their last five games, matching the season-long winless skid and sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a .490 winning percentage.

Along with the slow starts, it would help if the team could sort out its bumbling power play, last in the NHL at 11.4 percent. Detroit is in a 2-for-23 skid with the man advantage and surrendered two shorthanded goals in the loss to the Devils.

Blashill shook up his power-play unit at practice Thursday, dropping forwards Gus Nyquist and Anthony Mantha. Both Nyquist (five games) and Mantha (10 games) are enduring goalless droughts.

"I just have to work hard and it's up to Coach," Nyquist said. "He puts the guys that he wants on the ice. I just have to work hard and be ready when I get called again."

While the Red Wings flounder, the Islanders (22-17-9) are on a roll with five wins in their last six games under new coach Doug Weight, including victories over three of NHL's top teams -- the Columbus Blue Jackets, Montreal Canadiens and Washington Capitals -- in their last three games.

"We're playing poised and confident and we're getting results," Islanders forward Brock Nelson told Newsday.

This run of success has moved the Isles to within striking distance of the Philadelphia Flyers for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

"We're in the conversation now," Weight said. "Still a long way to go. We're doing our battling late in games, getting the saves, getting some smart play from all four lines."

Islanders captain John Tavares will be sorry to see January go. He produced eight goals and 14 points in 12 games last month. In 96 career January games, Tavares has 46 goals and 106 points, making it the most productive month of his NHL career.

Preview: Ducks (28-15) at Panthers (22-19)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

SUNRISE, Fla. -- The Anaheim Ducks, who are in second place in the Pacific Division and coming off a 5-1 win over the visiting Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night, are set to open a highly difficult six-game road trip.

The adventure begins Friday night when the Ducks (28-15-9) visit the Florida Panthers (22-19-10) at the BB&T Center.

Anaheim will then play, in order, at the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Washington Capitals and Minnesota Wild.

"Where we are in the standings, we're obviously doing some things right," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf told the Los Angeles Daily News. "But we just don't feel we are doing them consistently enough to take the next step to be that great team.

"That's our goal, and we're getting ready."

Getzlaf estimates that his Ducks have put all components of their game together for "just a handful" of games this season.

Randy Carlyle, coaching his first year as part of his second stint with the Ducks, is heavily reliant on Anaheim's top three scorers -- Ryan Kesler (40 points), Getzlaf (38 points) and Corey Perry (36).

But the Ducks are also getting some decent secondary scoring from Jakob Silfverberg (32 points), Rickard Rakell (team-high 21 goals to go with 30 points) and Andrew Cogliano (22 points).

Defenseman Cam Fowler, a 2010 first-round pick, is having a career season in his seventh year in Anaheim. With 30 regular-season games remaining, he already has a career-high 11 goals.

Still, this is not a deep team, and its core players -- Kesler, Getzlaf and Perry -- are all over 30 years old. Their hockey clocks are ticking.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have a younger nucleus of standouts that includes Aaron Ekblad, 20; Jared McCann, 20; Denis Malgin, 20; Aleksander Barkov, 21; Michael Matheson, 22; Jonathan Huberdeau, 23; Vincent Trocheck, 23; Alex Petrovic, 24; Nick Bjugstad, 24; Reilly Smith, 25; and Jonathan Marchessault, 26.

Ekblad, Matheson and Petrovic figure to be cornerstones on defense. The rest of the aforementioned young guys are building-block forwards.

Petrovic, who missed two months of game action earlier this season due to injury, is back and gives the Panthers their most physical defenseman.

"He kind of goes under the radar," Panthers interim coach Tom Rowe told The Miami Herald. "When he went down we knew, internally, how much we were going to miss him. Now the league sees that as well.

"He's kind of like Trocheck in that he gets better every year."

Trocheck, the team's only All-Star in an injury-plagued season for players such as Huberdeau, Barkov and Bjugstad, leads the Panthers in goals (18) and points (34).

Marchessault, who has been surprisingly effective after failing to get much done in his previous stint with Tampa Bay, is second on the team in goals (15) and points (32).

Trocheck and Marchessault are characterized by their youth and speed, but the Panthers do have some veterans at key spots.

Jaromir Jagr, the team's 44-year-old right winger, has nine goals and is third on the team with 29 points. Defenseman Keith Yandle, 30, leads the team in assists (22) and quarterbacks the power-play unit. And Goalie Roberto Luongo, 37, is doing a solid job (14-13-6, 2.53 goals-against average).

Panthers backup goalie James Reimer, 28, has similar numbers -- 8-6-4 with a 2.58 GAA. Reimer was supposed to start Tuesday in Florida's wild 6-5 win over the Ottawa Senators.

But when Reimer and his wife welcomed their daughter into the world at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, he was given the night off. Perhaps Reimer will get his next start against the Ducks.

The Ducks will likely counter with 23-year-old John Gibson (20-11-8, 2.28), who is one win away from tying his single-season high for victories, which he set last season.

NHL

Friday’s games

Blue Jackets won six of last nine games with Pittsburgh, splitting last four games played here. Over is 6-4 in last ten series games. Columbus is 3-4 in its last seven road games, 5-5 in last 10 overall; their last four games went over total. Penguins won five of last seven games, three of last four at home. Six of last eight Pittsburgh games went over the total.

Home side won last five Edmonton-Carolina games; Oilers lost their last two visits to Raleigh, 7-4/4-1. Edmonton won seven of its last nine games, winning last three road games by combined score of 15-4. Under is 5-3 in their last eight games. Hurricanes lost five of last six games, but won five of last seven at home. Over is 7-3 in their last ten games.

Flames won six of last eight games with New Jersey but lost last two; teams split last four games played here. Under is 4-2-1 in last seven series games. Calgary won its last two games, but lost three of last four on road. Over is 5-2 in their last seven games. Devils were outscored 14-4 in losing last four home games; they’re 2-3 in last five games overall. Three of their last four home games stayed under.

Islanders lost three of last four games with Detroit, losing 5-1/4-1 in last two visits to Motor City. Four of last five series games went over. New York won three in row, six of last seven games; this is their first road game in 18 days. Under is 5-2 in their last seven games. Detroit lost its last five games, with three of those in OT; they scored three goals in losing last three home games. Over is 6-4 in their last ten games.

Ducks won six of last nine games with Florida; Anaheim won three of last five games played in this building. Over is 3-1-1 in last five series games. Ducks won seven of last ten games, three of last four on road. Under is 7-2-1 in their last ten games. Florida won its last three home games; they’re 3-5 in last eight games overall. Over is 5-2-1 in their last eight games.

NBA roundup: Wall leads Wizards to 16th straight home win
By The Sports Xchange

WASHINGTON -- John Wall scored 16 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter and recorded 11 assists as the Washington Wizards ran their home winning streak to 16 games with a 116-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Bradley Beal had 23 points and five 3-pointers for the Wizards (29-20), whose last home loss was Dec. 6 to Orlando.
Washington is an Eastern Conference-best 23-9 since Dec. 1, including 13 wins in its last 15 games and six straight.
Jordan Clarkson scored 20 points and Luol Deng had 17 for the Lakers, who lost four of five and 11 of 16.

Warriors 133, Clippers 120
LOS ANGELES -- Stephen Curry scored 29 points and handed out 11 assists, and Kevin Durant almost recorded a triple-double as Golden State defeated the Los Angeles Clippers for the ninth straight time.
Durant collected 26 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Warriors, who won their fifth in a row and 12th in the past 13 games. Klay Thompson had 21 points as one of seven players to reach double figures for Golden State.
Blake Griffin had 31 points and eight rebounds for the Clippers, who dropped five of their last seven contests. Jamal Crawford added 21 points for Los Angeles.

Hawks 113, Rockets 108
HOUSTON -- Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 23 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, including 15 in a row to carry Atlanta to a comeback victory over Houston.
Hardaway shot 12 for 18 as the Hawks overcame a 97-77 deficit in the final 8:28. Dwight Howard added 24 points and 23 rebounds in his return to Houston.
James Harden scored 18 of his game-high 41 points in the third quarter for Houston.

Spurs 102, 76ers 86
SAN ANTONIO -- Kawhi Leonard led seven players in double figures with 19 points to lead San Antonio past Philadelphia.
Leonard led the Spurs in scoring for the 35th time this season as coach Gregg Popovich recorded his 1,127th win with the team. He tied former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan for the most wins with a single team in NBA history.
Ersan Ilyasova led the 76ers with 25 points. Philadelphia played without rookie Joel Embiid (knee).

Preview: Raptors (30-20) at Magic (19-32)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:00 PM EDT

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Before the season, the Orlando Magic had high hopes.

The team transformed its roster, sending out several growing young players for veteran free agents all with the idea of making a push to make the playoffs after a four-year absence. The Magic believed they had enough.

For the most part, the players still say they have "enough in the room" to make a playoff push. The reality is the team is not where it wants to be.

A Orlando's loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, Magic coach Frank Vogel joked he thought the team would be as far above the .500 mark as they are currently below the .500 mark.

At 19-32 ahead of a Friday game against the visiting Toronto Raptors, the season is slipping away. The Magic sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and are 4 1/2 game behind the final playoff position.

That is not an impossible margin to make up, but it is exceedingly difficult. And it's made more difficult by the team's inability to string wins together. Orlando has been unable to build any kind of positive momentum, failing to win back-to-back games since late December.

"We need to win one game and go from there," Vogel said. "That's it. You can't talk about streaks when you are winning one out of every four games or whatever we have been doing since January 1. Momentum starts with one win, that's our only focus."

The Magic got their last win Sunday at Toronto. Orlando played well in the follow up to that game but lost a late lead and fell in overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday. They then struggled to complete a comeback in a loss Wednesday to the Pacers.

Orlando isn't the only team battling inconsistency.

The Raptors still sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, but they are struggling, having lost six of their past eight games. That has coincided with an ankle injury to All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan, who has missed five of the past six games, playing only in the Sunday game against Orlando.

The Raptors have suddenly found it difficult to score. Ranked second in the league in offensive rating entering Thursday's games at 111.6 points per 100 possessions, Toronto is posting just 102.9 points per 100 possessions during the losing stretch. DeRozan's absence and ankle injury have sapped some of the team's offensive firepower.

DeRozan's status for Friday was uncertain.

There is not a huge concern in Toronto about the Raptors' ability to bounce back eventually. However, the rest of the season may prove to be a fight to the finish.

"I thought our guys battled, I loved the fight, the scrap," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said following a 109-104 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. "We have to continue that, get everybody healthy, (get) guys off the minutes restrictions, and then we'll go to war."

The Raptors are trying to rebuild their own momentum for that playoff push. Something must give when they face the Magic on Friday.

Preview: Timberwolves (19-30) at Pistons (22-27)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

Karl-Anthony Towns hasn't beaten Detroit in his young career, in large part because Pistons center Andre Drummond has won the matchup of the talented young big men.

The Pistons have defeated Minnesota in their last three meetings with Drummond averaging 22 points and 17 rebounds. Towns has posted averages of 18 points and 9.3 rebounds in those games.

The Timberwolves will need more from their second-year center to defeat the host Pistons in their second matchup of the season on Friday night. Detroit manhandled them at Target Center, 117-90, in December as Drummond piled up 22 points and 22 rebounds in 28 minutes.

Towns, by contrast, finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds while committing five turnovers.

Minnesota also needs a quick recovery from its last performance. The Timberwolves (19-30) were clobbered by Cleveland on the road, 125-97, on Wednesday. Minnesota had won five of its previous six games.

The Cavaliers outscored the Timberwolves 62-37 in the second half.

"I thought the first half we played well enough where we'd have a chance to win," coach Tom Thibodeau told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. "But I also knew in the third quarter they'd come out and bring it. And then we didn't respond."

Towns was surprised by the lopsided final outcome after his team kept it close in the first half.

"It never felt that big to me," Towns said to the Star-Tribune of the deficit. "Sometimes, you get lost in the game and don't realize the score's not your way."

The score didn't go the Pistons' way for three straight games prior to their 118-98 home victory over New Orleans on Wednesday.

Shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 38 points, seven more than his previous best during his four-year career.

Caldwell-Pope isn't sure what he can do for an encore. He scored a combined 37 points during the three-game losing streak that Detroit (22-27) snapped.

"I'm going to try to be consistent every night," he said. "If it's not my night (offensively), I'll try to get it on the defensive end and still help my teammates get a win."

Caldwell-Pope and a quartet of reserves swung the momentum after the Pelicans gained an eight-point lead in the third quarter.

"That first group was just walking around," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We had to try something else."

Drummond's numbers -- 17 points and six rebounds -- were nothing special. He's averaging 14.6 points and 13.6 rebounds, down from the 16.2 points and league-high 14.8 rebounds he averaged last season, when he made the All-Star team.

Minnesota relies more heavily on Towns on the offensive end. He's averaging 23 points and 11.9 rebounds, and those numbers have spiked upward since the New Year. Towns posted averages of 25.4 points and 12.9 rebounds in January and notched 26 points and 12 rebounds in the loss to the Cavaliers.

Those players practically swap those averages when they face each other.

"I give my all every night," Drummond said after the last meeting between the clubs. "When the ball's falling the right way like that, my energy kept going up more and more as the game went on because everything was kind of going the right way that night."

Preview: Pacers (26-22) at Nets (9-40)

Date: February 03, 2017 7:30 PM EDT

NEW YORK -- The Indiana Pacers finally are playing how many predicted they would.

Projected to be in the group of teams directly below the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers struggled to receive consistently good performances through the first two months.

The results are better for the Pacers recently and they can match a season high with a fifth straight victory Friday night when they visit the Brooklyn Nets.

"We're a veteran team playing well right now," Paul George said. "We're moving in the right direction and ready to take the next step. The next step is learning how to bury teams (like this) and put them away."

Through Dec. 28, the Pacers were 15-18 and on a four-game losing streak. Starting with a 111-101 win over Chicago on Dec. 30, Indiana is 11-4 in its last 15 games.

The win over Chicago began the Pacers' first-five winning streak, which included a 121-109 win over the Nets on Jan. 7. Then the Pacers dropped four of their next six games before starting their current four-game run.

The streak continued with a 98-88 win at Orlando Wednesday. The significance of the win was it marked the first time the Pacers won consecutive road games this season and it occurred on a night when George was held to a season-low eight points on 3-of-14 shooting.

Despite the unproductive night, George is averaging 23.9 points and shooting 46.5 percent in his last 15 games. Before his quietest night of the year, George scored 129 points in his previous four games.

"It's great for my teammates to have my back like that," George said. "They took the load off my shoulders and sealed the deal. That's going to help everyone's confidence."

Among those having George's back were C.J. Miles, Glenn Robinson III, Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young. Miles scored 16 points and made four 3-pointers, Robinson added 14 without missing a field goal, Teague contributed 13 and nine assists and Young chipped in 12.

"Ninety-nine percent of the time, Paul is going to play really well. He always does," Miles said. "But in one of the few games he doesn't, we can step up and fill the void. This should help our confidence."

The Pacers have found their footing by playing 12 games against teams with losing records and face the team that is comfortably settled into the league's worst record.

Brooklyn is the only team with single-digit wins and 40 losses. The Nets are six games ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the race for the league's worst record.

The Nets stopped an 11-game losing streak by scoring 143 points in New Orleans two weeks ago. Since then, they are on a seven-game losing streak.

It is Brooklyn's third skid of at least seven games this season and it one where the offense is faltering recently. The Nets play at the league's highest pace but negate those things by ranking in the bottom of the league in field goal percentage, 3-point percentage and turnovers.

The Nets are averaging 101.1 points and shooting 44.1 percent from the field in their latest skid. Brooklyn also is shooting 32.5 percent from 3-point range and averaging 15.4 turnovers in this skid.

The latest loss was an ugly 95-90 defeat to the New York Knicks Wednesday night. It was Brooklyn's 10th straight home loss and the eighth defeat when the Nets held a double-digit lead at some point.

The Nets led for the first 42-plus minutes and held a team under 100 points for the first time since Dec. 14. It was not enough because the Nets were outscored 31-21, committed five turnovers and shot 29 percent in the fourth quarter.

"They picked up their intensity picked up their heat, picked up their heat on the ball," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We turned it over, we didn't get the type of shots we wanted and then I thought they started getting second and third shots. It's tough to give any team in the NBA multiple shots at the rim."

After going 1-15 in January, the Nets used their 21st starting lineup. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson started for Trevor Booker and led the Nets with 16 points while Bojan Bogdanovic added 15 but Brook Lopez was held to 10.

"Sometimes, we get caught up in the heat of the moment and things go south," Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson said. "We try to make the difficult pass. But if we control that better and stay within our game, we'll do better."

One of Brooklyn's wins occurred Oct. 28 in their home opener against the Pacers. Lopez scored 25 points in a 103-94 win while George was 8-of-22.

George did not play in Indiana's 116-97 home win on Nov. 25 and scored 26 in the Pacers' 121-109 victory on Jan. 5.

Preview: Grizzlies (30-21) at Thunder (28-22)

Date: February 03, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Russell Westbrook was at a loss for words. It is not uncommon for someone who believes in brevity during most media exchanges.

But when Westbrook was asked what the temperature of the Oklahoma City Thunder locker room is after 28-point loss to the Chicago Bulls Wednesday, the all-star point guard had to search for the right words.

Westbrook and the Thunder hope to be talking about a win Friday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies.

"I'm not sure. I'm not sure" Westbrook said after Oklahoma City allowed 128 points in its third straight loss. "We've just got to know how important games are, especially being a young team we've got to embrace games like this, especially once you beat a team earlier in the season they're going to come back and be ready to play. And tonight, they outplayed us.

The Thunder have had to deal with defeats before. That is not uncommon during this injury plagued season that has seen key players such as Steven Adams, Victor Oladipo and now Enes Kanter sidelined for multiple games.

Being massively outplayed was not normal vocabulary coming from the Thunder but coach Billy Donavan wants his team to remember it and figure out how to improve.

"I hope our guys don't do that," Donovan said. "I think that would be the worst thing in the world to do. I have never been a big believer in that. I think you got to take what happened (Wednesday) and really reflect on why and what we can do to get better all of us: coaches and players. We all have a hand in it and need to figure out ways. In my opinion, it would be a mistake to say, 'hey, it's one of those nights.' It's back to back. It's tough. You know, just move on. To me, you are not doing anything to prevent something like that from happening."

Westbrook went without a triple-double for the second straight night as he compiled 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds. He had little help from the other starters, who combined for 27 points.

Memphis (30-21) is on a three-game winning streak following a pair of double-digit victories. After Mike Conley scored a career-high 38 points and the Grizzlies hit 16 3-pointers Monday in Phoenix, the follow up was equally as effected.

In Wednesday's 119-99 win at Denver, Memphis sank 14 3-pointers while Marc Gasol scored 24 points and Conley added 18.

"Offensively, we're playing good. We're moving the ball," Gasol said. "We're finding the open guy and taking good shots but defensively we need to tighten it up a little bit and be more disciplined."

"It feels like we've finally got a good little stride going," Conley added ESPN.com. "I definitely think this is one of the best stretches we've played."

Memphis is averaging 112 points and shooting 48.8 percent from long range in its last three games. The winning streak is part of a stretch that has seen the Grizzlies win eight of their last 13 games.

All 13 active players saw time Wednesday and figuring out the rotation is a task for new coach David Fizdale. He said he is close to a set rotation, but it seems it could change based on how games are unfolding.

"You've got to figure out what works. Obviously, I'm getting closer to a main rotation," Fizdale told The Memphis Commercial Appeal. But all of these guys understand I'll play any one of them. I've got a lot of confidence in all of them. I'll throw anyone of them in the game and trust that they'll get the job done. It's a good problem to have."

Westbrook recorded a triple-double in Oklahoma City's 103-95 home win over Memphis on Jan. 11. He was ejected in the third quarter of a 114-80 loss at Memphis on Dec. 29.

Preview: Bulls (25-25) at Rockets (36-17)

Date: February 03, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

HOUSTON -- With three losses in their past five home games and veterans lobbing subtle jabs at teammates through traditional media and on social media, perhaps the Chicago Bulls needed the escape that lengthy road trips sometimes provide.

The Bulls opened a six-game road trip in top form on Wednesday night, pounding the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-100, and they move on to a Friday matchup with the Rockets in Houston.

Jimmy Butler (28 points, four rebounds, five assists, three steals) and Dwyane Wade (18 points, seven boards, seven assists) sparked Chicago's rout of Oklahoma City. The Bulls, 23rd in the NBA with an average of 102.1 points per game, scored 73 second-half points and shot 15 of 20 in the third quarter. Wade hit 6 of 7 shots in the period.

Chicago (25-25) posted 25 assists against just nine turnovers and shot 60.5 percent overall. Given the Bulls' offensive issues and struggles to maintain any sense of positive momentum, the team looked the part of an Eastern Conference contender. While they have hovered within two games of .500 since Dec. 13, the Bulls began this trek with a performance that could inspire a measure of hope.

"I thought we had great recognition," Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said. "I really like the way we are sharing the ball right now.

"Biggest thing I wanted to see was us coming out with a great effort, and we did that."

The Rockets, meanwhile, enter the Friday matchup coming off an epic collapse.

Houston (36-17) blew a 20-point, fourth-quarter lead on Thursday night in a 113-108 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

Despite the huge cushion, the Rockets scuffled throughout. They were outrebounded by the Hawks 56-38 and shot just 37.6 percent while Atlanta hit 51.8 percent from the floor. After ranking 28th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage in January, Houston made only 13 of 51 (26.7 percent) from behind the arc in their February opener.

"It's the best part of the NBA: There's not a whole lot of time for people to talk about this game," Rockets forward Ryan Anderson said after shooting 4 of 12 and scoring 11 points against Atlanta. "We need to move on and move to the next game. Give it a night and wake up (Friday) refreshed and confident again."

Confidence might be fading for the Rockets, who are in a 5-8 slump following a nine-game winning streak. Beyond their collective collapse from deep, the Rockets haven't reclaimed their stride since their lineup became jumbled when center Clint Capela missed 15 games with a left leg fracture. Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza in particular haven't maintained their early-season shooting strokes.

Rockets guard James Harden finished with 41 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and four steals in the loss to Atlanta. However, what drove Houston to a 31-9 start was the performance of the teammates around him. With that dwindling support, the Rockets appear as vulnerable as they've been at any point this season.

"Mentally we just didn't do a good job, and you know this will leave a mark because this is one of those that are hard to swallow," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. "But at the same time, it is one game, and it is what it is and we got a game (Friday). We've got to find our composure and play (Friday)."

Preview: Lakers (17-35) at Celtics (31-18)

Date: February 03, 2017 8:00 PM EDT

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics will try to send their coach to the NBA All-Star Game with a home win on Friday night over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Celtics' 109-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night featuring Isaiah Thomas' latest fourth-quarter dynamics gave Boston a 1 1/2-game lead over Toronto atop the Atlantic Division.

The win also gave Celtics coach Brad Stevens the lead for the spot in New Orleans.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but Tyronne Lue can't coach the All-Stars because he did it last year.

So the leader between Boston and Toronto after Sunday's games sends its coach to guide the All-Stars.

"That would be amazing," Thomas said when asked about Stevens. "To come from where (the Celtics were) when he first got here, to a few years later to coaching in the All-Star game, like, I don't think anybody thought it would happen that fast.

"Hopefully, we can get it. I mean, we have to take care of these next few games. And hopefully we can get our coaching staff in it."

If Thomas has anything to do with it, he and the coaches will all be going. Thomas, named the NBA player of the month in January, has 85 points in the last two games -- 43 of those in the two fourth quarters as the Celtics ran off their fourth and fifth straight wins to go to 31-18.

Now trailing the Cavs by just 2 1/2 games for the conference top spot, the Celtics play the third game of a four-game homestand against the struggling Los Angeles Lakers.

LA dropped its 11th straight road game in a loss at Washington that opened a five-game trip on Thursday night.

The Lakers cast an eye toward their future by bringing back a major piece of their past Thursday, with Magic Johnson joining the front office as an assistant to owner Jeanie Buss.

"Everyone knows my love for the Lakers," Johnson said. "Over the years, I have considered other management opportunities, however my devotion to the game and Los Angeles make the Lakers my first and only choice.

"I will do everything in my power to help return the Lakers to their rightful place among the elite teams of the NBA."

By the way, the latest win allowed the Celtics to tie the Lakers for most career NBA victories with 3,252 (Boston has played two more seasons).

Thomas notched his 33rd straight 20-point game as he continues to close in on John Havlicek's franchise record of 40 (November 1971-January 1972). He has had only one game all season below 20, and he had 18 in that one.

In the last 12 home games, Thomas has 440 points in 433 minutes -- and he has raised his season scoring average to 29.7 points per game.

On Thursday, he was rewarded for his January, when he averaged 32.9 points and 6.9 assists per game, shooting 49.7 percent from the floor, 43.2 percent from 3-point range and 94.1 percent from the foul line. He is the first Celtic player of the month since Paul Pierce in 2012.

Thomas will also take part in the skills competition during All-Star weekend in New Orleans.

Thomas' starting backcourt mate, Avery Bradley, missed his eighth straight game with a sore Achilles on Wednesday night but also advanced to day-to-day status, which left him possible for Friday. He has actually played in only one of the last 13 games because of the injury.

The Lakers (17-35) have lost four of their last five and also fell to 5-22 on the road.

"It's tough when you fly across country like that and you kind of expect some early sloppiness and then you expect the guys to clean it up," Lakers coach Luke Walton said after Thursday night's game. "I think it took a little too long to clean it up, but I was proud the way we came back in the second half."

Preview: Bucks (21-27) at Nuggets (21-27)

Date: February 03, 2017 9:00 PM EDT

DENVER -- The Milwaukee Bucks head into Denver with a four-game losing streak, but that isn't the biggest news they will bring into their Friday night matchup with the Nuggets.

Milwaukee shook up its roster a day before the game, dealing center Miles Plumlee to the Charlotte Hornets for centers Roy Hibbert and Spencer Hawes. To make room for both new arrivals, the Bucks released forward Steven Novak.

The deal comes weeks before the NBA trading deadline and rids Milwaukee of Plumlee's multiyear contract. The Bucks (21-27) signed him to a four-year, $50 million deal last summer but did not get much in return. He averaged just 2.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 32 games. Fifteen times, he didn't play because of a coach's decision.

"Spencer and Roy are two proven NBA centers who give us additional depth and versatility in the frontcourt," Bucks general manager John Hammond told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "The trade also gives us future cap flexibility as we continue to shape our roster."

Hawes has a player option for next year, and Hibbert is making $5 million on his one-year deal.

It is unknown how much, if at all, the two will play Friday in Denver.

The Nuggets also have a roster that is in flux, but not because of trades. Denver is a banged-up squad and could be without three key players for the game, including leading scorer Danilo Gallinari.

Gallinari left the Nuggets' 119-99 loss to Memphis on Wednesday due to a left groin strain. He had an MRI done Thursday and announced on his Facebook page that results showed a first-degree pulled groin muscle. The post states that there is no firm date of his return "but we are very optimistic."

There was no release by the Nuggets, who did not practice Thursday.

Gallinari scored 14 points against the Grizzlies before leaving in the third quarter.

"I did notice in the first half (he was) kind of fussing with it, stretching it out," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said after the game. "Obviously, there was a point in the second half where he felt it, came out, wanted to go back in and test it one more time and it just wasn't feeling right."

In addition to Gallinari's injury, guard Will Barton has missed two straight games with a left ankle injury and center Nikola Jokic has been sidelined three consecutive games because of a left hip flexor strain.

Barton had an MRI done Wednesday morning, but the Nuggets (21-27) did not announce the results. Barton has missed 13 total games due to injuries to the same ankle.

Without Jokic to anchor the offense, Denver has lost two straight and is entering a tough stretch in its schedule. In the eight remaining games before the All-Star break, the Nuggets will play at San Antonio and Cleveland and host Golden State.

Denver has an opportunity Friday got get a win against a team that is struggling. After falling 104-88 in Utah on Wednesday, the Bucks have lost nine of their last 10.

Leading scorer Giannis Antetokounmpo had been steady before getting held to nine points on 2-of-10 shooting Wednesday.

Even with solid play from Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, the Bucks have struggled to get wins, but there is good news on the horizon. Shooting guard Khris Middleton, who tore his left hamstring in September, could make his season debut after Milwaukee's current three-game road swing. He has been practicing and might play before the All-Star break.

"I've been ready for a while," Middleton told the Journal Sentinel, "but I've got to be smart about it and make sure I'm 100 percent ready to go out there and play."

The Nuggets hope they get similar news with their injured players. They welcomed the return of point guard Emmanuel Mudiay on Wednesday after he missed five games due to lower back soreness. He had 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds against the Grizzlies. Malone planned on playing him just 20 minutes, but Jameer Nelson's ejection 4:07 into the game led to Mudiay logging 26 minutes.

"I'm fine," Mudiay said after the loss. "I was out there moving, so I needed to find out where I was."

Preview: Mavericks (19-30) at Trail Blazers (22-28)

Date: February 03, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The overall records don't look good, but the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers show impressive recent results as they square off Friday night at Moda Center.

The Trail Blazers (22-28) have won four of their last five, while the Mavericks (19-30) have triumphed in three straight games and eight of their last 11.

"Two hot teams right now," Portland center Mason Plumlee said. "We're looking forward to the matchup."

Portland and Dallas have split two meetings this season. The Blazers won 105-95 in Dallas on Nov. 4 and the Mavericks evened the count with a 96-95 victory at Moda Center on Dec. 21.

"We owe them one," Portland guard Allen Crabbe said. "We're definitely looking forward to that game. We'll be well-prepared."

The Mavericks are 15-13 after starting the season 4-17. Their three-game win streak has been accomplished against the likes of Cleveland, San Antonio and Philadelphia.

Three players have been unlikely heroes in helping Dallas get its season turned around.

Salah Mejri scored a season-high 16 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds in 21 minutes, making 7 of 9 shots from the field in the Mavericks' 113-95 victory over the 76ers on Wednesday night. The 7-foot-2 second-year NBA center hadn't scored in double figures all season.

"It looked like he's been sandbagging." joked teammate Wesley Matthews, and coach Rick Carlisle continued the gag: "He's been holding out on us, it's clear."

"Salah gave us some great energy," Carlisle told the media after the Sixers game.

"I'm not Dirk Nowitzki and going to have a great night every night, but I try as hard as I can to give this team whatever I can," Mejri said. "Tonight, it was like every ball was falling into my hands."

The Mavericks are 8-3 since Seth Curry was inserted into starting lineup as a shooting guard on Jan. 12. Stephen Curry's younger brother is averaging 15.8 points and shooting .504 from the field and .480 from 3-point range. He had 22 points, six assists and four steals against Philadelphia.

Then there is rookie point guard Yogi Ferrell, who was signed to a 10-day contract to fill in for injured Deron Williams. Ferrell has started the last three games and averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3. rebounds and 2.3 steals.

"He's learning on the fly," Curry said. "He's being aggressive, making plays. I really appreciate having another guy who can go out there and make plays for myself and for other people. He's doing a great job of just being confident and not being afraid of the moment."

The Blazers will close out a five-game homestand and are 3-1 going into the Dallas game. Their only loss was an excruciating 113-111 setback to Golden State on Sunday in which Evan Turner's 3-point attempt to win bounced off the front rim just before time expired.

"We feel good about (this homestand)," Plumlee said. "We would have liked to win that Golden State game, but we gave ourselves a chance. We're not losing by blowouts anymore, which was a major concern early in the season. We're competitive. We're playing better as a group."

"We're trending in the right direction," Portland point guard Damian Lillard said. "We're playing the right brand of basketball that's going to give us the opportunity to be successful. (Against the Warriors) we fell short with a great look to win it at the end against the best team in the league. But we're doing the right things at both ends of the floor."

Preview: Suns (15-34) at Kings (19-30)

Date: February 03, 2017 10:30 PM EDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings learned enough about themselves this season to know that it doesn't matter whether they are settling in for a lengthy stay at home or grinding through a long trek on the road.

Without protecting the ball a lot better, they will struggle to win.

Sacramento kicks off a month-long stay in their home state Friday when they host the ever-dimming Phoenix Suns at Golden 1 Center. The contest marks the first for the Kings in their own digs since a season-long eight-game road trip that lasted 12 days.

The Kings (19-30) won three times during the jaunt. With a bit better ball protection, it could've been more. Without it, they don't figure to improve much on an 8-13 home mark during a stretch that sees them play 11 of their next 13 at home.

The only exceptions are road games in Los Angeles against the Lakers and in Oakland against the Warriors on back-to-back nights. Before those come six games straight in a place where Sacramento went 1-6 in its last go-around.

"I think we progressed as a team," Kings center DeMarcus Cousins told reporters of the road trip. "A lot of things didn't go our way, but through it, I think we got better as a team."

The Kings turned over the ball only 11 times in a 105-83 loss at Houston on Tuesday but averaged 14 turnovers during the trip, and twice had at least 20. They average 13.8 per game -- 20th-worst in the 30-team league.

"A lot of them can be eliminated," Kings forward Anthony Tolliver told reporters after Sacramento's loss in Philadelphia on Monday, a game that saw Sacramento commit 23. "Some of them are gonna happen here or there, because you're being aggressive, attacking the basket. What we have to eliminate are the one that are just miscommunication or where you just kind of flick it out of bounds."

The constant flux of changing rotations hasn't helped the Kings, and now their depth will be challenged even more. Guard Garrett Temple will miss three weeks after partially tearing his left hamstring against Houston and will not play for at least two weeks. He won't be evaluated again until after the All-Star break.

The Kings already were without forward Rudy Gay, lost for the season to a right Achilles' tendon injury Jan. 18. The Kings haven't played a home game without him.

The Suns (15-34) may consider scoring the game's first point progress. They have lost five straight, their longest skid since a seven-game losing streak last March. They haven't led in either of their previous two losses, the most recent a 124-114 setback against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

The Suns don't have too many issues offensively. Phoenix averages 106.5 points per contest, 11th in the NBA, and topped 100 in 13 of their past 14 contests.

"We are scoring at will," guard Devin Booker told the Arizona Republic after the loss to the Clippers. "But we couldn't get enough stops."

That struggle has been an issue all season. Only the Brooklyn Nets give up more points than Suns, who are allowing 112.3 this season. They've allowed 120 in three of their past four losses, and surrendered at least 100 in 12 straight contests.

The Suns should present a problem with their backcourt tandem because Sacramento struggles to guard the perimeter. Phoenix guard Eric Bledsoe scored at least 40 points in three of his past six games, and Booker scored at least 20 in 14 straight.

Free NBA Picks: Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

I'm not going to sit here and tell you that the health of Zaza Pachulia could determine whether the Golden State Warriors win their second NBA title in three years. I will say, however, that the Dubs had trouble with the big lineups trotted out by Oklahoma City and Cleveland in last year's playoffs because of their lack of interior size other than Andrew Bogut. The Warriors had to say goodbye to Bogut, their top rim protector, this offseason after adding Kevin Durant. Pachulia now starts at center. He will miss at least a week with a rotator cuff strain. Pachulia was a square peg in a round hole at first with the Warriors, but in January had been averaging 8.4 points and 6.6 rebounds and doing the little things like setting screens, making smart passes and dolling out punishment to an opposing player as needed so none of the Warriors stars had to. Ask Russell Westbrook about that. When Pachulia missed time in December with a wrist injury, JaVale McGee filled in as the starter and likely will get that role going forward. My point to this whole thing is that just because a team has four stars doesn't mean it doesn't need role players to win a title or even a specific game. The Warriors do have one Achilles' heel.

Raptors at Magic (TBA)

Toronto started a three-game trip with a 109-104 loss in Boston on Wednesday. DeMar DeRozan had a setback with his ankle and missed his fifth in the past six games. Kyle Lowry led Toronto with 32. Orlando lost a second straight Wednesday, 98-88 at home to Indiana. Serge Ibaka led the Magic, who are 8-16 at home, with 20 points. Toronto has won 14 of the past 16 meetings with Orlando but was upset by the Magic at home last Sunday, 114-113.

Key trends: The Raptors are 1-5 against the spread in the past six meetings. The "over/under" has gone five of the past seven.

Early lean: I'd take Magic if DeRozan doesn't play.

Pacers at Nets (+7, 220.5)

Indiana won its fourth consecutive game Wednesday, 98-88 in Orlando. Paul George's streak of four games in a row with at least 30 points ended as he had just eight on 3-for-14 shooting. Rodney Stuckey returned to the lineup after missing the previous 15 games with a hamstring injury. He had eight points in 14 minutes. Brooklyn lost a seventh in a row Wednesday, 95-90 to the Knicks. It had a rare fourth-quarter lead but gave that up on a 16-2 Knicks run. It was the Nets' 10th loss in a row at home. Indiana leads the season series 2-1 and has taken the past two by double digits.

Key trends: The home team is 5-0 ATS in the past five meetings. The over is 4-1 in the past five in Brooklyn.

Early lean: Pacers and over.

Timberwolves at Pistons (-5.5, 212.5)

Minnesota's two-game winning streak ended in a 125-97 blowout in Cleveland on Wednesday. Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 26 points and Andrew Wiggins added 23 for the Timberwolves. It was their worst loss of the season. Detroit ended a three-game losing streak with a 118-98 win over New Orleans on Wednesday. In the final 17 minutes of the game, Detroit outscored the Pelicans 52-24. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a career-high 38 points. Detroit has won the past three meetings vs. Minnesota, including 117-90 on Dec. 9.

Key trends: The favorite is 7-1-1 ATS in the past nine meetings. The over is 7-0 in the Pistons' past seven.

Early lean: Pistons and over.

Bulls at Rockets (-9, 221)

Houston hosted Atlanta on Thursday. Chicago played one of its best games of the year in a 128-100 victory at Oklahoma City on Wednesday. Jimmy Butler had 28 points as the Bulls shot 60.5 percent from the field. Dwyane Wade had 18 points and seven assists. First meeting of the season between Chicago and Houston, which was swept last season.

Key trends: The home team is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The over is 5-1 in the Bulls' past six vs. teams with a winning record.

Early lean: Bulls and over.

Grizzlies at Thunder (-1, 206.5)

Memphis won its third in a row Wednesday, 119-99 in Denver. Marc Gasol scored 24 points and Mike Conley had 18. Vince Carter, now 40, had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds in 26 minutes and became the fifth player in NBA history to make 2,000 career 3-pointers. OKC was flat in the second of a back-to-back Wednesday and routed at home by Chicago 128-100 in a third consecutive loss. Russell Westbrook had 28 points and eight assists. Oklahoma City shot just 38 percent from the field and made 10 of 37 3-pointers. Memphis and OKC have split two meetings, each winning at home.

Key trends: The home team is 9-1 ATS in the past 10 meetings. The over is 4-0 in OKC's past four after a double-digit home loss.

Early lean: Thunder and over.

Lakers at Celtics (-12.5, 220.5)

First of an ESPN doubleheader. Tough second of a back-to-back for L.A. as it was in Washington on Thursday to start a long road trip and with Julius Randle questionable. Boston has won five in a row following a 109-104 victory over Toronto on Wednesday. Isaiah Thomas is going nuts lately and had 44 points, 19 in the fourth quarter. He's a legit MVP candidate. Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk sat with injuries for Boston. Bradley's close to returning from his eight-game absence. First meeting of the season between these former rivals. They split last year.

Key trends: The Lakers are 6-1 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 7-1 in the Celtics' past eight vs. the West.

Early lean: Celtics and over.

Bucks at Nuggets (TBA)

Milwaukee lost a fourth straight Wednesday, 104-88 in Utah. Told you I loved the under 199 there. Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to nine points, the second time he hasn't scored double figures all season. Denver lost a second straight Wednesday, 119-99 at home vs. Memphis. Emmanuel Mudiay returned from a five-game injury absence and had 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds in 26 minutes. However, Nikola Jokic sat again with a hip strain and Danilo Gallinari left in the third quarter with a groin strain. Milwaukee and Denver split last year, and the Nuggets have won the past six at home.

Key trends: The underdog is 5-2 ATS in the past seven meetings. The over is 5-0-1 in Denver's past six vs. the East.

Early lean: Wait on the two Nuggets; highly doubt Gallinari plays.

Suns at Kings (-5, 218.5)

Phoenix dropped a fifth in a row Wednesday, 124-114 to the Clippers. Former Clipper Eric Bledsoe scored 41 to tie a career high. Devin Booker added 20 points, his 14th straight game scoring at least 20. Sacramento returns from an eight-game road trip. It ended that with back-to-back losses, falling 105-83 in Houston on Tuesday when the Kings clearly were running on empty. They have won the past four meetings with Phoenix and three straight at home. These two opened the season against one another.

Key trends: The Suns are 0-4 ATS in the past four meetings. The under is 5-2 in the previous seven.

Early lean: Kings and over.

Mavericks at Trail Blazers (-5, 208)

Second ESPN game. Dallas is really improving and beat Philadelphia 113-95 on Wednesday for its third straight victory. Seth Curry had 22 points and Salah Mejri 16 points and 17 rebounds. Yeah, not sure the Mavs can continue to get that production from those guys. Center Andrew Bogut was out again with a hamstring injury. Deron Williams sat with a toe strain. Dallas and Portland have split two meetings, each winning on the road. Portland beat Charlotte 115-98 on Tuesday. Damian Lillard had 27 points. Ed Davis missed his fifth straight game with a wrist injury, but could return Friday.

Key trends: The Mavs are 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings. The under is 4-1 in the previous five in Portland.

Early lean: Mavericks and under.