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  • #16
    Preview: Sharks (8-8) at Bruins (8-7)

    Date: November 17, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

    Among the worst home teams in the NHL, the Boston Bruins are trying to turn things around. A matchup with the San Jose Sharks will make that tougher.

    The Bruins attempt to build on just their second home win of the season Tuesday night when they face the Sharks, one of the league's best on the road.

    Boston (8-7-1) has won six of eight road games but has failed to carry that success back to TD Garden, where it's 2-5-1 after going 24-10-7 to tie for third-best home record in the Eastern Conference last season.

    "It was kind of one of those things where we were playing not to lose," defenseman Torey Krug said. "I know it's a cliche that you have to play to win."

    The Bruins are hoping Saturday's 3-1 win over Detroit is the start of a turnaround after opening this five-game homestand with a 3-2 loss to Colorado two days earlier.

    "It's huge," said defenseman Kevan Miller, who assisted on Krug's first goal of the season Saturday. "We have three more games at home before we head back on the road. I think it's important that we build on this."

    The issues at home haven't been much of a problem for David Krejci. The center has 10 of his team-leading 18 points there after opening the scoring in Boston's three-goal second period against the Red Wings.

    Krejci has one goal and one assist in each of the last two home matchups against San Jose (9-8-0) with the Bruins winning both.

    The Sharks, though, are 6-3-0 on the road, winning three straight after taking the first two of this season-high six-game trip. They won 2-1 at Buffalo on Saturday on Patrick Marleau's overtime tally.

    "It's nice to get two wins, but you've got to keep it going because if you lose your next two games, you're back to where you started," defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic told the team's official website after getting one goal and one assist. "In this league you've got to get wins together in order to create separation with the teams behind you."

    Joe Pavelski assisted on Vlasic's power-play goal against the Sabres, giving him nine points on the road. The center leads the Sharks with nine goals and 15 points, and he has seven points in his last six meetings with the Bruins.

    Pavelski scored twice and assisted on a goal by Tomas Hertl in a 7-4 home win over Boston on Dec. 4.

    Martin Jones is likely to face the Bruins for the first time. He's stopped 56 of 59 shots while winning the first two games of this trip after being pulled for giving up two goals on three shots in the first 3:30 of a 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders.

    "That's as well as I've seen him play," coach Peter DeBoer said after Jones made 30 saves against the Sabres. "I thought he was excellent. We needed him to be our best player."

    The Bruins will likely turn to Tuukka Rask, who had 22 saves Saturday after giving up eight goals on 49 shots while losing his previous two at home.

    "I look good when the team looks good," said Rask, who made 37 saves while giving up a career high in goals at San Jose in December.
    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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    • #17
      Preview: Stars (14-4) at Sabres (7-8)

      Date: November 17, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

      John Klingberg is the NHL's highest-scoring defenseman and playing a vital role in the Dallas Stars' climb to the top of the Western Conference.

      Coming off a pair of multipoint efforts, Klingberg tries to help the visiting Stars continue their success against the Eastern Conference on Tuesday night against the Buffalo Sabres.

      Klingberg's 20 points are half his total as a rookie last season and put him in the lead among defensemen. He's ahead of Ottawa's Erik Karlsson and P.K. Subban of Montreal - with three Norris Trophies between them - by two and three points, respectively.

      The Stars (14-4-0) have never had a Norris winner, but Klingberg might be able to change that. He's collected 19 of his points in victories, including two goals and three assists in the last two games.

      He had a season-high three points after scoring in overtime of Saturday's 3-2 win over Minnesota.

      One of Klingberg's assists set up a power-play tally by Jamie Benn, giving him 10 points on the man advantage to tie Boston's Patrice Bergeron for the league lead.

      "I'm happy about it. I'm a player that should put up those points," Klingberg told the team's official website. "I get to play those minutes on the power play, and there are lots of scoring opportunities."

      Dallas is 8-3-0 against the East, winning seven of eight matchups on the road.

      Benn is second in the league with 12 goals and third with 25 points, and he's scored eight of those goals against Eastern clubs. The left wing has four goals and five assists in seven career matchups with the Sabres.

      The Stars, though, are 1-6-1 with a tie in their last nine visits to Buffalo (8-8-1).

      The Sabres are 5-1-1 after opening the season with losses in seven of their first 10 games. They picked up another point Saturday, falling 2-1 in overtime to San Jose as their three-game winning streak ended.

      Like Dallas, Buffalo is getting an unexpected increase in production from a defenseman. Rasmus Ristolainen has 11 points after totaling 20 all of last season. He's accumulated three goals and three assists during a four-game point streak after setting up Ryan O'Reilly's third-period tally Saturday.

      "I think I've been doing a better job than last year defensively and offensively," Ristolainen told the team's official website. "I think I can still be better and better and I try to be better and better.

      "I try to help the team offensively, lately I have some points. But I don't think that way; I try to take care first in the defensive zone and then try to get something started on offense too."

      Buffalo might have some defensive help coming as Zach Bogosian is nearing a return from a lower-body injury that's kept him out all season.

      "He looks like he should be ready to play sometime this week," coach Dan Bylsma said.

      The Sabres could be without center Zemgus Girgensons, who is reportedly still feeling the effects of a hit against the Sharks. However, Bylsma claims it's not concussion related.

      Jack Eichel has no points in his last two games, but he remains the team's leaders with six goals. The rookie has five goals and two assists in 10 home games compared to two points in seven on the road.
      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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      • #18
        Preview: Blues (12-5) at Blue Jackets (6-12)

        Date: November 17, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

        Ken Hitchcock felt the only way to inspire the St. Louis Blues after back-to-back defeats was to completely rearrange his line combinations.

        Now he has to decide if he wants to stick with the new look.

        It seems wise to keep intact the new top line of David Backes, Vladimir Tarasenko and Alexander Steen heading into Tuesday night's road game against the Columbus Blue Jackets after a solid performance from the trio.

        Backes scored twice - including the tiebreaking goal in the second period - and added an assist in Monday's 3-2 win over Winnipeg. Tarasenko scored for the third straight game and had an assist, and Steen assisted on Backes' winner.

        The Blues (12-5-1) came in off consecutive games in regulation for the first time this season, prompting Hitchcock's makeover. Backes replaced Jori Lehtera, who had centered the top line for 12 games after Paul Stastny was injured but moved down to the second line with Dmitrij Jaskin and Troy Brouwer.

        With Jaskin's promotion, Robby Fabbri played with Scott Gomez and Magnus Paajarvi on the third unit, and Jeremy Welsh made his team debut in place of Ryan Reaves, who was scratched.

        Hitchcock also split up the defensive pairing of Jay Bouwmeester and Alex Pietrangelo.

        'You don't know what that's going to be like, and then you're out there (and Tarasenko) makes a lot of time and space," Backes said. "(Steen) was fantastic, creating plays and making plays happen and I was the beneficiary of a few of them."

        It remains to be seen if the lineup will look the same against the Blue Jackets (6-12-0), who are trying to win three straight for the first time this season.

        Columbus earned its first home victory Saturday by beating Arizona 5-2, ending a franchise-worst 0-6-0 home start. William Karlsson scored twice, Boone Jenner had a goal and two assists and Ryan Johansen had one of each.

        The Blue Jackets played their straight game without Brandon Dubinsky, who was placed in injured reserve earlier Saturday with an elbow injury that's expected to keep him out for at least a couple weeks.

        'It's a monkey off the back,' Karlsson said. 'Now we know we can win (at home)."

        With Dubinsky out, coach John Tortorella had settled on moving Nick Foligno to center for at least this contest. Foligno mostly has played on the wing in his career and had career highs of 31 goals and 73 points there last season.

        He has only one goal this year, while Jenner leads the club with nine.

        "We talked about a number of different people," Tortorella told the team's official website after practice Monday. "I think Nick can handle the change. I just don't want to screw around with Jenner's game. Nick volunteered. He felt comfortable and that's what we went with."

        The Blue Jackets now look to keep rolling. Foligno had two goals and an assist in a 7-1 victory over the Blues on Feb. 6 before Jenner scored and added an assist in a 4-2 victory March 28 to sweep the season series.

        "It's going to be a competitive game," Tortorella said. "If we're not ready to compete, it could get ugly really quickly."

        Sergei Bobrovsky has stopped 55 of 58 shots while winning the last two. He started both meetings with the Blues last season and could be in net again for this matchup.

        Brian Elliott could get the call for St. Louis after Jake Allen won Monday. Elliott hasn't started since giving up four goals on 15 shots in a loss to Chicago on Nov. 4.
        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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        • #19
          Preview: Wild (10-3) at Penguins (9-7)

          Date: November 17, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

          The scoring woes that plagued the Pittsburgh Penguins at the start of the season have resurfaced, leading to a players-only meeting to hash out the issues.

          Whatever discussions the Minnesota Wild had about replacing Zach Parise's production have seemed to work.

          Pittsburgh looks to avoid a fourth defeat in five games Tuesday night when it hosts a Wild team seeking at least a point in five straight without one of its top scorers.

          The Penguins (10-7-0) scored three goals while dropping its first three of the season and still had trouble finding the back of the net consistently at the start of the 9-1-0 run that followed.

          They've dropped three of four since after falling 2-1 to Columbus on Friday and 4-0 at New Jersey the following night.

          The loss to the Devils marked the first time Pittsburgh had been shut out since its season opener, and that didn't sit well with anyone in the locker room.

          "Some stuff had to be said," forward Pascal Dupuis told the team's official website after Monday's practice. "That will stay between the players obviously. That's why it's a closed-door meeting. That's between the players. What comes out of it, it's unacceptable to lose the way we did. We have to make sure it doesn't happen again."

          Evgeni Malkin, who hasn't scored while posting two assists over his last seven, spoke candidly about the frustration mounting within the team, but was quick to note they're all still on the same page.

          Sidney Crosby has only two goals, and Pittsburgh ranks near the bottom of the league with 35. The low number sticks out even more considering all the scoring talent the Penguins possess, including Phil Kessel, who has a team-high six goals but none in the last three.

          "The expectations are high, but a lot of teams would love to be in our position and still feel like we can do better," Crosby said. "I think it says a lot about the guys. We expect more. We still have a winning record and we've done some good things."

          Parise led the Wild (10-3-3) with seven goals when he sprained his MCL early in a loss to Nashville on Nov. 5, but his teammates have stepped up with him expected to sit out at least two more games.

          Minnesota won its first three without Parise before falling 3-2 in overtime Saturday at Dallas, the second stop on a four-game trip. Nino Niederreiter and Marco Scandella scored after Thomas Vanek had three goals over the previous two to tie Parise atop the team's leaderboard.

          The Wild, though, allowed a man-advantage goal for the third straight contest and are preparing to face a Penguins team with an imposing power-play unit - even if it's 0 for 13 over its last three.

          "It's understanding that you're playing against some of the highest skilled players in the game today," coach Mike Yeo said. "Being ready for that challenge every time you go on the ice, understanding and recognizing who you're on the ice against."

          Devan Dubnyk had 33 saves against New Jersey and has a 1.94 goals-against average while starting each game during the Wild's 3-0-1 run. He joined Minnesota one day after the last meeting with the Penguins, when David Perron scored twice and Crosby had three assists in Pittsburgh's 7-2 win Jan. 13.

          Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves in that contest and likely will be in net again after getting Saturday off. He had a 3.76 GAA while losing his first five starts against the Wild before winning the last matchup.
          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

          Comment


          • #20
            Preview: Avalanche (7-9) at Maple Leafs (4-9)

            Date: November 17, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

            The Colorado Avalanche are on a win streak thanks to strong goaltending, while the Toronto Maple Leafs' longest run of the season came to an end in part because of shaky play in net.

            Colorado seeks its fourth straight victory when it visits Toronto on Tuesday night.

            The Avalanche (7-9-1) have won the first three of their season-high seven-game trip, with Reto Berra surrendering three total goals while starting each game. Colorado had been 25th in the NHL with 3.00 goals allowed per game prior to the trip.

            Semyon Varlamov is on injured reserve with a groin injury. He's struggled with a 3.26 goals-against average in 10 starts, though, so his absence has been a blessing in disguise, allowing Berra to shine. Berra's 1.50 GAA leads the league and he made 39 saves in Saturday's 6-1 win over Atlantic Division-leading Montreal.

            Colorado has also been more productive offensively, scoring 13 goals in the last three games after totaling 11 in its first six road contests. Nathan MacKinnon pushed his team-leading point total to 19 with two goals and one assist against the Canadiens, while Matt Duchene and Mikhail Grigorenko each had a goal and two assists.

            Grigorenko was filling in on the top line for Gabriel Landeskog, who served the first of his two-game suspension for an illegal check in Thursday's win over Boston.

            "Three straight for us is huge," MacKinnon said. "I don't know about (calling it) a measuring stick.

            "I don't think we're in the elite category in the league yet. We want to earn that. But whether they had a good night or not, we played very well. We stuck to our system and Reto Berra played great."

            Duchene has four goals and four assists to start the trip, and seven goals and five assists in his last seven games overall after opening with two points in his first 10.

            "I'm excited," said Duchene, a native of Dysart et al, Ontario. "Hopefully it continues (in Toronto on Tuesday). ... I have a lot of friends and family coming, so it'd be great to have a big night there, and most importantly get another win."

            The Maple Leafs (5-9-4) had also won three in a row before losing 4-3 to the New York Rangers on Sunday. Jonathan Bernier surrendered a rebound that set up Mats Zuccarello's winner with 58.3 seconds left, and said he "cost us two points."

            Bernier has lost all eight of his starts while posting a 3.17 GAA.

            "We win as a team and lose as a team," coach Mike Babcock said. "Maybe (Bernier is) trying too hard."

            James Reimer will get the nod Tuesday. He has won three straight starts and owns a 2.30 GAA this season.

            Toronto fell to 2-3-4 in one-goal games. The Avalanche have also struggled in those contests, going 2-6-1.

            Colorado had won four straight trips to Toronto before losing 3-2 in overtime Oct. 14, 2014.

            A fourth straight road win for the Avalanche would match last season's best such streak from Feb. 27-March 19.
            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

            Comment


            • #21
              Preview: Ducks (5-8) at Predators (8-3)

              Date: November 17, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

              Carl Hagelin and Ryan Getzlaf scored in Anaheim's last game, which the Ducks hope marks the end of their slumps as the club looks to keep moving past a rough start.

              The Nashville Predators contributed to that tough beginning, but a loss to start this month sparked the Ducks' stronger play over the past eight games.

              Continuing a four-game trip, the Ducks will try to add to the Western Conference's best record this month with their 10th win in 12 games against the Predators on Tuesday night.

              Anaheim went 1-7-2 in October, allowing 27 goals while scoring a league-low 10 before turning it around once November began.

              The Ducks (6-8-4) won four straight to start the month before a pair of 4-3 overtime losses to Arizona and Edmonton. A 4-1 defeat against the New York Islanders followed, but Anaheim bounced back Monday with a 4-1 victory over Carolina.

              Getzlaf, Hagelin, Shawn Horcoff and Sami Vatanen scored and Anton Khudobin had 24 saves to help the Ducks move to 5-1-2 this month in the opener of the trip.

              "This gave us some confidence," Hagelin said. "A lot of lines were feeling good about themselves, especially defensively. That's what you need to do when you play a good team like Nashville."

              Hagelin snapped an eight-game drought in the third period after he was benched Friday against the Islanders.

              Getzlaf hadn't scored in his first 13 before getting an empty-netter in the final minute. The captain has totaled five goals and six assists in his last nine meetings with Nashville (10-3-3).

              The Predators gave Khudobin a tough time in a 5-1 home win Oct. 22, but Frederik Andersen didn't let it happen again Nov. 1 by making 40 saves in Anaheim's 4-2 home win.

              "They were a different team the first time they came in here, and it was a game that we didn't expect," defenseman Barret Jackman told the Predators' official website.

              "Their identity kind of came through in Anaheim and they were playing more physical, more of a team game and it was everything we could handle. (This) is going to be more of the second game that we saw."

              After a 4-0 loss to St. Louis in the opener of a five-game homestand, Nashville has scored seven goals in two victories during a 2-0-1 stretch.

              Calle Jarnkrok had a pair of goals and James Neal recorded an assist for the third straight game in Saturday's 7-0 win over Winnipeg.

              "We're not going to score seven every game, but our game plan is to get pucks and bodies and traffic and try to get some dirty goals," defenseman Seth Jones said.

              Colin Wilson has a goal and three assists in the two meetings with Anaheim, though it's his only tally in 16 games so far. The winger has scored in each of the last two at home against the Ducks.

              The Predators might have a difficult time piling up goals with Andersen expected to be between the pipes. He has a 2.46 goals-against average while winning all four of his starts against them.

              Nashville's Pekka Rinne, coming off his second shutout of the season, is 7-2-2 with a 1.94 GAA in 11 home starts against the Ducks.

              Eric Nystrom is out with an upper-body injury, while fellow forward Paul Gaustad is day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

              Comment


              • #22
                Preview: Devils (8-6) at Flames (6-12)

                Date: November 17, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

                Confidence is building with the New Jersey Devils under the tutelage of first-year coach John Hynes, and having Cory Schneider in net is also giving them a major boost.

                Schneider should get the chance to build on his first shutout as the surging Devils try to beat the Flames in Calgary for the first time in eight years Tuesday night.

                Missing the playoffs for a third straight year last season prompted a change behind the bench for New Jersey (10-6-1), and so far the Devils have responded well to Hynes with 10 victories in 13 games following an 0-3-1 start.

                "We talk about our competitive level all the time," left wing Mike Cammalleri said. "I think the results we've had yield a level of confidence. When we're hustling like this, we're able to accomplish a lot."

                The Devils earned their fourth win in five games Saturday, getting a 21-save performance from Schneider in a 4-0 victory over Pittsburgh two days after a 3-2 win at defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago.

                "We're starting to expect to play this way every game. It's great when everyone gets involved," Schneider said, alluding to New Jersey's seven goal scorers over the last two games. "It's a lot of fun."

                Schneider is 9-4-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average in 14 starts this season, but his GAA drops to 1.56 with a .944 save percentage while winning five of his last seven. He's stopped 44 of 47 shots over his past two meetings with Calgary (6-12-1), but lost both at home with New Jersey mustering only one goal.

                The Devils have lost five straight to the Flames and four in a row at Scotiabank Saddledome dating to an overtime victory Dec. 23, 2007.

                Cammalleri spent two-plus seasons with Calgary from 2012-14 before joining New Jersey as a free agent. He scored in both meetings with his former team last season and enters the opener of this three-game trip through Western Canada with three goals and three assists over the past six games. His three points Saturday gave him a team-leading 17.

                The Flames are home for two straight in the middle of a nine-game stretch featuring seven on the road. They concluded a 1-3 trip by giving up four unanswered goals in Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Blackhawks, who visit Calgary on Friday.

                David Jones is tied with Sean Monahan with six goals, scoring three in the past four games after going 10 without one. He found the net again Sunday but has no points in five meetings with New Jersey.

                Johnny Gaudreau will surely be thrilled with a return home after going without a point and posting a minus-5 during the trip. The left wing has accumulated 11 of his team-high 17 points in Calgary, including nine in the last five games.

                A New Jersey native, Gaudreau's only point in two meetings with the Devils came in a 5-4 shootout win at home on Nov. 22.

                Karri Ramo is expected to be back in net after stopping 37 of 40 shots Sunday. He's won three straight starts against New Jersey behind a 1.64 GAA.
                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                • #23
                  Preview: Bucks (5-5) at Wizards (4-4)

                  Date: November 17, 2015 7:00 PM EDT

                  The Washington Wizards ended their losing streak with an improved defensive performance, but knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks for a second time this season could be difficult if Bradley Beal remains out.

                  His status is uncertain for Tuesday night's meeting in the nation's capital, while Milwaukee will be without forward Jabari Parker for its three-game trip.

                  The Wizards (4-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 108-99 win against visiting Orlando on Saturday despite being without Beal, who missed his second straight game due to a shoulder injury. He didn't practice Monday.

                  Washington looked better on the defensive end after surrendering 119.0 points per game during its skid. Orlando was also limited to 4-for-18 3-point shooting after the last three opponents were 40 of 86 from deep against the Wizards.

                  "We still have to continue - we left possessions where we don't finish them. Where we defend for 20 seconds and give up a layup or something at the buzzer of the 24-second (clock)," coach Randy Wittman said. "We've got to keep working at that, but it was better."

                  Beal scored 26 and was 5 of 6 from long distance while Ramon Sessions added 23 points off the bench in a 118-113 win at Milwaukee on Oct. 30. Beal's 23.3 points per game and 52.0 field-goal percentage in six meetings with the Bucks are his best against a single opponent.

                  Milwaukee (5-5) avoided a third straight loss by winning 108-105 in double overtime against Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland on Saturday, snapping the Cavaliers' eight-game winning streak.

                  "It's huge. It's something that we have to build on," said Greg Monroe, who scored 16 points with a season-high 17 rebounds. "We have to take what we did in this game - the intensity and energy that we played with - and carry it over to future games."

                  Monroe was one of seven Bucks to score at least 11 points, led by Michael Carter-Williams and Jerryd Bayless at 17 apiece. Monroe and Giannis Antetokounmpo pace Milwaukee with 17.8 points per game while three others average at least 12.6.

                  "It's not one person that's going to score a bunch of points for us. It's going to take everyone on the floor, they're going to have to contribute," he said. "We have to find a way to continue to play like this."

                  Antetokounmpo scored a season-high 27 in the first meeting with the Wizards, and Parker missed that one as well as he was still working his way back from a torn left ACL.

                  A sprained right foot will keep him from playing in this one after Parker had season highs of 12 points and 30 minutes Saturday.

                  Washington shot well against the Magic from long distance without Beal - its top long-range marksman - going 12 of 29 from beyond the arc. The Wizards had shot 29.7 percent from 3-point range over a 1-4 stretch since making 12 of 21 3-pointers in Milwaukee last month.

                  Kris Humphries hit a career-high five 3-pointers for a team-best 23 points on Saturday. He's 13 for 28 from deep this season compared to 2 for 26 before in his career.

                  The Bucks also played well defensively against the Cavaliers, holding them to 40.7 percent and forcing 21 turnovers leading to 26 points. Washington has committed only 19 turnovers in its last two games after averaging an NBA-worst 19.5 previously.

                  The Wizards have averaged 105.3 points on 48.6 percent shooting while winning eight of the last 10 meetings.
                  Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                  • #24
                    Preview: Timberwolves (4-6) at Heat (6-3)

                    Date: November 17, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

                    The Miami Heat are winning, playing strong defense and are set to welcome back a star and a rotation player after unexpected absences.

                    The Minnesota Timberwolves are losing, playing poor defense and could still be missing their starting point guard, so a visit to Miami on Tuesday night might be coming with low expectations as the teams meet for the second time in two weeks.

                    After Thursday's 92-91 home win over Utah, the Heat (6-3) are on the verge of their first four-game winning streak since March 28-April 2, 2014.

                    The latest victory came with Dwyane Wade sidelined after his son was hospitalized because of an undisclosed illness, and Gerald Green has missed six games because of an undisclosed personal incident. Both returned to practice over the weekend.

                    Green was suspended for the last two over what the Heat described as conduct detrimental to the team. There's no word yet on how much he'll play Tuesday, but he averaged 10.3 points and 21.7 minutes in the three games he's played with his new team.

                    "Gerald is an integral part of what we're trying to do," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We'll work him back in at a healthy rate. What that'll be on Tuesday, I don't know right now."

                    There have been other backcourt changes that could have an effect in that regard. Miami traded Mario Chalmers to Memphis last Tuesday, leading Tyler Johnson's minutes to increase in the last two games.

                    Johnson was 8 of 12 for 17 points Thursday, though his teammates were impressed long before that and the organization seems dedicated to getting him on the court.

                    "Tyler is awesome," said Chris Bosh, who scored 25 and is averaging 26.0 while shooting 54.2 percent on the winning streak. "He can play. He's had a great camp, he comes in and he works hard every day, works on his weaknesses, goes out there and lays it on the line and competes. He's literally started from the bottom and worked his way up into playing a very huge role for this team."

                    Through it all, the Heat have maintained an impressive defensive effort. Dating to a 96-84 win at Minnesota on Nov. 5, they've held their last five opponents to 85.8 points per game and 40.3 percent shooting.

                    They've also won nine of their last 11 against the Timberwolves (4-6), who have been unable to stop anybody while giving up 113.5 points and a 51.5 field-goal percentage on a four-game losing streak.

                    Sunday's 114-106 home loss to Memphis was possibly the worst its been with the Grizzlies shooting 56.3 percent and hitting 9 of 17 from 3-point range.

                    "We got to worry about our defense," said interim head coach Sam Mitchell, whose team is out to improve on a 4-1 road record. "We rebounded enough. We had turnovers, bad turnovers at the wrong time of the game, but overall we didn't turn the ball over a lot.

                    "We just got to play better defense."

                    Ricky Rubio has missed all four losses with a hamstring injury after averaging 13.0 points and 9.0 assists over the team's 4-2 start. He practiced Monday but is questionable to return against the Heat.

                    Zach LaVine has started all four games and been impressive in the last two, averaging 25.5 points and hitting 8 of 14 from 3-point range.

                    Andrew Wiggins has also been solid in the last two with an average of 23.5 points on 54.5 percent shooting, but the team's top scorer was 5 of 18 against the Heat.
                    Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Preview: Hawks (8-4) at Nets (1-9)

                      Date: November 17, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

                      If Jeff Teague is out, the Atlanta Hawks know they can count on Dennis Schroder to pick up the slack.

                      Both point guards already shined this season in a win over the Brooklyn Nets, and only Schroder is certain to play Tuesday night when the visiting Hawks seek to avoid a third straight loss and post their seventh straight victory in this series.

                      Teague missed his first game Sunday, sitting out a 97-96 loss to Utah with a sore left ankle. Schroder made his third start and had 11 points with season highs of nine assists and six rebounds.

                      "We're fortunate to have him to step in to replace Jeff Teague," said coach Mike Budenholzer, who returned after missing one game because of his wife's undisclosed medical emergency.

                      Teague suffered the injury in Friday's 106-93 loss at Boston. He averages 17.1 points and a team-high 6.5 assists.

                      The point guards have contributed to Atlanta (8-4) averaging 22.5 points off turnovers for one of the NBA's best marks. The Hawks converted 19 turnovers into 25 points in a 101-87 home win over Brooklyn on Nov. 4.

                      The Nets (1-9) said afterward that their sloppy play was a result of trouble they had running their pick-and-roll offense against the Hawks.

                      That contest marked the last time Schroder started before Sunday. He scored 20 points and Teague added 16, with each driving to the basket eight times.

                      Atlanta, which registers an assist on 20.0 percent of its possessions for the Eastern Conference's best mark, was efficient with 27 assists and just two isolations while Brooklyn used isolation plays 12 times. The Nets average 96.3 points per 100 possessions for one of the league's least efficient offenses.

                      Brooklyn is 0-3 at home for its worst such start since losing its first four in 2011-12.

                      The Nets are feeling better about themselves after three strong road efforts against the West. They posted their first win 106-98 at Houston last Wednesday, lost 111-109 to Sacramento two days later and fell 107-99 in overtime to Golden State on Saturday.

                      "I think you can see a progression pretty much every night," center Brook Lopez said. "Coach (Lionel Hollins) came in here and said, and each one of us agrees, we could have ended up 3-0 on this trip. You can say that but we really feel that we are making steps."

                      Jarrett Jack has totaled 49 points and 21 assists in the last two games while Thaddeus Young had a season-high 26 points and 10 boards Saturday.

                      Lopez's best game was his 27-point, 11-rebound effort against the Hawks. He made 11 of 16 shots with only six of his 60 touches in the paint as he forced Atlanta center Al Horford away from the basket.

                      The Hawks' Paul Millsap scored a season-high 28 points Sunday. Horford and Kent Bazemore each added 16.

                      The Nets are last in the league in 3-point shooting at 26.5 percent. The Hawks allow an average of 27.2 3-point attempts for one of the NBA's highest marks.

                      Atlanta hasn't lost to Brooklyn since a 127-110 defeat Jan. 16, 2014, in London.
                      Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                      • #26
                        Preview: Hornets (5-5) at Knicks (5-6)

                        Date: November 17, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

                        The Charlotte Hornets have been outrebounded in five straight games.

                        No team exposed that weakness better than the New York Knicks did last week.

                        The Hornets managed to survive a big disparity on the boards to extend their win streak over the Knicks to four heading into Tuesday night's rematch at Madison Square Garden.

                        Charlotte (5-5) has seen its average rebound margin dip to minus-3.2 after being outrebounded by an average of 12.6 in a five-game stretch in which it is 3-2.

                        "We have to have everybody coming back to rebound," coach Steve Clifford said. "Everybody's gotta come back to rebound, so that way, it's our only chance. If you hit and block out, the other guys can't (rebound). We're just not doing that."

                        The Hornets overcame a 52-33 edge on the glass by the Knicks in last Wednesday's 95-93 home win. New York averages 15.5 second-chance points for one of the league's best marks, but was held to a season-low 10 that night.

                        Rookie Kristaps Porzingis had a season-high 15 rebounds in that contest, which will be remembered for his 3-pointer that was ruled to have come after the final buzzer. The Knicks stormed the court in celebration when he hit the shot.

                        Nicolas Batum scored a team-high 24 points in that game for Charlotte to start a three-game stretch in which he is averaging 28.3 on 57.4 percent shooting. He scored 33 - two off his career high - in Sunday's 106-94 home victory over Portland.

                        "Maybe," said Batum when asked whether this was his best career stretch. "My role is different right now and we're winning games. It's not like I'm playing great and we don't win."

                        The Frenchman had a huge effort in the wake of the attacks in Paris, and a countryman stepped up Sunday for the Knicks. Kevin Seraphin had 12 points in 14 minutes in a 95-87 win over New Orleans.

                        Seraphin is a little-used reserve who had not seen more than nine minutes of action for New York before he scored six points in nine minutes in the fourth quarter alone.

                        "He was ready," said Carmelo Anthony, who is averaging 26.6 points in his last five games. "He was a big part of our run that we made in the second half. To see him, and what he's dealing with emotionally and mentally, be prepared today when his number was called was big.'

                        New York (5-6) is averaging 41.7 bench points for one of the league's best marks.

                        The Knicks limited Al Jefferson to four points on 2-of-10 shooting in the last meeting. That was part of a three-game stretch in which the Hornets big man totaled 19 points on 28.6 percent shooting before he scored 29 and made 13 of 17 shots versus the Trail Blazers.

                        "He's hard to guard 1-on-1, we know that," Hornets guard Jeremy Lin said. "Coach made it a priority in terms of talking about when and where to get him the ball."

                        Jeremy Lamb, averaging 13.3 points to rank among the league's best reserves, missed the Hornets' practice Monday with a shoulder injury.

                        Charlotte is seeking to win five straight over New York for the first time.
                        Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                        • #27
                          Preview: Cavaliers (8-2) at Pistons (5-5)

                          Date: November 17, 2015 7:30 PM EDT

                          Andre Drummond is putting up eye-popping numbers, though they haven't availed him of criticism from his coach as the Detroit Pistons return home looking to end a four-game slide.

                          The Cleveland Cavaliers probably won't be in too good a mood after LeBron James was slightly critical of their play.

                          Both of the Cavaliers' losses have come on the road against Central Division opponents, and they'll try to avoid that same fate Tuesday night against Drummond and the Pistons.

                          Drummond continued his historic start with 17 points and 17 rebounds in Sunday's 97-85 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He's averaging 18.5 points along with a league-best 19.0 boards.

                          Drummond has 10 straight double-doubles, the league's longest such run to open a season since Zach Randolph had 11 for Memphis in 2012-13. His rebounding average is the highest for a player in his first 10 games since San Antonio's Dennis Rodman posted a 19.3 mark in 1993-94.

                          "He's just dominated the backboards on both ends of the court," Cavaliers coach David Blatt said. "And I think that you're not going to stop him but you've got to try to limit him, just like a great scorer."

                          Cleveland (8-2) will match up with the second-best rebounder in the East in Kevin Love, who averages 12.1.

                          One weakness for the 6-foot-11 Drummond is that he averages just 1.4 blocks to rank outside the league's top 20. Detroit (5-5) is last in the league with 3.2 blocks per game.

                          "Andre does a lot of great things but he is not protecting the rim at all," coach Stan Van Gundy said.

                          Great is a word that doesn't describe the Cavaliers, according to James. Their eight-game win streak ended with Saturday's 108-105 double-overtime loss to Milwaukee.

                          "We're not a great team right now," James said. "We're a good team but we've gotta improve on a lot of things."

                          James finished with season highs of 37 points and 12 rebounds, though his seven turnovers were also his most in 2015-16. He needs 10 points to pass Jerry West for 19th all-time.

                          "I had too many turnovers, it happens," James said. "Aaron Rodgers throws interceptions as well, you don't expect for him to do it, it just happens. It's one of those games."

                          Cleveland took three of four from Detroit last season. The last two meetings marked the only times Reggie Jackson has faced the Cavaliers with the Pistons, and the guard totaled 40 points and 17 assists in a pair of defeats.

                          Jackson is averaging a team-best 20.4 points but was held to a season-low nine with five turnovers Sunday in the finale of a six-game trip, which the Pistons began 2-0.

                          "Tonight his decision-making was terrible, he was trying to go behind his back in the middle of the lane, he was up in the air," Van Gundy said. "Look, he just had a really bad night. The guy has had a heavy workload on this trip."
                          Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                          • #28
                            Preview: Nuggets (5-5) at Pelicans (1-9)

                            Date: November 17, 2015 8:00 PM EDT

                            Denver coach Mike Malone refused to use fatigue as an excuse for his team's latest performance, but the Nuggets might play better after getting a couple days off on their road trip.

                            A matchup with the lowly New Orleans Pelicans could also help the Nuggets get back on track Tuesday night following a lopsided defeat that ended their first win streak of 2015-16.

                            Denver (5-5) played its fourth game in six days and the second half of a back-to-back Saturday, losing 105-81 to Phoenix. Rather than blaming the schedule, though, Malone pointed to his team's "selfish play" in the first half.

                            The Nuggets were outscored 60-28 in the opening 24 minutes of their three-game trip and had their three-game win streak snapped.

                            "Young teams like us forget why you've had success," Malone said. "I'm very disappointed in the effort and very disappointed in our lack of teamwork and unselfish play. It's back to the drawing board. I think our guys felt a little full of themselves because they won three in a row and they forgot how we need to play."

                            Denver will try to bounce back against the Pelicans (1-9), who held an opponent to fewer than 100 points for the first time this season Sunday. However, they also failed to score 90 for a second straight contest in a 95-87 loss to New York.

                            Anthony Davis had 36 points in his return from a two-game absence due to a bruised right hip, but no teammate had more than 16. The short-handed team had its lowest-scoring game in a 100-81 loss at Toronto on Friday.

                            "We're the only ones that can dig us out of this," coach Alvin Gentry said. 'We don't have any excuses. As I said, we can play hard and we can compete and do what we're supposed to do and if it works out, then fine.

                            "If it doesn't work out, then fine also. But we're not doing that. We're not competing at the highest level that we can from the standpoint that you get the game back workable."

                            The Pelicans are missing Tyreke Evans, Kendrick Perkins, Norris Cole and Quincy Pondexter due to injuries.

                            The status of the Nuggets' Kenneth Faried is uncertain because of an ailing back that kept him out of the second half Saturday, while teammate Joffrey Lauvergne is reportedly close to returning from a lower back strain. The French center hasn't played since Nov. 1.

                            The Nuggets have won four of five against the Pelicans, needing two overtimes for a 118-111 victory at New Orleans in the latest matchup March 15.

                            Denver's Will Barton, who scored a then-career high 25 points in that game, had 26 in a 107-98 victory over Houston on Friday. Barton has totaled 45 points in his last two games and grabbed 12 rebounds against the Suns.

                            He totaled 41 points and 19 boards in his final two meetings with the Pelicans in 2014-15.

                            Davis is averaging 30.7 points, 14.3 rebounds and 5.7 blocks in his last three home games against Denver. He had 36 points and 14 boards while matching a career high with nine blocks and setting another with seven assists March 15.
                            Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                            • #29
                              Preview: Raptors (7-4) at Warriors (11-0)

                              Date: November 17, 2015 10:30 PM EDT

                              Klay Thompson and Draymond Green have played a substantial role in helping the Golden State Warriors extend a dominant run at home against the Toronto Raptors.

                              The defending champions could be missing at least one of them Tuesday night as they seek their best home start in 35 years and an 11th straight win at Oracle Arena over the Raptors.

                              The Warriors didn't look particularly good without Thompson on Saturday, falling behind by 17 to a one-win Brooklyn team before rallying for a 107-99 overtime home win.

                              Thompson has been bothered by a stiff back in recent weeks, but is expected to return as Golden State looks to open 7-0 at home for the first time since winning its first 10 in 1980-81.

                              "It's about us getting better in the regular season and playing at our highest level come playoff time and the wins will take care of themselves as long as we keep at our main focus," interim coach Luke Walton said.

                              Thompson totaled 45 points and hit 9 of 14 from 3-point range to help the Warriors win two meetings with Toronto by a combined 45 points last season. The All-Star guard also has averaged 21.3 points and shot 14 of 23 (60.9 percent) from beyond the arc in three career matchups at Oracle.

                              Golden State has scored 119.7 points per game while winning by an average of 14.7 during its run at home against the Raptors. Stephen Curry had 32 points and 12 assists, Marreese Speights scored 26 and Green added 16 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds in a 126-105 win Jan. 2.

                              Green recorded his second career triple-double Saturday with 16 points, 12 assists and 10 boards, but he's questionable for this meeting because of a bout with the flu.

                              Andre Iguodala could start in the frontcourt after he had 15 points and hit a tying 3-pointer with 5.9 seconds remaining Saturday. Curry, who scored 34 but went 13 of 31 from the field, has averaged 28.6 points and 10.4 assists in five home games versus Toronto.

                              "We can't get caught up in the Steph Curry show or the atmosphere of how its going to be in the arena," Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan said. "We've got to go out there and play disciplined basketball on the defensive end and understand that they're going to make tough shots - that's what they do."

                              Toronto ranks in the top 10 with 97.1 points allowed per game, but allowed Sacramento to shoot 51.3 percent and 10 of 25 from 3-point range in a 107-101 loss Sunday that marked its fourth loss in six games after opening the season with five straight victories.

                              The Raptors will likely have a tough time bouncing back in the second of this five-game trip against a Golden State team averaging an NBA-best 114.1 points and 12.2 3s.

                              DeMar DeRozan finished with 24 points, Kyle Lowry scored 22 and went 6 for 12 from 3-point range, and DeMarre Carroll and Cory Joseph had 17 points apiece.

                              Toronto hit 15 of 31 attempts from beyond the arc, but committed 16 turnovers for the second straight game and was outscored 52-28 in the paint.

                              "To win in this league you've got to take care of the ball, make sure we get good attempts and get stops on the other end," coach Dwane Casey said.
                              Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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                              • #30
                                Standings

                                EASTERN CONFERENCE - ATLANTIC


                                Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

                                Toronto Raptors 7 4 0.636 0 3-1 4-3 4-3 6-4 L-1

                                Boston Celtics 6 4 0.600 0 3-3 3-1 4-3 6-4 W-3

                                New York Knicks 5 6 0.455 2 2-4 3-2 3-5 4-6 W-1

                                Brooklyn Nets 1 9 0.100 5 0-3 1-6 0-4 1-9 L-2

                                Philadelphia 76ers 0 11 0.000 7 0-6 0-5 0-7 0-10 L-11


                                EASTERN CONFERENCE - CENTRAL

                                Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

                                Cleveland Cavaliers 8 2 0.800 0 5-0 3-2 6-2 8-2 L-1

                                Chicago Bulls 7 3 0.700 1 5-1 2-2 6-2 7-3 W-3

                                Indiana Pacers 6 5 0.545 2 4-2 2-3 5-3 6-4 L-1

                                Detroit Pistons 5 5 0.500 3 2-1 3-4 2-1 5-5 L-4

                                Milwaukee Bucks 5 5 0.500 3 3-3 2-2 5-4 5-5 W-1


                                EASTERN CONFERENCE - SOUTHEAST

                                Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

                                Atlanta Hawks 8 4 0.667 0 4-3 4-1 6-2 7-3 L-2

                                Miami Heat 6 3 0.667 0 5-1 1-2 2-3 6-3 W-3

                                Washington Wizards 4 4 0.500 2 2-2 2-2 3-3 4-4 W-1

                                Charlotte Hornets 5 5 0.500 2 3-1 2-4 2-4 5-5 W-1

                                Orlando Magic 5 6 0.455 2 3-2 2-4 2-4 5-5 L-1


                                WESTERN CONFERENCE - SOUTHWEST

                                Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

                                San Antonio Spurs 8 2 0.800 0 4-0 4-2 3-1 8-2 W-5

                                Dallas Mavericks 7 4 0.636 1 3-2 4-2 6-2 6-4 W-4

                                Memphis Grizzlies 6 6 0.500 3 3-2 3-4 4-5 5-5 W-3

                                Houston Rockets 4 7 0.364 4 2-5 2-2 3-4 4-6 L-4

                                New Orleans Pelicans 1 9 0.100 7 1-3 0-6 1-4 1-9 L-3


                                WESTERN CONFERENCE - NORTHWEST

                                Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

                                Oklahoma City Thunder 6 5 0.545 0 4-2 2-3 3-2 5-5 L-2

                                Utah Jazz 5 5 0.500 0 1-1 4-4 2-1 5-5 W-1

                                Denver Nuggets 5 5 0.500 0 3-2 2-3 4-5 5-5 L-1

                                Minnesota Timberwolves 4 6 0.400 1 0-5 4-1 2-3 4-6 L-4

                                Portland Trail Blazers 4 8 0.333 2 2-3 2-5 4-6 3-7 L-6


                                WESTERN CONFERENCE - PACIFIC

                                Team Win Loss Percent GB Home Away Conf. Last 10 Streak

                                Golden State Warriors 11 0 1.000 0 6-0 5-0 9-0 10-0 W-11

                                Phoenix Suns 6 4 0.600 4 5-2 1-2 6-3 6-4 W-3

                                Los Angeles Clippers 6 4 0.600 4 5-1 1-3 5-4 6-4 W-1

                                Sacramento Kings 4 7 0.364 7 4-5 0-2 1-7 4-6 W-3

                                Los Angeles Lakers 2 9 0.182 9 1-3 1-6 0-6 2-8 L-1

                                Updated Tue Nov 17 12:34 PM EDT
                                Remember the 3 G's Gambling, Golf, Girls not in any particular order.....

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