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ACCESS
PICKS FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2017 |
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NFL |
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10/23/2017 |
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FOUND
1
GAME |
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FINAL |
10/23/2017 8:30 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+195
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+4.5 (-108)
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Over 48.5 (-110)
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-235
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-4.5 (-112)
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Under 48.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 19, 2017 With the entire nation watching, the Philadelphia Eagles will attempt to take a commanding three-game lead in the NFC East when they host the Washington Redskins on Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles (5-1) have won four in a row and will complete a sweep of the Redskins (3-2) with another victory. Philadelphia won the season opener 30-17 at Washington. After a hard-fought victory on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Eagles responded with a gritty 28-23 win at Carolina last Thursday night. "It's a tremendous testament to those players in that locker room," Eagles coach Doug Pederson told reporters after the win against the Panthers. "I told them tonight after the game I haven't been part of a team that has battled through so much injury and adversity to be in the first month of the season, month and a half of the season, the resiliency of the football team started to show last year at the end of the year. "They're learning from last year. They're learning how to finish games and just the overall consistency from the leaders leading this football team. They are sacrificing each other -- themselves for the football team. It's a fun thing to watch. " The Eagles could receive a boost against Washington with the potential return of right tackle Lane Johnson and running back Wendell Smallwood. Both players practiced Tuesday as Johnson cleared concussion protocol and the swelling subsided in Smallwood's knee. Second-year quarterback Carson Wentz continued his stellar play against Carolina and improved his season numbers -- 126 of 207 for 1,584 yards with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Those statistics have vaulted him into the early conversation for the league's Most Valuable Player award. "Having a year together with this team, under Coach, myself, everything, we're just built differently," Wentz told reporters. "We have a different character makeup in that locker room, and we just have a bunch of guys that believe that no matter the situation we can find a way to win a ballgame. " Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich was asked at his press conference Tuesday if Wentz's emergence is rare for a young player. "Yeah, I think it's rare," Reich said. "I mean, I think those players are rare, and I think it's rare in Carson's standpoint, and obviously as confident that I feel like that's no fluke and that there's further to go down that path to go for him and that he's going to make it all the way to the end of that path, as confident as I am of that, you've still got to go out and prove it every day. " The Redskins pushed above . 500 at 3-2 following a 26-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. They jumped out to a 17-0 advantage and had to rally to pull out the victory. "Obviously, you want to close them out and put your foot on their throat, but it doesn't always work out," Redskins coach Jay Gruden told the Washington Post. "They have 46 guys on their team that are trying not to allow that to happen. They just made some plays. We made some unfortunate penalties and turnovers. The turnover was huge. You've got the ball at the 44-yard line, second and three, instead they've got the ball on your 2-yard line. It's a huge difference. " Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins has been quite efficient this season while completing 105 of 158 passes for 1,334 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. "We did a good job as an offense," Cousins told the Washington Post. "There were a lot of good decisions, a lot of good plays made, a lot of third-down conversions in big moments, a lot of crucial drives where we had to churn the clock and come away with points. So I was proud of the way our offense played today. It wasn't perfect. There were a couple of mistakes, but all in all, we did a lot of good things. " The injury bug could be a problem for the Redskins heading into this crucial matchup. Starting cornerbacks Bashaud Breeland (knee) and Josh Norman (rib) are both questionable as is running back Rob Kelley (ankle). Defensive lineman Jonathan Allen is already out with a Lisfranc injury and he may be lost for the season. In addition, the Redskins will feature newly signed kicker Nick Rose, who has never competed in an NFL game. He has previously been cut by the Atlanta Falcons and 49ers. Dustin Hopkins was placed on injured reserve to make room for Rose.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 24, 2017 PHILADELPHIA Carson Wentz stood tall in a collapsing pocket and kept making plays with his arm or legs. Wentz tossed four touchdown passes, and the Philadelphia Eagles overcame losing nine-time Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters in a 34-24 win over the Washington Redskins on Monday night. ''You step up and go into make-a-play mode,'' Wentz said after making one highlight play after another in front of a national audience while cementing his status as a first-half MVP candidate. The second-year quarterback threw for 268 yards and ran for a career-best 63 after a shaky start to lead the NFL-best Eagles (6-1) to their fifth straight win. But the victory was costly because Peters was carted off the field with a knee injury in the third quarter. Kirk Cousins threw for 303 and three TDs for the Redskins (3-3). ''Carson made some unbelievable plays there in crunch-time situations,'' Redskins coach Jay Gruden said. ''We lost and it wasn't good enough by anybody, offensively. But Kirk competed and made some great throws, some great plays. '' The Eagles went three-and-out three times in their first four drives and had only 57 total yards before Wentz hit Mack Hollins in stride with a perfect 64-yard TD pass to tie it at 10. That got the offense rolling. Wentz connected with Zach Ertz for 46 yards on the next series and found him again for a 4-yard TD pass to make it 17-10. After getting the second-half kickoff, the Eagles drove 86 yards for another touchdown. Peters was injured during the series, and fans chanted his name while teammates surrounded the cart. Wentz finished the drive off with a play that Peters would appreciate. While being hit by two defenders and falling forward, Wentz lofted a 9-yard TD pass to Corey Clement. ''One of the best plays I've seen in a long time and by two young guys,'' Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. ''To hang in there and take shot after shot, it's amazing to me. '' Wentz fired a 10-yard TD pass to Nelson Agholor to expand the lead to 31-17. Wentz kept that drive alive by escaping a sack and running 17 yards on third-and-8. ''That's what makes him so special,'' right tackle Lane Johnson said. ''He has great field vision, and he's got something a lot of guys don't have. '' Cousins tossed a 7-yard touchdown to Chris Thompson to give the Redskins a 10-3 lead. He connected with Jordan Reed on a 5-yard TD to cut the deficit to 24-17 and threw a 12-yard pass to Reed to cap the scoring. The Eagles were penalized on four straight plays to start their first possession before Wentz was intercepted by Quinton Dunbar on a deep pass to Torrey Smith on second-and-31. Philadelphia swept Washington for the first time since 2013 and has a commanding lead in the NFC East. The Cowboys and Redskins are tied for second place. INJURIESRedskins: LT Trent Williams (knee), CB Fabian Moreau (hamstring), RG Brandon Scherff (knee) and LB Preston Smith (groin) were hurt. Eagles: LB Jordan Hicks (ankle) got hurt on the first series. Peters was replaced by Halapoulivaati Vaitai. Pederson didn't have an update after the game. MIARedskins WR Terrelle Pryor had two catches for 14 yards and didn't start. HEY ROOKIEEagles first-round pick Derek Barnett had his first two-sack game. STREAK OVEREagles kicker Jake Elliott connected from 50 and 42 yards before he missed from 45 yards, ending his streak at 12 straight field goals. Four of those were from beyond 50 yards, including a 61-yarder. HALL OF FAMESix-time Pro Bowl kicker David Akers was inducted into the Eagles' Hall of Fame at halftime. Akers is the team's all-time leader in regular-season points (1,323) and games (188) and postseason points (134) and games (19). UP NEXTRedskins: Host the Dallas Cowboys (3-3). Eagles: Host the San Francisco 49ers (0-7). ---More NFL: http://pro32. ap. org and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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NBA |
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10/23/2017 |
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FOUND
8
GAMES |
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FINAL |
10/23/2017 7:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+140
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+3.5 (-115)
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Over 215.5 (-110)
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-160
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-3.5 (-105)
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Under 215.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 Ben Simmons reinforced during the first week of the season why the Philadelphia 76ers made him the first pick of the 2016 draft. That still hasn't translated into any victories.Simmons recorded double-doubles in each of those games and just missed a triple-double by two assists at Toronto on Saturday. That didn't prevent the Sixers from getting blown out by the Raptors, 128-94. Philadelphia, which lost its first two games to the Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics, will try again to break into the win column with a road game at the Detroit Pistons on Monday."To me, (the stat line) looks great but I'd rather have a win, honestly," said Simmons, who is averaging 15.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists. "I'd rather have three wins than double-doubles." Simmons missed all of last season after breaking his right foot. Now healthy, the 6-foot-10 playmaker is creating matchup problems for opposing defenses."I'm not really paying attention to what the numbers say. I think I know what the stats say below me (on the sheet) but when you're coaching and feeling the game, you're feeling that he has the ability to be incredibly special," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. "You feel like immediately that the stuff he does on the floor is very unique. His size and burst of speed and his ability to get to the rim and take hits, all those things are kind of wrapped up more to me in athleticism." Philadelphia should get a boost on Monday from the return of center Joel Embiid. He didn't play against the Raptors because he hasn't been cleared to play back-to-backs after undergoing knee surgery in March. He's averaging 14.5 points and 13.5 rebounds."I knew the first three games were going to be difficult," Brown said. "I knew coming into this building (at Toronto) on a back-to-back was going to be difficult. But you're certainly not expecting it to be that margin of a deficit. I give Toronto credit but we've got a lot of work to do. We look forward to getting Joel back in this and continuing to learn how to play the group." Detroit (2-1) is coming off a 111-107 road victory over the New York Knicks on Saturday. The Pistons rallied from a 21-point deficit, outscoring the Knicks 60-43 in the second half."Everything changed in the second half," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "The whole defense changed the entire second half. We finished up the game well." Forward Tobias Harris has been the Pistons' top player in the early going, averaging 24.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. He pumped in 31 points at Madison Square Garden."We didn't get discouraged," Harris said. "We were able to make shots at the end but the biggest thing was the defense." Another encouraging development for the Pistons has been the play of point guard Reggie Jackson. Slowed by a knee injury last season, Jackson is averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 assists, 2.0 steals and just 1.7 turnovers. He had seven points during the fourth-quarter rally at New York."He was attacking the basket and then you put the ball in his hands and he makes all seven free throws, finished out the game really, really well," Van Gundy said. "The thing for us is Reggie's making so much greater effort at the defensive end of the floor. That's the biggest change." The Pistons will be playing their second regular-season game at their new home, Little Caesars Arena. They defeated the Charlotte Hornets in their first outing there on Wednesday.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 23, 2017 DETROIT Ben Simmons had a triple-double in his fourth NBA game, Joel Embiid scored 30 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Detroit Pistons 97-86 on Monday night for their first win of the season.Simmons had 21 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, showing off the skill and versatility that made him the No. 1 pick in the 2016 draft before he missed all of last season with a foot injury. He finished two assists shy of a triple-double in his previous game at Toronto.Detroit, which rallied from a 21-point deficit to beat the New York Knicks on Saturday night, fell behind by 21 again in the second quarter against the 76ers. The Pistons chipped away and were within three in the fourth, but Philadelphia held on.Andre Drummond had 14 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons.Philadelphia never trailed. It was 56-43 at halftime and 75-67 after three quarters before the Pistons cut the deficit to three on a 3-pointer by Anthony Tolliver. The teams traded baskets for a bit before a three-point play by Robert Covington and 3-pointer by T. J. McConnell put the 76ers up by nine.Detroit trailed by four after a 6-0 run late in the fourth, but an awkward-looking hook shot by Drummond missed everything, and the 76ers were able to close out the game.TIP-INS76ers: Simmons had double-doubles in his first three games, but Philadelphia lost them all.Pistons: Drummond moved into sixth place on Detroit's career rebounding list, passing Walter Dukes. Drummond is now three shy of 5,000.NEW FACILITYThe Pistons and Henry Ford Health System broke ground on a new complex a couple miles north of Little Caesars Arena that will house a training facility and corporate headquarters for the franchise. It's scheduled to open in 2019.UP NEXT76ers: Philadelphia hosts Houston on Wednesday night.Pistons: Detroit hosts Minnesota on Wednesday night before heading on a three-game western trip.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
10/23/2017 7:38 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+506
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+11 (-115)
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Over 204.5 (-110)
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-700
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-11 (-105)
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Under 204.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 23, 2017 MIAMI -- It is extremely early in the NBA season, so it is difficult to figure which trend is real or just temporary.That certainly is true of the Monday night game between the Miami Heat (1-1) and the visiting Atlanta Hawks (1-2).The Heat lost their opener but bounced back to win Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers.Atlanta, meanwhile, won its opener but has now lost two in a row, including Sunday afternoon at the Brooklyn Nets.This can't be an easy stretch for the rebuilding Hawks, who are starting the season on a five-game road trip while Phillips Arena goes through a $190 million renovation.The Hawks, to minimize their travel issues, planned to fly to Miami on Sunday night. But, even so, the Heat will be the more rested team in this battle.Adding to Atlanta's degree of difficulty for Monday night, the Hawks may be without point guard Dennis Schroder. He went down with a bruised left foot Sunday, and he had to be helped off the court with 3:37 left in the game.He told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he likely won't play Monday, though he hopes to return to action Thursday in Chicago. Schroder didn't believe the injury was serious.Schroder would be a big loss. He is averaging 23.3 points and 6.7 assists. Even without finishing on Sunday, he still had 17 points and eight assists."It's our point guard. It's our leader -- you never want to see that," teammate John Collins said of the Schroder injury. "Hopefully, he'll be OK, (but) it looked bad." Miami has its own injury concern. Center Hassan Whiteside, who had 26 points and 20 rebounds in the Heat's opener, missed the Saturday game due to a knee bruise.With Whiteside likely out for the second consecutive game, the Heat will rely more on players such as power forward James Johnson, who this season has been named a co-captain along with Goran Dragic and Udonis Haslem. It is the first time in the pro careers of Dragic and Johnson that they were named captain."It means the world to me that these guys voted for me to lead them," Johnson told the Miami Herald. "I have great respect for (my teammates). Being captain doesn't mean I'm always saying what to do and everything I say is right."I also follow their lead, and that plays a big part, too." Heat players on Sunday went to Hard Rock Stadium, where they watched the Miami Dolphins beat the New York Jets in Haslem's luxury box.Haslem, who was Miami's lone captain last season, made the invitation as a bonding exercise in hopes that it brings the players even closer together.Dragic, meanwhile, could have a big game on Monday against Schroder's replacement, assuming there is a need.Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer likely will start Malcolm Delaney at the point with backup duty from either Josh Magette or Isaiah Taylor. Shooting guard Kent Bazemore is also a possibility for some spot duty at the point."Josh has been great for us through camp," Budenholzer said. "We just added Taylor. ... We'll see how Dennis' ankle is and come up with a plan."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 23, 2017 MIAMI Josh Richardson did a little of everything for the Miami Heat, and he earned a Dwyane Wade comparison in the process.Richardson scored 21 points, Wayne Ellington made six 3-pointers in the second quarter and the Heat wasted a 21-point lead before recovering to beat the Atlanta Hawks 104-93 on Monday night.Richardson had driving layups on back-to-back possessions in the final minutes, when the Heat went on a 17-6 run that decided things.''J-Rich gets it done, on the offensive end and especially on the defensive end,'' Ellington said. ''He's huge for us. He's a leader out there on the floor. He's really evolving, his game's evolving, he's getting better every day. He's becoming the type of player he's definitely capable of being.'' Ellington scored 20 points and Goran Dragic finished with 19 for Miami, which started 14 of 24 from 3-point range - and then went 0 for 13 the rest of the way, yet prevailed anyway.Richardson had eight of his points in the fourth for the Heat. Plus, he was stellar again on the defensive end with two steals and two blocks.''What didn't J-Rich do tonight?'' Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ''He was great defensively. Those were the type of plays at the rim that we had a former 2-guard here make, those kind of blocks. There's not many 2s in the league who can make those kind of plays.'' Kent Bazemore and Taurean Prince each scored 20 for the Hawks, while John Collins had 14 points and 11 rebounds off the bench for Atlanta. The Hawks went on a 33-12 run in the second half to tie the game at 77, but never got the lead down the stretch even as Miami went from sizzling to icy in an instant.''It's rare that a team stays that hot for so long,'' Bazemore said. ''We stayed the course. We came out in the third quarter and gave them a good punch to start the third. The biggest thing from tonight is we stayed steady, kept plugging away and gave ourselves a chance.'' It looked like a rout early.Ellington's six 3s in the second quarter tied a Heat player record for 3-pointers in any quarter, alongside only Brian Shaw in 1993, and tied the team mark for 3s in a half. Miami's 13 first-half 3s set a franchise record, for any half.The Heat led by double digits for most of the second quarter, took an 18-point lead into halftime and stretched it to 21 when Dragic got the third quarter started with a 3-pointer.Exactly 12 minutes later, it was tied - but the Heat escaped.''We found a way to scrap our way back,'' Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer said.TIP-INSHawks: Bazemore scored Atlanta's first seven points, and was the only Hawk to score in the first 7:13. ... Former Heat forward Luke Babbitt made his first four shots, including a 3-pointer right in front of the Miami bench. ... Belinelli went over the 15,000-minute mark for his career.Heat: Miami came into the game with an NBA-fewest 21 free throws made this season, and went 12 for 18 - after a 1 for 5 start. ... Out of the first 21 Heat field goals, 12 were 3-pointers. ... Tyler Johnson was 1 for 9, missing all four of his 3-point tries.TEMPERSDragic got shoved in the third quarter, starting a brief exchange of players getting in each other's faces. Prince was assessed a Flagrant-1, and Dragic, Waiters and Atlanta's Dewayne Dedmon all were called for technical fouls.HAWKS INJURIESAtlanta was without PG Dennis Schroder (sprained left ankle) and F Ersan Ilyasova (strained left knee), both of whom started in Brooklyn on Sunday. That's on top of the Hawks already missing DeAndre' Bembry (broken right wrist) and Miles Plumlee (strained right thigh).WHITESIDE OUTThe Heat were without C Hassan Whiteside (bruised left knee) for a second consecutive game. Whiteside has grabbed at least 10 rebounds in all seven of his appearances against the Hawks. He's listed as day-to-day.UP NEXTHawks: Atlanta's season-opening five-game trip ends Thursday in Chicago.Heat: Miami plays the third game of its six-game homestand Wednesday against San Antonio.---More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
10/23/2017 8:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+289
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+8 (-105)
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Over 214 (-110)
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-360
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-8 (-115)
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Under 214 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 HOUSTON -- It was an expected answer to a question that was sure to yield this precise response, with Houston Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni offering measured praise over the promising start enjoyed by his unbeaten team with the first week of the schedule set to bleed into the second.After the Rockets (3-0) survived a grudge match against the reigning champion Warriors, won again the next night in Sacramento, then cruised to an easy victory over an in-state rival, D'Antoni was pressed to assess where his team stood at this early stage of this season.The Rockets were without offseason acquisition Chris Paul in their victories over the Kings and Dallas Mavericks, but the point guard's absence did little to undermine the commitment to defense."I like it," D'Antoni said. "Obviously, I got to like it. Nothing wrong with it in the sense of, I think we're trying to build a good defensive base. We're trying to understand where we are offensively. I wish Chris would be here so we can keep getting better."I'm happy, I'm happy where we're at. We got a long ways to go. But 3-0 is 3-0." Houston will host the Memphis Grizzlies (2-0) on Monday night at Toyota Center, seeking to maintain its early defensive vigor against a team undergoing an ideological shift on the offensive end.Gone are the halcyon "Grit & Grind" days that Memphis cemented as its identity. Now the Grizzlies are shifting to the pace-and-space model prevalent throughout the league, and while all the roster components don't perfectly fit that methodology, Memphis does rank 10th in offensive rating following home wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Golden State.For the Rockets, that means preparing for a matchup against a division rival that could seem familiar but might not be."I think our mindset is getting better no matter who we play," Rockets guard James Harden said after the win over the Mavericks. "From the beginning of the game, we were locked in, and offensively we made shots. And that's going to be our blueprint, defensive stops." Noteworthy from the Grizzlies' 111-101 win over the Warriors on Saturday was the balanced scoring, excluding the 34-point performance from center Marc Gasol, that Memphis rode to success.The safe assumption is that if Memphis is going to thrive playing at a hastened pace, point guard Mike Conley will shoulder a significant load advancing that objective. However, Conley tallied just 10 points on 3-for-14 shooting against the Warriors, with Memphis emboldened by double-digit showings from James Ennis III plus Tyreke Evans and Mario Chalmers in reserve."We've got some guys that can do some different things coming off the bench," Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said. "That group does a good job of sharing the ball and sharing the game, and they trust each other. Hopefully that's something we can build on."By no means have we arrived. We've still got a lot of work to do. But that is definitely the style of play we'd like to continue to build upon."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 23, 2017 HOUSTON In a game that he dominated offensively, Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol said it was the team's defense that helped the most in the wild come-from-behind win over the Houston Rockets.Gasol scored 26 points to lead the Grizzles to a 98-90 win in Houston on Monday night. Memphis has won its first three games for the first time since the 2014-15 season when the team won its opening six contests.Memphis allowed just two points in the final six minutes and ended the game on a 20-2 run.''At the end of the game, not allowing them to score, that's a great way to finish,'' Gasol said. ''When you can trust that your defense is going to be there at the end of the game, you don't have to put as much pressure on your offense.'' With the game tied at 88 with less than three minutes remaining, tempers flared after Memphis guard Mario Chalmers fell to the ground and tripped James Harden, who then shoved Chalmers as he tried to get off the ground. After a lengthy review, both players received technical and Harden was called with an offensive foul.Memphis guard Mike Conley said Chalmers' scrappiness provided a spark for the Grizzlies.''He embodies what we are and for that to happen at that point of the game, it got everybody going,'' Conley said. ''It got everybody believing that, `Hey, we belong here, we're supposed to be here, and this is our chance to win the game.'' 'On the following play, James Ennis III made a shot where he was fouled and converted the free throw to put Memphis up three. After Clint Capela's dunk, Conley hit a 3 to push the lead to 94-90.Conley struggled for most of the game, shooting 3-for-10 from the field and scoring nine of his 17 points at the free throw line, where he was perfect. But he came on huge for Memphis down the stretch, making key shots and getting pivotal assists.''They did a good job of defending and switching - every shot I took was a tough shot up until the fourth quarter,'' Conley said. ''In close games, there's a job to be done, and you just have to go out there and do it.'' For most of the game, it was Gasol who gave Houston fits. Whether he was overpowering Capela or shooting over smaller forwards, Gasol found a rhythm, making eight of his 15 shots and going 10-for-10 from the free throw line.When told he had five dunks in the game, Gasol said, ''That's four too many.'' On Eric Gordon Bobblehead Night where he was presented with his Sixth Man of the Year Award in a pregame ceremony, the veteran guard was ironically a starter in the game. Gordon led the Rockets with 27 points.Harden finished with 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Houston was held to 90 points, three less than their season low of 93 from all of last season.''Our bodies weren't popping and moving like we normally do,'' Harden said. ''We didn't make shots, obviously. They played pretty good defense, but we just didn't pop when we needed it.'' Houston led 57-50 at halftime. The Rockets held a lead as big as 12 points in the second half, but the Grizzlies got hot midway through the fourth quarter.OFF-SHOOTING NIGHTThe Rockets made just nine 3s on 23.7 percent shooting. Houston was 1-8 when making less than 10 3s last season.''Obviously, we forced some up - some were good and didn't go in,'' Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni said. ''We have to improve. We've got to get better, and I knew it was going to be a tough game.'' BOO BIRDS:Forward Chandler Parsons was booed heavily by the Toyota Center crowd when he first took the floor. Parsons spent his first three seasons in Houston before leaving for Dallas in 2014.TIP-INSGrizzles: Guard Tyreke Evans played through a bruised left knee after being listed as questionable. Evans played 21 minutes and had five points. ... Forward JaMychal Green missed a second straight game with a left ankle injury and wore a boot on the team's bench.Rockets: Harden was named Western Conference Player of the Week early Monday after averaging 27.7 points, 9.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.67 steals to lead Houston to a 3-0 start. It was the 14th time in his career to win the award. ... Veteran center Nene received a technical foul for a dead-ball brush with Parsons late in the third quarter.UP NEXTGrizzlies: Visit Dallas on Wednesday night.Rockets: Visit Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
FINAL |
10/23/2017 8:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+215
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+6.5 (-105)
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Over 204 (-110)
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-260
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-6.5 (-115)
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Under 204 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 MILWAUKEE -- The Charlotte Hornets will try to do something the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Portland Trail Blazers haven't been able to do this season when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks Monday night at the Bradley Center.Stop Giannis Antetokounmpo.The Milwaukee Bucks' versatile playmaker has been a terror through the first week of the season, averaging a league-best 38.3 points through three games and setting a new career high his last time out, dropping 44 against the Blazers on Saturday night in a 113-111 victory."He's only getting better and stronger," Bucks coach Jason Kidd said.Perhaps that was a warning to the rest of the league, but Antetokounmpo has certainly taken his game to another level so far this season."The difference is I don't have (anything) to lose," Antetokounmpo said. "I play with that mentality. I don't have (anything) to lose. I'm going to keep attacking, keep making plays, I'm going to turn the ball over, I'm going to miss shots, I'm going to airball shots, but at the end of the day I have nothing to lose. ..."I'm going to do whatever it takes for my team to get a win. You know what I'm saying? I don't have (anything) to lose. I'm going to keep playing hard, keep being humble and keep working on my craft and hopefully, I can be one of the best in the league in the future." Making the task tougher for the Hornets is the absence of Michael-Kidd Gilchrst and Cody Zeller.Kidd-Gilchrist would have likely seen significant time opposite Antetokounmpo but first returned to practice Saturday after a two-week absence following the death of his grandmother and isn't expected to be ready Monday night."He's good, he's a worker," Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. "I really don't have any idea when (he can play a significant role again), but he's going to have to practice some for him to be ready to play." Zeller, meanwhile, sat out the Hornets' game Friday against Atlanta and will probably be on the bench at Milwaukee, leaving Johnny O'Bryant to get extended minutes in his absence.Zeller was a starter last season but moved to a reserve role this year after the Hornets acquired Dwight Howard. The 13-year veteran is averaging a double-double (15.0 points, 15.0 rebounds) through the first two games but there is still a bit of an adjustment period both for Howard and his teammates."Most (big) guys, when they catch the ball at the top (of the key) or in pick-and-roll, they're looking to get off the 3," Howard told the Charlotte Observer over the weekend. "Back when I first came in, it was look first inside-out. It's an adjustment; I get it."I talked to some of the guys (Friday) night: 'There are going to be points when I'm frustrated, there are going to be times when you're frustrated.' We've just got to stay patient with each other, understand it's a process and to play together." Charlotte has had Milwaukee's number recently, winning 11 of the last 14 meetings but has dropped two in a row to the Bucks.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 24, 2017 MILWAUKEE Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing ''at a crazy level,'' according to teammate Khris Middleton.Hard to argue with that.Antetokounmpo had 32 points and 14 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks scored the final nine points in a 103-94 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night.The reigning Eastern Conference player of the week was 13 for 21 from the field and 6 for 8 at the line. He also had six assists and blocked two shots.The 22-year-old Antetokounmpo has scored at least 30 points in each of his first four games. He had a career-high 44 points Saturday against Portland.''I mean, we need him to play like this,'' Middleton said. ''He's a match-up nightmare for everybody. The more we can play for him, the more that he relies on us too, the easier the games are going to be for us.'' Middleton added 20 points for Milwaukee, which played its third game in four days, all at home.Charlotte, which missed its last seven shots after the score was tied at 94, was led by Frank Kaminsky's 18 points. Jeremy Lamb added 17 points, Kemba Walker had 15 and Dwight Howard grabbed 22 rebounds - three shy of the team record.Antetokounmpo's two free throws gave Milwaukee a 96-94 lead with 1:34 left. Charlotte missed two 3-pointers on its next possession and Middleton made a 3 from the top of the arc with 43.5 seconds to go.Howard missed two foul shots with 33 seconds remaining to finish 0 for 9 from the line, but Charlotte caught a break when the rebound was tapped to Lamb. But he missed a shot after driving through the lane.Antetokounmpo sank two more free throws, Walker shot an air ball from long range and Middleton capped the scoring with two free throws with 16.2 seconds left.''I thought the guys executed their sets offensively and I thought they were patient,'' Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd said. ''Sometimes we can get in a rush and take that first shot because it's wide open but turning down a good shot to get a great shot, those are what the good teams do in this league, and I thought that's what we did tonight.'' A floating shot by Middleton gave Milwaukee a 90-81 lead with 7:49 left. But Charlotte responded by scoring the next seven points, and shortly after tied the score at 94 on a 3-pointer by Kaminsky with 3:05 remaining. But the Hornets were shut out from there.''It was terrible offense,'' Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. ''The second half, it is just not going to work in this league.'' SCOUTING REPORTAntetokounmpo's 147 points through the first four games are the most in team history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 146 in 1970-71.''We played Friday, so Saturday you start watching (film on Milwaukee), and you sit and enjoy his greatness,'' Clifford said. ''It's not just his size and athleticism, he has an energy level and a flare and a passion for playing that is fun to watch. Then ... you're like `What are we going to do?' That happens a lot in this league, but certainly he's one of the guys that you enjoy watching.'' INJURIES LENTYCharlotte announced before the game that guard Julyan Stone will miss four to six weeks with a strained left hamstring. He got hurt in practice Sunday.Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon also did not play because of a left ankle sprain. It is uncertain how long he will be out.TIP-INSHornets: Howard became the first Hornets player with three straight 15-plus rebound games since Al Jefferson in 2014.Bucks: Milwaukee attempted just three free throws in the first half, compared to 22 for Charlotte.UP NEXTHornets: Charlotte hosts Denver on Wednesday to begin a three-game homestand.Bucks: Milwaukee hosts the Celtics after opening their season with a win in Boston.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
FINAL |
10/23/2017 8:38 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
 |
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+125
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+3 (-115)
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Over 201 (-110)
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-145
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-3 (-105)
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Under 201 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 The San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors, two of the NBA's most proven and successful teams, will battle to stay unbeaten in their early-season schedules when they square off on Monday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.San Antonio, missing star forward Kawhi Leonard and point guard Tony Parker because of injuries, relied on its defense to win at Chicago 87-77 on Saturday. LaMarcus Aldridge, who has stepped up as the focal point of the Spurs' offense because of the injuries, scored 28 points and had 10 rebounds to lead San Antonio over the Bulls.Aldridge is just the second Spurs player ever to have 25-plus points and 10-plus rebounds in the first two games of a season (Tim Duncan, 2004-05)."I've been in a different mindset since the summer started, and that has carried over to training camp to preseason to now," Aldridge said. "My mindset coming into the season was to try to be more dominant." The Spurs scored 23 points off turnovers in Saturday's win, which was just the 10th victory in team history at Chicago by double-digits and only the second such victory in the past 10 years. It also allowed San Antonio to snap a three-game losing streak at Chicago that was the second-longest in franchise history, behind only a four-game slide from 1986-89."Aldridge was just a difference maker for us with the way he scored," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said after the win. "The defense in the second half and L. A.'s offense was what got us over (the hump). They moved the ball better than we did. I thought they actually executed better than we did." With the 2-0 start to the campaign, the Spurs have had a winning regular-season record for all but 48 days since 1997, a span of 20-plus years.Toronto heads to the Alamo City for the only time this season on the heels of a dominating 128-94 home victory over Philadelphia on Saturday. The Raptors got 30 points from DeMar DeRozan -- 23 of those in the first half -- to start the season with two straight wins.Serge Ibaka added 21 points for the Raptors, while Kyle Lowry had 17 points, Jakob Poeltl and Delon Wright contributed 14 each and Lucas Nogueira tallied 10.DeRozan was listed as questionable prior to the game because of flu symptoms but obviously found a way through the situation. Lowry said he was not surprised that his backcourt teammate performed well despite being at less than 100 percent."That's what he does; I'm not shocked," Lowry said. "The man shot 16 free throws. We gave him a little more time to isolate tonight. Given the opportunity to take his time and be patient, he pretty much gets what he wants." Lowry's 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter pushed Toronto's lead to 31 points and the Raptors cruised home. The only downer in the game for Toronto was an injury to Toronto center Jonas Valanciunas, who left the game after playing 15 minutes with a sprained ankle. He will have an MRI, according to the team.The Raptors have defeated Chicago and Philadelphia by a combined 51 points to win their first two games.Monday's contest in San Antonio is the first of a six-game road trip for the Raptors."This part or the schedule is not going to make or break our season, but it's a tough part of the year," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "The good thing is we don't have to go on long road trips after we get this one out of the way." San Antonio beat the Raptors in both the teams' matchups last season and have a three-game winning streak against Toronto. The Spurs lead the all-time series 31-14 and are 17-4 versus the Raptors at home.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
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Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 24, 2017 SAN ANTONIO The Spurs are without their two main leaders from last season, but they are not lacking in direction.Resurgent forward LaMarcus Aldridge and second-year player Dejounte Murray continue to lead the way as San Antonio remained unbeaten by fighting past Toronto.Aldridge had 20 points and Murray had 16 points and 15 rebounds and the Spurs held on to beat the Raptors 101-97 on Monday night.''Just an overall good win against a really well-coached, disciplined team that has a lot of expectations,'' San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. ''It's good for our confidence since we're trying to put some things together.'' The Spurs are missing leading scorer Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker, who are both rehabilitating from quadriceps injury. San Antonio has struggled to find an offensive flow without their veterans, but Murray is attempting to step into the void in just his second season.''I just want to win,'' Murray said. ''I got that winning in my (inside) and in my DNA. I just do anything to win. If I don't score a point, I'm going to go rebound. If I don't rebound, I'm going to try facilitate or I'm going to try to play defense. That's the thing that you've got to have.'' San Antonio needed that grit from the 21-year-old point guard in slugging through a physical game.Both teams were assessed 20-plus fouls and Aldridge and Serge Ibaka received technical fouls after an altercation with 3:36 remaining in the game. The two got tangled battling for position under the rim when Ibaka threw an elbow into Aldridge's midsection. Aldridge would push Ibaka before the two were separated.Murray showed his growing comfort with a leadership role by taking Aldridge aside.''I just told him, `You're on another level, don't worry about that, keep playing your game,' " Murray said. ''He's having a hell of a year and he's having fun. I told him, `Don't worry about that. Let's move on, let's win this game.' "Aldridge responded minutes later by drawing a sixth foul on Ibaka. Aldridge shouted in celebration and glared at a fallen Ibaka after driving to the basket and scoring on a layup to give San Antonio a 97-87 lead.''It just kind of woke me up a little bit,'' Aldridge said. ''It got the team awakened. Guys just kind of picked it up.'' The Spurs were able to overcome a season-high 20 turnovers. They were averaging 11 turnovers in their first two games, but had four in the opening four minutes.Toronto took advantage, keeping the game close despite being outrebounded 56-33 as it played without injured center Jonas Valanciunas.''We played great defense, but we've got to realize with that don't let it go to waste by giving up offensive rebounds to the team,'' DeRozan said. ''That's something we definitely can teak from (this game).'' DeRozan had 28 points and Ibaka had 13 before fouling out as the Raptors lost their first game of the season.TIP-INSRaptors: Valanciunas missed his first game with a sprained left ankle. There is no timetable for his return, but the 7-footer said he expects to play during the team's current six-game road trip. . Toronto, San Antonio, Golden State and the Los Angeles Clippers are the only teams with at least 48 wins in each of the past four seasons. ... The Raptors have lost nine straight in San Antonio, last winning Dec. 28, 2007. ... Toronto was San Antonio's first opponent at the AT&T Center. . The Raptors waived F K. J. McDaniels on Sunday. McDaniels was inactive for Toronto's first two games, but totaled six points, five rebounds and two blocks in three preseason games.Spurs: Danny Green had a career-high five blocks and San Antonio had 12 as a team. Green also scored 17 points. . F Joffrey Lauvergne exited with 9:19 remaining in the fourth quarter after spraining his right ankle. Popovich did not know the severity of the injury, but said it didn't appear serious. . Anderson had a career high two blocks, both coming in the first quarter. ... The Spurs had a 3-pointer for the 978th straight game, the fifth longest streak in the NBA.UP NEXTRaptors: At Warriors on Wednesday.Spurs: At Miami on Wednesday.REMEMBER WHEN?Murray's 15 rebounds were the most by a Spurs guard since Ginobili had 15 against Toronto in 2008.''It's got to be a mistake,'' Ginobili said, stunned.Ginobili was asked if he remembered when he could soar like Murray.''No,'' he said, laughing. ''What was it, 28 years ago? I remember when I was very active on the court and I could go for boards and play on the other end.''
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
FINAL |
10/23/2017 8:38 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
 |
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OFF
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-13.5 (-105)
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Over 217 (-110)
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+711
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+13.5 (-115)
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Under 217 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks, losers of their first three games and humiliated in Houston on Saturday night, didn't get any favors from the league's schedule-makers by welcoming the Golden State Warriors to town on the heels of their frustrating loss.The defending champions stand to be in an ornery mood when they enter American Airlines Center for Monday night's matchup. Golden State got throttled at Memphis on Saturday, a game that culminated with Stephen Curry getting ejected for throwing his mouthpiece in the direction of official Scott Wall in disgust over not getting a call.Moments later, Kevin Durant got ejected for defending Curry in the eventual 111-101 loss to the Grizzlies. Curry, who scored 37 points but was in foul trouble throughout the Warriors' surprising second defeat in three games, is now waiting for the league to determine if his mouthpiece toss will net a suspension.The point guard said he shouldn't have done it and knows it will get him fined. But he told reporters afterward that he doesn't believe it warrants a one-game sit-down."I've thrown my mouthpiece plenty of times and thrown it on the floor," Curry said. "It's probably not the best thing to do, but I've done it. (I) own up to it. I don't think it's a suspension or anything. My pockets will be a lot lighter for sure, though." The league might also take a look at Durant's behavior as he exited the floor upon his ejection. He egged-on heckling Grizzlies fans by pointing to his ring finger to remind them he's an NBA champion. Some thought he had given the fans the middle finger, but not so.Durant called it "nothing serious" and said it was all in good fun."I did the ring finger," Durant told reporters. "I'm sure everybody thinks I'm the angry black athlete, so I got to put my middle finger up. But nah, I put the ring finger up." The Mavs are hopeful they'll get some of their missing backcourt back in action. Rookie of the Year candidate Dennis Smith Jr., has already missed consecutive games because of a left knee effusion, which is swelling because of fluid around the joint.The team has called the injury "not serious," but it is clearly worrisome. Dallas also hopes to have Devin Harris back for Monday's game. The veteran reserve guard is on a leave of absence after his older brother, 38-year-old Bruce Harris, died Thursday from injuries suffered in a car crash.Stephen Curry's brother, Seth Curry, has yet to play this season because of a left tibia stress reaction, and he will also miss Monday's game.Dallas' biggest problem has been an inability to rebound, providing plenty of second-chance opportunities for its opponents. The Mavs have been out-rebounded by 43 through the first three games."A lot of them weren't really rebounds," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle told the Dallas Morning News. "They were loose balls that were deflected and we just didn't get to." If Dallas can't get past Golden State, a first win could remain elusive for some time. The Mavs face a home-and-away back-to-back against Memphis, followed by games against Philadelphia, Utah and the Los Angeles Clippers."I think we got the hardest schedule in the NBA the first 30 games," said 39-year-old Dirk Nowitzki, who has had a rough start to the season, averaging 7.3 points on 29 percent shooting from the floor. "Hopefully, we'll get some bodies back and win enough games to stick around for the first 30 games. But it's not going to get any easier."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 23, 2017 DALLAS Stephen Curry scored 29 points, Kevin Durant added 25 and the Golden State Warriors pulled away from the winless Dallas Mavericks in the second half of a 133-103 victory on Monday night.Klay Thompson had 21 points as the defending champs got back to .500 four games into the season, two nights after losing their cool late in a loss at Memphis.This time, the Warriors calmly put away the Mavericks after Dallas cut an 18-point deficit early in the second quarter to one late in the first half. Golden State never trailed in its seventh straight win in the series.Curry made all five of his shots inside the 3-point line and all 13 free throws the same day he was fined $50,000 for throwing his mouthpiece in the final minute against the Grizzlies.Thompson had consecutive 3-pointers to cap a 15-2 run that turned a two-point lead into an 83-68 advantage in the third quarter, sending Dallas to its second straight 0-4 start. The Mavericks lost a franchise-worst five straight to start last season.Wesley Matthews scored 19 points for the Mavericks. Harrison Barnes had 13 points against his former team, matching J. J. Barea and Yogi Ferrell. Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. had 10 points after missing two games with left knee swelling.Curry was just 2 of 10 from long range but made up for it by getting to the line. The two-time MVP has made all 39 free throws this season.Durant was 9 of 15 from the field and 4 of 6 from beyond the arc as the Warriors shot 56 percent.The Mavericks trailed 42-24 early in the second quarter before Matthews made all four shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, in a 10-point quarter. Dallas was twice within a point but never had a chance to take the lead.Curry hit two free throws for a three-point halftime lead, then made one before play started in the second half when the Mavericks were called for delay of game.TIP-INSWarriors: Curry became the eighth player to reach 20,000 career minutes for Golden State in the first quarter. ... The Warriors improved to 34-7 after a loss under coach Steve Kerr. ... Curry and Draymond Green had eight assists apiece. Green scored 10 points with seven rebounds.Mavericks: Curry's younger brother, Mavericks G Seth Curry, has missed all four games with a stress reaction in his lower left leg. Coach Rick Carlisle ruled him out this week. ... G Devin Harris missed his third straight game since his older brother, Bruce Harris, was killed in a car wreck in Dallas last week.UP NEXTWarriors: Home against Toronto on Wednesday.Mavericks: Home against Memphis on Wednesday.---More NBA basketball: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
FINAL |
10/23/2017 9:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
 |
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+170
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+5 (-110)
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Over 225 (-110)
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-202
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-5 (-110)
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Under 225 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 The Denver Nuggets gave their offense to a pair of young point guards this season, and so far the return has been incomplete.With the release of veteran Jameer Nelson last week, Denver's offense is in the hands of 20-year-old Jamal Murray and 21-year-old Emmanuel Mudiay. It was a risky move to waive a veteran point guard, especially for a team with playoff aspirations.Murray and Mudiay haven't shot the ball well, but they are doing a decent job of taking care of it. Murray is averaging two turnovers per game and Mudiay one for the Nuggets, who are 1-1 after Saturday's home win against Sacramento.Looking past the record, Denver hasn't scored 100 points in a game but that doesn't fall solely on the two youngsters. Center Nikola Jokic, a triple-double threat every night, went scoreless against the Kings after having just seven points in the opener against Utah.Coach Michael Malone isn't trying to put too much on his young point guards. In fact, Murray is averaging less than 20 minutes a game and Mudiay about 23, and the offense is running through other players. But the spotlight will be on the young guys when they host the Washington Wizards on Monday night.The Wizards (2-0) have one of the most dynamic backcourts in John Wall and Bradley Beal. They are a handful for any team, but it could be a much bigger task for Murray and Mudiay to stop. Wall and Beal are averaging 27 and 25 points, respectively, to lead the WizardsMudiay was expected to be the point guard of the future when he was taken seventh overall in the 2015 draft, but he has struggled with turnovers and decision-making in his two years. Murray, taken in the same spot in 2016, has moved ahead of him in the rotation.There are still growing pains but Mudiay has been solid off the bench so far. He had eight rebounds against Sacramento."Just a good, solid effort," Malone said.The Nuggets might need to be more than solid against the Wizards. They came within a Game 7 loss of reaching the Eastern Conference finals last spring and boast a young, talented squad starting with Wall and Beal.Another young player, third-year forward Kelly Oubre Jr., has moved into the starting lineup with injuries to Jason Smith and Markieff Morris. Oubre can celebrate that Washington has picked up his fourth-year option, and he has a chance to take control of the forward position until Smith and Morris return.Morris, who is recovering from offseason hernia surgery, has amped up his workout's and is starting to participate in contact drills."He did everything. He did the entire 20 minutes of one-on-one live, which was great for him," coach Scott Brooks told the Washington Post on Saturday "Playing against other NBA players is the next step of coming back ... he's tired of competing against the coaching staff and playing against us because you get false confidence playing against me and my staff. But it was good, he gave a good 20 minutes. The conditioning is pretty good, considering he's coming back from the hernia surgery." Smith missed Friday's win over Detroit with a sprained right shoulder but is likely to return soon, possibly on the four-game Western Conference road swing that starts Monday night. Washington will test Denver's defense, which was strong Saturday night after a rough start in Utah on Wednesday.The Nuggets held Sacramento to 36.5 percent shooting and clamped down in the third and most of the fourth."The effort was definitely there," said forward Paul Millsap, who is averaging 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds in the first two games.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Oct 23, 2017 DENVER Bradley Beal scored 20 points as all five Washington starters reached double figures, and the Wizards remained unbeaten by holding off the Denver Nuggets 109-104 on Monday night.John Wall finished with 19 points as he struggled from the floor (3 of 13) but made up for it on the free throw line (13 of 15). He added 12 assists as the Wizards improved to 3-0.Otto Porter Jr. had 17 points and 10 rebounds.Nikola Jokic broke out of a scoring slump with 29 points. His running layup early in the first quarter ended a string of six straight quarters without a point.Jokic also picked up a pivotal technical foul while heading to the bench during a timeout with 32 seconds remaining. It appeared he bumped into Wizards coach Scott Brooks. Beal made the free throw and the Wizards increased their lead to 105-102. Beal then sealed it with a driving layup.Washington began to seize control with 7:34 remaining courtesy of a four-point play. As Kelly Oubre Jr. drained a 3-pointer, Marcin Gortat was fouled by Jokic in the paint. Gortat made the free throw to extend the lead to 93-87.The Wizards took advantage of 24 turnovers and finished 26 of 28 from the free throw line.Beal made quite a play to end the first half, when he caught a long pass from Porter, put it in just before the buzzer sounded and crashed to the floor. His basket gave the Wizards a 56-55 lead.TIP-INSWizards: F/C Jason Smith missed the game in his home state with a sprained right shoulder. Smith grew up in nearby Kersey and went to school at Colorado State. ''He's been wanting to play well and hit 17 3s against them, but it's not going to happen tonight,'' Brooks said. ''He will have to save it for next year.'' ... F Markieff Morris missed the game as he recovers from sports hernia surgery. ... Oubre had 14 points.Nuggets: F Juancho Hernangomez was out with an illness. ... F Richard Jefferson dressed but didn't play. He signed a one-year deal last week. ... F Paul Millsap finished with 17 points.QUOTABLE''John Wall is in attack mode every minute he's on the floor. He's playing downhill, playing north-and-south and getting to the basket. ... We have to show a crowd to him all night long, to take away those driving lanes.'' Nuggets coach Michael Malone said of stopping Wall.UP NEXTWizards: At the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday for their second contest on a four-game West Coast swing.Nuggets: Play in Charlotte on Wednesday against Dwight Howard and the Hornets.---Follow Pat Graham on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pgraham34---More NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NBAbasketball
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
FINAL |
10/23/2017 10:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
 |
|
-135
|
-2 (-115)
|
Over 206.5 (-110)
|
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+115
|
+2 (-105)
|
Under 206.5 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 22, 2017 PHOENIX -- As the season commenced, Phoenix Suns managing partner Robert Sarver told local reporters that he expected a break-even record, but the team's floundering 0-3 start did little to create high expectations.The Suns on Sunday fired coach Earl Watson three games into the regular season, the last straw being a 130-88 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.It was the Suns' second loss by 40-plus points this season, and afterward Watson questioned the team's unity, fight and leadership.The team announced Sunday night that associate head coach Jay Triano is taking over for Watson as interim head coach. Triano's first game will be against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night.Guard Eric Bledsoe summed up his frustration in a tweet before Sunday's announcement of the coaching change surfaced."I Dont wanna be here," it read.Triano spent parts of four seasons (2008-11) as head coach of the Toronto Raptors. He is in his second season with the Suns after spending four years as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers, one when Watson was a player there.Watson was beginning his second full year on the job after being promoted from assistant coach to interim coach when Jeff Hornacek was fired on Feb. 1, 2016. Watson signed a three-year contract as head coach on April 19, 2016. The Suns went 33-85 on his watch."The whole team is embarrassed," Bledsoe said after the loss to the Clippers, then shouldered some of the blame. "I think I have to do a better job of being a leader and a floor general out there.He added about the woeful start, "It happens, but not to this point." The Suns will play their third home game against Sacramento. They lost the season opener to Portland by an embarrassing 124-76, the largest margin ever in an NBA season opener. Phoenix then fell to the Los Angeles Lakers 132-130 on Friday when rookie Lonzo Ball was one assist short of becoming the youngest player in NBA history to post a triple-double.Sacramento (1-2) is coming off a 17-point loss at Denver and will play its third road game in four nights.The Suns are the second-youngest team in the league in terms of average age, with four players still 20 and another 19. Watson tinkered with the lineup this season, putting power forward Marquese Chriss on the bench and starting two small forwards, TJ Warren and rookie Josh Jackson.Phoenix is shooting 39.7 percent from the floor and is getting outrebounded by 10.7 per game. The Suns shot 38 percent from the field and were outrebounded 52-36 by the Clippers. Opponents are shooting 51.5 percent.Sacramento, which traded DeMarcus Cousins last February, remade its roster around veteran newcomers George Hill and Zach Randolph and top draft pick De'Aaron Fox.The Kings had similar woes in their 96-79 defeat at Denver. Though Fox had 18 points off the bench, the Kings shot 36.5 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 58-39."We settled on first shots that were somewhat contested and somewhat open instead of driving the basketball," Kings coach Dave Joerger said. "I thought they pushed us around with their physicality. We were undersized at just about every position."We have to hit first. We have to have that mindset. We have to cut hard and create plays and help teammates score. Our guys have great hearts and they are trying to do the right thing. It's a good learning tool." Fox, the fifth player taken in the 2017 draft immediately after the Suns selected Jackson, has entered off the bench in all three games and is averaging 13.7 points, 5.3 assists and 5.0 rebounds in just more than 26 minutes per game. He plays behind Hill, who is also averaging 13.7 points.Kings third-year center Willie Cauley-Stein has averaged 11 points and 9.7 rebounds in his first three games as the full-time starter. Guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (ankle) has missed all three games and is considered questionable for Monday.Bogdanovic was part of the package the Suns sent to Sacramento in order to move up in the first round of the 2016 draft and select Chriss. Bogdanovic has not played in an NBA game.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 24, 2017 PHOENIX Devin Booker scored 22 points, including two free throws with 9.8 seconds to play, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Sacramento Kings 117-115 on Monday night for their first win of the season in their first game under interim coach Jay Triano.Phoenix fired coach Earl Watson on Sunday and guard Eric Bledsoe was sent home Monday morning after he sent out a tweet over the weekend that left the impression he no longer wanted to play for the Suns.Despite the tumultuous stretch for the franchise, Phoenix shot 54.5 percent from the field and held on after Sacramento rallied in the final period. Marquese Chriss scored 19 points, and Mike James finished with 18.The Kings have dropped three of four to begin the season. Garrett Temple scored 23 points for Sacramento, and rookie De'Aaron Fox had 19.The Suns led by double digits for much of the fourth quarter, but Temple hit back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 112-110 with 1:20 to play. Then Fox tied it with a layup.James looped a high-arching layup over two defenders with 14.8 seconds to go, putting the Suns back in front. Temple drew a foul at the other end but made one of two free throws, and the Suns' Troy Daniels made a foul shot with 5.1 seconds left.The Kings had one last chance, but Temple missed a 3 at the buzzer.With Triano directing the team from the sideline, the Suns raced out to a 22-point lead, making 14 of 20 first-quarter shots.Chriss scored 10 points in the first 12 minutes. But the Kings got as close as five in the second quarter and trailed 59-51 at halftime, with former Suns draft pick Bogdan Bogdanovic scoring all 12 of his points in the second in his NBA debut.MOVING ONTriano changed up what had been the Suns' starting five for the first three games under Watson. Booker, T. J. Warren and Tyson Chandler remained in while Chriss and James made their first starts of the season.Triano said he hadn't slept much and was running on adrenaline.''We're going to learn on the fly and I'm going to stop the game,'' he said. ''If I use all timeouts to teach, I'm going to use all timeouts to teach.'' Triano added that he doesn't have a substitution pattern and all in-game moves will be based on play.TIP-INSKings: Coach Dave Joerger said he has known Triano for some time via basketball circles. ''He's an incredible basketball mind,'' Joerger said. ... G-F Vince Carter became the sixth NBA player to play against the Suns in his 20th season or later.Suns: Triano got a quick embrace from Carter just before tipoff. The two were together in Toronto 14 seasons ago. ... F Jared Dudley saw his first action of the season, playing five minutes.UP NEXTKings: Host New Orleans on Thursday.Suns: Host Utah on Wednesday night.
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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NHL |
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10/23/2017 |
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FOUND
2
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FINAL |
10/23/2017 7:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+103
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+1.5 (-295)
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Over 5.5 (+100)
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-123
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-1.5 (+235)
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Under 5.5 (-120)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, N. Y., 10001 The New York Rangers needed nine games to find their second win of the season. On Monday, the Rangers will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this season when they host the San Jose Sharks. The Rangers (2-5-2) snapped a five-game losing streak (or extended their points streak to three games, depending on the perspective) with a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Saturday afternoon. Three players -- Chris Kreider, Jesper Fast and Jimmy Vesey -- finally scored their first goals of the season and now the Rangers are looking to build on a win over the final two games of this six-game homestand." We talked about it the last couple of games -- we were one play away from getting a win," Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. "You can do so many good things to try to get confidence and try to get a good feeling in here, but it in the end it comes down to winning games." But this was coming. We've had a couple of games now where we've been close and it was just a matter of time. Finally, we get the two points here, take a deep breath and then we go after another two points on Monday." The Rangers are hardly in a position to take anyone lightly but the Sharks (3-4-0) have struggled to find consistency this season and will be playing a third road game in four nights when they touch the ice at Madison Square Garden. They are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Islanders in Brooklyn that saw them allow three goals in the third period. The Sharks also have their share of players off to slow starts. Mikkel Boedker has just one goal in seven games while defenseman Brent Burns has zero goals in seven games after scoring 29 last season on the way to a Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. He had just two points in six games before picking up two assists against the Islanders." I'm not worried about it at all," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer told the San Jose Mercury News. "He's getting some really good looks. They're going to go in eventually. We're only seven games in." "He wants to score and I'm sure he feels some pressure from the numbers he put up last year," Sharks center Logan Couture told the Mercury News. "But he made some great looks and the puck's eventually going to start to go in for him." The Rangers will get a road-weary Sharks team but they will have to avoid a letdown after a hard-fought win." I don't think relief is the right word," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said after his team beat the Predators. "I mean, obviously we felt we deserved a better outcome, especially in the last three games. The process was there, the work was there." "You definitely enjoy winning, and we haven't been doing that a lot," Hayes told the New York Post. "Hopefully this is a springboard to a lot more."
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 23, 2017 NEW YORK Logan Couture had a goal and an assist, Martin Jones stopped 33 shots and the San Jose Sharks beat the struggling New York Rangers 4-1 on Monday night. Tim Heed, Joonas Donskoi and Melker Karlsson also scored to help the Sharks win for the third time in four games. Jones got his fourth straight win after losing his first two starts. Mika Zibanejad scored and Henrik Lundqvist finished with 20 saves for the Rangers, who fell to 2-6-2 on the season. New York finished 0 for 6 on the power play and is 3 for 25 over the last six games. With the Sharks leading 3-0 after two periods, Couture took the puck away from Lundqvist behind the goal and sent it to Karlsson, who put it in for his second of the season at 2:51 of the third. Couture got his 200th career assist on the play. San Jose turned the puck over in its defensive zone and Zibanejad snapped a shot into the top right corner to spoil Jones' shutout bid at 4:23 of the final period. Donskoi increased the Sharks' lead to 3-0 with 38 seconds left in the second as he skated into the right circle and beat Lundqvist glove-side inside the right post. The Rangers controlled the play for most of the first period while outshooting the Sharks 16-8, but trailed 2-0 after 20 minutes. Couture, who had his second career hat trick in a loss at the New York Islanders on Saturday night, got San Jose on the scoreboard 1:56 into the game. With Jones pulled for an extra skater on a delayed penalty, Brent Burns sent pass from the right circle up top to Couture, who fired a slap shot from straightaway past Lundqvist. Jones had two nice saves on back-to-back attempts in close by Pavel Buchnevich with a little more than nine minutes left in the first. Heed doubled the Sharks' lead with 7:15 left as he brought the puck up the right side and sent a bad-angle shot from near the goal line along the boards. The puck trickled through Lundqvist's pads for the 26-year-old's first career goal in his seventh NHL game. The Rangers had a two-man advantage for 25 seconds late in the opening period, but Jones stopped Zibanejad's shot from top of the left circle, and Rick Nash missed with an attempt in close. NOTES: Couture has six goals and three assists in his last four games. ... The Sharks are 30 for 31 on the penalty kill in seven games since giving up three power-play goals in the season- opener against Philadelphia. ... The teams conclude the season series Jan. 25 at San Jose. ... Rangers D Kevin Shattenkirk played in his 500th career regular season game. ... New York F Rick Nash played in his 999th game. ... D Marc Staal played in his 699th game - all with the Rangers - and passed Mark Messier and Steve Vickers for sole possession of 12th place on the franchise list. ... New York has given up 15 goals in the first period this season. UP NEXTSharks: At Boston on Thursday night in the fifth of a six-game trip that concludes at Buffalo on Saturday. Rangers: Host Arizona on Thursday night in the finale of a season-high six-game homestand.---Follow Vin Cherwoo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VinCherwoo---More NHL coverage: https://www.apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
10/23/2017 7:08 PM EST (179 DAYS AGO) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+123
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+1.5 (-245)
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Over 6 (-105)
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-143
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-1.5 (+205)
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Under 6 (-115)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ont., Canada, M5J 2X2 TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs may lead the league in hype, but the Los Angeles Kings are the only NHL team without a regulation loss. After the Maple Leafs were picked as Stanley Cup favorites this past week by two betting sites, they responded by losing 6-3 to the Senators on Saturday night in Ottawa. The Kings, meanwhile, were defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-4 in Columbus on Saturday to remain the only NHL team without a loss in regular time. The Maple Leafs (6-2-0) and the Kings (6-0-1) will meet Monday night at the Air Canada Centre and Toronto will have revenge on its mind from L. A.'s visit last season. The Kings defeated the Leafs 7-0 at the ACC on Nov. 8." They smacked us around," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said after practice Sunday. "But I also think you need lessons in your life. When everything goes good all the time, that's not good for you. You need a good tightening every once in a while. I thought we got it (Saturday) night." We have the best team in the league coming in, they have not lost yet, they have (a) real good back end, good forwards, playing well, good goaltending, it's going to be a real challenge for us and that's what we need. We need a real challenge. We did not handle it really well (Saturday) night." The Kings seem surprised by their fast start." No matter how good your team is, you never really envision that," defenseman Drew Doughty said. "You can feel like you have the best team in the world and you probably think you're going to lose at least one or two games in the first eight or nine games." Right winger Dustin Brown, who had an empty-net goal and three assists on Saturday, agreed: "I don't think you ever think (that). It's the NHL. You don't expect to come out like that." The Kings have won six of their first seven games for the first time and they have tied their longest streak to start a season without a regulation loss. They were 4-0-3 to open the 1995-96 season. Center Anze Kopitar, who had two goals Saturday that included the game-winner with 2:14 to play in the third period, and Brown, have taken advantage of the more upbeat tempo encouraged by new coach John Stevens. Kopitar and Brown each has a team-leading 11 points, and each is plus-11, tied for first in the NHL. The statistics signify impressive turnarounds for each player. Kopitar has equaled his points total to start the 2009-10 season, when he had a career-best 81 points, including 34 goals. He had 52 points last season and did not reach 11 points until his 19th game. Brown hasn't had more than 36 points in a full season since 2011-12. Brown did not get 11th point last season until his 24th game. Stevens had a reminder for his team despite the strong start." We have to reset every game here, and understand that we gave up four goals tonight," Stevens said after the game Saturday. "You usually don't win when you give up four goals, so we've got to learn from that. ... We told our guys, a win is a win, and I think the guys found a way to win." The Kings are without center Jeff Carter, who is out indefinitely following surgery after he suffered a cut leg in the win over the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday. Center Brooks Laich has been signed and played his first NHL game Saturday since April 9, 2016. He played with the Washington Capitals and the Maple Leafs in the 2015-16 season. The Kings feel that their good start will pay dividends later." The last three years I think we started 0-3," Brown said. "We, as a team, talked about having a good start because these are the types of games that add up and make a big difference toward the end of the year." The Kings have the NHL's best goal differential at plus-13. The Kings won 3-2 in a shootout when the teams played in Los Angeles last March. Doughty has two goals and seven assists in 12 career games against the Maple Leafs." He's a hell of a player," Babcock said. "Can stickhandle in a phone booth. Great offensive instincts. He is as loose as they come when it comes to the game, it's competitive and he wants to win. Makes the big plays at the right moment." Babcock wouldn't confirm that defenseman Calle Rosen, who skated with Connor Carrick at practice, will be back in the lineup after Andreas Borgman played the past two games. Center Dominic Moore, who played in Ottawa, appears likely to remain in the lineup Monday on the fourth line. The Maple Leafs announced Sunday that they have agreed to terms with defensemen Roman Polak to a one-year contract worth $1.1-million. Polak, 31, has registered 23 goals and 92 assists in 634 career NHL games with the Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues.
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2018 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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10/23/2017 |
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