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NBA |
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2/21/2020 |
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FOUND
9
GAMES |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:05 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-175
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-4 (-106)
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Over 221.5 (+100)
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+157
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+4 (-104)
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Under 221.5 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020With the NBA All-Star break now complete, the push to the playoffs kicks into high gear Friday for the host Orlando Magic and the Dallas Mavericks.The Magic went into the break with some positive momentum, winning two straight at home -- against Atlanta and Detroit -- after dropping eight of their previous nine. The mini-surge allowed Orlando to hold a three-game lead in the race for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference.Aaron Gordon, who dazzled at the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend, went into the break off of a near-triple-double. He scored 25 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out nine assists in the win over Detroit."If he plays like he did tonight, then we'll have a chance to make progress," Magic coach Steve Clifford said of Gordon in his postgame news conference. "We're obviously going to have to play better, but if he can play like that, it's a big plus." Orlando will take offensive production anywhere it can get. The Magic rank No. 29 in the league at 103.9 points per game. They failed to break 100 points over a four-game stretch from Jan. 24 through Feb. 1.In its wins leading into the break, however, Orlando scored 135 and 116 points.The Magic's search for offensive consistency ran into some added difficulty last month when injuries sidelined double-figure point-per-game scorers Jonathan Isaac and D. J. Augustin.Isaac, who was averaging 12.0 points per game at the time of his knee injury sustained on Jan. 1, will be out until at least March. Augustin, however, returned to practice this week and could play on Friday.Should Augustin return, he will rejoin a backcourt in which Markelle Fultz has recently flourished. Fultz scored 22 points and added 10 assists against Detroit."He's playing with more aggressively, which is what we need," Clifford said of Fultz.Dallas heads into Orlando on Friday having welcomed back its own player returning from injury: All-Star Luka Doncic.Doncic missed seven games ahead of the break, during which time the Mavericks went 3-4. He returned to lead them in a 130-111 win over Sacramento on Feb. 12, however, recording 33 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists.Doncic worked well in concert with post player Kristaps Porzingis against the Kings, the two feeding off one another in screen-and-roll situations. Porzingis scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds."You need to have chemistry to be able to win games in this league," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle told reporters at the team's practice Wednesday. "In the Sacramento game, they both scored a lot of points, so perception was it was all good. But it wouldn't be about who's scoring what points: It should be about the chemistry." Doncic's near-triple-double average of 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game had him prominently in the early-season Most Valuable Player discussion. He played in both the Rising Stars and All-Star games last weekend in Chicago.With its star player back, and with the addition of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who received a buyout from the Charlotte Hornets, Dallas returns to action aiming to improve its standing in the competitive Western Conference race.The Mavericks are tied with Oklahoma City at 33-22 and would be the No. 7 seed if the playoffs started today.--Field Level Media
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020ORLANDO, Fla. Luka Doncic nearly had a triple-double, finishing with 33 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and the Dallas Mavericks cruised past the Orlando Magic 122-106 on Friday night.Maxi Kleber added a career-high 26 points off the bench as the Mavericks improved to 19-8 on the road this season. They won just 18 road games combined the last two seasons.Kristaps Porzingis chipped in 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Tim Hardaway Jr., scored 16 points.Evan Fournier led Orlando with 28 points. Nikola Vucevic had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Terrence Ross scored 19 points for the Magic, who were doomed by another dismal shooting night. Orlando made just 9 of 43 attempts from 3-point range and shot just 39% from the floor.The Magic trailed by 18 in the first half, but surged ahead behind Fournier's 18 points in the third quarter. The shooting guard hit four of his first five shots to spark a 17-4 run in the first 5 minutes of the second half. His driving, baseline layup gave Orlando its first lead of the game, 69-68.That one-point advantage lasted one possession and turned out to be Orlando's lone lead of the game. Porzingis drained a 12-footer to put Dallas back in front, and the Mavericks extended the lead to 91-84 by the end of the period.Kleber scored 12 points in a little over 3 minutes early in the fourth to help the Mavs pull ahead 107-93. The forward from Germany hit three straight 3-pointers and finished his run with a three-point play that started with a rousing dunk.The Mavericks never let the Magic get closer than 11 the rest of the game.Doncic had 24 points, five rebounds and five assists in the first half, which Dallas controlled throughout. Doncic, Porzingis and Tim Hardaway Jr., combined to hit 8 of 13 3s, while Orlando made just 3 of 22 from beyond the arc.TIP-INSMavericks: Assistant coach Darrell Armstrong was inducted into the Magic Hall of Fame before the game. He played nine seasons in Orlando. .. Doncic had five turnovers in the first half and finished with six.Magic: Point guard Markelle Fultz left the game with 3:27 remaining in the third quarter a calf cramp and did not return. ... James Ennis III made his first start for Orlando. He went for 1 for 6 and scored two points. . Orlando started the game 1 for 19 from 3-point range and finished 9 of 43 (20.9%).UP NEXTMavericks: Play at Atlanta on Saturday night.Magic: Play at Brooklyn on Monday night.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:05 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+202
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+6 (-105)
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Over 237 (-109)
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-229
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-6 (-105)
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Under 237 (-101)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020J. B. Bickerstaff makes his Cleveland head-coaching debut when the Cavaliers visit the Washington Wizards on Friday night.Bickerstaff takes over for John Beilein, who resigned earlier in the week, as the 14-40 Cavaliers resume play following the All-Star break."(This) happened, I don't know if you can call it at a 'good time,' but coming out of the break guys are energized, they're refreshed, they've had some time away," Bickerstaff said, according to Cavs.com. "So, we can come in here with a clear mind and try to put a focus on these last 28, and there's still a lot for us to be had in these last 28 games."There's individual growth, there's team growth, there's the ability to lay the foundation of what we think we can look like moving forward." The Cavaliers entered the break having lost 13 of their last 15 games and 35 of 45 after a 4-5 start under the 67-year-old Beilein. They own the worst record in the Eastern Conference and second-worst overall behind 12-43 Golden State.While Beilein was an NBA rookie coach after a storied college career, Bickerstaff, 40, has NBA experience. Most recently, he coached the Memphis Grizzlies over the final 63 games of 2017-18 after the release of David Fizdale and all of last season before being released after the team went 33-49 and missed the playoffs.Exiting the break, Cleveland's Andre Drummond leads the league in rebounding, averaging 15.8 per game. Tristan Thompson went into the break after a 27-point, 11-rebound game, and Kevin Love averaged 19.3 points and 10 rebounds over his past four games."I think there was both sides of (success and failure) for us as players," Love said, according to Cavs.com. "I think we -- in some ways, in a lot of ways -- could have been a lot better. We have a lot of young players on this team and the veterans were trying to figure out ways to help the young fellas as well as the coaching staff." The outlook is much different for the Wizards. Despite a rash of injuries early in the season, Washington resumes play three games back of the Orlando Magic for the eighth seed in the East and five games back of the Brooklyn Nets for the seventh seed."It's been a tough year with a lot of injuries, but we've battled and we've fought and we were still playing competitive when we had a lot of guys out and now, we're getting guys healthy," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. "The playoffs are always a goal ... but we're not going to skip steps. Right now, it's so important for us to keep developing." Washington entered the All-Star break with momentum, winning five of its last seven games. The Wizards have 29 games left, including 17 games against teams currently set to qualify for the postseason.Cleveland is not one of those teams, but Brooks isn't looking past the Cavs."They have a lot of good pieces and a lot of good, young pieces as well. Their guards are really good," Brooks said. "And Tristan and Kevin Love is a tough matchup for every team. You've got a guy that can really space the floor, and you've got a guy who battles for rebounds and offensive rebounds and scores around the paint." Wizards guard Bradley Beal has scored more than 25 points in 12 straight games. Center Thomas Bryant, who has missed the past three games with a sore right foot, has been practicing and could return against the Cavaliers.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020WASHINGTON Collin Sexton scored 14 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to win in their first game under interim coach J. B. Bickerstaff, beating the Washington Wizards 113-108 on Friday night.Cedi Osman added 16 points and Darius Garland had 15 to help the Cavaliers win back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 9-11. After those wins, they lost 13 of 15 heading into the All-Star break, resulting in first-year head coach John Beilein's resignation.Andre Drummond added 12 points and 12 rebounds, Tristan Thompson had 10 points and 11 rebounds and the Cavaliers took control in the fourth quarter after not leading at all during the first three.Bradley Beal had 26 points for Washington on 9-for-28 shooting. He was 1 of 10 from 3-point range on a night the Wizards shot 24% (9 of 37) from long range.Rui Hachimura added 17 points as the Washington returned from the break with a loss after entering winning five of their last seven.Trailing nearly the entire game and by as many as 16 early, the Cavs turned it around with a 20-4 run during the fourth quarter. They pulled into their first tie on Thompson's alley-oop dunk.After Beal hit two foul shots, Garland's 3-pointer from the left elbow gave Cleveland its first lead with 6:29 left. He hit another 3 from the top of the arc to complete the run, making it 107-99 with 4:07 left.TIP-INSCavaliers: Kevin Porter Jr. was ejected in the third quarter after receiving consecutive technical fouls while protesting a charging call. . Drummond received his ninth technical foul and first since joining the Cavaliers in a trade from Detroit earlier this month with 2:42 remaining in the first half. . Porter's ejection ended his career-best streak of double-digit scoring at seven games.Wizards: With his first steal, Beal reached 600 for his career. He remains seventh in franchise history. Wes Unseld is sixth with 628. . C Thomas Bryant played his first minutes since Feb. 3 after missing four games (sore right foot). . C Ian Mahinmi also played despite entering the game listed as questionable.UP NEXTCavaliers: At Miami on Saturday night.Wizards: At Chicago on Sunday night.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:35 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-290
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-7 (-104)
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Over 213 (+104)
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+250
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+7 (-106)
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Under 213 (-114)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020As the Indiana Pacers begin their march toward the playoffs with Friday's visit to the New York Knicks, they'll be doing so with a healthy Victor Oladipo, who is ready to ramp up his minutes.Oladipo will be playing in his eighth game since missing a little more than a year with a ruptured quadriceps injury. In the first seven games, he averaged 25 minutes and did not play more than 29 minutes in any game.On Wednesday, coach Nate McMillan told reporters that doctors cleared Oladipo to start playing 32 to 34 minutes, which is on par with his career average of 33.1 minutes per game."He's pretty happy about that," McMillan said. "But we're going to be smart about it. I can play him as many minutes as I want, but we'll look at how he comes out of those games with increased minutes and adjust accordingly." Last season, Oladipo averaged 31.9 minutes and 18.8 points before getting hurt. Two years ago, in his first season with the Pacers, he averaged 23.1 points while playing 34 minutes.So far, Oladipo is averaging 11.1 points while shooting 32.9 percent from the floor. He entered the All-Star break on an encouraging note by scoring 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting in a 118-111 home win over Milwaukee on Feb. 12.The win over the Bucks broke a season-high six-game losing streak that saw the Pacers lose two one-point games but did little to negatively impact their hold on sixth in the Eastern Conference."They're starting to get used to me being back out there, but now it's time to focus on bigger goals," Oladipo said.One of the games in the losing skid was a 92-85 home loss to the Knicks on Feb. 1. Oladipo was 2-of-14 shooting in that game, and the Pacers scored just 11 points in the first quarter and 14 in the fourth.The win in Indiana began a four-game winning streak for the Knicks, but two defeats followed. New York headed into the All-Star break with a 114-96 home loss to Washington on Feb. 12 when they were outscored 37-23 in the fourth quarter and missed 20 of 23 3-point tries.While the Knicks are playing better of late and are 13-20 since firing David Fizdale and replacing him with Mike Miller on Dec. 6, most of the focus over the final two months will be on who the next coach could be.Steve Stoute, New York's branding consultant, told ESPN recently that a new coach would be in place next season. The Knicks eventually released a statement to disavow those comments, and Miller has shrugged off the speculation."He's focused on us every day, preparing us every day the best way he can," Knicks forward Julius Randle said of Miller after practice on Wednesday. "He's never too high, never too low. If we have a loss, after the game, he's not super emotional." Miller's first game was a 104-103 home loss to Indiana on Dec. 7 when Randle missed a free throw with 0.1 seconds left.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020NEW YORK Victor Oladipo didn't have a preseason to get used to the NBA's bumps and bruises again, so Indiana coach Nate McMillan wasn't surprised when his star guard had to end his night early.Back spasms prevented Oladipo from playing the fourth quarter of what was the first game after his minutes restriction had been lifted.The Pacers held on without him to beat the New York Knicks 106-98 on Friday night in their return from the All-Star break.''Victor is going through what these guys went through in October, falling or hitting the floor. He's going to have some soreness, he's going to have to work his way through that,'' McMillan said, ''and this is to be expected when you've been off for a summer, in Victor's case an entire year.'' T. J. Warren had 27 points and eight rebounds, Domantas Sabonis added 24 points and 13 rebounds, and the Pacers won their second straight after a six-game losing streak.Oladipo finished with eight points in his eighth game after returning last month following a year absence with a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee. McMillan thought Oladipo stiffened up after hitting the floor a couple times, but Oladipo said his back locked up after his body contorted when he was fouled taking a shot.He ended up playing 25 minutes and had a good finish to the first half, scoring Indiana's final five points.''Just trying to get lost in the game as best as I can, trying to get involved as best as I can,'' he said.Bobby Portis scored 19 points and RJ Barrett had 17 for the Knicks, who have lost three in a row. Leading scorer Julius Randle shot 2 for 9 and finished with seven points and seven rebounds.McMillan repeatedly said the Pacers would have to be patient with Oladipo's reintroduction to the team, noting that most times when a player is out as long as he was, he comes back at the start of the season with a full training camp.But Oladipo is working his way back past the midway point of the season, a tough adjustment for a team sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and with work to do if it hopes to earn home-court advantage in the first round.Indiana looked awful early, scoring just 15 points in the first quarter before breaking out for 36 in the second. Oladipo had just one basket before getting the Pacers' final two and sending them into the half with a 51-44 lead.The Pacers then outscored the Knicks 23-8 to start the third, opening a 74-52 advantage when Oladipo made a free throw with 3:45 remaining in the period on the play in which he was apparently hurt. Warren outscored New York by himself during that stretch, with nine points.New York cut it to 91-85 after a 7-0 burst, but Warren had a basket and then a three-point play to stop the comeback and give the Pacers a 96-85 lead with 5:12 to go.The Knicks were able to get within four in the final minute, but the Pacers made enough free throws to hold on.''I think it was just figuring out their game plan defensively,'' Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina said. ''They had the will to close the paint and we finally figured it out, but it was too late.'' TIP-INSPacers: Oladipo still won't play in both games when the Pacers play on consecutive nights. They have three back-to-backs left. ... Indiana has won four straight at Madison Square Garden.Knicks: Point guard Elfrid Payton sat out with right ankle soreness. Ntilikina started and scored 14 points. ... The Knicks begin three-game trip after this game.VICTOR'S VIEWMcMillan said Oladipo would be considered day to day, and Oladipo said he wasn't sure yet if would be able to play Sunday in Toronto. He also downplayed McMillan's point about not having a training camp to get his body used to taking hits again.''I'm not making no excuses for myself and I don't want nobody else to make any excuses for me,'' Oladipo said.UP NEXTPacers: Visit Toronto on Sunday.Knicks: Visit Houston on Monday. The Knicks have lost the last eight meetings.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:35 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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+287
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+8.5 (-111)
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Over 229 (+102)
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-337
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-8.5 (+101)
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Under 229 (-112)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020The Phoenix Suns visit the Toronto Raptors on Friday night as both teams look forward to the return of injured players following the All-Star break.Suns forward Dario Saric is hoping to play Friday after missing seven games with a sprained left ankle."I want to be ready for the next game," Saric recently told reporters. "I think I'll be ready to play. For sure something is going to bother me in the next couple of games, but I need to just go through that." The Suns open a three-game road trip against the Raptors, who hope to have center Marc Gasol back from a hamstring injury soon, but that's unlikely for the game on Friday.Raptors guard Norman Powell also has been out with a broken finger, and his return is at least a week away."Marc came in for some continued treatment today, he's looking good," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said after a Wednesday evening practice. "Norm's a bit away from his next check-up. Within a week we'll get a look at that and see where he's at as well ... We're getting closer to healthy bodies." Nurse said the team would "wait all the way until we see him go through testing" before determining whether Gasol can play against Phoenix. But the playoffs are the goal, so he might be given even more time off.Gasol has missed the past eight games and Powell has been out for the past six.Both teams have dealt with several injuries this season.Frank Kaminsky (right patella stress fracture) has missed the past 22 games for the Suns and Aron Baynes (sore left hip) has missed 13 in a row.Kaminsky is expected to be evaluated in another three weeks, but Baynes could return Friday with Deandre Ayton, who has missed the past two games with a sore left ankle.This will be the first meeting of the season between the teams.Phoenix has lost six of eight and Toronto has won 15 of the past 16 games. The Raptors had a franchise-best 15-game winning streak stopped by a 101-91 road loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 12, their final game before the break.The Raptors would like to finish the season with the second seed in the Eastern Conference, but a return to health also is a priority."Getting healthy, I think that's about it," Raptors guard Fred VanVleet said. "We've got to continue to play well and go out there and try to win every game we can, but I think more so than that, if we're healthy and feeling good towards the end, I think we'll feel good about ourselves."Obviously try to get the best seed possible. We'll be fighting for whatever spot we're in, while trying to get healthy and tuning up and just starting to sharpen up a little bit." The defending NBA champion Raptors won both games between the teams last season and have won four in a row against the Suns.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020TORONTO Pascal Siakam had 37 points and 12 rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the Phoenix Suns 118-101 on Friday night for their 16th victory in 17 games.Serge Ibaka scored 16 points, Fred VanVleet and Terence Davis each had 14, Kyle Lowry had 13 points and 10 assists and OG Anunoby aded 12 points for the defending NBA champion Raptors.After Toronto's franchise-record 15-game winning streak ended with a loss at Brooklyn in the final game before the All-Star break, the Raptors bounced back by starting the second half with their eighth consecutive home victory.The Raptors have not lost back-to-back games since an overtime loss at Indiana on Dec. 23 and a home loss to Boston on Christmas Day. Toronto has gone 19-1 since.Siakam connected on 12 of 19 attempts, going 5 of 9 from 3-point range.That was just one fewer than the six 3-pointers the Suns managed on 34 attempts. Phoenix shot 17.6%t from long range, its lowest mark of the season. No Suns player made more than one shot from distance.Devin Booker scored 21 points and DeAndre Ayton had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix. The Suns lost for the seventh time in nine games.Ayton returned to the starting lineup after missing the final two games before the All-Star break because of a sore left ankle.Phoenix trailed 93-78 through three quarters, but the Suns cut the gap to six points, 96-90 on a basket by Ayton with 8:08 left to play. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made a pair from the line, and VanVleet and Siakam both scored to put the Raptors up 102-90 with 6:58 remaining.Booker missed a 3 with 4:45 left that would have made it a four-point game. Anunoby scored on a dunk and, after another missed 3 by the Suns, Ibaka banked home a 3-pointer to restore Toronto's 12-point cushion.TIP-INSSuns: Forward Dario Saric returned after missing seven games because of sprained left ankle and scored eight points in 19 minutes. Center Aaron Baynes ended a 13-game absence caused by a sore left hip. Baynes had five points in 11 minutes.Raptors: Toronto remained without center Marc Gasol (left hamstring) and guard Norman Powell (broken finger, left hand). Gasol sat for the ninth straight game, and Powell missed his seventh. ... Raptors: F Patrick McCaw was inactive because of flu-like symptoms. . Toronto had six turnovers in the first quarter but had just two in the second. They finished with a season-worst 25.UP NEXTSuns: At Chicago on Saturday night.Raptors: Host Indiana on Sunday night.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:05 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-385
|
-8.5 (-111)
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Over 226.5 (+104)
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+322
|
+8.5 (+100)
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Under 226.5 (-115)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020Two teams that won't see their home courts much for the next month meet Friday night in Minneapolis when the Boston Celtics visit the Minnesota Timberwolves.One of the league's hottest teams entering the All-Star break with eight wins in their last nine games, the Celtics open a four-game trip that features a showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers in a nationally televised affair on Sunday.Boston will also visit Portland and Utah on the six-day venture, which begins a stretch in which the Atlantic Division contender will play 12 of 18 on the road.The Celtics will face Minnesota without All-Star point guard Kemba Walker, who is dealing with left knee soreness. Walker, a four-time All-Star, is averaging 21.8 points and 5.0 assists this season.Boston has been far better at home (23-5) than away (15-11) this season, but has begun to turn things around on the road with three wins in the last four outings.The Celtics have not faced Minnesota yet this season.That being the case, it's possible the Celtics could go the entire season without having to deal with Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns, who missed Minnesota's final game before the break last Wednesday with a sprained left wrist. He remains out indefinitely.The Celtics and Timberwolves meet for a second and final time on March 29 in Boston.Towns had been on a nice roll before suffering the injury, having recorded five consecutive double-doubles in which he averaged 24.0 points, 11.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists.Without Towns, the Timberwolves started four relative strangers in their 115-108 home loss to Charlotte last Wednesday.Malik Beasley and Juan Hernangomez, both acquired from Denver in a four-team trade that saw the Timberwolves send Robert Covington to Houston, combined for 44 points and 18 rebounds against the Hornets, while D'Angelo Russell, picked up from Golden State at the expense of Andrew Wiggins, went for 26 points and 11 assists.James Johnson, acquired from Miami in a three-team swap in which the Timberwolves delivered Gorgui Dieng to Memphis, was a fourth newcomer in the starting lineup against Charlotte. He chipped in with five points, five rebounds, five assists, four steals and three blocks.Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders noted earlier this week that Johnson will be a focal point of the offense with Towns out of action."In a way it will allow us to install more of our kind of free-flowing game with guards, with wings, with James handling the ball," he told reporters. "We know we're thin on the front line right now. We're going to have to be creative." For the time being, most of that creativity will have to come on the road. After hosting the Celtics, Minnesota will play 11 of 15 away from home.In the Celtics, the new-look Timberwolves will see a group that's become well acquainted with one another."We've got what a lot of teams don't have: We have five core players who have been playing two or more years together in a system that they're familiar with," Celtics guard Marcus Smart said of a group that also includes Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Gordon Hayward and Walker. "They're all unique and versatile in their position where they can play multiple positions, and you don't find that very often." Brown, who missed Boston's most recent game last Thursday against the Los Angeles Clippers with a sore calf, is expected to face the Timberwolves.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Feb 22, 2020MINNEOLIS Boston's defense looked, well, like it was still on vacation for much of the game.The Celtics still had plenty of firepower on the other end, staying strong out of the All-Star break.Gordon Hayward scored 29 points, Daniel Theis had career highs with 25 points and 16 rebounds and the Celtics fended off the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-117 on Friday night.“The strength of our team is just the amount of guys that can go off at any point in time, especially when you’re making the right plays and getting easy looks,” Hayward said. "We’re too talented. We just need to continue to do that.”Jalen Brown scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum had 28 points and 11 rebounds as fellow All-Star Kemba Walker sat out because of a minor knee injury. The four players at 25 or more points marked just the second such occurrence in Celtics history. Tom Heinsohn, Bill Russell, Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman did it on Jan. 20, 1960.“It just shows how deep and how good our team is,” Theis said.Marcus Smart had 10 points and a season-high 10 assists as the primary point guard in Walker's place, helping the Celtics win for the ninth time in last 10 games on the first stop of a four-game road trip. They're 1 1/2 games behind defending NBA champion Toronto for second place in the suddenly stacked Eastern Conference.Though the Celtics have allowed the third-lowest opponent scoring average in the league, the short-handed Timberwolves did plenty of damage with the ball despite taking their 16th loss in 17 games. Malik Beasley scored 27 points, D'Angelo Russell had 18 points and a season-high 13 assists, and Juancho Hernangomez added a season-high 17 points.Rookie Naz Reid had 19 points and nine rebounds in 33 minutes, starting for the injured Karl-Anthony Towns. Reid got Theis benched just two minutes into the game for an uncontested layup. The Wolves equaled every bit of energy from the Celtics, even if the talent levels didn't match.“At the end, everybody knows I don’t care about the scoring. I care about the defensive part. We’ve still got to get better on defense. We gave up a lot of stuff,” Theis said.Beasley, who had 16 points in the second quarter, pulled up for a 28-footer at the halftime horn to bring the Wolves within 61-53 right after Tatum had blown by them for a dunk on the other end.Hayward had 15 points in the third quarter for the Celtics, who ran their lead up to 68-55 before the Wolves again motored back. Beasley took a no-look backward bounce pass from Russell on a fast break for a layup that cut the lead to 72-67. Reid's 3-pointer then brought the Wolves within two.Rookie point guard Jordan McLaughlin, who's on a two-way contract for Minnesota, made all three of his 3-point attempts, the last one that cut the lead to 100-98. The crowd was alive as the Wolves twice came within one point after that, only to fail to take back the lead they hadn't had since midway through the first quarter.After Theis muscled inside for a layup and Russell missed from deep, Tatum swished a 3-pointer to give the Celtics a 119-11 edge with 3:55 to go.“When you play a team like Boston, the way they approach this season, the way they're kind of navigating this season, you know you have to be pretty much close to perfect to come out with a victory,” Wolves coach Ryan Saunders said. "We weren't that tonight." BOARD REPORTWith Reid and James Johnson trying to man the paint, the Wolves were outrebounded 58-43. In the aftermath of their roster-rattling trades two weeks ago and the injury to Towns, they're particularly thin in the frontcourt.“They were very tough with the guards, their height, Tatum and Brown crashing in, and then the bigs going at it,” Reid said. “It’s kind of hard to check out all of those guys. But I attempted to, and things didn’t go our way." TAKING CARE OF KEMBAWalker was held out by left knee trouble, but his absence is not expected to be long-term. He had the joint drained and injected to address swelling and soreness that arose after the All-Star game. Walker will be re-evaluated on the next stop on the road trip, Los Angeles.Walker, in his first season with Boston, played 46 minutes in the last game before the break. He also logged 29 minutes in the All-Star game itself, but the Celtics said his his injury was unrelated to the midseason showcase Sunday.TIP-INSCeltics: Backup center Robert Williams who missed his 34th straight game with a left hip injury that has kept him out for 2 1/2 months, resumed practicing after the All-Star break. He joined with the team on this trip and is on track to rejoin the rotation next week upon return to Boston, subject to final medical clearance.Timberwolves: With Towns sidelined, Reid had his first career start. The popular undrafted rookie even heard some stray “MVP!” chants during a fourth-quarter trip to the line.UP NEXTCeltics: Play at the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Boston won the first matchup 139-107 at home on Jan. 20.Timberwolves: Play at the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night to start a four-game, six-day trip.---More NBA coverage: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:05 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
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+102
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+1.5 (-108)
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Over 216 (-104)
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-112
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-1.5 (-102)
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Under 216 (-106)
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020The Oklahoma City Thunder look to continue their rise in the Northwest Division when they host the first-place Denver Nuggets on Friday night.The Nuggets took a five-game lead over the Thunder into the All-Star break, a gap that was one game wider before Denver lost 120-116 to the Los Angeles Lakers while Oklahoma City was winning 123-118 at New Orleans in their respective final games before the time off.Including Friday's showdown, the Nuggets and Thunder will meet three times over the final 27 games of the season, including twice at Oklahoma City.Denver got the jump on the season-series tiebreaker with a 110-102 home win over the Thunder in December. Nikola Jokic's 28-point, 14-rebound, 12-assist triple-double trumped Steven Adams' 18-point, 14-rebound double-double in their big-man head-to-head.The triple-double was Jokic's fourth of 11 this season. He went into the All-Star break with the third-most triple-doubles in the league, trailing only co-leaders LeBron James and Luka Doncic, each of whom had 12.The nine days off couldn't have come at a worse time for Jokic, who played brilliantly in January, averaging 23.4 points and 10.3 rebounds, and has been even better in February, during which he's put up 27.0 points and 12.0 rebounds in six games.The Nuggets used the break to get healthier. Mason Plumlee, who missed the last 12 games with an ankle injury, and Michael Porter Jr., who sat six in a row with an ankle ailment, have been cleared to return to face the Thunder.Porter has ranked among the most productive rookies in the league since Jan. 15, averaging 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds."The break was good for me," he told reporters at practice Wednesday. "Injuries happen. I'm just happy that it wasn't more serious. I'm ready to play again. I'm excited." The Thunder were just 11-14 after they lost at Denver in December. They have since gone 22-8, getting balanced production from a lineup that was significantly impacted by offseason deals that netted Chris Paul, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari.Oklahoma City went into the break having won 10 of 13, with Dennis Schroder (22.4), Paul (20.8), Gallinari (20.4) and Gilgeous-Alexander (18.1) all averaging at least 18 points over that stretch.Schroder admitted over the break that life after Russell Westbrook, dealt to Houston in a draft pick-laden deal that netted Paul, has been an adjustment."I mean, Russell's my guy," he admitted to reporters this week. "But Russell is Russell Westbrook. He's earned everything he's done in the NBA. He's a hell of a player."With Chris Paul (running the offense), I think it's just a different vibe we have in this locker room, and it works. This year we're on the same page. Shai, Chris, everybody's sacrificing." The cohesion surely has helped the Thunder on the road, where they have won eight straight.However, they've lost six of their last 10 at home, including the last two to Boston and San Antonio.The Nuggets have won two straight on the road.--Field Level Media
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Preview from The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Feb 22, 2020OKLAHOMA CITY Chris Paul lectured his teammates on the importance of handling their business after the All-Star break, then he showed them how to do it.Paul scored 29 points to help the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Denver Nuggets 113-101 on Friday night.The Thunder entered the night sixth in the Western Conference standings. Paul believes Oklahoma City should have a sense of urgency about finishing higher.''Some teams try to warm up into it,'' Paul said. ''We don't got that benefit. We've got to come out, 20-something games left - it's the homestretch.'' Steven Adams had 19 points and 17 rebounds, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 11 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Thunder. They have won 11 of their past 14 games.The Thunder had seven players score in double figures. Once again, the point guard trio of Paul, Gilgeous-Alexander and Dennis Schroder set the tone.''If you guys had mics on us, you'd see that we are all each other's biggest cheerleaders,'' Paul said. ''I've seen teams where guys aren't necessarily rooting for each other. They want you to do bad so they can be in the game. We're not like that, and it's refreshing and nice to see.'' Nikola Jokic scored 32 points on 12-for-15 shooting and Jamal Murray had 21 points for the Nuggets. They entered the night with the second-best record in the Western Conference.Oklahoma City scored 25 points off Denver's 19 turnovers.''We didn't take care of the ball,'' Denver coach Michael Malone said. ''That was a huge issue that happened all night long. We didn't value the ball for 48 minutes.'' Paul banked in a shot and was fouled with 2.7 seconds left in the first half to tie it, but missed the free throw and the score remained 48-all at halftime.The Thunder opened the second half on a 9-1 run that forced the Nuggets to call a timeout. Denver responded, and a 10-0 run cut Oklahoma City's lead to 60-59.A steal and dunk by Oklahoma City's Luguentz Dort sent the floor cleanup crew scrambling and gave the Thunder a 66-61 lead.''I can't say enough about Lu,'' Paul said. ''He makes all the plays that nobody else would. That steal he got - I just thought about it. And that dunk.'' Paul was fouled on a made 3-pointer, and his free throw put Oklahoma City up 72-65. The Thunder took a 78-77 edge into the fourth quarter.Oklahoma City, as it has done so often this season, took over in the final period. A dunk by Nerlens Noel on a lob from Schroder put the Thunder up 95-85. A dunk by Adams gave Oklahoma City a 109-97 edge with just under two minutes remaining.Adams scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, one of eight Thunder players to score in the period.''If you got it going, we're going to get it to them,'' Paul said. ''And we just take what's open.'' TIP-INSNuggets: Missed all seven of their 3-point attempts in the first quarter and made just 6 of 27 overall. ... Made 31 of 50 shots inside the 3-point line and 21 of 23 free throws.Thunder: Dort made the first 3-pointer by either team more than eight minutes into the game. ... Former University of Oklahoma tight end Blake Bell of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs attended the game. ... F Danilo Gallinari was called for a flagrant 1 in the second quarter.QUOTABLEPaul, on committing seven of Oklahoma City's 12 turnovers: ''How many did we have? I probably had seven or eight. I had more than half of them. I've got to be better.'' GRANT'S RECEPTIONFormer Thunder player Jerami Grant received a nice ovation from the crowd when he checked into the game in the first quarter. Oklahoma City traded the forward to Denver this past summer.''I thought it was great,'' Grant said. ''I love the fans here. Got a bunch of great memories here. I think it was definitely good.'' STAT LINESThe Thunder have had the best record in the Western Conference since Dec. 18. The 21-8 record comes out to a .724 winning percentage.UP NEXTNuggets: Host Minnesota on Sunday.Thunder: Host San Antonio on Sunday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports---Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter (at)CliffBrunt
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
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© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 9:05 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+259
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+7 (-103)
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Over 223.5 (-102)
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-302
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-7 (-107)
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Under 223.5 (-108)
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020The Utah Jazz will host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday in Salt Lake City with the All-Star break in the rearview mirror and 28 games left in the regular season.The two teams carry different agendas into the final third of the campaign.The Jazz, in fourth place in the West, have their sights set on moving up or, at the very least, keeping home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs. San Antonio, meanwhile, is fighting an uphill battle just to get into the postseason.After the Jazz beat the Miami Heat 116-101 on Feb. 12 in their final game before the All-Star break, Utah coach Quin Snyder lauded his team for playing hard and adjusting to both heightened expectations and up-and-down results."Tonight we just started playing really hard, and ... we've also learned to be a little smarter," Snyder said. "If we can keep building on those things, we've got a chance to improve in the second half of the year. That's what we need to do, keep getting better." The Jazz return from the break a half-game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for third and 1 1/2 games back of the Denver Nuggets for second.The two Utah players chosen to participate in the All-Star Game performed well in Chicago. Rudy Gobert scored 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting and added 11 rebounds, two assists and a block in 19 minutes for Team Giannis. Donovan Mitchell compiled seven points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block in 14 minutes for the same team.San Antonio, which has also been off since Feb. 11, resumes its annual Rodeo Road Trip in Utah before completing the stretch of eight straight road games in Oklahoma City on Sunday.The Spurs' run of 22 straight playoff appearances is tied for the top spot in NBA history with the Philadelphia 76ers, who were the Syracuse Nationals when they started their streak in 1950. San Antonio's postseason run is the longest active streak in any major North American pro sports league, and it will have to do a lot more, and play a lot better, to keep that run alive.The Spurs' 23-31 record is their worst at the All-Star break since the 1996-97 season, which is the last time they failed to make the playoffs.San Antonio went into the All-Streak break stuck in 10th place in the rough-and-tumble Western Conference.After San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 114-106 in its last game before the All-Star break, coach Gregg Popovich had one directive for his players. The Spurs did not send a player to the All-Star Game."Just get away from basketball," Popovich said. "Don't even think about it. You need to clear your mind sometimes, and you'll be more ready when you come back." The victory against the Thunder ended a five-game slide for the Spurs, with all the losses coming on their current trip.Popovich has described this season's team as being "defensively challenged." A number of close losses can be attributed to the Spurs' defensive breakdowns and untimely lapses, especially late in games.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Feb 22, 2020SALT LAKE CITY Encouraging Dejounte Murray to play with more offensive freedom is turning out to be a winning formula for the San Antonio Spurs.Murray had his second straight 20-point game, tallying 23 points and seven rebounds, to lead a balanced attack that helped the Spurs beat the Utah Jazz 113-104 on Friday night. He also tied his season high with four steals.Such performances are quickly becoming a trend for the fourth-year guard. Over his past four games, Murray is shooting 60% from the field while averaging 19.8 points.''When you get to play with freedom, it brings the best out of you because it builds confidence,'' Murray said. ''Your teammates and coaches believe in you.'' San Antonio used a 17-0 run late in the second half to turn a four-point game into a lopsided affair. Murray scored three baskets to fuel the game-changing run. His third one finished it off and gave the Spurs a 65-44 lead.It offered a sweet moment for Murray, who has experienced plenty of highs and lows this season while trying to regain his form after sitting out all of last season while recovering from knee surgery. He feels like his game is still a work in progress, but it is getting better all the time.''It's not easy to come back and be the best that you can be,'' Murray said. ''I'm just working and I'm going to continue to work and see where it takes me.'' DeMar DeRozan added 18 points and seven assists for the Spurs. LaMarcus Aldridge chipped in 15 points and eight rebounds. Six players scored in double figures as San Antonio beat the Jazz for the second time this season.Rudy Gobert finished with 18 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Jazz. Emmanuel Mudiay chipped in 18 points and Jordan Clarkson added 15 off the bench for Utah. The Jazz had a four-game winning streak end with the loss.The Spurs came out firing and had quite a bit of early success. They put together a 14-5 run in the first to go up 24-15 and made six straight shots to open the second quarter.''We were trying to make everything difficult for them when they had the ball,'' DeRozan said. ''We just tried to get out and play freely.'' Before San Antonio pulled away for good, the Jazz cut the deficit to 46-42 on a 14-4 run bookended by a pair of baskets from Gobert. Then Utah went cold, and the Spurs methodically put the Jazz away.''They were way too comfortable,'' Gobert said. ''Everything they did was free of movement. They were having fun and did whatever they wanted to do.'' San Antonio shot 54% from the field in the second quarter alone, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range. The Spurs matched a season-high with 38 points during the quarter.Mudiay made three baskets over a two-minute stretch to open the fourth, helping the Jazz close to within 96-84. That's as close as Utah could get in its comeback effort.''We did respond,'' Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. ''We just responded too late.'' NIGHT AND DAYUtah experienced a bit of deja vu after San Antonio enjoyed considerable success on mid-range and perimeter jumpers for the second time in as many meetings this season. The Spurs made 10 of 20 from 3-point range and connected on 46% of their field goal attempts outside the paint.Utah, meanwhile, scored 14 baskets outside the paint and never found a rhythm from the perimeter until it was too late.HE SAID IT''They played like they didn't have an All-Star break and were ready to go. We didn't come ready to play from the jump and that is what happens.'' - Guard Donovan Mitchell on the Spurs' dominating the Jazz for much of the final three quarters.TIP-INSSpurs: Patty Mills made a season-high seven free throws. He went 7 of 7 from the line and finished with 15 points. . San Antonio scored 18 points off 17 Jazz turnovers.Jazz: Mike Conley (rest) did not play. . Utah scored its first five baskets in the paint and ended up outscoring the Spurs 42-28 in the lane. . The Jazz outscored San Antonio 18-9 on fastbreaks.UP NEXTSpurs: Visit Oklahoma City on Sunday.Jazz: Host Houston on Saturday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 10:35 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+443
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+10.5 (-107)
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Over 234 (-112)
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-557
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-10.5 (-103)
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Under 234 (+101)
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 21, 2020The Los Angeles Lakers open the second half of their regular-season campaign with a three-game homestand, starting Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies.Los Angeles rides a three-game winning streak into the contest, which includes a 120-116 overtime victory over the Denver Nuggets in their final game before the All-Star break on Feb. 12. LeBron James led the way with his 12th triple-double of the season with 32 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds. James is tied with Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks with the most triple-doubles in the league this season.James and fellow All-Star Anthony Davis have carried the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference at 41-12. They are four games ahead of the Nuggets and five better than the Los Angeles Clippers in the standings.James, who leads the NBA in assists at 10.8 per game, has scored 25 points and 7.8 rebounds per outing in 51 games.Davis is putting up a team-high 26.6 points and 9.2 rebounds in 46 games. He also has recorded 2.4 blocks per contest, which ranks third in the NBA behind Portland's Hassan Whiteside and Milwaukee's Brook Lopez."We have two of the best players in the world and a great support system around them," said Lakers coach Frank Vogel, according to the Los Angeles Times. "To reach the conference finals, the NBA Finals and win a championship, a lot of things have to fall your way. I'm hopeful we're able to achieve that." James said the Lakers' chase for the title begins in earnest against the Grizzlies."The stretch run, we know how important it is, how important every game is and how we continue to get better and better and better each and every day," said James, according to the Times. "It's all part of the process. Can't shortcut the process. We're not going to think too far ahead. We're going to approach (Friday) like this is our own Game 7. We play the Memphis Grizzlies and we need to go at them as we know they're going to go at us and we just build on that." The Grizzlies began a four-game road swing with a 129-125 loss at Sacramento on Thursday. De'Anthony Melton came off the bench to score 24 points, converting 5-of-10 3-pointers, while rookie sensation Ja Morant added 19 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 16 points.The Grizzlies rallied from a 15-point deficit in the fourth quarter before falling. Three free throws by Melton with 7.5 seconds remaining pulled Memphis within 125-124 before Kings guard Buddy Hield clinched the win with four free throws down the stretch.The Lakers won the previous two meetings against the Grizzlies, including a 109-108 win at Memphis on Nov. 23. James had 30 points, while Morant finished with 26 points and five steals for the Grizzlies. In their last trip to Los Angeles, the Grizzlies were smoked 120-91 by the Lakers on Oct. 29.The two clubs meet again Feb. 29 in Memphis.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
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Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Feb 22, 2020LOS ANGELES LeBron James scored 32 points, Anthony Davis recovered from an early injury scare to get 28 points and 13 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers returned from the All-Star break with a 117-105 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.Avery Bradley added 14 points for the Western Conference-leading Lakers, who finished strong after blowing most of their 25-point lead accumulated in a superb first half. Davis had 14 points and seven rebounds in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles improved to 42-12 with its fourth straight win since Feb. 6.Josh Jackson scored a season-high 20 points for the Grizzlies, who have lost back-to-back games in California after heading into the All-Star break with eight wins in 10. Ja Morant added 17 points as Memphis dropped to 0-2 on its four-game West Coast trip, which matches its longest road stretch of the season.Davis departed less than two minutes after the opening tip when he bruised his right calf on an opponent's knee. The All-Star went to the locker room and missed the rest of the first quarter, but returned early in the second before scoring 24 points in the second half.Although James, Davis and Dwight Howard were busy in Chicago over the break, the Lakers returned with impressive defensive focus across the roster. Los Angeles held Memphis to 15-for-38 shooting and forced 11 turnovers in the first half to jump to a 19-point lead.The Grizzlies trimmed the lead to four points early in the fourth quarter with a prolonged surge. The Lakers hung on with a series of big plays, including a jaw-dropping rebound dunk by Alex Caruso off a missed free throw by Davis with 6:16 to play.James clinched it with a driving layup followed by a gorgeous fadeaway jumper with 1:12 left. Davis then hit his second 3-pointer in the final minute.The Lakers improved to 3-0 against the Grizzlies this season. They meet again in Memphis on Feb. 29.TIP-INSGrizzlies: Memphis signed G Dusty Hannahs to a 10-day contract before the game. He leads the Grizzlies' G League affiliate with 21.3 points per game this season, and he appeared in two games for Memphis earlier this season. ... Gorgui Dieng had 14 points and 10 rebounds.Lakers: Coach Frank Vogel and the team declined to comment on multiple reports claiming the team will release center DeMarcus Cousins to clear a roster spot. Cousins hasn't played for the Lakers after signing with them in July and tearing a ligament in his knee in August, but he had been rehabbing with hopes of returning for the playoffs. Cousins was in the Lakers' locker room before the game, but didn't sit with the team on the bench as usual.RESCHEDULED GAMEThe game against the Clippers that was postponed by Kobe Bryant's death will be made up April 9. The NBA also rescheduled two additional Lakers games, and the moves mean they'll have to play at home on three consecutive nights in early April, just one week before the start of the postseason.''We may stagger some of the guys that play,'' Vogel said. ''Some guys may not play in all three games. We'll have those conversations as we get closer to those games and see what the standings look like.'' UP NEXTGrizzlies: Stay in town to face the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.Lakers: Host the Boston Celtics on Sunday.---More NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com)Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
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Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 10:35 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-218
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-5.5 (-106)
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Over 239.5 (-102)
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+193
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+5.5 (-104)
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Under 239.5 (-108)
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GAME PREVIEW
Feb 20, 2020The New Orleans Pelicans figure to have their two young standouts on the floor Friday night, while Portland Trail Blazers star guard Damian Lillard will be in street clothes.Rookie sensation Zion Williamson, All-Star Brandon Ingram and the rising Pelicans will look to complete a four-game sweep of the season series when the teams clash in Portland.Lillard said Thursday that he will miss three to four games due to the groin injury he sustained on Feb. 12 in the Trail Blazers' final game prior to the All-Star break. The injury also forced him to miss last Sunday's All-Star Game.Lillard hopes the recovery period will be short and said he has to remain patient."You can't say, 'All right, I'm going to play through it' because it can be bad," Lillard told reporters. "I've been doing all the training and rehab that I can possibly do, so I'm sore as hell."I have to take time off to let it heal completely. Once that happens, I will be back out there." Portland (25-31) certainly will miss Lillard as it sits in ninth place in the Western Conference, on the outside of the playoff race.New Orleans (23-32) also is on the outside in 11th place.However, the Pelicans are charging with six wins in their past nine games and have a now-healthy Williamson ready to lead a strong push over the final third of the season. Williamson is averaging 22.1 points and 7.5 rebounds through his first 10 NBA games."I'm very hungry for it," Williamson told ESPN of making the postseason. "I want to be in the playoffs. That's the stage you dream about being on, and when you have a chance to be on it, you want to leave it all on the court." Williamson, who missed the season's first three months after knee surgery, topped 30 points in each of the past two games.The No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft recorded 31 points, nine rebounds and five assists in a 138-117 home romp over the Trail Blazers on Feb. 11. Two nights later, he poured in a season-best 32 points in a 123-118 home loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.Ingram appears ready for full action after missing three games with an ankle injury and being limited to nine minutes in the All-Star Game. He averages 24.9 points and 6.4 rebounds.Ingram told reporters earlier this week that he expects "to be a full-go" against Portland. Like Williamson, he also is bullish on his team's stretch-run possibilities."I'm excited for it," Ingram said. "I think all our guys are healthy right now. We have a pretty good rhythm and pretty good group right now. I think it's going to be some fun basketball. I think while I was out the last three games, they found a rhythm pushing the break. On the defensive end, they've been really good. Hopefully, we can continue to find our identity." Portland's identity is wrapped up in Lillard, who ranks fourth in the NBA with a 29.5 scoring average and also averages 7.9 assists (sixth in the league).Lillard's play helped revive Portland as the club won seven of 10 games before losing back-to-back road games to the Pelicans and Grizzlies to end play before the break.But Lillard professes there is still time for the Trail Blazers to make a strong push with 15 of their remaining 26 games being at home."It's a long way to go, we've got a lot of home games, we've got a lot of winnable games," Lillard said. "Just know that I'm not gonna go away. ... After this break is over, it's on." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
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NCAAB |
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2/21/2020 |
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FOUND
18
GAMES |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 5:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+110
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+2 (-111)
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Over 128 (-110)
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-129
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-2 (-105)
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Under 128 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-114
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-1 (-107)
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Over 140.5 (-109)
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-103
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+1 (-109)
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Under 140.5 (-111)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020NEW YORK Brandon Anderson had 20 points as Brown topped Columbia 72-66 on Friday night.Zach Hunsaker had 17 points for Brown (13-9, 6-3 Ivy League). Tamenang Choh added 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jaylan Gainey had 10 points and 12 rebounds.The Bears are in a three-way for second place with Princeton and Harvard, a game behind Yale (7-2).Mike Smith had 22 points for the Lions (6-19, 1-8), who have lost eight straight games. Jake Killingsworth added 16 points and six rebounds. Tai Bibbs had 11 points and seven rebounds.The Bears improve to 2-0 against the Lions this season. Brown defeated Columbia 72-66 on Feb. 1. Brown takes on Cornell on the road on Saturday. Columbia plays Yale at home on Saturday.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-940
|
-12.5 (-103)
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Over 136.5 (-112)
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+643
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+12.5 (-113)
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Under 136.5 (-108)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020ITHACA, N. Y. August Mahoney's layup with two seconds left gave Ivy League leader Yale an 81-80 double-overtime victory over Cornell on Friday night.Jordan Bruner had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for the first triple-double by a male player in Newman Arena history.Paul Atkinson had 16 points and nine rebounds for Yale (19-6, 7-2). Eric Monroe added 15 points and seven assists, and Azar Swain had 12 points and six rebounds.Terrance McBride scored a career-high 27 points - 17 in the two overtimes - for the Big Red (5-17, 2-7), who have now lost four consecutive games. Greg Dolan added 14 points, and Bryan Knapp had 13.Monroe found Mahoney cutting to the basket for the winning layup.A 3-pointer by Swain with a minute to go in regulation tied the game at 60. Jalen Gabbidon's 3-pointer for Yale with 1:35 left was the final basket of the first overtime that ended tied at 69.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
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-135
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-2 (-112)
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Over 135.5 (-111)
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+116
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+2 (-104)
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Under 135.5 (-109)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020HANOVER, N. H. Trevon Ary-Turner had 19 points as Dartmouth topped Penn 66-59 on Friday night. Chris Knight added 16 points for the Big Green, while Aaryn Rai chipped in 15.Devon Goodman had 17 points for the Quakers (13-9, 5-4 Ivy League). Lucas Monroe added 12 points. Jordan Dingle had 11 points.The Big Green leveled the season series against the Quakers with the win. Penn defeated Dartmouth 54-46 on Feb. 1. Dartmouth (10-14, 3-6) matches up against Princeton at home on Saturday. Penn plays Harvard on the road on Saturday.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
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-107
|
+1 (-113)
|
Over 164 (-110)
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-109
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-1 (-103)
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Under 164 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+141
|
+3.5 (-107)
|
Over 126 (-116)
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-165
|
-3.5 (-109)
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Under 126 (-104)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020BRIDGEPORT, Conn. Taj Benning scored with 11.1 seconds to give Fairfield a 61-60 win over Niagara on Friday night.Benning, who finished with 14 points, shot only 4 of 11 from the floor, but his one-handed runner as he crossed the paint put the Stags ahead before Niagara's Marcus Hammond missed from the right elbow as time ran out.Landon Taliaferro added 12 points and Allan Jeanne-Rose 11 for Fairfield with Vincent Eze grabbing 11 rebounds to go with seven points.James Towns was the only Purple Eagles player in double figures with 16 points.Niagara led 60-56 with a minute to go but Taliaferro made a 3-pointer with 48 seconds remaining before Benning's go-ahead basket.The Purple Eagles led by 17 with under a minute left in the first half but the Stags scored the first 10 points of the second half and took their first lead since the game's opening minute on a Taliaferro layup with under seven minutes left.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+279
|
+7.5 (-107)
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Over 142 (-102)
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-343
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-7.5 (-109)
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Under 142 (-119)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Mason Forbes, Noah Kirkwood and Christian Juzang each scored 11 points, and Harvard beat Princeton 61-60 on Friday night, the Crimson's ninth straight home victory.Juzang gave Harvard a 61-57 lead with 3:27 remaining, and Princeton's Richmond Aririguzoh was fouled in the lane before going 1 of 2 at the stripe with 46.8 seconds to cap the scoring.Jaelin Llewellyn appeared to have an opening for a go-ahead layup in the closing seconds, but Forbes blocked it.Robert Baker had 10 points and three blocks for Harvard (17-7, 6-3 Ivy League).Llewellyn had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Tigers (11-11, 6-3). Drew Friberg and Aririguzoh each had 11 points.The Crimson evened the season series against the Tigers. Princeton defeated Harvard 70-69 on Feb. 1. Harvard takes on Penn at home on Saturday. Princeton plays Dartmouth on the road on Saturday.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
|
+103
|
+1 (-103)
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Over 148 (-117)
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-120
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-1 (-114)
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Under 148 (-104)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020NEW ROCHELLE, N. Y. Isaiah Ross hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to lift Iona to a 70-69 win over Rider on Friday night. Stevie Jordan turned the ball over on the subsequent possession for the Broncs, as a steal by Isaiah Washington wrapped up the victory for the Gaels.E. J. Crawford had 22 points to lead the Gaels.Tajuan Agee had 17 points for Iona (10-13, 8-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Ross added 16 points. Washington had 10 points.Tyere Marshall had 20 points for the Broncs (15-11, 9-7). Dimencio Vaughn added 15 points. Jordan had 13 points.The Gaels improve to 2-0 against the Broncs this season. Iona defeated Rider 69-66 on Jan. 10. Iona plays Canisius on the road on Thursday. Rider matches up against St. Peter's on the road on Sunday.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+124
|
+3 (-113)
|
Over 152.5 (-116)
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-145
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-3 (-103)
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Under 152.5 (-105)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-104
|
-1 (+100)
|
Over 124 (-110)
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-112
|
+1 (-117)
|
Under 124 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-178
|
-3.5 (-111)
|
Over 134 (-118)
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+151
|
+3.5 (-105)
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Under 134 (-102)
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020POUGHKEEPSIE, N. Y. Ray Salnave posted 13 points and six rebounds and made a key pair of free throws with 30 seconds left in overtime as Monmouth narrowly beat Marist 65-61 on Friday night.George Papas had 12 points for Monmouth (15-11, 9-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Melik Martin added 10 points. Mustapha Traore had eight rebounds.Deion Hammond, the Hawks' leading scorer coming into the contest at 16 points per game, was held to only seven points on 3-of-12 shooting.Tyler Sagl had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Red Foxes (6-18, 5-10). Matt Herasme added 15 points. Braden Bell had 12 points and eight rebounds.The Hawks improve to 2-0 against the Red Foxes on the season. Monmouth defeated Marist 74-66 on Jan. 16. Monmouth plays Quinnipiac at home on Sunday. Marist faces Niagara at home on Sunday.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---This was generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+119
|
+2.5 (-110)
|
Over 147.5 (-103)
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-139
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-2.5 (-106)
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Under 147.5 (-118)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME RECAP
Feb 21, 2020HAMDEN, Conn. Kevin Marfo had 12 points, 12 rebounds, and a late block to lead Quinnipiac to a 66-64 win over Canisius on Friday night.Aaron Falzon went 1 of 2 at the free-throw line with 13.4 seconds to give Quinnipiac a 66-64 lead, Scott Hitchon drove the lane for a potential game-tying layup, but it blocked by Marfo. Hitchon got it back before missing a baseline jumper.Rich Kelly had 17 points for Quinnipiac (12-13, 7-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), which ended its five-game losing streak. Falzon added 16 points, and Jacob Rigoni had seven rebounds. Tyrese Williams, the Bobcats' second leading scorer heading into the matchup at 11 points per game, was held to two points.Majesty Brandon had 12 points and six rebounds for the Golden Griffins (9-17, 4-11), whose losing streak stretched to four games. Armon Harried and Jordan Henderson each had 12 points.---For more college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/-Top25---Elements of this story were generated by Automated Insights, http://www.automatedinsights.com/ap, using data from LLC, https://www.stats.com
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:30 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
|
|
+221
|
+6 (-104)
|
Over 127.5 (-110)
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-267
|
-6 (-112)
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Under 127.5 (-110)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:30 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+100
|
+1.5 (-110)
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Over 141.5 (-111)
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-116
|
-1.5 (-106)
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Under 141.5 (-109)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:30 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
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|
|
+274
|
+7 (-101)
|
Over 142 (-112)
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-337
|
-7 (-116)
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Under 142 (-108)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+156
|
+4 (-110)
|
Over 139 (-112)
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-183
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-4 (-106)
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Under 139 (-108)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
|
+100
|
+1.5 (-111)
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Over 156.5 (-108)
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-117
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-1.5 (-105)
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Under 156.5 (-112)
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NO PICKS AVAILABLE |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 9:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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|
-135
|
-2 (-109)
|
Over 133 (-119)
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+116
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+2 (-107)
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Under 133 (-102)
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NHL |
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2/21/2020 |
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FOUND
7
GAMES |
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 7:08 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+136
|
+1.5 (-178)
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Over 6.5 (+104)
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-151
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-1.5 (+160)
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Under 6.5 (-117)
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GAME PREVIEW
The Carolina Hurricanes have a tendency to be hot and cold this season, and that has brought considerable highs along with notable concerns.So riding the wave of the successes is one of the key components that confronts the team on a regular basis.The Hurricanes attempt to display a semblance of consistency on Friday when facing the visiting New York Rangers in Raleigh, N. C."It's time to get this going in the right direction," Hurricanes forward Justin Williams said. "It's not the first 20 games right now, it's the last 20." The Hurricanes have points in three consecutive games (2-0-1).Carolina enjoyed solid performances across the ice in a 4-1 win at Nashville on Tuesday, prompting coach Rod Brind'Amour to say "it looks like we know what we're doing. ... I thought we were engaged, everybody." The Hurricanes are aiming to bottle the performance in Music City and carry it with them. They saw so many things come together that it was barometer to where they can be."There wasn't really much letdown," said captain Jordan Staal, who called it one of the most complete games of the season. "I really loved the effort from everyone. It was all good things." Staal came through with his first goal since Jan. 16, so that was one of the boosts the team received."I've been fighting it for a while," Staal said. "It's no question, it's no secret that I need to be more offensive if we're going to make a push." Only two of Staal's eight goals this season have come on home ice.The Rangers are among the teams contending with the Hurricanes for a playoff spot."It's going to be a playoff-type game for us in a lot of ways," New York coach David Quinn said of Friday night's contest.New York has won six consecutive road games, including a 6-3 decision in Chicago on Wednesday night. The franchise record for consecutive road victories is seven."Our guys feel really good about themselves, whether on the road or at home," Quinn said. "Listen, you've got to win games when you're not playing great." Many mothers of the Rangers players are on the trip with the team for the stops in Chicago and Carolina. The Hurricanes' players had their mothers with them for the game at Nashville.The Rangers could have forward Julien Gauthier in the lineup after he made his debut with the team Wednesday night. He was acquired in a trade earlier in the week from Carolina, with which he made his NHL debut this season."He didn't play a lot of minutes (at Chicago)," Quinn said. "I thought he did a good job of feeling more comfortable." The Hurricanes are 0-3-0 against the Rangers this season, with the most recent meeting coming Dec. 27.Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist has been in the net for each of the first three meetings. He made 39 saves in the latest conquest of Carolina, including stopping all 14 shots when the Rangers were shorthanded.Lundqvist owns a 33-12-1 record with two shutouts, a 2.00 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in 46 career starts versus Carolina.-Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
GAMETRACKERBOX SCOREPLAY-BY-PLAYRECLIVEBOX SCOREPLAY-BY-PLAYTWEETSZibanejad helps New York Rangers top Carolina Hurricanes 5-2RALEIGH, N. C. Mika Zibanejad had a goal and two assists, and the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Friday night.Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome each had a goal and an assist for New York, which won for the eighth time in 11 games. Jesper Fast and Brady Skjei also scored, and Igor Shesterkin made 27 saves in the Rangers' seventh straight road victory.New York swept the four-game season series. The Rangers have won 31 of their past 37 games with the Hurricanes since February 2011.Brock McGinn and Sebastian Aho scored for Carolina, which dropped to 5-4 since the All-Star break. The Hurricanes are fighting for a wild card in the Eastern Conference.Petr Mrazek stopped 31 shots in his third loss of the season to the Rangers.New York typically dominates Carolina with Henrik Lundqvist in net. But the veteran goaltender got the night off so the Rangers could stay with Shesterkin's hot hand.The 24-year-old rookie earned his eighth win in nine NHL appearances.New York jumped in front on Zibanejad's unassisted breakaway goal with 3:19 left in the first.After McGinn tied it 3:25 into the second, the Rangers got a pair of goals that deflected in off the skate of a Carolina player.Fast got his ninth goal at 9:48 when he attempted to pass the puck back to Panarin and it bounced off the skate of Brett Pesce past Mrazek.Skjei made it 3-1 at 3:51 with a pass that hit off Jake Gardinder's skate.Zibanejad set up Panarin with a beautiful behind-the-back pass just 70 seconds into the third for a power-play goal and a 4-1 lead.Aho, who has scored an NHL-best 10 goals this month, was able to get a power-play goal by Shesterkin 5:12 into the third. But Strome tacked on an empty-netter with 1:48 left.NOTES: Panarin got his 50th assist of the season. It's his third straight season with at least 50 assists. ... Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba had a hard time staying out of the penalty box. He was called for a pair of interference penalties in the first period and a roughing penalty in the second. ... Aho has at least a point in 11 straight games and 36 points in the past 31 games. ... The sellout crowd of 18,680, the 11th of the season for the Hurricanes, was aided by healthy chunk of transplanted Rangers fans wearing blue.UP NEXTHurricanes: Visit Toronto on Saturday.Rangers: Host San Jose on Saturday.---More NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:00 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
|
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
+252
|
+1.5 (-102)
|
Over 5.5 (+106)
|
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-292
|
-1.5 (-108)
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Under 5.5 (-119)
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GAME PREVIEW
Few teams in the NHL could use a break right now more than the New York Islanders.However with no rest on the horizon, the closest thing to a respite for the Islanders could be a visit from the Detroit Red Wings on Friday in Uniondale, N. Y.The Islanders were off Thursday after completing their worst road trip in more than six years Wednesday, when they dropped a 3-1 decision to the Colorado Avalanche to finish an 0-4-0 trek.The Red Wings haven't played since Tuesday, when they snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.The Islanders arrive home after a Western Conference road trip in which they were outscored 11-2. It was the longest winless road trip for New York since an 0-4-0 stretch from Nov. 5-10, 2013.That trip set the tone for a season in which the Islanders finished last in the Metropolitan Division. New York can only hope there's enough time to prove this winless trek won't define a season that once appeared destined to include a deep playoff run.The Islanders set a franchise record with a 17-game point streak (15-0-2) from Oct. 12 to Nov. 23, but they are just 17-17-4 since.New York's three-game homestand against a trio of non-contenders -- the NHL-worst Red Wings, the San Jose Sharks (Sunday) and rival Rangers (Tuesday) -- offers a chance for the undermanned club to regain its footing. Fourth-liners Cal Clutterbuck (wrist) and Casey Cizikas (leg) are both out indefinitely, and Derick Brassard sustained an upper-body injury Wednesday night."Right now we're going through some adversity, some guys are drying up, we've got some people out and we need some people to step up," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said Wednesday night. "We can't look back on this trip, we can't do anything (to) repair this trip, but we can repair our next game and the following game and focus on what's ahead of us." A spot near the top of the June draft is next for the Red Wings, who are in the midst of a massive rebuilding season. Detroit, however, has proven it can play the role of spoiler.The Red Wings own a pair of multi-goal victories over NHL-leading Boston Bruins, whom Detroit defeated 4-2 on Nov. 8 and 3-1 on Feb. 9.And the win Tuesday capped a four-game season sweep of the Canadiens, whose inability to beat the Red Wings likely is the difference between playing out the string and battling for a playoff spot.The Red Wings had lost eight straight games to the Canadiens prior to this season."It's one of those things you can't explain," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said Tuesday night. "It isn't like we have great matchups against them, and before this, there was a long stretch where they totally owned us." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
|
|
FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:38 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
BET NOW! |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
|
|
|
|
-122
|
-1.5 (+203)
|
Over 6.5 (-107)
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+110
|
+1.5 (-231)
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Under 6.5 (-105)
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VIEW ALL PICKS |
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GAME PREVIEW
The Nashville Predators have sorely missed defenseman Ryan Ellis since he took an elbow to the head while playing in the Winter Classic against the Dallas Stars on New Year's Day.On Friday night, Ellis could make his return -- and boost the Predators' playoff chances in the meantime -- when Nashville visits the Chicago Blackhawks.Ellis, 29, has missed 20 games but took part in practice Thursday alongside fellow defenseman Roman Josi, marking another step forward in his gradual recovery.Before his injury, Ellis had 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) and a plus-15 rating in 39 games."We wanted to push him (Thursday) in practice and put him on a D-pair and play in the situations he could possibly play in," Predators coach John Hynes said to reporters. "(We gave) him a real good look on the power play, and then we had a little bit of some battle drills in there."We'll see how he responds (Friday) and probably make a decision (Friday) morning." For his part, Ellis spoke with reporters for the first time since Dec. 31. The team has been vague about his injury, but Ellis confirmed that he had dealt with a concussion and its aftermath.Stars forward Corey Perry drew a five-game suspension for the hit, but Ellis said he was not bitter about the incident."(I'm feeling) much better," Ellis said. "(It's been a) long road, and I've never really been down that one, so it's nice to be feeling more like myself." Although Monday's trade deadline is fast approaching, the Predators hope Ellis' return serves as a key acquisition.Nashville and Chicago are both trying to crawl into playoff positions, but the Blackhawks' journey seems especially daunting.The Blackhawks are 1-5-2 in their past eight games and could turn into sellers before the deadline.A 6-3 loss on home ice against the New York Rangers on Wednesday night was the latest blow to Chicago's hopes."We didn't prepare well enough," Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said to reporters. "This time of year, it's about 90 percent mental. Physically, you are who you are. You've got to prepare yourself mentally to do what you need to do, and the body will kick in." Although the Blackhawks have struggled of late as a team, a couple of players have achieved individual milestones.Patrick Kane recently tallied his 1,013th career point, tying him with Pat LaFontaine for eighth all-time among American-born players. Next on the list is Brian Leetch at No. 7 with 1,028 career points. Mike Modano is the all-time leader with 1,374.Meanwhile, earlier this week, Dominik Kubalik became the eighth Blackhawks rookie to score at least 25 goals in a season. Steve Larmer holds the franchise record with 43 goals as a rookie in the 1982-83 campaign.Nashville's options in net include 37-year-old Pekka Rinne (18-13-3, 3.04 goals-against average) and his 24-year-old counterpart, Juuse Saros (11-10-4, 2.96 GAA). Saros boasts a slightly higher save percentage (.903) than Rinne (.898).Chicago also has featured a timeshare in net this season. Robin Lehner is 16-10-5 with a 3.01 GAA but has struggled as of late, while Corey Crawford is 10-16-3 with a 2.89 GAA. Lehner's save percentage (.918) remains well ahead of Crawford's (.912), although Crawford has posted an impressive .931 save percentage over his past seven contests.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 8:38 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+146
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+1.5 (-204)
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Over 5.5 (+123)
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-162
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-1.5 (+181)
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Under 5.5 (-139)
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 9:08 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-138
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-1.5 (+176)
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Over 6 (+104)
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+125
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+1.5 (-198)
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Under 6 (-117)
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GAME PREVIEW
Mark Giordano has been skating on Calgary ice the last few days but he won't see NHL action Friday against the Boston Bruins.The Flames' captain has missed seven games since a hamstring injury pulled him out of his team's 3-1 loss to the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 4.Giordano, the 2018-19 Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman, is likely to get back into the lineup Sunday when the Flames start a five-game road trip in Detroit. The Flames are 4-3 without their leader in the lineup."Gio skated today on his own this morning," said Flames general manager Brad Treliving on Wednesday. "He's making his way back. ... I would suspect Gio will be going on this road trip and we'll have a better sense in the next couple of days."He's progressing. It's always good to see a guy get on the ice, so that was a real positive step from the last two days." Travis Hamonic, another key defender on the injured roster for the Flames, is listed as week-to-week. He suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury on Feb. 8 in a 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks.For some GMs, it could be tempting to start playing the phone lines, heading into the Feb. 24 trade deadline."You're taking your cues from your team and part of that is injuries," said Treliving, who acknowledges his team's lack of consistency and current holes in the lineup. "We're going to get both guys back. It's just when. ... We're looking for ways to help ourselves in way that makes sense."Chasing it with high prices for rental players ... I don't know if that's the direction we're in favor of, but if there's ways to help us, we certainly want to do it." He intends to keep a close eye on Giordano's progression to determine whether the Flames make a big move."The next few days will determine that, knowing that (Giordano and Hamonic) are on the horizon," Treliving said. "If we're sitting there and there's no hope in sight for Gio, that's a different situation. You always want to help your team, but you have to measure that with what's available and at what price." While the Flames play a waiting game, the Bruins could be one of those teams looking for a rental to beef up their lineup heading into the playoffs. A top-six forward would certainly give the Stanley Cup contenders a boost.The Bruins have won 10 of their last 11, including a 2-1 overtime victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The win kicked off a three-game mini-road swing to the western Canadian provinces on the heels of a road win over the New York Rangers on Feb. 16. The Bruins head home after a Saturday tilt against the Canucks in Vancouver.The Bruins have the league's stingiest defense, allowing only 140 goals in 61 games. Their penalty kill is a big part of that, one of the NHL's best at 84.1 percent effectiveness (ranks third in NHL).On Wednesday, the Bruins' special teams killed off five of six Oilers power-play opportunities, allowing just one goal."We were battling hard," said goaltender Tuukka Rask. "We kept them to the outside. And I think the second period, they had the most dangerous chances on their power play. We, I think, whenever rebounds were laying there, guys cleared them out ... good battle." The Bruins and Flames hit the ice again in Boston on Feb. 25.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 9:08 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+101
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+1.5 (-241)
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Over 5.5 (-108)
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-112
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-1.5 (+212)
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Under 5.5 (-104)
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GAME PREVIEW
Alex Galchenyuk was just happy to have an opportunity. Even if his new coach, Dean Evason, was too nervous to watch.Galchenyuk scored the tying goal with less than five minutes left in regulation and then the winner in the fifth round of the shootout as the Minnesota Wild defeated the host Vancouver Canucks 4-3 Wednesday night, giving Evason his first victory as an NHL coach.The Wild, entered Thursday five points out of a wild card in the Western Conference, look to continue their push toward a playoff spot when they play Friday night in Edmonton.Evason, who took over as the interim coach when Bruce Boudreau was fired on Feb. 14, improved to 1-1-0."It's amazing," Evason said. "You hear things happen for a reason and all of those things. To have my three children here was awesome." Evason's son was with the team as part of a fathers and mentors trip. His two daughters, who live in British Columbia, were also in attendance.As Galchenyuk skated in on goal in the shootout, Evason admitted he turned away from the action."I knew where the kids were and all the dads and mentors," he said. "I just looked up at my three kids sitting in the front and watched their reaction."All three of them jumped up in the air, so I knew we scored." It was nearly as momentous for Galchenyuk, acquired last week in a trade that sent Jason Zucker to Pittsburgh. He scored the tying goal with 4:45 left in regulation.Galchenyuk played just five shifts, for a total of 3:02, in his final game with the Penguins on Feb. 8."The second I got traded here, I knew that I was going to have a great opportunity and got to stick with it, work hard and do the best I can to help the team win," Galchenyuk said. "Happy I contributed (Wednesday)." It was Galchenyuk's first goal in four games with Minnesota."I think obviously getting the first one, it's a weight off your shoulders," Galchenyuk said. "But the win, the way we did it, was an extra special feeling, especially with the dads in the crowd. Can't be better than that." The short-handed Oilers suffered a 2-1 overtime defeat at home to league-leading Boston on Wednesday.Sam Gagner tallied the lone Edmonton goal on the power play early in the third period to tie the score at 1-1."It's a valuable point for us, but what we want to learn from that game is we need some swagger early on," Gagner said. "Making plays under pressure and having confidence with the puck in the first period (when the Oilers were outshot 10-2) would have set us up better. But we clawed our way to a point. There was a lot to like against a really good team." The Oilers played without Connor McDavid (quad injury), Joakim Nygard (hand), Kris Russell (concussion), James Neal (foot) and Oscar Klefbom (shoulder). They were also missing Zack Kassian because of a suspension."If you want to be a good team and make the playoffs, you have to have that depth," Oilers defenseman Ethan Bear said. "Guys are stepping up and it's good to see." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
| 2/21/2020 10:08 PM EST (37 DAYS AGO) |
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MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-164
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-1.5 (+159)
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Over 5.5 (-104)
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+147
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+1.5 (-178)
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Under 5.5 (-109)
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GAME PREVIEW
The Colorado Avalanche are among the higher-scoring teams in the NHL, but they will continue to look for scoring options as they hit the road for a quick two-game swing through California that begins a long stretch of away games.The Avalanche arrive in Anaheim to face the Ducks on Friday, and they will visit the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.Colorado still is led by Nathan MacKinnon, but forwards Mikko Rantanen (upper body), Nazem Kadri (lower body) and Matt Calvert (lower body) are out.Rantanen, who was injured after getting tripped into the boards Monday, is one of four Avalanche players with 40 or more points, and Kadri is right behind that group. Forward Martin Kaut made his NHL debut with the Avalanche on Wednesday during a 3-1 victory over the New York Islanders.Before that win, the Avalanche had lost three consecutive games, although two were to a pair of solid Eastern Conference teams, the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The other defeat came to a struggling Los Angeles Kings team on Saturday amid the outdoor conditions at the U. S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.Colorado also is without goalie Philipp Grubauer, who was injured in the Saturday game. Pavel Francouz has made two consecutive starts, giving up a late goal against the Islanders to spoil his shutout bid but finishing with 27 saves.The Avalanche will lean on Francouz to start a stretch in which they play eight of their next 10 games on the road."I feel like we'll just get our confidence back, and I really hope we're going to start a stretch where we keep winning and winning," Francouz said.Because Francouz has made just 21 starts this season, coach Jared Bednar said he is considering using the goalie in both games of the back-to-back at Anaheim and Los Angeles. The Avalanche also will take advantage of the close geographical proximity of the contests."The one thing about this back-to-back, Anaheim and L. A., we're not going to pregame skate, no travel involved once we get there," Bednar said. "We're trying to manage everyone's workload and give our guys as much rest as we can so we can come out energized." The Ducks can't seem to find that energy, at least not at home. They had earned points in six consecutive road games before losing at home to the Calgary Flames on Monday, 6-4. They have lost three consecutive games on home ice, including a 4-1 decision to the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.Now the Ducks are without defenseman Cam Fowler, who was a late scratch Wednesday due to a nagging lower-body injury after participating in the morning skate.With three defeats in their past four games overall, and a 2-3-2 record going back to Feb. 6 (not including the Feb. 11 postponed game against the St. Louis Blues), the Ducks are dragging into the final two months of the schedule."It's a learning process for (the young players), and we have to get more out of our veteran players as well," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "Our young guys are going to have ups and downs. They have all gotten better, and that's what's important, but the one thing they need to take home here is that we're not going to accept losing." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2020 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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