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**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:45 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

NBA notebook: Noah has shoulder surgery, out 4-6 months
By The Sports Xchange

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah had surgery on Tuesday to repair his dislocated left shoulder, the team announced.
Coach Fred Hoiberg called the procedure a success. Noah is expected to make a complete recovery in four to six months.
The Bulls also announced that forward Mike Dunleavy (back) and guard Kirk Hinrich (left quad contusion) will miss Wednesday night's game against Golden State.
The 30-year-old Noah injured the shoulder during the second quarter of the Bulls' 83-77 loss to the Dallas Mavericks last Friday night when he became tangled with Dallas' JaVale McGee under the basket. He had recently returned to the court after missing nine games with an injury to the same shoulder.

---Charlotte Hornets forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been cleared for full-contact practice by team orthopedist Dr. Marcus Cook.
"MKG" suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder on Oct. 3, 2015, in a preseason game at Orlando and underwent successful surgery Oct. 6. Kidd-Gilchrist has participated in non-contact practice for the past two weeks. There is no timetable for Kidd-Gilchrist's return to the active roster.
He averaged career bests in points (10.9), rebounds (7.6) and minutes (28.9) in 55 games (52 starts) during the 2014-15 season. His 7.6 rebounds per game ranked first among all small forwards in the NBA.

---LeBron James called the 132-98 loss to Golden State a butt kicking. He also urged Cleveland teammates to leave the loss Monday on the court while being aware of how much work remains for the Cavaliers to reach a championship level.
The Cavaliers trailed by 30 points in the second quarter and the lead for the Warriors jumped to 43 on a Steph Curry 3-pointer in the fourth quarter.
"It's just not the end of the world," said James, who posted a career-worst plus-minus of minus-34. "It's still a basketball game. I don't take it that far.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:46 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Three-pointer: Spurs face light week
By Tony Mejia

After surviving a week that began with a road back-to-back at Brooklyn and Detroit, followed by a home dates with Cleveland and Dallas, the Spurs are off until Thursday and face a two-day work week where they’ll have to visit the Suns and Lakers. Entering the week, Phoenix had lost 12 of 13. L.A. has dropped seven of eight.

Can you say bye week?

San Antonio carries an 11-game winning streak into these game where they’ll almost certainly be double-digit road favorite. Even though they’ve got a Monday night visit to Oakland, their first game against the Warriors this season, the rationale that they’ll be looking ahead to the Golden State showdown is a little trite. It’s the NBA, not the NFL, so even if Gregg Popovich chooses to expand his rotation or give guys a night off to reduce wear-and-tear, it will have more to do with the situation that has presented itself due to light competition than anything related to the Warriors.

As a road favorite of 9.5 or more, the Spurs are a perfect 4-0 straight up and against the spread, beating the Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and 76ers by a combined margin of 128 points, which includes a 129-68 demolition of Philly but also features wins of 25 or more in the three other games. They take care of business against teams they’re expected to dominate. Though they failed to cover at home against the Cavs, San Antonio is 8-3 against the number during its current winning streak and 21-8-1 ATS over the last 30 since Nov. 21. While it’s not quite the run Atlanta went on last year, the Spurs have truly been impressive considering they’ve been favored in every single one of those games.

In fact, San Antonio has laid points in every single game this season except for a season-opening loss at Oklahoma City, which is remarkable in its own right. Look for the Warriors to end that streak, since they’ll likely be favored by at least a 3-spot at Oracle, where it hasn’t lost in 19 outings this season entering its Jan. 22 date with Indiana.

Conversely, the Suns have only been favored once in their last 10 games, while the Lakers have only been favored in three games all season. Point guard Tony Parker has been dealing with a hip issue, so Pop may take a cautious approach this week to ensure his availability for next Monday. Patty Mills would start if that’s the case. Everyone else is healthy and playing well, so fade them at your own risk. The big number the Spurs will be laying will undoubtedly be tempting, but taking points against them hasn’t paid off yet.

Miami not so hot

A Heat team that saw San Antonio in consecutive NBA Finals is obviously far removed from those days with LeBron James back in Cleveland, but they still fancy themselves a title contender when healthy given the collection of talent Pat Riley did manage to keep in South Florida.

After a fairly strong start that has seen Miami lead the Southeast Division for much of the season, they’ve fallen out of the top spot after a Western road swing that saw them go 2-4 and lose Goran Dragic for a few weeks due to a calf injury. The team is considerably banged up and will be back home for just one game (Tuesday vs. Milwaukee) before heading right back out on the road for another five games.

Between Jan. 8-Feb. 5, the Heat will have played 14 of 16 games on the road, likely defining whether the first half of the season that started so promisingly will wind up being a success. Miami is 8-10 straight up thus far in road games.

With Dwyane Wade playing through a shoulder injury, the x-factor is likely to be young guard Tyler Johnson, who must help take pressure off Wade with Dragic and Beno Udrih (neck) both sidelined. Miami’s next road stretch begins Wednesday night at the John Wall-led Wizards and continues Friday against Kyle Lowry and the Raptors.

Key road stretch awaits Indiana

The Pacers have also had a promising first-half of the season thus far, hitting the 41-game mark at 22-19, which is a positive since they transitioned away from the halfcourt style they had grown so accustomed to in parting ways with Roy Hibbert and David West in the offseason.
Paul George has been a dominant force and has warmed up to his new role, but his Pacers have now lost three consecutive games for the fourth time this season and will look to avoid their longest losing stretch of the season on Tuesday night in Phoenix.

Center Ian Mahinmi is attempting to return from an ankle injury and point guard George Hill remains away from the team tending to a personal matter. After playing the Suns, a four-game road swing continues in Golden State and Sacramento, games in which they’ll likely be underdogs.

With Detroit, Boston, Orlando, New York, Washington, Charlotte and Milwaukee all in the hunt for the final few playoff spots in the East, the Pacers are going to have a lot of competition that they’ll look to stay in front of to avoid a final frantic stretch where they’re trying to make the postseason. This week’s West Coast visits could dictate how the next few weeks before the All-Star break play out.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:46 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: 76ers (5-38) at Magic (20-20)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

It wasn't long ago when the Orlando Magic were one of the NBA's biggest surprises, and the Philadelphia 76ers were the league's favorite punching bag.

Now the Magic are searching for answers while the 76ers are no longer a pushover.

Elfrid Payton played a key role in Orlando's win at Philadelphia in November, and he'll likely be pressed into the lineup with Victor Oladipo sidelined again Wednesday night when the host Magic look to continue their dominance in this series.

After losing 62, 59 and 57 games in the previous three seasons, Orlando (20-20) jumped out to a promising 19-13 start under first-year coach Scott Skiles. That optimism, however, has faded while the club has struggled to score in dropping seven of eight.

The team's top three scorers - Nikola Vucevic, Evan Fournier and Tobias Harris - were held to a combined 22 points on 8-of-28 shooting in Monday's 98-81 loss at Atlanta. Since averaging 104.0 points during a 7-2 stretch, the Magic have scored 88.9 per game in their past eight.

"We need to figure out what we're going to do,' Aaron Gordon told the team's official website after scoring a team-high 18 points. "There's no easy answer and we're going to work. And work we will.'

It certainly doesn't help that Oladipo will miss a second straight game because of a sprained right knee. He had been averaging 20.4 points while hitting 18 of 27 from 3-point range in five games since replacing Payton in the starting lineup.

Payton returned to the first unit Monday, finishing with 16 points and five assists but also committing five turnovers. The second-year guard, who was drafted by Philadelphia and immediately traded to Orlando, led the way with 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting with five assists and two turnovers in a 105-97 win over the 76ers on Nov. 7.

The league-worst 76ers (5-38) have lost 26 of the past 32 meetings and 13 of 15 in Orlando, but they're much improved from when the Magic last saw them. Since opening 1-30, they have won four of 12 games and forced overtime in their last two defeats.

Philadelphia lost one of those to Chicago before cruising past Portland 114-89 on Saturday for its most lopsided victory, then fell 119-113 in double overtime to New York on Monday. Jahlil Okafor finished with 20 points, Nerlens Noel added 18 with 13 rebounds and former Magic guard Ish Smith had 16 points and 16 assists but shot 8 for 28.

The 76ers are playing better on both ends, scoring 112.7 per game over their last three and surrendering 96.0 in regulation in their past four. They've shot 48.3 percent from the field in the last seven games after previously hitting 42.0 percent.

Smith, acquired from New Orleans on Dec. 24, has averaged 20.4 points and 8.6 assists over his last five.

"We're getting better, and the excitement to go play games gets us going again," coach Brett Brown told the team's official website. "I think Ish's arrival has pushed us forward."

There could be lingering hard feelings between Noel and Orlando's Jason Smith after Noel was ejected in November for retaliating when Smith elbowed him in the ribs.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:46 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Heat (23-19) at Wizards (19-21)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

Success at home was one of the major factors behind the Washington Wizards reaching the playoffs last season. Their struggles on their own court are what's costing them a chance to get back there, and the Miami Heat are looking to capitalize on another visit to the nation's capital.

The Wizards attempt to avenge one of their worst home defeats of the season Wednesday night against the Heat.

Washington (19-21) went 29-12 at home last season, and it won't be duplicating that effort. The Wizards are 9-13 there, losing five of their last six - a stretch that started with a 97-75 defeat to Miami (23-19) on Jan. 3.

Washington was abysmal in nearly every facet while its four-game winning streak over the Heat ended. The Wizards shot 34.1 percent from the floor, converted 4 of 30 from 3-point range and were outrebounded 54-45.

Their defensive play let them down in Monday's 108-98 loss to Portland. Washington gave up 51.2 percent from the field - 54.8 from long range - and was at a 48-35 disadvantage on the glass.

"It was pretty much a lack of focus," said guard Bradley Beal, who had 16 points and five assists.

Having Beal at full strength could help a lot. He's missed 17 of the last 20 games with a stress reaction in his right leg and is averaging 16.3 points off the bench in the three he's played.

Beal is still not cleared to start.

"It's still a process," he said. "Still being smart with the injury. Still probably have another week or two before my minutes ramp up or whatever. I'm still listening to the doctors and trainers. I feel great after each game and during the game there's no pain so hopefully we can ramp it up."

Beal had 21 points in a 114-103 win at Miami on Dec. 7, while John Wall poured in 26. Wall, though, could only muster 14 while going 6 for 21 from the floor against the Heat earlier this month.

He was even worse Monday, connecting on 4 of 17 from the field while finishing with nine points and 10 assists. That was a dramatic drop from his season-high 36 points two days earlier in a 119-117 loss to Boston that opened this five-game homestand.

"I was frustrated," Wall said Monday. "I had some good looks that I had from the last game, and I wasn't making them. It was frustrating to me because I feel like I was letting my team down."

The Heat enter a five-game trip trying to turn around their own rough stretch, losing five of six while averaging 87.8 points.

They fell 91-79 to Milwaukee on Tuesday, two days after losing 99-74 at Oklahoma City. Miami trailed by at least 22 in each of those games while shooting 39.0 percent - 25.0 from behind the arc.

"We obviously have to work on our mental toughness right now," forward Chris Bosh said. "We're kind of weak in that area."

Goran Dragic's absence is surely being felt. The guard, who averages 12.3 points, has missed four games with a calf injury and has no time table for a return.

Bosh scored 23 against the Wizards earlier this month, while Hassan Whiteside chipped in with 13 rebounds and six blocks.

Whiteside's 4.0 blocks per game lead the league and have him on pace to top Alonzo Mourning's franchise record of 3.9 set in 1998-99.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:46 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Celtics (22-20) at Raptors (26-15)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

As the youth of the Boston Celtics has made them an up-and-coming team which fights to the end, the Toronto Raptors have held them at bay in the Atlantic Division behind experienced veterans.

One thing the teams do have in common is perimeter players driving the offense, something that could lead to three guards from this game soon being named All-Stars.

DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry try to help the Raptors win a season-high sixth straight and further show they're still the team to beat in the Atlantic as Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics head north of the border Wednesday night.

No one in Boston's regular rotation is older than 28, and the 26-year-old Thomas is the only one of its top five scorers who wasn't born in the 1990s.

The only Toronto starter not born in the '80s is center Jonas Valanciunas, and starting forward Luis Scola is 35. DeRozan is 26 but in his seventh NBA season and fourth playing alongside Lowry, a 10-year veteran.

"They have played so much together, the continuity, the offensive sets, the spacing and they understand where each other is going to be," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said.

DeRozan and Lowry are averaging career highs of 22.8 and 21.0 points, respectively. Both have made one All-Star appearance and would like to double that total with this year's game being in Toronto on Feb. 14.

Lowry was third among guards in the most recent balloting so he could get a starting nod, while DeRozan was sixth and could be a reserve along with Thomas (ninth place).

The 5-foot-9 Thomas is averaging 21.8 points, including 28.0 in the last six games, to lift the Celtics into playoff position and within 4 1/2 games of the two-time defending division champion Raptors (26-15).

"He's not only a dynamic scorer, but the way he's able to run the offense, the way he's been able to defend for us, his all-around game," coach Brad Stevens said of Thomas, who averages 6.6 assists. "Obviously, he's elevated our team."

The only other players with double-figure scoring averages for Boston (22-20) are 6-2 guard Avery Bradley and small forward Jae Crowder at 14.5 apiece.

Even when the Celtics lose, the games always seem to come down to the wire. Each of their last nine losses have been by single digits.

They trailed 17-2 in Dallas on Monday but fought back to force overtime, eventually losing 118-113 to have a three-game winning streak snapped.

"We try to play until the clock runs out," Stevens said. "That's a pretty consistent trademark of this team."

His team hasn't faced Toronto since a 113-103 home loss Oct. 30. DeRozan led the Raptors with 23 points and is averaging 28.5 in his last four versus the Celtics.

He had 30 on Monday while Lowry scored 13 of his 31 in the fourth quarter to lift Toronto past Brooklyn 112-100. Lowry, averaging 26.7 points in the last three games, hit seven 3-pointers and added eight assists.

After they scored at least 30 in the same game for the first time, DeRozan says he and Lowry are "extremely comfortable" taking control down the stretch.

"It's second nature now and a lot of things do not need to be said. It's a feel thing and something that comes from years of playing and knowing each other's game."

Toronto, which opened a seven-game homestand Monday, has won eight of 10 at Air Canada Centre.

Boston has lost four of five on the road, but the defeats were by an average of 5.8 points.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Cavaliers (28-11) at Nets (11-31)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Cleveland is in a 10-day stretch with plenty of strong opponents, but its next game is a much-needed break.

After a lopsided defeat to the top team in basketball, the Cavaliers head to Brooklyn on Wednesday night to take on a Nets team piling up losses against just about any level of competition.

The Cavaliers (28-11) are coming off Monday's 132-98 home loss to Golden State, in which they fell behind by 30 in the first half and allowed the lead to grow to as much as 43. It came four days after a loss in San Antonio, and Cleveland follows this game with home contests against the Los Angeles Clippers and Chicago.

"Obviously, you want to play well against the top teams and we haven't done that," said LeBron James, who has averaged 18.8 points and shot 41.7 percent in Cleveland's last four losses. "We're 0-3 against the top two teams in the West and 0-1 against the Bulls so far. We have to play better basketball. We have a long way to go. Tonight was an example of how far we need to go to get to a championship level. We have to continue to get better."

Cleveland's top three scorers - James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love - were held to a combined 11 of 32 and 27 points.

J.R. Smith had 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting before being ejected in the third quarter for a Flagrant 2 foul, the latest in a series of punishments handed down for the shooting guard. He also arrived at the arena less than an hour before tip-off.

"He got very frustrated tonight with what was happening," coach David Blatt said. "... That does concern me. That's not a situation he can allow himself to get into because he's an important player for the team, and what he does and what happens impacts the team."

Smith has been more important lately, averaging 18.0 points and 43.9 percent from 3-point range over the last eight games. Meanwhile, backcourt mate Irving has been inconsistent and shot 36.3 percent in his last five games, and Love has been held to 9.8 points and 29.8 percent in his last four.

"We've got to do a better job helping (Love)," Blatt said.

The Cavs have won five of the last six meetings with the Nets, including a 90-88 home victory Nov. 28 to open the season series with Love scoring 26 points and hitting 6 of 11 from 3-point range.

Brooklyn (11-31) might welcome such a close loss. The Nets have dropped three in a row and eight of nine with the defeats coming by an average of 15.6 points. In Monday's 112-100 loss in Toronto, they fell despite shooting 51.3 percent and making 13 of 24 from 3-point range.

Each opponent on the three-game skid has topped 50.0 percent overall while the Nets have a minus-5.3 turnover margin.

"It seems like the same old story," interim coach Tony Brown said. "We get down late in stretches of the game, some of the things we were doing really well, we started turning the ball over late."

It's overshadowed some improvement from Joe Johnson, who had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting. He's averaging 15.8 points on 58.7 percent in his last six games after posting marks of 11.0 and 36.4 in his first 36 games.

The Nets have lost 11 of 12 at home, while the Cavs have won seven of eight on the road.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Jazz (18-23) at Knicks (21-22)

Date: January 20, 2016 7:30 PM EDT

Carmelo Anthony is still hobbled by a sprained right ankle, but the New York Knicks' leading scorer is expected to play through it again.

Kristaps Porzingis is looking to do the same, but his status isn't quite certain.

With the rookie possibly out for the first time, Anthony will try to lead the Knicks to a six-game winning streak at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night against the Utah Jazz.

New York (21-22) has lost all four games without Anthony this season, and he battled through his latest injury to hit a 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left to force overtime Monday against Philadelphia. The Knicks emerged with a 119-113 win after two OTs, while Anthony finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a season-high 49 minutes.

"I was going to take that, take that one regardless," said Anthony, who missed the two previous games - losses to Brooklyn and Memphis.

Another gutsy effort from the star forward may be needed if New York is without Porzingis. A sore foot kept the forward on the bench for the overtimes Monday after he scored 16 points with 12 rebounds.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Porzingis said. "I expect to be back on Wednesday. I'm young, I recover quick."

The Knicks aren't nearly as positive, declaring him questionable against Utah (18-23). Porzingis wasn't very effective in a 106-85 loss to the Jazz on Dec. 9, getting four points and three rebounds in a season-low 13 minutes.

The rest of New York's starters weren't much better, combining for 27 points with Anthony's 12 leading the team. He averaged 36.3 over his three previous matchups.

Arron Afflalo, who had four points at Utah last month, is looking to build on his 25 from Monday. The guard has a 24.5 scoring average over the last four home games.

"There's a tone, a level of aggression, a mindset that he plays the game with," coach Derek Fisher said. "Works really hard on both ends of the floor. He's been invaluable to us so far."

The Knicks are on their longest winning streak at MSG since taking the final 10 games of 2012-13. However, they've dropped three straight to the Jazz, including a 102-100 home defeat as Trey Burke hit a fadeaway at the buzzer Nov. 14, 2014.

Gordon Hayward had 33 points in the most recent visit to the Garden, and he had 24 while making 9 of 14 from the floor against the Knicks last month. The forward is coming off a season-high 36 points while Burke poured in 25 off the bench Monday, but the Jazz lost for the ninth time in 10 road games - 124-119 in double overtime to Charlotte.

Utah has also dropped eight of 14 overall with Derrick Favors sidelined by back spasms. He's listed as doubtful for Wednesday and his return could provide a boost since he's averaged 23.3 points and 10.7 rebounds over the last three meetings with New York.

Rudy Gobert missed the most recent one with a knee sprain that kept him out for 18 games. He's been back for seven games and seems to be shaking off any lingering effects, totaling 32 points and as many rebounds with seven blocks over the last two

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Pistons (22-19) at Rockets (22-21)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

There was a time when Houston's Dwight Howard could teach a thing or two to Detroit's Andre Drummond in the post, but the torch seemed to be passed in November.

Having turned back the clock in recent weeks, Howard will try to avenge that meeting and lead the Rockets to a 10th straight home win over the Pistons on Wednesday night.

Given their similar bruising style and inability to hit free throws, Drummond drew comparisons to Howard when he came out of Connecticut in 2012. Now he's enjoying a breakout fourth season with the Pistons (22-19), leading the league with 15.5 rebounds per game and ranking second among all centers with an average of 17.6 points.

Drummond announced his arrival as a budding star Nov. 30, finishing with 24 points and 13 boards despite going 4 for 18 from the free-throw line while helping Detroit pull out a 116-105 home win over the Rockets. He had his way with one of his idols as Howard battled foul trouble and ended up with just eight points and 10 boards.

"I remember when he was a little bit younger and he said I was his favorite player. That meant a lot to me and I'm really happy for his success," Howard said. "He's doing a great job down in Detroit. He's playing really good basketball. ... I'm real proud of him and the progress he's made in the last couple of years."

Howard, who is in his 12th season, has made progress of his own over the past three weeks. He's averaged 20.6 points and 14.7 rebounds while posting 10 straight double-doubles - the NBA's longest active streak - despite dealing with back and oblique injuries. It's his longest double-double string since a 14-game run late in 2012-13.

Howard is coming off his first career 35-point, 25-rebound effort with 36 and 26 in a 140-132 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday. He also went 14 of 18 on free throws and is shooting 69.6 percent from the stripe in his last five games.

James Harden, the league's second-leading scorer at 27.5 per game, had 20 as the Rockets lost for the second time in three games after a season-best five wins in a row.

Harden, who had 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists against the Pistons, is averaging 28.3 points, 9.0 assists and 7.3 boards over his last six in the series.

The Rockets (22-21) will try to bounce back defensively as they go after their 20th win in the past 23 home meetings. They let the Clippers hit 22 3-pointers, but Detroit hit just 5 of 26 from long range in Monday's 111-101 home loss to Chicago.

Drummond had his fifth straight double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Reggie Jackson and Ersan Ilyasova scored 19 apiece as the Pistons lost their third in four games and failed to build on Saturday's 113-95 home win over NBA-leading Golden State.

"I'm happy where we are in terms of making progress, we've just got to be more consistent," coach Stan Van Gundy told the team's official website. "If you're consistent in terms of winning every night, then you're San Antonio or Golden State."

The Pistons have allowed 104.5 points per game in their last four after giving up 91.2 over a five-game span. They held Houston to 39.8 percent shooting Nov. 30.

Jackson was a handful for the Rockets, finishing with 31 points and eight assists.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Warriors (38-4) at Bulls (24-16)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Golden State Warriors have experienced far different results on the first two stops of their road trip against Eastern Conference contenders. The third and final matchup is with a team trying to prove it isn't slipping from the East's elite.

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The Warriors look to avoid their third loss in a week Wednesday night when they face the Chicago Bulls, who just started life without Joakim Noah.

Golden State (38-4) dropped two of three last week for the first time since the NBA Finals, concluding with an uncharacteristically poor offensive showing in Saturday's 113-95 loss to Detroit to open this trip.

The Warriors avoided consecutive losses for the first time this season in resounding fashion, though, pounding East-leading Cleveland 132-98 on Monday. The NBA's highest-scoring team followed a season-low 36.2-percent shooting performance by making 54.1 percent overall and 19 of 40 3-pointers. They held a 30-point advantage in the first half and led by as many as 43.

The starters sat out the final quarter, but Stephen Curry still scored 35 points and Draymond Green added 16, 10 assists and seven rebounds to help Golden State snap its two-game road skid.

"The first three quarters, that's who we know we can be," interim coach Luke Walton said. "They were absolutely phenomenal. We can't really ask to play much better than that."

Losses in three of five games hasn't happened for the Warriors in the regular season since December 2014, but they close their trip at a place where they haven't won much in the last 14 years.

Though Golden State has taken three of the last five overall matchups, Chicago has won 11 of 13 at the United Center dating to February 2002.

The Warriors took the first meeting this season 106-94 on Nov. 20 behind 27 points from Curry. The Bulls were paced by Jimmy Butler's 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, but Derrick Rose, backup point guard Aaron Brooks and Bobby Portis didn't play.

Chicago (24-16) dropped three straight from Jan. 9-12 but has since won two of three after a 111-101 victory at Detroit on Monday.

The Bulls are looking for their first winning streak since rattling off six in a row Dec. 28-Jan. 7, a stretch that seemed to return them to their status as a top contender in the East. But after allowing opponents to average 98.2 points during that run, Chicago has surrendered 105.8 in six games - and its defense suffered a hit when Noah left Friday's 83-77 loss to Dallas with a dislocated shoulder.

The center will miss four to six months after surgery, likely costing him the rest of the season. Chicago, though, is 9-2 without the former Defensive Player of the Year.

"I'm not going to say that we're over him or we don't need him. We need him for sure," Rose said. "But we're professionals. We know that once someone goes out, somebody has to step in and do that job, and we believe in everybody on this team."

The Bulls were outrebounded 50-38 by the Pistons for their first disadvantage on the boards in 12 games. Chicago leads the league with 48.8 rebounds per game while Golden State is close behind at 46.5. Noah was averaging 8.8 boards.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Hornets (19-22) at Thunder (31-12)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

Kemba Walker has accomplished some rather remarkable feats of late, as has Russell Westbrook.

The premier point guards now go head-to-head as Walker's Hornets visit the formidable Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night looking to build on their star's record-setting performance.

Though Charlotte (19-22) brings a nine-game road losing streak into Chesapeake Energy Arena, where it hasn't won since the Thunder moved from Seattle, it'll at least be entering on a rare recent high after outlasting Utah 124-119 in a double-overtime thriller Monday.

Walker scored a franchise-record 52 points, and the fifth-year pro finished 6 of 11 from 3-point range and 14 of 15 from the foul line in surpassing Glen Rice's 48 points against Boston on March 6, 1997.

'I just tried to make the best plays possible," he said. "When I had my shot, I tried to be aggressive, take them and make them."

Walker has made more than his share of plays during a 12-game stretch in which he's had to carry an offense without two of its top five scorers in Al Jefferson and Jeremy Lamb. He's averaging 24.8 points and produced three games of 32 or more over that span.

Monday's victory was just the second in the last 11 games, and the Hornets are 4-14 since last winning on the road at Memphis on Dec. 11, falling to last place in the Southeast Division.

The Thunder (31-12) have gone in the other direction, winning 20 of 24 since consecutive road defeats to Atlanta and Miami from Nov. 30-Dec. 3 that left them just three games above .500.

Westbrook has been a major reason for the surge and aims for a third consecutive triple-double at home. He fell short of a third straight overall in Tuesday's 110-104 victory in Denver, but still logged 19 of his 27 points in the second half and contributed 12 assists in Oklahoma City's fifth consecutive win.

Kevin Durant added 30 points and 12 rebounds and Enes Kanter had 25 points in 25 minutes off the bench to help the Thunder overcome an off-shooting night. Oklahoma City went 6 of 28 on 3-pointers and shot 42.3 percent overall, its lowest mark since a 105-96 home loss to Chicago on Christmas Day.

The Thunder have averaged 111.2 points in winning 11 of 13 since.

'We got great shots tonight,' Durant said afterward. 'Cameron (Payne) missed four wide-open 3s, Dion (Waiters) missed two or three, I missed a couple, so we got great looks tonight. We can live with those.'

Charlotte has scored 107 or more in three of its last four after averaging 93.7 over six consecutive losses to begin January. That includes a 109-90 home setback to the Thunder on Jan. 2 in which Westbrook was held to 16 points on 4 of 15 shooting, but Durant had 29 and 11 rebounds to counter Walker's 32 points.

The win was the Thunder's 10th straight over the Hornets, and they haven't lost in seven meetings since relocating to Oklahoma City for the 2009-10 season. Charlotte last defeated the Thunder in March 2010 and recorded its most recent road win in the series in Seattle on March 28, 2008.

The Hornets have dropped their last five games in Oklahoma City by an average of 25.8 points, with each loss by at least 17 points.

Lamb has missed three games with a sprained right toe and is questionable to play in his Oklahoma City return. The shooting guard spent his first three seasons with the Thunder before being traded to Charlotte in June.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Timberwolves (13-30) at Mavericks (24-19)

Date: January 20, 2016 8:30 PM EDT

Scoring hasn't been much of a problem at home lately for the Dallas Mavericks, but their defense has slipped partially due to some lengthy games.

Facing the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves for the second time in two weeks could solve that.

The Mavericks go for an eighth win in 10 home games as they try to extend their winning streak over the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

Dallas (24-19) is averaging 108.4 points while winning seven of its last nine home games after splitting the first 10 while scoring 99.6 per game.

The Mavericks, however, are surrendering an average of 113.0 points while winning two of their last three games. Each of those games has gone into overtime, including a 117-116 double-OT win over Sacramento on Jan. 5.

Dirk Nowitzki and Deron Williams prevented Dallas from going that far Monday, combining for 17 of its 20 points in overtime of a 118-113 win over Boston.

"I just dug deep. That was a gutsy win," said Nowitzki, who tied a season high with 31 points - 21 after the third quarter - and had 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

Williams has been much more productive at home than on the road. He scored 20 points against the Celtics, giving him an average of 19.1 points over his last 10 home games compared to 8.4 in his past seven away.

Williams' struggled on the road at Minnesota on Jan. 10, totaling four points on 2-for-10 shooting. However, Nowitzki practically carried the Mavs to a 93-87 victory, scoring 29 points with seven rebounds while sinking 12 of 22 from the floor - 4 of 7 from 3-point range.

"(Dirk) just makes the game so easy," Williams told the team's official website.

Dallas has won four straight meetings with the Timberwolves (13-30), holding them to 85.3 points per game and 20.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc over the last three.

Minnesota is doing little to inspire confidence it's capable of ending its woes. The Timberwolves are averaging 93.9 points while losing 14 of their last 16 games, and they've dropped a season-high seven straight on the road after a 114-99 defeat at New Orleans on Tuesday.

It's Minnesota's longest road losing streak since a 10-game skid from Nov. 30, 2014-Jan. 9, 2015.

Despite the Timberwolves occupying the Northwest Division cellar, Andrew Wiggins has been a bright spot with 24.3 points per game over the last seven. That includes 21 points with seven rebounds against the Mavs earlier this month after the second-year pro averaged 12.3 and 4.3 over his first three career matchups.

Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns wasn't very effective in his first meeting with Dallas, scoring 10 points with four rebounds. The No. 1 overall pick enters this one after putting up 20 points and pulling down 13 boards against the Pelicans.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Kings (17-23) at Lakers (9-34)

Date: January 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Sacramento Kings' latest win over the Los Angeles Lakers opened a homestand that ended in disappointing fashion. They hope the next meeting will result in a perfect road trip while aiding in their search for consistency.

The Kings seek their third straight win and sixth in a row against the Lakers on Wednesday night in their second game this week at Staples Center.

Sacramento (17-23) has been up and down since winning five of seven in mid- December, starting with a three-game losing streak that was followed by wins in three of four. The final victory of that stretch was a 118-115 victory over the Lakers on Jan. 7.

But that three-game homestand concluded with 12-point losses to Golden State and New Orleans, and the roller coaster continued with Thursday's 103-101 win at Utah and Saturday's 110-103 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center.

DeMarcus Cousins finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and six assists against the Clippers, who were missing DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin inside. Cousins has averaged 31.1 points and 13.4 rebounds in his last eight games.

'It's a big win for us,' said Cousins, who had 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in the last matchup against the Lakers. 'We're still making a lot of mistakes as a team and still having a lot of ups and downs this season, so we're just trying to find that consistency.'

The Kings are rolling offensively as the second-highest scoring team in the league this month at 114.8 points per game, shy of only Golden State's 115.1. The defense remains the issue. While Sacramento allows the most points in the league at 108.3, Los Angeles isn't far down the list at 106.0 - though that number drops to 101.9 in January.

The Kings won the first meeting this season between the Pacific Division foes, 132-114 on Oct. 30, though that also came in Sacramento. The Lakers (9-34) have won 12 of the last 14 in this series at home.

The tight loss against the Kings earlier this month was the second for Los Angeles during a stretch of seven defeats in eight games.

Kobe Bryant - who scored 28 in his final game in Sacramento - has averaged 27.2 points against the Kings in his career, including 29.3 in three postseason series in the early 2000s. The Lakers have one game remaining against Sacramento on March 15 in Los Angeles.

Bryant played through a sore right Achilles and finished with five points during Sunday's 112-95 loss to Houston that opened a three-game homestand. The 17-time All-Star was held to fewer than 10 points for the fourth straight game, but he did match a season high with nine assists - passing Jerry West for second place on the franchise's all-time list with 6,244 behind Magic Johnson (10,141).

Coach Byron Scott says Bryant "is a go" for Wednesday's game, while calling rookie Larry Nance Jr. doubtful with a sore right knee.

Nance started 22 straight games before sitting out Sunday. If he can't play, Julius Randle will take his place in the starting lineup - where he has averaged 11.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in 21 games.

"If (Randle) plays 20-25 minutes, he's almost a walking double-double," Scott told the team's official website. "He has been able to do that all season long."

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Preview: Hawks (25-17) at Trail Blazers (19-25)

Date: January 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

The Atlanta Hawks can create some breathing room atop the Southeast Division with their closest pursuer banged-up and trudging through an exhausting stretch.

The Hawks, however, need to carry the balance they've shown in their last few home games out on the road beginning with Wednesday night's opener of a four-game trip against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Atlanta (25-17) has been jockeying with Miami for the division lead and carries a slim advantage into this matchup with Portland (19-25). The Heat, already saddled with key injuries, are amid a vicious slate in which only two of 16 games come at home.

One of those contests is Jan. 31 against the Hawks, who don't have it much easier until then with five of their next six away from home.

They've lost four of six outside Atlanta to fall to 10-10 on the road, but a pair of home victories this week showed signs of them regaining the balance they used during last season's 60-win campaign.

After shooting a combined 40.3 percent, including 16 of 55 from 3-point range, in road losses to Charlotte and Milwaukee last week, Atlanta shot the ball well and used its deep rotation in home wins over Brooklyn and Orlando.

The Hawks hit 55.7 percent despite missing 21 of 29 from long range in a 114-86 rout of the Nets on Saturday before having one of their most effective nights from deep with a 9-for-19 effort in Monday's 98-81 victory over the Magic.

The reserves were key in both wins, providing 53 points, 24 rebounds and 18 assists against Brooklyn, and 47 points, 17 rebounds and 19 assists versus Orlando.

"Our bench has been doing great," starting forward Paul Millsap said. "When they get in the game, they push the tempo, they get after it on defense, and when you have the whole team contributing, the whole team out there fighting hard, it makes us a tough team."

The constant stream of fresh legs wreaked havoc on the perimeter, forcing the Nets and Magic to miss 30 of 42 long-range attempts - a welcome sight for a Hawks team that ranked seventh in the NBA last season with a 34.1 defensive 3-point percentage.

"Their defensive energy is fueling everything else, so hopefully we can continue to get the starters to feed off that, too," coach Mike Budenholzer said of his reserves. "It's been good to see that for a few games in a row."

The perimeter focus needs to remain against the Trail Blazers, who rank third in the league with an average of 10.3 3-pointers and fifth with 28.4 attempts per game. The outside defense was clicking in the first meeting against Portland, which missed 19 of 24 from beyond the arc in a 106-97 loss at Atlanta on Dec. 21.

It certainly didn't help that leading scorers Damian Lillard (24.4) and C.J. McCollum (20.5) sat out with injuries. The starting backcourt helped the Blazers roar back from an embarrassing 25-point loss to Philadelphia for a 108-98 win at Washington on Monday in which they shot a season-best 54.8 percent from long range.

Lillard and McCollum combined for 41 points and went 8 of 16 on 3s as the Blazers won for the fourth time in five games.

"Winning three (in a row) and then getting beat by a (76ers) team that only had four wins - the ability to come back and lock in and not dwell on what had happened is big for us," said Meyers Leonard, who scored 18 points.

**TheGame** · 01-20-2016, 07:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 1/20

Game of the Day: Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls

Golden State Warriors at Chicago Bulls (-6, 215)

Golden State was disappointed with its performance in a loss at Detroit to begin the trip on Saturday, during which it shot a season-low 36 percent from the field. The Warriors picked things up on the offensive end and made a statement with a 132-98 thrashing of the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA Finals rematch on Monday. The Bulls are adjusting to life without Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol tried to pick up the slack in the middle all by himself with 31 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in a 111-101 win at Detroit on Monday. Chicago shot 52.4 percent from the floor against that same Pistons defense that proved to be so much trouble for Golden State on Saturday.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), CSN Chicago

LINE HISTORY: The Warriors opened as 5-point road favorites with the total at 215 points. Early action has bet them up to -6. with the total at 215.5.

NBA POWER RANKINGS: Warriors (-17) - Bulls (-4.4) - Home Court (-3.0) = Warriors -9.6

WHAT SHARPS SAY: "Golden State comes in off their dominating 34-point win in Cleveland on Monday night. The Warriors will be hard-pressed to match that performance, and more importantly, the intensity they brought into that game. This is a natural letdown spot for Golden State. Chicago gave the Warriors all they wanted back in November, so the Bulls can certainly play with Golden State, especially on their home court." - Steve Merril.

WHAT BOOKS SAY: "With Golden State steamrolling the Cavs Monday night, and the Bulls losing four of their last six games, it's likely that no opening line will be too big for the public on Golden State tomorrow night." - Mick Sloan.

INJURY REPORT: Warriors - James Michael McAdoo F (Questionable: Toe), Bulls - Kirk Hinrich G (Questionable: Quadricep), Joakim Noah F (Out: Shoulder)

ABOUT THE WARRIORS (38-4, 25-16 ATS): Golden State carried a 70-44 lead into the half at Cleveland and kept pulling away in the third quarter as Stephen Curry led the way with 35 points on 12-of-18 shooting. That’s who we know we can be,” Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton told reporters. “As a coaching staff, we are always trying to get our players to play at that level, and they were absolutely phenomenal. … We can’t really ask to play much better than that.” The Warriors will have to keep up that level of play as they close out the three-game trip against Chicago and head home to host Indiana, San Antonio and Dallas.

ABOUT THE BULLS (24-16, 16-24 ATS): Noah had been demoted to a reserve role and fought through various injuries before having his season likely come to an end over the weekend, but the players are still missing him as a leader. “We need him for sure, but we’re professionals,” guard Derrick Rose told reporters. “We know that once someone goes out, someone else has to step in and do their job. And we believe in everybody on this team, and we’re going to see how far this can go.” Rose is one of those players that needs to step up, and his 20 points on Monday marked the second time this month that he reached that plateau.

TRENDS:

- Home team 19-7-1 ATS in last 27 meetings.
- Under 8-3 in last 11 meetings in Chicago.
- Over 5-2 in the last seven meetings.
- Warriors 1-4-1 ATS in last six meetings in Chicago.

CONSENSUS: 82 percent of Consensus is on Golden State. 51 percent is on the Over.

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NBA Betting Info. 1/20

NBA Betting Info. 1/20

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