Detroit Pistons vs. Golden State Warriors Betting Odds, Analysis, NBA Pick
January 12th, 2017 by OddsShark.com No comments »
The Detroit Pistons (18-22) have covered the spread in three of their past four meetings with the Golden State Warriors (33-6) and hope to make it four of five as double-digit road underdogs Thursday night.
The Pistons were one of nine teams to upset the defending Western Conference champion Warriors during their record-setting regular season, winning 113-95 as seven-point home underdogs almost a year ago to the day.
Point spread: The Warriors opened as 13-point favorites, and the total is at 218.5, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark (line updates and matchup report).
NBA pick, via OddsShark computer: 119-106, Warriors (NBA picks on every game)
Why the Pistons can cover the spread
In two of their last three losses to Golden State, Detroit still managed to stay within seven points. The third loss was decided by 14 at Oakland early last season, when the Warriors got off to a blazing 24-0 start ...
Alexander Ovechkin Scores 1,000th NHL Point: Highlights, Comments and Reaction
January 12th, 2017 by Mike Chiari No comments »
Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin tallied his 1,000th career NHL point Wednesday night with a goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
As seen in this video, courtesy of the NHL, Ovi needed just 35 seconds to light the lamp and join the exclusive club:
Following Washington's 5-2 victory, the Caps tweeted a photo of the historic puck that put the Great Eight in rarefied air:
He also posed for a photo with Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, who assisted on the marker:
The Russian superstar became the 84th player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-point plateau and the 24th-fastest to do so, per the Capitals' press release.
Ovechkin accomplished the feat in just 880 games, and the NHL tweeted a rundown of his Hall of Fame resume during the aftermath of his memorable night:
The 31-year-old veteran had the following to say regarding the solidification of his place in the NHL record books:
According to the Associated ...
NBA Player Power Rankings: B/R’s Top 30 Power Forwards at the Halfway Point
January 12th, 2017 by Adam Fromal No comments »
The NBA's power forwards, they are a-changin'.
No longer does the Association feature back-to-the-basket bullies who torture their matchups with precision footwork and touch around the hoop. Those still exist, but stretch 4s are all the rage, as are players who can rack up triple-doubles while defending a variety of positions.
With Kristaps Porzingis, Julius Randle, Jabari Parker and other youngsters on the rise, the power forward slot is in great shape. And we can't forget about established studs such as Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge.
By analyzing the work these players have done in 2016-17, as well as their reputations from previous seasons and the expectations going forward, we're putting the top 30 power forwards in order. The goal is to identify the players we'd most want to build around for the remainder of the campaign, so long-term upside and prowess in the distant past are irrelevant.Begin Slideshow
Cavaliers vs Trail Blazers: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season
January 12th, 2017 by Scott Polacek No comments »
Statement wins in the middle of an NBA season are hard to come by, but the Portland Trail Blazers thoroughly dominated the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at the Moda Center, 102-86.
Portland looked like a legitimate playoff contender as it won its third game in four tries and moved to 18-23 on the campaign. It is still shaking off a slow start to the season, but Wednesday's effort was an indication it can play with the best teams in the league.
The Cavaliers fell to 28-10 and are now 2-3 in their last five. ESPN Stats & Info noted they have also struggled in back-to-backs away from home:
Damian Lillard is often the name that comes to mind with the Trail Blazers, but his talented backcourt mate, C.J. McCollum, did the heavy lifting on the offensive side. McCollum led the way with 27 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field and ...
Carmelo Anthony, Courtney Lee Comment on Knicks’ Struggles After Loss to 76ers
January 12th, 2017 by Alec Nathan No comments »
The New York Knicks were already in a tailspin before T.J. McConnell stunned them at the buzzer to hand the Philadelphia 76ers a 98-97 win on Wednesday night, and frustration emanated from their locker room in a major way following the last-second loss.
Speaking to reporters in the locker room at Wells Fargo Center, Carmelo Anthony explained the Knicks are facing a do-or-die moment after they dropped to five games below .500 (17-22) on the heels of McConnell's clutch turnaround jumper.
"I've seen this happen before," Anthony said, according to the New York Times' Mike Vorkunov. "I've seen it go down quickly. I don't think this is the situation, but we definitely have to start playing better basketball as a whole, as a team."
The Knicks are now 1-9 over their last 10 games. Not surprisingly, the losing has started to take a toll on the team's spirits.
"This is embarrassing," Lee said after ...
Wednesday NBA Roundup: Joel Embiid, Kristaps Porzingis in Disparate Situations
January 11th, 2017 by Grant Hughes No comments »
After T.J. McConnell's buzzer-beating game-winner lifted the Philadelphia 76ers over the New York Knicks on Wednesday, it officially became impossible not to trust the process.
Not because the Sixers' 98-97 triumph produced win No. 11 on the season, one more than they amassed in all of 2015-16, and not because Joel Embiid soundly outplayed Kristaps Porzingis.
Instead, the true validation of a painful, much-derided rebuilding process was in the way it produced a Sixers team so profoundly different than the one New York put on the floor.
Call it a juxtaposition of patience and impatience. Or, if you want to get more graphic, think of the Sixers' and Knicks' organizational philosophies like this: One has shown an uncommon willingness to take lumps, while the other has avoided growing pains at all costs, only to inflict mortal, franchise-killing wounds upon itself.
The contrasting results of those processes (yeah, I said it again) was evident after ...
Grizzlies vs. Thunder: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season
January 11th, 2017 by Alec Nathan No comments »
Russell Westbrook's triple-double tour rolled on Wednesday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena, and his 24-point, 13-rebound, 12-assist performance propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 103-95 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Oklahoma City improved to 24-16 overall and 15-3 when Westbrook records a triple-double.
Westbrook has now matched his triple-double total from last season with 18 on the year, and he's already tied for eighth on the single-season list 40 games into the Thunder's 2016-17 campaign, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
StatMuse provided another mind-boggling tidbit regarding Westbrook's statistical outbursts:
Enes Kanter supplemented Westbrook's excellence to the tune of 19 points and 13 rebounds off the bench, while Victor Oladipo (16 points), Steven Adams (12 points, eight rebounds) and Jerami Grant (10 points) all chipped in.
Mike Conley paced Memphis, which dropped to 24-17, with 22 points, but he didn't have enough firepower by his side on a night when the Grizzlies shot 41.3 ...
Zach LaVine Injury: Updates on Timberwolves Star’s Hip and Return
January 11th, 2017 by Tyler Conway No comments »
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine has been sidelined since Wednesday as he continues to deal with a left hip contusion. It is uncertain when he will return to action.
Continue for updates.
LaVine Comments on Playing Status
Friday, Jan. 13
"I don't know," LaVine told reporters when asked if he will play Friday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder. "Want to make sure I'm OK...make sure I'm 100 percent."
LaVine Continues to Grow For T-Wolves
LaVine, 21, was injured in a Jan. 9 win over the Dallas Mavericks. LaVine had five points, six rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes. Brandon Rush took LaVine's place in the starting lineup.
Still developing as an all-around player, LaVine has stayed largely healthy through his first three seasons. He's missed a total of seven games, including Wednesday night.
On the court, LaVine is in the midst of a breakout season.
His three-point game has progressed, and he is averaging 20.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and ...
How DeMarcus Cousins and Sacramento Kings Can Renew Their Vows and Make It Work
January 11th, 2017 by Dan Favale No comments »
DeMarcus Cousins and the Sacramento Kings were supposed to enter the 2016-17 NBA season on divergent timelines.
Cousins was the 26-year-old superstar—equal parts savior and enfant terrible—gearing up for 2018 free agency. The Kings were the inept franchise—10 straight lottery finishes deep—refusing to trade a player they've failed and been failed by.
The dissolution of this ostensibly toxic partnership was deemed inevitable. Sacramento would eventually trade Cousins, lest he leave for nothing in less than two years time.
But the Kings waited. And waited. They retained Cousins and continued their pursuit of the Western Conference's No. 8 seed.
Then, on Dec. 14, a new collective bargaining agreement was struck between the league and its players. Included in it, a Designated Player Exception that allows Sacramento to offer Cousins a monster five-year extension before he reaches free agency.
Word soon came from ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Kings would pitch Cousins on this five-year pact worth in excess of ...
Carmelo Anthony Passes Robert Parish for 26th on NBA’s All-Time Scoring List
January 11th, 2017 by Scott Polacek No comments »
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony moved up another notch on the NBA's all-time scoring list during his team's 98-97 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
ESPN Stats & Info noted he surpassed Boston Celtics great Robert Parish to move up to 26th on the list:
Anthony had 23,309 career points coming into Wednesday's game and found himself 25 behind Parish's 23,334. He surpassed that total in the third quarter of a 28-point performance.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time leader with 38,387 points, while Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain round out the top five. It's a stretch to think the 32-year-old Anthony will reach that level anytime soon—if ever—but there are a number of notable names within sight in the coming seasons.
Basketball-Reference.com shared a look at the players Anthony will pursue in the near future now that Parish is in the rearview mirror:
While Anthony has been the subject of ...