Matt's Picks (1 Live)
I now see I can watch this so let's do it. Half unit as we are nicely up on Austin Peay. We shall watch this and the Raid 2 (again).
This line is in major flux right now because there are a ton of guys in question on either side. But I'm gonna fade Miami regardless on a third game in four nights. We do know that Tyler Herro and Kel'el Ware are out. I've decided to just hammer one NBA game per night and see how that goes as this has been crazy. This is my sport. But also this season is TankFest 101.
Half unit with Leon Draisaitl still out for Edmonton, but the Pens are in the second of a B2B and Artus Silovs has lost his past three. Former Pens goalie Tristan Jarry has looked much better with his new club.
Pretty good chance the Golden Knights will lose in OT as they have done so 12 times, second-most in the NHL. They are also quite banged-up. Boston is one of the better home teams in the league at 17-8-1 -- won five straight -- and Jeremy Swayman is 10-4-1 with a 2.30 GAA on home ice. The B's are healthy and try to avoid the season sweep after a 6-5 loss earlier in Sin City. I'll be stunned if 11 goals are scored tonight.
Feel like I'm due a break after losing in OT and on a last-second shot the past two nights in this stupid sport. So ... "Let's Go Peay!" The Governors are tied for second in the ASUN and already won at FGCU this season by 11 on Jan. 8. The Eagles have just two road wins all season. Star J.R. Konieczny missed the last game injured and if he's out again, then I think we are gold. FGCU has never won a road game at F&M Bank Arena. This tip was moved up due to a winter storm warning.
The Kings might be the worst-run organization in the NBA, but they appear to have hit on second-round rookie Maxime Raynaud. He should see extended minutes tonight in the second of a B2B with Domantas Sabonis out and fellow big Precious Achiuwa in doubt. Toronto is missing its two top big men, so there should be plenty of rebounds to be had.
Fading the Thunder has not proven wise for the most part, but man 12.5 in Milwaukee with Giannis in the lineup. And OKC is pretty thinned-out due to injury down Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein, Andrew Wiggins and the Williamses. If the Thunder can still win by 13 at the end of a four-game trip, good for them.
Probably pushes but Utah has been terrific in the New Year with only two losses in nine games, and this concludes a mammoth, pun intended, homestand. Always want to end those on a positive note. The Mammoth have a seven-game home points streak. Utah swept Philly last season. Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson got us in Vegas on Monday to end a personal five-game skid but still has below-average road splits. We probably push.
Will throw a half down on a rare 7 this season. Anaheim is still down two of its leading scorers in Leo Carlsson and Troy Terry, while Colorado is missing a top-six forward in Gabriel Landeskog. Avs netminder Scott Wedgewood has been terrific with a 2.19 GAA. If he only allows two, I think at worst we push.
Richmond has had two players reach 1,000 career points in the past two games and also has one of the A-10's top freshmen in Aiden Argabright, who leads all league freshmen in points per game (10.1) and ranks second in assists per game (2.2) and steals per game (1.3). UR leads the A-10 and ranks 38th in D-I in fewest turnovers per game at 10.2 and has won six of the past seven in this series. Richmond is one of the most accurate 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranking 25th nationally and second in the A-10 in shooting .378 from deep. URI is 3-12 in its last 15 road games in A-10 play.
Both sides have scored 11 goals in six UCL outings and conceded eight, but Liverpool is at 12 points and Marseille eight. Les Phocéens are rolling offensively of late with 16 goals scored in their past three domestic matches. They try for three straight UCL wins for the first time since 2010-11. Igor Paixão has four goals in Marseille's last five Champions League matches. The Reds have drawn four of their past five overall and that's all we are looking for here. They have a single win in their past six at French sides.
Our model has this has as a draw and that's my hope. Galatasaray is atop the Turkish Super Lig and 18th in the UCL table with an even goal differential. Atleti is unbeaten in the previous six meetings between the sides (W4 D2) but they haven't played since the 2015-16 Champions League group stage. Galatasaray has won only one of its last 21 matches against Spanish teams (D5 L15), but I don't need a win. Victor Osimhen helped Nigeria finish third at the Africa Cup of Nations and is available for Galatasaray. He leads the club with six UCL goals. Los Colchoneros, meanwhile, are 1-2 on the road in this season's UCL.
Second of a B2B for the Spurs, so Victor Wembanyama might have a minutes cap. Houston is on normal rest and surely remembers a double-digit loss in San Antonio earlier in the year. The Rockets have taken the past five at home in the series. They are 14-3 at home this year. With the rest advantage this season, Houston is 6-2 ATS.
Boston is red-hot but has won all but one of those games at home. Jeremy Swayman is usually a different guy away at 9-7-1 with a 3.20 GAA. Dallas is the more talented team and perhaps facing a bit of urgency on a three-game skid. There was a team meeting Monday to address the recent issues. Dallas led the NHL in shooting percentage at 14.0 percent in the first 35 games. It has been 25th at 9.9 percent in the past 12. The power play also has collapsed. But the Stars are healthy after getting a couple of guys back Saturday.