Good move lately for Seattle to get into playoff position with four straight wins, keyed mostly by solid defense into tonight at Anaheim. Joey Daccord has had a good run lately in goal for the Kraken, too, allowing just two goals in each of his last three starts, all Seattle wins. Daccord also has a win over the Ducks earlier this season when stopping 35 of 36 shots on opening night. Meanwhile Lukas Dostal remains solid in goal for Anaheim, posting a 2.49 GAA in January, and the Ducks winning 7 of his last 8 starts. Play Kraken-Ducks Under

It's a revenge spot for Boise after losing by 15 in Reno back on December 20 when the Wolf Pack shot 56% from the floor. The question is if this Leon Rice edition capable of payback efforts such as required tonight. Usually on the Big Dance bubble into February, the Broncos find themselves needing to win the MW Tourney to have any shot at the field of 68, and a recent four-game rally was short-circuited last Friday at GCU in an 86-69 loss when the Lopes his 59% from the floor. Meanwhile, Steve Alford's Wolf Pack enters on a 12-3 uptick and all hands on deck including UTEP transfer wing Corey Camper, who burned UNLV for 32 in last Friday's 89-76 Nevada win. Play Nevada

Will Wade has NC State on the move and well inside most Bracketology projections, the majority of which slotting the Wolfpack as an 8 of 9 seed in recent forecasts. Impressive wins in four straight, tallying a brisk 86 pg in that stretch, and NCS showing uncommon scoring balance (four scoring between 14=15 ppg, led by ex-Texas Tech F Darrion Williams), fuel the optimism. Meanwhile, Andy Enfield's Mustangs are riding the bubble into February, losing four of the last seven, including a discouraging second-half collapse on Saturday at Louisville. Play NC State

If the Penguins had their way they would likely erase the past 64 minutes of ice time, when the Rangers got close with three late goals on Saturday before losing 3-2 to the Sens last night. Still the offense has been popping, scoring six goals three times in the past five games, and Stuart Skinner is back in the nets tonight and looking for a sixth straight win. Into tonight, Skinner is 8-1 in his last nine starts, and posted solid numbers (2.13 GAA, .910 saves) in January. Meanwhile the Devils continue to flounder for Sheldon Keefe, losing three of four into the Rock tonight. Play Penguins on Money Line

We're suddenly to the point of the season when Selection Sunday looms. Phil Martelli Jr's first VCU side is one of those riding the bubble into February and definitely in at-large territory. They likely need a fast finish to fall on the safe side of the Big Dance cut-line. Wins in the last five have bolstered hopes, but this is a tricky trip where Mike Magpayo's first Fordham edition has proved very scrappy. The Rams have only lost touch vs. high-flying Saint Louis in A-10 action. Back-to-back wins over La Salle and GW suggest the Rams could play spoiler in February, as Iona transfer G Dejour Reaves (17.4 ppg) has emerged as one of the loop's best perimeter weapons. Play Fordham.

Well, we knew the oddsmakers would attach a premium to the Knicks sooner or later. Since that clear-the-air team meeting preceding a 120-66 blowout of Brooklyn, New York has won and covered six straight. Valued subs Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride are out but the Knicks kept winning on Sunday vs. the Lakers, and moreover don't seem to be in any hurry to make upgrades at the trade deadline, content apparently with Mike Brown's current roster. Meanwhile, the Wizards have played well enough lately to keep the Knicks on alert, but Washington's defense is still one of the NBA's worst, and note KAT scored a big 33 when NY cruised by 17 in the first meeting at MSG back on November 3. Play Knicks

We'll see what type of lineup Utah plays tonight after the big Jaren Jackson trade with Memphis. Neither Jackson nor the others arriving from the Griz are expected to feature tonight, while Walter Clayton Jr., Kyle Anderson, Taylor Hendricks, and Georges Niang are off to Memphis. Whatever, it's six straight losses for the Jazz, and while we're also wondering just who Rick Carlisle puts on the floor for Indy with Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin all slated to rest tonight, here's a chance for the eager Indiana reserves to shine as the Pacers go for a fourth win in six. Play Pacers

These two met last week in Denver and the Pistons pulled out a 109-107 decision, but there's a big difference in the rematch. Big indeed, as Nikola Jokic has returned to active duty since for the Nuggets, and looked no worse for wear in his return game last Friday vs. the Clippers when scoring 31 in a 122-109 Denver win. Jokic played 29 minutes on Sunday vs. OKC and scored 16, and even though the Nuggets lost, it was a good battle vs. the champs, and the Joker's minutes are on the increase. Granted, Detroit is formidable and off a 53-point wipeout of the Nets, but is only 5-6 vs. the spread since January 10. Play Nuggets

Beware the "Bowness Bounce" which continuess in Columbus as the the Blue Jackets have continued their winning ways since Rick Bowness took over behind the bench in mid-January. Columbus has won five straight and now eight of nine under Bowness, part of a current 9-1 run that has the Jackets back in the mix for an East playoff berth. Goals have been flying into the net in recent games, 22 goals in fact the last four games with everybody seeming to contribute, including recently-added Mason Marchment (via Seattle), who tallied a hat-trick in a recent win over Tampa Bay. Meanwhile, the Devils continue to flounder for Sheldon Keefe, losing three of four entering the Rock tonight. Play Blue Jackets on Money Line

Familiar local face Mike Bibby had to throw out the blueprint for his first Sac State side when 6-11 UNLV transfer Bear Cherry went down with a leg injury in November. The Hornets made adjustments and sit mid-table in Big Sky into February after back-to-back wins over Montana State and Montana at the Nest. It's also worth noting those were only the third and fourth home games since Thanksgiving...all wins in Big Sky play. Bibby's transfer Gs Prophet Johnson (via-Fairfield; 17.3 ppg) & Mikey Williams (via UCF; 16.9 ppg) combined for 45 ppg in those two wins. It's also revenge time for Sac State after Weber State got them in Ogden when hitting 51% from the floor January 3. Play Sac State.

You'd think that for a team that has won 17 of its last 21 games, the Clippers would be granted a bit more respect from the oddsmakers and wagering public....though we take advantage tonight. Even the absence of James Harden (likely available tonight) didn't slow LA on Sunday in Phoenix, when rolling past the Suns 117-93 as Kawhi Leonard (25 points) exceeded 20 points for a remarkable 27th straight time. A motivated Kawhi, too, after being bypassed for the West All-Star squad in a game to be played at the Clips' Intuit Dome. The Sixers enter Inglewood on a 3-game win streak though all at home vs. beatable foes before this much-tougher test tonight. Play Clippers.

Even with two losses on the spin, the Sharks look a better option at the moment than the Blackhawks, who are now losing touch with the playoff contenders in the West after vie straight losses, the latest on Saturday by a 4-2 count vs. the Blue Jackets. Offensive issues are sinking Chicago, with just nine goals int he slump, as GK Spencer Knight (likely in the nets again tonight) has almost been forced to shut out opponents for the Blackhawks to have a chance. With young guns Macklin Celebrini (now 79 points) and Will Smith, San Jose usually has enough offense to help GK Yaroslav Askarov, who has 17 wins this season. Play Sharks on the Money Line.

The Preds got the big guns firing again on Saturday in an important 4-3 win vs. the Islanders, on the heels of back-to-back OT losses. Nashville has played well enough in its three-game skid but finally got over the hump at UBS Arena when Roman Josi scored the late winner after Filip Forsberg had netted twice. Juuse Saros also picked up a well-deserved win in goal and likely is back in the nets tonight. Meanwhile the Blues have lost six of seven and GK Joel Hofer, who had provided a better chance the Jordan Binnington for much of the season, might be wearing down, allowing four goals in each of his last two starts. Play Preds on the Puck Line.

The marketplace made an adjustment for Houston early this season when the Rockets and their big lineup were laying waste to most of their opponents. Spreads began to inflate...and then Houston seemed to lose a bit of its edge. Across the last 16 games, the Rockets have covered just four, including Saturday's narrow win over the Mavs. Tonight at Indy, word is that Kevin Durant (ankle) will miss the game as well. Though the Pacers' season effectively ended last June when Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles, plus Obi Toppin's early-season injury, recent form not bad, with wins over the Hawks and Bulls this homestand, and sorts like Andrew Nembhard (26 vs. Atlanta on Saturday) still around to provide a spark. Play Pacers.

Saturday's 6-5 win vs. the Rangers looks closer than the game played, as the Pens were in control from the outset and saw NY score a three goals in the last 4:45, and two in the final 1:07 at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh, however, now has six straight wins, and four times in those six landed on six goals, too, so the offense is percolating, with Anthony Mantha the hot scorer, tallying three times in the last two games. Arturs Silovs likely goes in goal tonight after stopping 101 of 109 shots in his last four starts. As for the Sens, they've won three straight but now go on the road, where they've lost five of their last seven. Play Penguins on the Money Line.