ORLANDO MAGIC vs WASHINGTON WIZARDS
When: 7:00 PM  ET, Monday, November 12, 2018
Where: Capital One Arena, Washington, District of Columbia

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: WASHINGTON , ORLANDO

Oddsmakers currently have the WASHINGTON listed as 6 point favorites versus the ORLANDO, while the game’s total is sitting at 219.5.

The Washington Wizards have a chance to post consecutive wins for the first time this season when they begin a five-game homestand Monday against the Orlando Magic. The Wizards lost by at least 19 points the first two times they had a chance to record a second straight victory but are feeling a bit better about themselves this time around.

“It was probably one of our best games, how we played,” Washington coach Scott Brooks told reporters after Saturday’s 116-110 win at Miami. “We played a physical brand, we fought for one another and I thought we made timely passes and shots.” John Wall led the way with 28 points and nine assists while both Dwight Howard and Jeff Green recorded double-doubles for Washington, which had its best offensive output since Oct. 24. The victory allowed the Wizards to move on from a 117-108 loss at Orlando the night before. Nikola Vucevic registered 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Magic to that win and duplicated those numbers in Sunday’s 115-89 road triumph over New York.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Orlando), NBCS Washington

ABOUT THE MAGIC (6-7): Orlando had no issues getting by the Knicks despite being without forward Aaron Gordon, who sat due to an ankle injury. Rookie Mo Bamba helped pick up some of the slack with 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots in 18 minutes off the bench. Bamba has scored 30 points over 35 minutes in Orlando’s back-to-back victories.

ABOUT THE WIZARDS (3-9): Perhaps the best development in Saturday’s game – aside from a rare victory – was the emergence of reserve guard Austin Rivers, who produced a season-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting. “You work hard all summer, throughout the season, to prepare yourself for those type of moments,” Wall told reporters of Rivers. “Austin got into a great rhythm.” Green is providing some nice support off the bench as well, as he is 15-for-21 from the floor over his last three games.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Howard is averaging 11.3 rebounds over his last four games after grabbing just three on Nov. 2 in his season debut against Oklahoma City.

2. Magic SG Terrence Ross scored a season-high 22 points off the bench Sunday.

3. Washington has won three straight home meetings with Orlando.

PREDICTION: Wizards 113, Magic 106

The post ORLANDO vs WASHINGTON 11/12/2018 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

GAME: Chicago White Sox (30-55) at Cincinnati Reds (37-49)
DATE/TIME: Wednesday, July 04 – 7:10 PM EST
WHERE: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio

TV: 7:10 PM
LINE: -170
PREDICTION: CINCINNATI , CHI WHITE SOX

Oddsmakers currently have the CINCINNATI listed as -170 point favorites versus the CHI WHITE SOX, while the game’s total is sitting at 10.

Avisail Garcia is showing quite the power display since returning from a hamstring injury. After going deep in the series opener on Monday, Garcia launched a pair of solo shots to help the Chicago White Sox (30-55) even the interleague series against the Cincinnati Reds (37-49) heading into Wednesday’s finale at Great American Ball Park.

Garcia, who is riding a career-high 13-game hitting streak, went deep in the sixth and ninth innings to improve to 5-for-10 in the series and 19-for-52 with six homers and nine RBIs in 12 contests since returning from injury. Yoan Moncada joined Garcia with three hits on Tuesday and five in the series after ripping a bases-clearing triple in the 12th inning before coming around to score on Yolmer Sanchez’s triple in a 12-8 victory. While Chicago rallied to its sixth win in 19 outings overall, it did little to cool off Cincinnati’s red-hot bats as the Reds have scored 33 runs over their last four contests. Eugenio Suarez had one of his team’s three homers to extend his hitting streak to seven games, during which he has scored six times and driven in five runs.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, NBCS Chicago, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Dylan Covey (3-3, 4.82 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sal Romano (4-8, 5.30)

Covey fell to 0-2 with a 12.71 ERA in his last three starts after getting blitzed for nine runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings of an 11-3 setback at Texas. The 26-year-old was taken deep on four occasions in that contest and six times in his last three outings after keeping the ball in the park in each of his previous six trips to the mound. Covey will be making his 28th career appearance and first versus Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Romano sustained his first loss since June 6 despite permitting just two runs in five innings of an 8-2 setback versus Milwaukee. The 24-year-old was taken deep in that contest and has yielded eight homers in his last eight trips to the mound. Romano has fared better at Great American Ball Park, with his ERA (4.77) nearly a run and a half less than on the road while limiting the opposition to a .248 batting average.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cincinnati 2B Scooter Gennett has six hits — including a homer — and five runs scored in his last three games.

2. Chicago SS Tim Anderson has seven multi-hit performances during a stretch in which he has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 contests.

3. Reds 1B Joey Votto is 0-for-9 with four strikeouts in the series.

PREDICTION: Reds 5, White Sox 4

The post CHI WHITE SOX vs. CINCINNATI 7/4/2018 MLB Odds, Pick & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

DETROIT vs SAN ANTONIO
When: 8:30 PM  ET, Monday, December 4, 2017
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas

TV: 8:30 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
LINE:
PREDICTION: Spurs 103, Pistons 101

Oddsmakers currently have the SAN ANTONIO listed as point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at .

SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Spurs should be ready and rested when the Detroit Pistons make their only regular-season visit to South Texas on Monday at the AT&T Center.

The Spurs head home after a 90-87 loss at Oklahoma City on Sunday in which forwards LaMarcus Aldridge (rest) and Rudy Gay (sore right heel), point guard Tony Parker (return from injury management) and guard Manu Ginobili (coach’s decision) did not play.

San Antonio center Pau Gasol sat out the entire second half after playing 16 first-half minutes and scoring five points.

Spurs starting forward Kyle Anderson had to be carried off the floor by his teammates in the final minute of the third quarter after spraining his left knee. Team officials said that Anderson would undergo an MRI exam on Monday.

Defense and rebounding kept San Antonio in the game even with its best players not on the court. The Spurs did not allow Oklahoma City to score nor get an offensive rebound in the final 3:34 and had a shot to tie the game, but Brandon Paul’s 3-point attempt just before the buzzer missed the mark.

Dejounte Murray led the Spurs (15-8) with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Davis Bertans added 16 points and five blocks.

“I learned a lot, being out there on the floor at the same time as three All-Stars,” Murray said. “Just trying to lead and show the coaches that I’m a point guard. I can lead, I’m learning, I’m getting better, and that’s what it’s all about — just getting better every day.”

Murray, in his second year with the Spurs out of the University of Washington, played a career-high 39 minutes. He was matched up against reigning league MVP Russell Westbrook and held his own, rallying the Spurs rallied from a 14-point deficit. It was Murray’s driving layup with 8:44 left that put San Antonio ahead for the final time, 79-78.

“That’s quite an education for a young man to be out there with him, so that was good for him,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said of Murray’s work against Westbrook.

San Antonio guard Derrick White played for the first time since Nov. 2. White, returning from a right wrist fracture that kept him out for 12 games, scored four points.

San Antonio star forward Kawhi Leonard has still not seen the court this season as he recovers from a right quadriceps ailment. There is no timetable for Leonard’s return.

Detroit (14-8) travels to the Alamo City after a 108-103 loss at Philadelphia on Saturday. The defeat was the second straight for the Pistons and came despite 27 points from Tobias Harris and 25 from Reggie Jackson.

The Pistons trailed by 18 points in the second half but came back to take a brief lead in the fourth quarter. Detroit was no match for the 76ers down the stretch, however, especially when Andre Drummond fouled out with 2:35 to play.

Philadelphia outrebounded the Pistons 47-36 one night after Detroit had a 15-rebound deficit in a 109-91 loss at Washington. The 76ers had a 17-7 advantage in offensive rebounds and the exact same margin in second-chance points.

“Five of their threes, at least, were off second chances, with the ball coming out,” Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We’ve become a bad rebounding team, and we’re going to have to change it. We don’t rebound the ball.

“It’s not a physical thing; it’s a mindset thing, and I’m really disappointed. I’m going to be honest. I like the comeback. I like the way we fought. But I don’t like that we’re not getting consistent energy and effort throughout the game.”

Harris said the team has lacked a 48-minute push in its past two games.

“We didn’t fold because we really didn’t put too much into the first half,” Harris said. “So we had to come out and play with some more intensity and more focus. That’s what we did tonight, but we’ve got to put four quarters together.”

The Spurs swept both games against Detroit last season and have won 31 of the past 43 games played between the teams in San Antonio.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Anderson is scheduled for an MRI on Monday.

2. Pistons C Andre Drummond, who averages 0.9 assists for his career, has notched at least six in four straight contests.

3. San Antonio is 2-0 in the second half of back-to-back sets played at home.

STATS AND RECORDS

The post Detroit Pistons vs San Antonio Spurs 12/4/2017 Odds, Picks & Preview appeared first on IdealCapper.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs Utah Jazz
When: 9:00 PM  ET, Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Where: Vivint Smart Home Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah

TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), ROOT (Utah)
LINE: -6.5
PREDICTION: Timberwolves 104, Jazz 103

Oddsmakers currently have the UTAH listed as -6.5 point favorites versus the MINNESOTA, while the game’s total is sitting at 201.

SALT LAKE CITY — It has taken a while, but Minnesota is finally showing the trademarks of a typical Tom Thibodeau coached team. The Timberwolves are making strides on defense and it is giving life to their once-latent playoff hopes.

Minnesota has held four of its last six opponents under 100 points and won all four contests. Three of those teams failed to even reach 90 points. In a 102-88 victory over Sacramento on Monday night, the Timberwolves held the Kings to 44 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers.

“I’ve said that when we defend consistently, we’d start winning games,” Thibodeau said, following Monday’s victory over Sacramento. “Three of the last four games, we’ve played consistent defense, and we’ve won those games. The one game we didn’t, we lost.”

Defensive excellence has allowed a series of dominant performances from Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns to register a greater impact.

Towns is averaging 29.0 points and 19.0 rebounds over Minnesota’s last four games. He is just the third NBA player in the last 25 years to total at least 115 points and 75 rebounds over a four-game stretch. The second-year center is tallying 24.1 points and 12.2 boards per contest through 60 games thus far.

Wiggins is no less impressive in his progress. He eclipsed 20 points for the 18th consecutive game against the Kings — extending his own franchise record. Wiggins is averaging 31.2 points per game over his last nine games and hasn’t scored fewer than 27 points in a single game during that stretch.

All of the recent success has combined to bring Minnesota (24-36) within three games of Denver for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Timberwolves have not been to the NBA playoffs since reaching the 2004 Western Conference Finals.

Now there’s optimism that drought can finally end.

“It definitely feels different than in the beginning of the season,” Wiggins said. “Games like this (against Sacramento) — these are games we need to help us go forward.”

Playing a tough Utah team should offer a good barometer for how much progress has been made. The Jazz are one of the NBA’s top defensive teams and have a dominant frontcourt that can make life a little tougher for Towns and Wiggins.

Gordon Hayward hasn’t skipped a beat since the NBA All-Star break. Hayward has averaged 26.0 points in Utah’s last three games. Rudy Gobert has been dominant on both ends, averaging 14.3 points and 15.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks in the same stretch.

The Jazz (37-23) had a three-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday night after Russell Westbrook totaled 43 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to help Oklahoma City escape with a 109-106 victory. It marked the 30th triple-double of the season for Westbrook.

The Thunder charged out to an early lead after hitting a team-record 12 consecutive 3-pointers. Utah rallied and took a 106-102 lead into the final minute before Westbrook put his team ahead with back-to-back baskets.

The loss stung, for sure, but Utah still has reasons to feel good after posting wins over Washington and Milwaukee during its three-game road trip. The Jazz are making their own push to solidify a top-four seed and get home-court advantage in the first round.

“After the All-Star break, you want to be that team that gets better and not that team that decreases,” point guard George Hill said, following Utah’s win over the Wizards on Sunday. “That is the focus in our heads. Continue to get better down the stretch here. Hopefully, get a nice (push) before the playoffs.”

The post Minnesota vs Utah Odds & Prediction appeared first on IdealCapper.

Sterling sued TMZ and V. Stiviano on Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming they violated his privacy by illegally recording a private conversation and broadcasting it.

The suit is the latest salvo in a litigious soap opera after Sterling was forced from the NBA and the basketball team was sold for $2 billion.

Stiviano has said Sterling consented to the recordings she made while he lavished her with luxury gifts and a house during a sexless relationship.

Sterling told Stiviano not to associate with black people in recordings obtained by TMZ.

A lawyer who represented Stiviano in another case says the lawsuit is ridiculous. TMZ didn’t immediately reply to messages for comment.

The post Billionaire sues TMZ, friend over loss of Clippers team appeared first on IdealCapper.

The No. 2 pick of last year’s draft qualifies as an experienced hand on the offensive line, given the team’s massive makeover.

Robinson is the left tackle and two rookies are on track to start on the right side, second-round pick Rob Havenstein at tackle and third-rounder Jamon Brown at guard.

Plus, former backups Barrett Jones, Tim Barnes and Demetrius Rhaney are competing at center.

The 22-year-old Robinson said he’s answering any questions the rookies have, but didn’t think he had that much to offer. Brown is also 22 and Havenstein is 23.

”It’s just simple stuff,” Robinson said. ”They’re smart guys and I feel like they’re a little bit more advanced than I was when I came in last year.”

The Rams heaped a lot on Robinson last summer, putting him out at right tackle at the start of camp. He got his first start at left tackle in November after Jake Long’s season-ending knee injury after making his first NFL start at left guard in the Rams’ fifth game.

Now, there’s peace of mind. Just one spot to worry about.

”Last year I really dreaded playing guard,” Robinson said. ”I had to make the most of it because it was my opportunity to play. I’m really appreciative of the position and I really want to hold it down.”

Like the other newcomers – Barnes has four starts and the rest none – Robinson is leaning on veteran left guard Rodger Saffold III. Saffold has 60 starts at three spots, most of them at left tackle.

Robinson said communication with Saffold has helped him get off the ball quicker.

”It’s still not perfect, but I’m not expecting that,” Robinson said. ”I really would say it’s slowed down a lot and I’m able to use my eyes better and just use my feet altogether, so there’s not much thinking.”

Getting everybody on the same page is the team’s biggest concern.

”It’s actually the lack of reps and the lack of experience,” coach Jeff Fisher said. ”Because if there’s a communication issue upfront and you cut somebody loose, that’s a free run on your quarterback.

”So we’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Besides the 12 starts he got last season, Robinson arrived at camp much lighter on his feet. He played at 339 pounds as a rookie and weighed in at 313 Sunday before probably losing more in the steamiest practice conditions of the summer.

”You just look at what a year makes for these young guys,” new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti said. ”Greg is in great shape. He put in the time and effort in the offseason and summer time.

”You see it carry over on the field.”

At Auburn, Robinson said nutrition wasn’t emphasized nearly as much. Bigger perhaps was better, too, in a run-oriented offense that sprung Tre Mason for 1,816 yards and a 5.7-yard average on the team that went to the national title game.

Robinson helped lead the way for both of Mason’s 100-yard seasons last year.

”College, it was like a whirlwind – everything was moving so fast and I didn’t really care what I ate,” Robinson said. ”Now I’m able to slow and monitor what I eat.”

The team nutritionist also has helped him stay on track and avoid certain general hazards associated with being large.

”You know, when you’re kind of big you get those back pains up in there,” Robinson said. ”I want to stay away from those last year.”

—

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

The post In Year 2, Greg Robinson is experienced hand for Rams appeared first on IdealCapper.

Lehtera had surgery on Aug. 4.

The Blues said the 27-year-old Lehtera was injured at the end of the season. St. Louis was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Wild.

Lehtera played in 75 regular-season games in his first NHL season and had 14 goals and 30 assists. He added two assists in five playoff games.

The post Blues' Jori Lehtera out 6 to 8 weeks after ankle surgery appeared first on IdealCapper.

Thomas yelled when his leg was rolled into during an 11-on-11 scrimmage Monday. He was checked by a trainer, who tested Thomas’ knee stability and looked at his ankle. Thomas walked to the team’s facility under his own power. Browns coach Mike Pettine says further testing will be done.

Thomas is the first offensive lineman in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl in each of his first eight seasons. He has played 7,917 consecutive snaps since the first start of his rookie season in 2007.

—

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

The post Browns Pro Bowl tackle Joe Thomas injures leg in practice appeared first on IdealCapper.

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis headlined the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015 on Saturday night, the sixth-leading rusher in NFL history turning the annual enshrinement ceremony into a de facto pep rally.

Bettis grabbed one of the ubiquitous towels synonymous with the franchise at the beginning of his speech and led a chant of ”Here We Go Steelers, Here We Go” as the capacity crowd at Tom Benson Stadium – most of them clad in some variation of black-and-yellow – roared in support of the player that served as the physical embodiment of the team he helped lead to a fifth Super Bowl title in 2006.

”I really thought the Bus’ last stop was in Detroit at Super Bowl 40,” Bettis said. ”But now I know the Bus will always and forever run in Canton, Ohio.”

The euphoria surrounding Bettis’ induction proved fitting on a night most of the eight-member class saw their lengthy wait to join football’s most exclusive club come to an end.

Only linebacker Junior Seau was elected in his first year on the ballot. The 12-time Pro Bowler’s induction, however, proved bittersweet, coming more than three years after he took his own life. His death and the complex fallout from it – Seau’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NFL – set the backdrop for the evening’s most touching moment.

Hall of Fame rules about players awarded posthumously prevented Seau’s daughter from giving a full speech on her father’s behalf. Instead she spoke at length during an extended video tribute, calling her dad ”a perfect match for football: both stubborn, both relentless, competitive and hard-hitting.”

Those hard hits are at the center of the family’s legal battle with the league, though Sydney Seau used the stage to instead pay homage to his spirit. She fought back tears when his bronze bust was unveiled and told him ”congratulations, you made it” as images of Seau in his prime flashed on the video screen.

It was the emotional high point of a night that flipped between laughter and tears and back again.

Defensive end Charles Haley cracked jokes between heartfelt disclosures of his battle with depression. Minnesota Vikings center Mick Tingelhoff didn’t say a word, instead letting Hall of Fame teammate Fran Tarkenton speak for him shortly after Tingelhoff’s bust was unveiled.

Kansas City guard Will Shields spoke with the same thoughtfulness that made him one of the best linemen of his generation during a standout career with the Chiefs.

Contributors Bill Polian and Ron Wolf paid their respects to the icons who paved the way for their success. Wide receiver Tim Brown led chants of ”Rai-ders! Rai-ders!” more than a decade after the last of his 1,094 receptions.

Haley, the only player in NFL history with five Super Bowl rings, gave a rousing, freewheeling speech that included a good-natured jabs at everyone from former San Francisco owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr. to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. DeBartolo called the decision to trade Haley to Dallas in 1992 his biggest mistake during his tenure.

Haley didn’t disagree, though he also made sure to honor the men who signed his paychecks, including a nod to the occasionally bombastic Jones, who organized a bone marrow drive when Haley’s daughter Brianna was diagnosed with leukemia.

Haley retired after the 1999 season with 100 1/2 sacks and a fistful of championships. Yet he spent the better part of a decade watching former teammates get the call while his phone remained silent.

He blamed it partly on his own struggle with his inner demons. Haley said he was a ”22-year-old man with a 16-year-old inside of me screaming for help and I would not ask for it” when he arrived in the NFL in 1986.

”My life spiraled out of control for years, for years,” Haley said. ”But today, guys, I am getting back into the locker room, to my teammates and tell them guys the mistakes that I’ve made and that the only way you can grow is that you’ve got to ask for help.”

Wolf, who hired Mike Holmgren and traded for Brett Favre shortly after taking over in 1991, led off by praising the core that restored the Packers to legitimacy after two decades of mediocrity.

”There was always a threat to players of other teams that if they didn’t shape up, they would be traded to Green Bay,” Wolf said. ”We worked hard to eliminate that stigma.”

Polian praised Hall of Fame coach Marv Levy for helping him resurrect the Bills after Polian took over as general manager in 1984. The two men put together the foundation of a team that made four straight Super Bowl appearances behind Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed, all of whom Polian joined in the Hall. Polian finally won a championship with Indianapolis and Peyton Manning, though Polian couldn’t help but wonder how a ”kid from the Bronx” ended up in Canton.

There was no wondering for Bettis, who wasn’t shy about his desire to follow in the footsteps of other Steeler greats already in the Hall. Many were on hand to watch, including Franco Harris, Joe Greene and Lynn Swann. Several of Bettis’ former teammates, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and wide receiver Hines Ward, sat in front of the stage as the Hall’s doors finally opened for the player known simply as ”The Bus.”

It’s a destination made possible in part by Roethlisberger, who preserved Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl run in 2006 by tripping up Indianapolis’ Nick Harper shortly after Bettis fumbled near the Colts’ goal line in the AFC playoffs.

”Without you saving that tackle, I still might be on the doorstep brother,” Bettis said. ”I owe you, for life.”

—

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL

The post Steelers great Bettis leads eclectic Hall of Fame class appeared first on IdealCapper.

Mortson’s family announced the death through the Miron-Wilson Funeral Home in Timmins.

Morton had 46 goals, 152 assists and 1,380 penalty minutes in 796 regular-season games in 13 seasons with Toronto, Chicago and Detroit. He had five goals and eight assists in 54 playoff games.

Mortson played on Toronto’s championship clubs in 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1951. He led the NHL in penalties four times and fought Detroit great Gordie Howe in the 1948 All-Star game.

The post Former NHL defenseman Gus Mortson dies at age 90 appeared first on IdealCapper.