L.A. Clippers At Portland
When: 10:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 26, 2013
Where: Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon
TV: 10 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), KGW (Portland)
Prediction: Trail Blazers 96, Clippers 91.

Oddsmakers currently have the Clippers listed as 2-point favorites versus the Trail Blazers, while the game’s total is sitting at 192.

Reserve guard Jamal Crawford scored 25 points when Los Angeles defeated Portland 103-90 on Nov. 8 in the first meeting between the teams. Crawford scored 21 points in the loss to Phoenix for his fourth 20-point outing in six games. Crawford is averaging 16.7 points in a good bounce-back campaign after one lackluster season in Portland. Crawford averaged 14 points for the Trail Blazers but shot just 38.4 percent from the field. Eric Bledsoe has just seven total assists while filling in for Paul over the past two games. Bledsoe averages 8.9 points and 2.7 assists.

Last time out for Los Angeles, they were a 93-88 loser as they battled the Suns on the road. The Clippers failed to cover in the match as a 6.5-point favorite, while 181 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 32-12 SU, 25-19 ATS
Current streak: lost 3 straight games.
LA Clippers are 4-1 SU in their last 5 games when playing Portland
LA Clippers are 19-6 SU in their last 25 games
LA Clippers are 10-4 SU in their last 14 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 8 of the LA Clippers last 12 games when playing on the road against Portland
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing Portland are 6-4
After playing Phoenix are 9-1
After a loss are 4-6

Forward LaMarcus Aldridge is headed to the All-Star Game for the second straight season after being picked as a Western Conference reserve. “It means a lot to me,” Aldridge said. “Hopefully I can be a three- and four-time All-Star also.” Aldridge and Miami’s LeBron James are the only players averaging more than 20 points and eight rebounds. Aldridge’s marks are 20.7 and 8.8, respectively. “I’m very happy for LaMarcus, he is the foundation of what we are building here,” Portland coach Terry Stotts said. “He is very deserving of this honor and I’m glad he was recognized by my fellow coaches.” Aldridge has nine double-doubles in January and had 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting in Wednesday’s victory.

Last time out for Portland, they were a 100-80 winner as they battled the Pacers at home. The Trail Blazers covered in the match as a 1-point favorite, while 180 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Team record: 21-21 SU, 19-21-2 ATS
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of last 6 games at home
is 19-6 SU in their last 25 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
is 13-5 SU in its last 18 games at home
is 13-6 SU in their last 19 games when playing LA Clippers
When playing on Saturday are 4-6
Before playing LA Clippers are 8-2
After playing Indiana are 1-9
After a win are 6-4

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Oklahoma City At Golden State
When: 10:30 PM ET, Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Where: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (Golden State), NBATV
Prediction: Warriors 108, Thunder 105.

Oddsmakers currently have the Thunder listed as 3-point favorites versus the Warriors, while the game’s total is sitting at 207½.

Oklahoma City has not been slowed a schedule that has had them on the road for eight of their past 10 games. The Thunder are halfway through their current six-game road trip and will be playing the first back-to-back of this set with the Warriors. After falling in overtime at Denver to snap a six-game winning streak on Sunday, Oklahoma City bounced back by posting a 109-97 victory over the Clippers on Tuesday. Durant scored 24 of his 32 points in the second half and went 5-of-6 from 3-point range in the win. The highest-scoring team in the NBA, the Thunder have reached the century mark in each of their last five contests. Durant collected his first career triple-double with 25 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the first meeting with the Warriors

Last time out for Oklahoma City, they were a 109-97 winner as they battled the Clippers on the road. The Thunder covered in the match as a 2.5-point favorite, while 206 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Team record: 33-9 SU, 24-15-3 ATS
is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Golden State
is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games
When playing on Wednesday are 5-5
Before playing Sacramento are 6-4
After playing LA Clippers are 8-2
After a win are 7-3

Golden State had dropped five of six before rallying late to win at New Orleans on Saturday, and showed some resilience down the stretch by outscoring the Clippers 33-19 in the fourth quarter and pulling out a 106-99 triumph on Monday at home. Curry hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help spark the rally while Jarrett Jack came off the bench to deliver 18 points and 10 assists. The Warriors had averaged 81.5 points in the two games Curry sat out but have put up 111 in the two games since his return. The All-Star hopeful hit four 3-pointers en route to a team-high 22 points in the December meeting with the Thunder but joined his teammates in struggling to slow Durant, Russell Westbrook (30 points) and Kevin Martin (23) on the defensive end. Golden State will hit the road for four straight after facing Oklahoma City, beginning in Chicago on Friday.

Golden State won its last outing, a 106-99 result against the Clippers on January 21. The Warriors covered in that game as a 4.5-point underdog, while the 205 combined points took the game OVER the total.

Team record: 25-15 SU, 23-15-2 ATS
Current streak: won 2 straight games.

The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games when playing Oklahoma City
is 12-4 SU in its last 16 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 6 of last 8 games when playing at home against Oklahoma City
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 6 games

When playing on Wednesday are 0-10
Before playing Chicago are 6-4
After playing LA Clippers are 4-6
After a win are 5-5

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Brodeur made 24 saves for his 120th NHL shutout, Ilya Kovalchuk scored on a short-handed penalty shot, and the Devils won their home opener in front of an enthusiastic sellout crowd with a 3-0 victory over the winless Flyers on Tuesday night.

It was the first meeting between the long-time divisional rivals since New Jersey eliminated Philadelphia in five games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Devils again had the Flyers’ number and beat them for a fifth straight time.

Travis Zajac and David Clarkson scored first-period goals to provide all the offense Brodeur would need en route to his 10th shutout of the Flyers.

“It was a long time coming,” Brodeur said. “I thought we had a great run in the playoffs, and our fans were great. With the lockout, we didn’t know how these fans would respond. They showed tremendous support.

“I thought we played pretty good and gave them some excitement. Hockey is back in New Jersey, I guess.”

The Flyers dropped to 0-3, matching their worst start since they also lost their first three games in the lockout-shortened 1995 season.

Philadelphia rebounded that year to win the Atlantic Division, and the Devils won their first Stanley Cup championship that season with Brodeur in goal.

“It’s not time to panic, but we have to tighten the screws,” Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov said. “After the bad start we can’t keep losing games anymore because you will never get out from the bottom of the standings because you don’t have enough games.

“That’s why we have to be with the attitude that’s it’s the playoffs.”

The 40-year-old Brodeur was in postseason form, especially in the first period when he stopped all nine Flyers shots.

“It shows how good an athlete he is,” Clarkson said of Brodeur. “Marty is one of the best athletes I’ve played with. It’s impressive to see him at that age doing what he’s doing and having fun doing it. He makes us a better team every night.”

The Devils had only three shots in the first period, but Zajac and Clarkson scored. That duo also had goals in the Devils’ 2-1 season-opening win over the Islanders on Saturday.

“They only had three shots so I don’t think we played bad hockey,” Flyers forward Max Talbot said. “The only thing we can do is keep working hard. It would be easy to panic. It’s about work ethic. Yes, it’s three games and we don’t have a point but we need to keep working and battling.”

Kovalchuk, who played in Russia during the lockout and was a little late in getting back for training camp, brought the crowd of 17,650 to its feet on the Devils’ fourth shot of the game early in the second period. He was hooked by defenseman Kimmo Timonen on a semi-breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot at 2:44.

The 29-year-old Kovalchuk wasted no time once the puck was put down at center ice. He skated quickly at Bryzgalov and beat him with a backhander to the upper part of the net for his first goal of the season.

“It’s a 50-50 chance and I was fortunate to score,” Kovalchuk said. “He’s a big goalie and I knew he would go down if I faked him. I beat him this time, but it’s a long season.”

The only question after that was whether Brodeur would add to his career-leading shutout total. Wayne Simmonds had the best scoring chance with a shot from the right circle that had Brodeur out of position. However, the 19-year veteran slid across the crease and made a pad save.

It must have frustrated Simmonds because he bumped Brodeur after another glove save later in the period, sparking a little melee. Clarkson and Simmonds traded punches in a third-period scuffle.

“I didn’t hit him too hard,” Simmonds said. “I just gave him a little push that I kind of thought he over exaggerated, and it worked. He is one of the best goalies who ever played. He can do whatever he wants in this league.”

The Flyers held New Jersey without a shot for a 12:25 span in the first period but still trailed 2-0.

Zajac gave the Devils the lead after only 67 seconds. The center who signed a $46 million contract last week, stopped a point shot by Bryce Salvador right at Bryzgalov’s doorstep and tucked the puck around the goalie into an open net.

Clarkson extended the lead to 2-0 with 24.9 seconds left in the opening period with a fluky power-play goal. He centered the puck from the side of the net, and it hit off the stake of Flyers forward Ruslan Fedotenko and caromed into the net.

Brodeur had three excellent saves in the opening 20 minutes. He made a skate save on a point shot by defenseman Andrej Meszaros, stopped Fedotenko on a rebound, and made a one-on-one stop against Scott Hartnell with the Flyers coming at him in waves.

Game notes

Brodeur also has 10 shutouts against the Islanders. … Kovalchuk’s goal was the Devils’ first short-handed, penalty-shot score since Zach Parise had one on Oct. 21, 2011 vs. San Jose. … Kovalchuk has scored on three of four penalty shots in his career. … New Jersey is 17-8-5 in home openers. … Tye McGinn, recalled from Adirondack of the AHL on Monday, made his NHL debut for the Flyers. He replaced Zac Rinaldo who sustained a cut to his right thigh against Buffalo on Sunday. … Philadelphia RW Danny Briere missed his third straight game. He broke his left wrist playing overseas during the lockout. … Former Islanders D Bruno Gervais, who signed as a free agent during the offseason, made his Flyers debut.

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