Detroit At L.A. Clippers
When: 9:30 PM ET, Sunday, March 10, 2013
Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Detroit, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
PREDICTION: Clippers 104, Pistons 91

Oddsmakers currently have the Clippers listed as 13-point favorites versus the Pistons, while the game’s total is sitting at 199½.

Detroit got an unexpected boost off the bench from rookie Khris Middletown, who scored a season-high 14 points in the loss to Dallas. Middleton had made only four brief appearances prior to the All-Star break but has started to receive additional playing time in the past three weeks. He was 6-of-12 against the Mavericks and hit a pair of key 3-pointers. ”I have confidence in my shot, and so do my teammates, so I was going to take it when I got an open look,” Middleton said.

Last time out for Detroit, they were a 102-99 loser as they battled the Mavericks at home. The Pistons covered in the match as a 4-point underdog, while 201 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Detroit:
Team record: 23-41 SU, 29-35 ATS
Current streak: lost 4 straight games.

is 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers
is 14-5 SU in their last 19 games when playing LA Clippers
is 2-4 ATS in their last 6 games when playing LA Clippers
is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games on the road

When playing on Sunday are 3-7
Before playing Utah are 7-3
After playing Dallas are 3-7
After a loss are 4-6

Point guard Chris Paul is closing in on a major milestone, but the focus in Los Angeles is on the health of sixth man Jamal Crawford. The team’s second-leading scorer had to sit out Thursday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets with a sprained left ankle. The team did not practice Friday and Crawford said his plan was to continue to get treatment in the hope of returning to the lineup. He is averaging 17.2 points and has led Los Angeles in scoring on 19 occasions.

Last time out for Los Angeles, they were a 107-92 loser as they battled the Nuggets on the road. The Clippers failed to cover in the match as a 4-point underdog, while 199 combined points moved the game UNDER for totals bettors.

Los Angeles:
Team record: 44-20 SU, 36-28 ATS

LA Clippers are 5-1 SU in their last 6 games when playing Detroit
LA Clippers are 19-4 SU in their last 23 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of the LA Clippers last 5 games at home
LA Clippers are 9-3 SU in their last 12 games

When playing on Sunday are 5-5
Before playing Memphis are 4-6
After playing Denver are 5-5
After a loss are 5-5

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Barbosa is out the remainder of the 2012-13 season after tearing his ACL earlier this month. Crawford is expected to fill Barbosa’s void on Boston’s bench after falling out of favor in Washington.

Collins has averaged just over 10 minutes per game for the Celtics this season, scoring an average of 1.2 points and 1.6 rebounds. In initial reports, it appeared the deal would strictly be a Crawford-for-Barbosa swap. The inclusion of Collins became apparent just after the 3 p.m. trade deadline Thursday.

The 24-year-old Crawford, the 27th pick in the 2010 draft, has averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 assists and 2.7 rebounds over 26.2 minutes per game for his career. This season, he is averaging 13.2 points, 3.7 assists and 3.1 rebounds over 26.2 minutes per contest, starting 12 of Washington’s 52 games. Since the return of John Wall, Crawford’s playing time has decreased.

Barbosa received increased playing time after Rajon Rondo tore his ACL in late January — only to sustain the same season-ending injury less than three weeks later. Barbosa is waiting for an MCL sprain to heal before undergoing surgery to repair the ACL injury.

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge had previously expressed an interest in bringing Barbosa back next season.

Initial reports suggested the Celtics and Wizards were discussing a deal centered on a Crawford swap for rookie Fab Melo, but that never materialized. The Celtics view Melo as a long-term project. He has spent much of the season in the D-League but is traveling with Boston while providing emergency depth for an injury-depleted roster.

The post Celtics acquire Jordan Crawford appeared first on IdealCapper.

The person spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been officially announced.

The 6-foot-10 McRoberts, who played at Duke, has played in 41 games this season with three starts and is averaging 3.9 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.

Warrick, in his seventh NBA season, was acquired earlier this season in a trade with the New Orleans Hornets. Since joining the Bobcats he has averaged 6.9 points per game and 3.2 rebounds, but his playing time has diminished in recent weeks.

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General manager George McPhee met with reporters for some 20 minutes at the team’s facility and cited penalties and goaltending as the major culprits that have caused the Capitals to lose nine of their first 11 games.

McPhee had positive words for new coach Adam Oates and franchise player Alex Ovechkin, even though the former two-time league MVP has yet to score a 5-on-5 goal this season.

“We’re disappointed with the way things have started. It’s not over. Nothing that a couple of wins won’t really help,” McPhee said. “But we’re going to make good decisions. We’re not going to do anything short term. We’re not going to blow anything up. We like the people here.”

The Capitals lost 5-2 to the rival Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday and have yet to score four goals in a game this season. They have allowed an NHL-high 15 power play goals.

“We’re playing a good game and then we start taking penalties, and we take them in bunches,” McPhee said. “And no system, no coach, no team can survive that.”

McPhee called the rash of penalties “undisciplined” and “selfish” and said they resulted from a “lack of focus.” But he didn’t link those deficiencies to the leadership of Oates, a first-time NHL coach who had an abbreviated training camp because of the lockout-shortened season.

“I really like the coaches. I love what they’re doing,” McPhee said. “I like the way that we’re playing in terms of our system.”

The Capitals appeared to be set at goalie with rising stars Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth vying for playing time this season, but both have been disappointing so far.

“There is upside there with these goaltenders,” McPhee said. “But they can both play better and they know it. And it’s time for them to play.”

As for Ovechkin, McPhee is pleased with the high-priced forward who has switched this season from left wing to right. Ovechkin has only three goals — all on the power play — and was visibly seething after the loss to the Penguins.

“I really like the way Alex has played the last four games,” McPhee said. “Adam is convinced that he can get him playing the way that Ovi can play, and a couple of these games are the best that we’ve seen him in a long time. … He’s getting a lot more chances on the right side than the left. He’s a much more effective player. I like it a lot. You might disagree, but it looks a lot better to us.”

Owner Ted Leonsis also noted the struggles of the goaltending and the offense on his blog Friday and added: “We have many challenges as an organization, and as a team.”

“I’ve had some real good discussions with ownership over the last couple of days,” McPhee said. “They’re obviously not very happy. But they’ve been supportive. At times like this, ownership can pile on and make things worse or ownership can say, ‘How can we help? And what can we do to make it better?’ And it’s been the latter. … And I provided some options, and they provided some real clear direction, which was great.

“So that being said, if there’s something I can do to help the club out, I will. But I’m not going to do anything stupid.”

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Given the way he’s playing, the backup is making a strong case for even more playing time.

Fasth stopped 31 shots for his first NHL shutout, and Francois Beauchemin scored in his 500th career game, lifting the surging Anaheim Ducks to a 3-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday night.

In just a short time — four starts, to be exact — Fasth has earned the trust of his teammates and his coach.

“He’s giving me confidence that I never knew I’d have in him when he came over,” said Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau, whose team won its fourth straight game. “It’s a great, pleasant surprise that Viktor has come over and played so well.”

Fasth, 30, certainly has been quite a find for the Ducks since he signed as a free agent during the offseason. According to the Ducks, Fasth is the first goaltender in NHL history over the age of 30 to win his first four games.

Fasth stymied the struggling Avalanche with one sprawling save after another to help Anaheim start a six-game road swing on a good note.

“Vik’s really on the puck, making it easy on us,” Beauchemin said. “If it wasn’t for him, there was no way we would’ve won that game.”

The Avalanche players were in a sour mood after the game, as they were shut out for a third time this season. That especially didn’t sit too well with Matt Duchene.

“We’ve got to find a way to score, bottom line,” Duchene said. “We’ve been shut out three times in 10 games; it’s unacceptable. It’s almost 50 percent of the games we’re getting shut out. It’s a joke.”

No one is laughing about Fasth’s fast start. In his first four NHL appearances, he’s stopped 101 of 105 shots. But the ever-humble Fasth shrugged off his recent play, even his first shutout.

“It’s nothing you go and think about. You just try to do your best and help the team out as much as you can,” Fasth said. “I’m really glad I had (the shutout). It’s a little bonus. Most important thing is we got the win and started off this road trip really good.”

The competition between Fasth and starter Jonas Hiller is heating up. Not that Boudreau views it quite that way.

“Hilly will be playing very soon,” Boudreau said. “He will be doing the same thing, I hope.”

Fasth’s best save against Colorado was when Milan Hejduk skated in late in the final period and lined a shot that Fasth gobbled up with his chest.

That was the type of night it was for Fasth, who was the Swedish Elite League’s goaltender of the year the previous two seasons.

“Tonight, he stole us a victory,” Boudreau said.

Sheldon Souray and Saku Koivu each added a goal and an assist for the Ducks.

Kyle Palmieri nearly added a goal early in the third period on a 2-on-1 breakaway, but Semyon Varlamov slid over, stuck out of his glove and trapped the puck against the post. The referees took a quick look on replay before upholding the ruling of no goal.

Beauchemin all but wrapped up this game with a goal in the second period that gave the Ducks a commanding 3-0 lead. The play was set up by Koivu, who took a bone-jarring hit along the boards to send the puck into the offensive zone, where Daniel Winnik corralled the puck and sent it over to Beauchemin for his second goal of the season.

The Avalanche had David Jones back in the lineup after he missed the previous two games with a knee injury. But it didn’t ignite the offense as Colorado lost for a second straight time at home.

Boudreau had a chance to catch up with Varlamov, his former goalie, in a Pepsi Center hallway at the morning skate. The two were together while with Washington.

Asked the biggest difference between Varlamov then and now, Boudreau said, “He’s way more consistent. From when I watch, there are no soft goals.”

And then Varlamov proceeded to surrender two soft ones in the first period. He let a liner from Souray near the blue line slip between his pads.

Later, Varlamov failed to bat away a pass through the goal crease, allowing Koivu to tap it in with the Ducks on a 5-on-3 advantage. It was the first goal the Avs allowed in 21 power-play chances at Pepsi Center this season.

“If you look at the overall game, they didn’t outplay us,” Colorado coach Joe Sacco said. “At the end it got a little helter-skelter. We had some chance, we didn’t score. We’ve got to stick with it and keep grinding it out.”

Game notes

Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog (head and leg) missed a sixth straight game. … The injury-riddled Avalanche claimed F Aaron Palushaj off waivers from Montreal. He didn’t play Wednesday. … Ducks D Toni Lydman (flu) was a scratch. The team recalled D Jordan Hendry from Norfolk.

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Howard was examined by Lakers’ doctor Steve Lombardo before the game and cleared to return.

Howard was injured in the second half of the Lakers’ 107-102 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers last week when he got his arms tangled up with Caron Butler. He played through the injury in the Lakers’ following game, a 112-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets, and tied a career high with 26 rebounds and added 14 points and four blocks in 41 minutes of playing time despite the pain.

The Lakers went 0-3 in Howard’s absence.

Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who has also been sidelined the last three games after suffering a concussion against Denver, was not cleared to return to game action after being examined Sunday morning. He will be re-evaluated Monday.

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Miami At Orlando
When: 5:00 PM ET, Monday, December 31, 2012
Where: Amway Center, Orlando, Florida
Prediction: Heat 105, Magic 88.

Oddsmakers currently have the Heat listed as 9½-point favorites versus the Magic, while the game’s total is sitting at 193½.

Dwyane Wade returned from a one-game suspension in time for the game in Milwaukee and scored 24 points, but it was not enough. LeBron James added 26 points, but no one else had more than 12 and the Heat were outscored by 21 in the fourth quarter. Miami has struggled at times on the defensive end but appeared to have everything come together on the winning streak, during which opponents managed an average of 89.5 points. But that defense has taken a hit in the last two games, with lowly Detroit shooting 58.1 percent in a 109-99 loss and the Bucks exploding in the fourth quarter on Saturday.

Miami lost its last outing, a 104-85 result against the Bucks on December 29. The Heat failed to cover in that game as a 4.5-point favorite, while the 189 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Davis was joined on the sidelines by starting point guard Jameer Nelson (hip) and his backup, E’Twuan Moore (elbow), on Saturday. None of the three practiced on Sunday, and Nelson and Moore will be game-time decisions for Monday’s contest. Davis is expected to miss at least another two weeks. The upside to the injuries has been increased playing time for rookies Andrew Nicholson and Moe Harkless. Nicholson went for a career-high 22 points in the loss on Saturday after moving into the starting lineup for just the second time.

Last time out for Orlando, they were a 123-88 loser as they battled the Raptors at home. The Magic failed to cover in the match as a 3-point favorite, while 211 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

Miami:
Team record: 20-8 SU, 15-13 ATS
Current streak: lost 2 straight games.

The total has gone UNDER in 4 of last 5 games
is 6-2 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone OVER in 5 of last 7 games when playing on the road against Orlando
is 8-16-1 ATS in its last 25 games when playing Orlando

When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Dallas are 6-4
After playing Milwaukee are 9-1
After a loss are 7-3

Orlando:
Team record: 12-18 SU, 15-15 ATS
Current streak: lost 5 straight games.

is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Miami
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games
The total has gone OVER in 4 of last 5 games at home
is 18-7 SU in its last 25 games when playing Miami

When playing on Monday are 6-4
Before playing Chicago are 8-2
After playing Toronto are 3-7
After a loss are 3-7

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