Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Sports Gaming Picks - Get Your Picks Now
Home Blog Page 3495

NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (9-12) at Washington Wizards (11-12)

NBA Editor
-
0
NBA Preview: Los Angeles Lakers (9-12) at Washington Wizards (11-12)

‘Complementary’ Lakers take on bedeviled Wizards

The recently resurgent Los Angeles Lakers look to stay hot away from home when they continue a five-game eastern trip Sunday, taking on a host Washington Wizards team trying to shake out of a funk.

The Wizards lost for the fifth time in six games Friday when their fourth-quarter rally at Charlotte fell just short, 117-116. The Wizards stormed back from a 13-point deficit, outscoring the Hornets 18-6 over the final 8:19, but could not complete the comeback.

The Wizards trailed by 15 points at halftime after a 38-28 second quarter. Washington surrendered 72 first-half points and, despite a big rally in the fourth quarter, could not overcome the initial deficit.

As Washington looks to pull out of its recent swoon, the Lakers come in having won four of five, including their last three on the road. Friday night the Lakers started their trip in Milwaukee with a 133-129 victory over the Bucks.

Anthony Davis went for 44 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and blocked three shots for Los Angeles and both LeBron James and Russell Westbrook flirted with triple-doubles. James collected 28 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds; and Westbrook came off the bench for 15 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds.

Davis has been on a tear recently with Friday marking his fifth 30-plus-point game over the last eight he has played. He has recorded a double-double in all eight of those contests, including a remarkable 37-point, 21-rebound effort against Phoenix on Nov. 22.

Washington will try to contain Davis despite having a noteworthy absence in the frontcourt. Rui Hachimura will miss his eighth straight game with an ankle injury that Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. told NBC Sports Washington was “week-to-week.”

Kristaps Porzingis is shouldering much of the interior duty for the Wizards, averaging 21.6 points and a team-high 8.8 rebounds.

Porzingis scored a career-high 41 points Nov. 28 against Minnesota, the Wizards’ only triumph in the past five games. Washington’s 142 points in that victory were 21 more than its next-highest output of the season.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, has produced its two highest-scoring games amid the most recent stretch with 143 Nov. 26 at San Antonio, and Friday’s 133-point output.

NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (15-8) at New York Knicks (10-13)

NBA Editor
-
0
NBA Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers (15-8) at New York Knicks (10-13)

Donovan Mitchell, Cavs look to extend Knicks’ home woes

Donovan Mitchell has been as good as advertised in his first season with the Cleveland Cavaliers as they face the New York Knicks on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.

The teams are trending in opposite directions with Cleveland winning seven of its last nine games, while New York has lost six of eight. The Knicks also have lost five consecutive home games, including Saturday’s 121-100 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Mitchell, who was acquired from the Utah Jazz prior to the season, is averaging a team-best 28.7 points while shooting 49.4 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from 3-point range.

The three-time All-Star led the Cavs to their win on Friday, scoring 34 points in a 107-96 victory over the Orlando Magic.

Mitchell had 16 points in the first nine minutes against Orlando and received plenty of help as the Cavaliers won their sixth consecutive home game and hold an NBA-best 10-1 mark at home.

Evan Mobley is averaging 15.2 points and 9.2 rebounds for Cleveland, while point guard Darius Garland has been a revelation with 22.5 points and 8.0 assists.

The Cavaliers have won their past four meetings against New York.

The Knicks, meantime, seem to play their worst at home.

Saturday, Julius Randle scored 24 points and Immanuel Quickly had 23 for the Knicks, who led by as many as 15 in the first half but were outscored 41-15 in the third quarter and never threatened after that against Dallas.

Jalen Brunson was held to 13 points against his former team as New York fell to 4-7 at home, where their record is better only than Orlando’s 4-8 mark in the Eastern Conference — but Orlando has won only five games all season. The Knicks are a respectable 6-6 on the road.

New York faces another tough challenge against Cleveland’s imposing frontline. The Cavaliers could be without center Jarrett Allen, who has missed the past four games due to a bruised lower back and is listed as day-to-day.

Cavaliers forward Lamar Stevens returned from a four-game absence with a non-COVID-19 illness and scored eight points in 15 minutes on Friday.

NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (13-9) at Detroit Pistons (6-18)

NBA Editor
-
0
NBA Preview: Memphis Grizzlies (13-9) at Detroit Pistons (6-18)

Most of the Memphis Grizzlies’ struggles this season have come on the road. Seven of their nine losses have come away from home, which makes even a matchup against one of the NBA’s worst teams a significant challenge.

Memphis makes a quick trip to Detroit on Sunday prior to a five-game homestand.

The Grizzlies have won three of their last four games, including a 117-109 triumph against Philadelphia on Friday. Memphis trailed after the first quarter but took command by outscoring the Sixers 35-24 in the second quarter.

As usual, floor leader Ja Morant led the team in scoring with 28 points. Jenkins was just as impressed with the play of his top big men. Center Steven Adams contributed nine points, 16 rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks.

Forward Jaren Jackson Jr. had 22 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Jackson is averaging 19 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in seven games after recovering from foot surgery.

The Pistons ended a three-game losing streak on Thursday with a 131-125 overtime victory against Dallas.

Much-maligned 2020 lottery pick Killian Hayes delivered one of the best outings of his young career. He hit three clutch jumpers and made a key assist during the fourth quarter. In overtime, he knocked down a pair of decisive 3-pointers and finished with 22 points and eight assists.

Hayes is getting extended playing time with last year’s top pick, Cade Cunningham, sidelined by a shin injury. He’s averaging 16.5 points and 7.8 assists over the past four games.

Hayes has been the target of the fans’ wrath for not living up to his draft status after being the No. 7 pick, but that could be changing.

Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders Named 28th Head Coach At Colorado

NCAAFB Editor
-
0
Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders Named 28th Head Coach At Colorado

BOULDER — Deion Sanders, known as “Prime Time” during his Hall of Fame playing career and has since transitioned into “Coach Prime,” has been named the 28th full-time head football coach at the University of Colorado, athletic director Rick George announced Saturday evening.

Sanders, 55, joins the CU program from Jackson State University (Jackson, Miss.), where in three seasons the Tigers compiled a 27-5 record and won back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championships competing on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level; that mark includes a 12-0 record this season. Jackson State defeated Southern, 43-24, in the SWAC title game on Saturday.

“There were a number of highly qualified and impressive candidates interested in becoming the next head football coach at Colorado, but none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders,” George said. “Not only will Coach Prime energize our fanbase, I’m confident that he will lead our program back to national prominence while leading a team of high quality and high character.”

At Jackson State, Sanders achieved tremendous success on and off the field as a fierce advocate for additional exposure and a level playing field for all Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Sanders brought national attention to HBCUs, pushing for opportunities to highlight its talent and the culture. In March 2022, Sanders held a Pro Day featuring athletes from four other schools in the state of Mississippi to provide a platform in front of 22 NFL teams and the Canadian Football League. In April 2022, Jackson State became the first HBCU to have its spring football game televised live nationally on ESPNU.

“Deion Sanders’ stature transcends sports, and his hiring elevates not only the football program but the university as a whole,” said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano. “I’m thankful Deion has chosen to join our Buffalo family and I applaud Rick George for a truly inspired choice. This is an exciting new chapter in the long, storied history of Colorado football and I look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our students, supporters and fans to cheer on “Coach Prime” and our student-athletes next fall.”

Sanders first game as head coach for the Buffaloes will be next Sept. 2 at TCU, currently ranked third in the College Football Playoff standings. His first home games follow on Sept. 9 against long-time rival Nebraska, with in-state rival Colorado State on tap the following Saturday. Those two foes open the 100th season of CU’s historic Folsom Field.

The “Coach Prime” docuseries from SMAC Productions will premiere later this month on Prime Video and cover Jackson State’s undefeated season and Coach Prime’s arrival in Colorado.

COACHING CAREER

Sanders was named the 21st head coach in Jackson State history on Sept. 21, 2020, but had to wait to coach his first game until COVID-19 restrictions were lifted and several FCS schools opted to play a delayed schedule in the spring. Exactly six months to the day later (Feb. 21, 2021), he led the Tigers to a 53-0 win over Edward Waters (Fla.) to begin the “Coach Prime Era.” It was considered the touch point of the elevation of JSU football and the University into becoming one of the most impactful and recognizable brands nationwide.

JSU was 4-3 in the pandemic-delayed 2020 season before rolling to an 11-2 record in 2021, winning the SWAC title with a 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M in the title game. The Tigers lost to South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl; otherwise their only other loss over his last 25 games was a 12-7 setback at FBS Louisiana-Monroe in Sept. ‘21.

Seven of his players on the 2021 JSU roster earned a professional opportunity in the NFL, CFL or USFL, including James Houston IV, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Detroit Lions. He also signed cornerback Travis Hunter, considered the top high school prospect in the nation, to an NLI in December 2021, the highest ranked prospect to ever sign with an HBCU or an FCS program.

Sanders was recently voted the SWAC’s Coach of the Year for a second straight season; 12 of his players earned some level of All-SWAC honors. For the 2021 campaign, he also garnered honors for the FCS Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year, BOXTOTOW National Coach of the Year and Black College Hall of Fame Coach of the Year.

Prior to joining the collegiate coaching ranks at Jackson State, Sanders had been involved in coaching for over a decade. He was the offensive coordinator at Trinity Christian School (Cedar Hill, Texas), leading the Tigers to three straight Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) titles and a 42-3 record. He also has also been part of the coaching staff for the annual Under Armour All-America Game since 2012. Last February, Sanders was named as an HBCU legacy coach for the NFL Pro Bowl.

COLLEGIATE HONORS

A two-time unanimous first-team All-American at Florida State, he won the third annual Jim Thorpe Award in 1988, presented to the nation’s top defensive back; he had been a finalist for the honor in 1987 when he finished behind co-winners Rickey Dixon (Oklahoma) and Bennie Blades (Miami). The second time around, he topped Louis Oliver (Florida) and Steve Atwater (Arkansas and future Denver Bronco). That same year, he finished eighth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.

He finished his Seminole football career with 14 interceptions, three returned for touchdowns; those are still tied for third in the FSU record book (with ESPN’s Lee Corso). He owns the longest interception return in school history when he raced 100 yards for a TD against Tulsa as a freshman. Sanders also racked up a still-school record 1,429 punt return yards with three more scores. Playing for the late Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden, FSU was 36-9-1 in his four seasons as a Seminole, finishing as the nation’s No. 2 team as a junior in 1987 and No. 3 his senior season in 1988.

He also played one season of baseball for FSU (as a sophomore in 1987, batting .267 with three home runs, 21 runs batted in and 27 stolen bases) and ran sprints and relays in track (he was the 1988 Metro Conference outdoor champion in the 100- and 200-meter dashes). He was inducted into Florida State’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and into the College Football Hall of Fame in its 2011 class.

NFL & MLB CAREERS

Sanders is the only athlete ever to play in both a Super Bowl (twice) and the World Series.

He appeared in 188 regular season games (157 starts) in the National Football League with five teams: Atlanta (1989-93; the Falcons selected him as the fifth overall pick in the first round in the ’89 Draft), San Francisco (1994), Dallas (1995-99), Washington (2000) and Baltimore (2004-05). He was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year for 1994, was named to its 1990s All-Decade Team and to the NFL’s All-Time Team in 2020, the latter as part of the league’s 100th season celebration.

“Prime Time” made 53 interceptions over the course of his career, with 512 tackles, 19 forced fumbles and 13 recoveries. He amassed 7,838 all-purpose yards, primarily through returns (2,199 punt, 3,523 kickoff). He also caught 60 passes for 784 yards and three touchdowns in spot duty as a wide receiver throughout his career, as in 1996, he became just one of two two-way starters in the NFL since the platoon days of the 1950s. He set an NFL record with 19 career touchdowns on returns, nine coming via interception returns with six on punts, three on kickoffs and one fumble runback.

He appeared in 12 postseason games, making five more interceptions, and won Super Bowl rings back-to-back with the 49ers and Cowboys. He had three tackles and an interception in San Francisco’s win over San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX, and a reception for 47 yards in the victory against Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in its 2011 class, recognizing a 14-year NFL career which saw him be an All-Pro selection nine times and play in eight Pro Bowls.

In Major League Baseball, he was drafted out of high school in the sixth round of the 1985 draft by the Kansas City Royals, but opted to play college football. He was then selected in the ‘88 draft by the New York Yankees and made his MLB debut on May 31, 1989 with the club and was on the Yankees’ opening day roster in 1990.

Sanders played a total of 11 seasons in professional baseball, nine in the major leagues with the New York Yankees (1989-90), Atlanta (1991-94), Cincinnati (1994-95, 1997, 2001) and San Francisco (1995). In 641 major league games, he owned a career batting average of .263 (558 hits in 2,123 at bats), scoring 308 runs with 39 home runs, 168 runs batted in and 1986 stolen bases.

In the 1992 World Series, when Toronto bested Atlanta four games to two, Sanders appeared in four games, batting .533 (8-of-15), with four runs scored and five stolen bases.

During his professional career, Sanders played alongside seven Colorado Buffalo alumni, including relief pitcher Jay Howell, CU’s last player in the majors, with the Atlanta Braves in 1993. In the NFL, his teammates who played at CU include Jeff Donaldson and Mike Pritchard (Atlanta Falcons, 1991-93), Greg Jones, Jay Leeuwenburg and Michael Westbrook (Washington Redskins, 2000) and Kordell Stewart (Baltimore Ravens, 2004-05).

SANDERS & COLORADO

Sanders’ NFL teams played Denver four times, each winning twice on their home fields; he missed one of the two games in Colorado as he was wrapping up the 1995 MLB season with the San Francisco Giants. He had an interception in San Francisco’s 42-19 win over the Broncos at Candlestick Park in 1994. In his only game in the state in a football uniform, he had an unassisted tackle with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005, his final pro season.

He was pretty much a thorn in the side against the Colorado Rockies. In 26 games against them between the Braves, Red and Giants, he batted .381 (40-for-105), scoring 21 runs with four doubles, a triple, one home run, eight runs batted in and 14 stolen bases. Only eight of those games were in Colorado, where he also thrived, batting .378 (14-of-37), with his only home run against the Rox; he played at both the old Mile High Stadium in ’93 and ’94 with the Braves and at Coors Field with the Red and Giants in ’95 and the Reds again in ’97 (his teams were a combined 19-7 against Colorado).

PERSONAL

Sanders retired from baseball in 2001 and after not playing in the NFL from 2001-03, came out of his first retirement and to play those two additional seasons with the Baltimore Ravens in 2004-05.

He began a broadcasting career in 2001, co-hosting NFL Today, the CBS pregame show; he was on that set for three years. He then spent 14 years at the NFL Network as an analyst and appearing on shows like GameDay Prime and Thursday Night Football.

Success – both on the field and in the classroom—has always been at the forefront for Sanders. After his retirement as a professional athlete in 2006, he founded TRUTH, a youth organization service over 1,100 kids throughout the Dallas and Memphis communities, utilizing education as a platform for success and leadership.

Following through on a long-standing personal goal, Sanders graduated from Talladega College in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Management.

Sanders is the proud father of five children: sons Deion Jr., Shilo, and Shedeur, and daughters Deiondra and Shelomi. Shilo (redshirt sophomore safety) and Shedeur (sophomore quarterback) both played for Sanders at Jackson State, while Deion Jr. oversaw the social media engagement. His youngest, Shelomi is a true freshman guard on the women’s basketball team at Jackson State.

Roden’s 27 points, game-tying three propels Nevada to overtime win

NCAABB Editor
-
0
Roden’s 27 points, game-tying three propels Nevada to overtime win

SAN DIEGO – Behind 27 points and a game-tying 3-pointer with six seconds left from sophomore guard Audrey Roden, Nevada women’s basketball collected an 84-80 overtime win over Idaho in the USD Winter Classic on Saturday.

Roden, who came off the bench in Saturday’s game, came up with a career-high for points while snagging three steals. Junior guards Victoria Davis (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Alyssa Jimenez (12 points, 10 rebounds) lifted Nevada with their first career double-doubles, the first time since March 10, 2019 Nevada had two players with double-doubles in the same game. 

“I’m so happy for our team,” head coach Amanda Levens said. “I felt our team was very resilient. The games we lost were very close and I felt like we had to take this game in the fourth quarter. I felt like different people made key plays for us to help us win today.” 

Idaho used a 10-0 scoring run to take the lead after the first quarter, but a basket by Davis and a 3-pointer from Jimenez allowed the Pack to regain the advantage in the second quarter. Layups from Davis and Roden along with a pair of free throws by Lexie Givens allowed Nevada to take the lead going into the locker room. 

Looking to finish the job in the final 10 minutes, Idaho held Nevada down to just six points through the first eight minutes of the final period and used a 3-pointer to take a 67-65 lead with under two minutes to play. 

Roden drew a foul that put her at the line for two free throws to tie the game, but was only able to knock down one. However, the West Linn, Oregon, native quickly shook off the miss and responded with the biggest play of the night. After getting the ball from the sideline, Roden confidently stepped up to take a deep 3-pointer, sinking it that allowed Nevada to draw even after regulation. 

“I’ve been struggling a little bit from the outside this year, but (Coach Levens) said that if I got in there to take the three,” Roden said. “I just pulled it, and I didn’t realize it was going in until it actually went in.” 

Following a basket by Roden, Davis captured a loose ball that resulted in a basket to extend the Nevada lead in overtime. Following a 3-pointer from sophomore Kaylee Borden, Nevada prevented Idaho’s Beyonce Bea, who finished with a game-high 34 points, from drilling the tying basket to finish the job. 

“We’re just improving consistently and growing with every game and every week,” Levens said. “I love that our team keeps buying in to what we’re asking, the players are understanding their roles and doing what they need to do to help us win.” 

Nevada wraps up the USD Winter Classic on Sunday, facing host school San Diego at 4 p.m.  

Postgame Notes

  • Sophomore Audrey Roden scored a career-high 27 points off the bench, hitting the game-tying 3-pointer with six seconds left. Roden came off the bench in all 32 of Nevada’s games last season. 
  • Juniors Victoria Davis and Alyssa Jimenez came up with double-doubles in points and rebounds. Nevada has now had three consecutive games where at least one player has had a double-double. 
  • Saturday’s win was Nevada’s first overtime victory of the season and first win on a neutral floor. The Pack’s last overtime win came on Feb. 24, 2022 against Boise State and their last neutral site win occurred on March 18, 2022 against Davidson. 
  • Nevada picked up its first overtime win over Idaho in the NCAA Era. The Pack had lost the previous three meetings that had gone in overtime. 
  • Sophomore Kaylee Borden, who collected her second start of the season, posted a season-high 11 points.

Nevada Falls in Road Contest Against LMU

NCAABB Editor
-
0
Nevada Falls in Road Contest Against LMU

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The University of Nevada Men’s Basketball team dropped their second contest of the season Saturday night against LMU, falling by a score of 64-52. 

The Pack had a solid defensive outing but struggled to score on the offensive end of the floor, particularly in the second half.  

Nevada limited LMU to 6-20 shooting from behind the arc (30.0%), including just 1-6 in the second half.  

Jarod Lucas led the Pack offensively, pouring in a team-high 18 points on 6-12 shooting from the field, including an exceptional mark of 4-9 from behind the arc.  

Nick Davidson reached double figures in scoring in the second consecutive game for the first time in his career, putting up 11 points on 2-3 shooting from the field and 6-6 from the free throw line.  

Freshman forward Darrion Williams once again led the Pack in rebounding, pulling down seven in the contest. Tre Coleman also had a solid night on the glass, as the junior grabbed a season-high six rebounds throughout the game.  

As a team, Nevada shot a stellar 86.7 percent from the free-throw line, knocking down 13 of 15 free throws in the contest. 

After falling behind 6-2 to begin the game, back-to-back 3-pointers from Williams and Davidson gave the Pack their first lead of the contest at the 15:44 mark in the first half.  

LMU managed to tie the game at eight points apiece, but the Pack regained the lead after two Davidson free throws followed by a big slam dunk from Will Baker gave Nevada a 12-8 advantage.

The Lions used a quick 8-4 run over the next three and a half minutes to tie the game at 16 apiece; but, Lucas drained his second 3-pointer of the half, recapturing the lead for the Pack. 

The two squads went back and forth over the final seven minutes of the half, as Lucas began to heat up from the field. The senior guard scored seven points over the final three minutes of the period, knocking down 3-4 shots to close out the half for Nevada, as the two teams entered the break even at 33 apiece.

Nevada shot 44.8 percent from the field and 45.5 percent from three in the first half, while recording seven assists on 13 made shots. 

LMU raced out to a four-point lead to begin the second period, however, Davidson and Coleman knocked down four consecutive free throws to even the score once again. 

The Lions responded by ripping off an 11-2 run over the next three and a half minutes of game time to build their largest lead of the contest, as they held a 48-39 advantage.  

The Pack were never able to trim the deficit to less than eight throughout the remainder of the game, as they went cold on the offensive end of the floor and were unable to take advantage of a solid 20 minutes on the defensive end of the court.  

Notable Stats: 

  • Nevada was +4 in turnover margin throughout the game. 
  • The Pack’s bench outscored LMU’s bench, 18-11. 
  • Nick Davidson matched a career-high with two blocks in the contest. 
  • There were seven ties and eight lead changes in the game.  
  • Jarod Lucas has now scored in double figures in eight of nine contests this season. 
  • Darrion Williams had a team-high four assists in the game.  
  • Nevada had 12 fastbreak points to LMU’s eight. 

Up Next 

The Pack will return to the court this Tuesday, as they are set to take on Pepperdine on the road at 8 p.m.

NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (18-5) at Brooklyn Nets (13-11)

NBA Editor
-
0
NBA Preview: Boston Celtics (18-5) at Brooklyn Nets (13-11)

A little over seven months ago, the Boston Celtics completed a four-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs to start their run to the 2022 NBA Finals.

After falling short in their bid for an 18th championship, the Celtics now own the best record and the league’s top scoring offense.

Meanwhile the Nets endured a turbulent summer, a tumultuous start to the season, and only now are starting to find their footing.

When the teams get together Sunday in Brooklyn, the Celtics will be attempting to avoid their second losing streak of the season while the Nets seek their fifth consecutive victory.

The teams are meeting for the first time since April 25 last season when Jayson Tatum averaged 29.2 points a game in Boston’s first-round sweep. The Celtics also won the last three matchups of the regular season.

Tatum is averaging 30.8 points but is coming off his least productive showing of the season. He was held to a season-low 14 points Friday in a 120-116 overtime loss to Miami — shooting 5-of-18, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range — as the Celtics committed a season-worst 20 turnovers.

That came two nights after Tatum scored a season-high 49 points and hit eight 3-pointers in a 134-121 win over the visiting Miami Heat.

Tatum’s performance ended Boston’s five-game winning streak though the Celtics nearly pulled out the game thanks to 37 points from Jaylen Brown, who hit the tying 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left in regulation.

The Nets head into Sunday on an upswing after setting season highs for points in a first quarter (41) and a first half (72) in Friday’s 114-105 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors. Brooklyn led by as many 36 in the second quarter and improved to 4-0 on its season-high seven-game homestand.

Brooklyn is 11-5 in its past 16 games following a 2-6 start that featured coach Steve Nash getting fired on Nov. 1 and replaced by Jacque Vaughn, who often calls quick timeouts.

Friday was mostly a stress-free outing, even though the Raptors got as close as seven in the final minute. Kyrie Irving scored 27 points and is averaging 24 points over his past seven games.

Irving’s showing was part of a night when the Nets placed had six players score in double figures, including Kevin Durant, who finished with 17 points. Joe Harris added 17 and is shooting 55.1 percent (16-of-29) in his past three games.

And the Nets are figuring it out just in time to face the Celtics, who held Durant to 38.6 percent from the field in the playoffs last spring.

World Cup Preview: England at Senegal

Agate Editor
-
0
World Cup Preview: England at Senegal

England looks to advance to the quarterfinals at the FIFA World Cup for the fifth time in their past six tournament appearances when they take on Senegal on Sunday in Round of 16 action at Qatar 2022. The Three Lions finished atop Group B with a 2-1-0 record, capped by Tuesday’s one-sided 3-0 win over Wales. Senegal makes its first knockout-stage appearance since 2002 after claiming second in Group A with Tuesday’s narrow 2-1 win over Ecuador.

England has faded slightly since opening as a heavy -200 favorite but still leads the way as -192 chalk in Sunday’s contest. Senegal lags as a distant +650 underdog, while the total has held steady since opening at 2.25.

Sunday afternoon’s matchup marks the first-ever meeting between these national teams. England enjoyed a steady 8-2-0 run through UEFA World Cup qualifying and remained undefeated in group-stage action. The Three Lions have potted 12 goals during their current four-match unbeaten streak across all competitions, after scoring just one goal during a dismal five-match winless run through the latest round of UEFA Nations League action.

The Senegalese earned a second straight trip to the World Cup with a steady 6-1-1 run through qualifying and rediscovered their scoring touch by racking up five total goals in group-stage wins over Qatar and Ecuador.

Rashford Leading England’s Attack
After failing to seal a berth in the knockout stage while settling for a scoreless draw with the United States in Group B matchday 2 action, the Three Lions were once again held off the scoresheet during the first half of Tuesday’s date with Wales. However, English shooters finally found the mark after the break, scoring twice in two minutes on their way to a decisive 3-0 victory.

Once again, Marcus Rashford led the English attack, opening the scoring with a goal in the 50th minute and adding a second marker in the 68th minute to put things out of reach. Rashford now leads the squad with three goals in the tournament and has racked up six total goals in his past nine outings split between the national side and Manchester United.

Harry Kane, the squad’s leading goal scorer with 12 during qualifying, has taken on the role of playmaker so far at this tournament. Kane has yet to find the back of the net in Qatar and has potted just two goals over his past 10 international appearances. However, he leads the tourney with three assists after failing to record a helper in qualifying or in recent Nations League action.

Can Senegal Maintain Distributed Scoring?
Pegged at No. 18 in the FIFA rankings, Senegal faces a huge task in its bid to return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in two decades. The Lions of Teranga faced little opposition in their group-stage victories over Qatar and Ecuador, piling up 27 shots while outscoring their opponents by a 5-1 margin.

Senegal has enjoyed contributions from up and down the lineup, with five different players finding the back of the nest so far at the tournament. That list includes striker Famara Diedhiou, who emerged as the team’s leading goal scorer in qualifying but had endured an eight-match scoring drought with the national side before bulging the twine against Qatar.

While the Lions of Teranga fell well short in their tournament-opening 2-0 loss to the Netherlands, this squad has managed to consistently hold their own when facing European opponents, earning the win in six of their past 11, including a 2-1 victory over Poland in the group stage at Russia 2018.

England Vs Senegal Game Prop: Half Time/Full Time – Draw/England
England has demonstrated its ability to fill the net during their four-match unbeaten streak. However, goals before the half have come at a premium for the Three Lions. Their dominating performance in their tournament-opening rout of Iran marks the only contest out of their past nine in which they have found the net in the first 45. Considering Senegal’s recent strong play in their own end, expect the Lions of Teranga to force the Three Lions to earn the lead in Sunday’s contest.

England: Keys To Win
The Three Lions are likely to set the tempo and press early in a bid to establish an early lead. However, this squad must avoid overconfidence and sloppy play against a Senegalese squad that will patiently await its opportunity to strike. Considering the English have just one win in their past seven when giving up the first goal, maintaining discipline early on will be crucial.

Senegal: Keys To Win
The Lions of Teranga showed great poise in the face of a second-half rally by Ecuador in Tuesday’s group-stage finale, bouncing back to pot the match-winner just three minutes after allowing the Tricolor to tie the score. In addition to sticking to a game plan that is most likely focused on defense first, this team will benefit from continued offensive contributions from the supporting cast, particularly in the absence of superstar Sadio Mane.

Senegal is 10-0-3 in its last 13 non-friendly matches.
England is 4-0-2 in its last 6 World Cup Round of 16 matches.
England is unbeaten in 7 World Cup matches vs African opponents.

World Cup Preview: France at Poland

Agate Editor
-
0
World Cup Preview: France at Poland

France aim to continue their march towards a second straight FIFA World Cup title when they take on Poland on Sunday in round of 16 action. After clinching a berth in the knockout stage with wins over Australia and Denmark, Les Bleus dropped a 1-0 decision to Tunisia in their group stage finale but still ended up finishing atop the Group D table. Poland closed out their group stage schedule with a 2-0 loss to Argentina loss and a 1-1-1 record, but still managed to hang on to second place on the Group C table, ahead of Mexico, on the strength of tiebreakers.

Pegged as -300 favorites on the round of 16 opening odds, France have since vaulted to -345 chalk. Poland have faded to distant +1100 underdogs, and the total has held steady at 2.5. Sunday morning’s matchup marks the first non-friendly meeting between these European rivals since 1995 and their first date at the World Cup since 1982. While France have earned 1-0 win in two of three friendlies with the Eagles, they were forced to settle for draws in two Euro 96 qualifying matches and dropped a 3-2 decision when they faced Poland in a battle for third place at the 1982 World Cup. Overall, the French have not topped Poland in non-friendly action since posting a 4-1 win in Euro qualifying back in 1967.

Mbappe Leading The Charge For Defending World Champions
France opened this year’s tournament on a tear, rolling to a 4-1 win over the Socceroos, which marked the third time since the start of the knockout stage in 2018 that they have scored at least four goals in a World Cup match. Striker Olivier Giroud powered the French attack with a pair of goals, extending a productive run with the national team that has produced five goals in seven matches.

However, the true star of this team at this year’s tournament has been Kyllian Mbappe. The Paris Saint-Germain superstar potted an insurance goal in the team’s win over Australia and followed up by scoring both goals in France’s 2-1 win over Denmark that launched them into the knockout stage.

Mbappe’s three goals and one assist have helped vault him to the top of the odds to claim Golden Ball honors. The talented 23-year-old also takes an impressive track record at the World Cup into Sunday’s contest after scoring three times in knockout stage action during Les Bleus’ drive to glory four years ago.

Goals Coming At A Premium For Poland
Poland managed to back into the knockout stage despite getting outclassed by Argentina in the 2-0 loss that closed out their group stage. However, the French look beyond this talented group at their own peril. The Eagles allowed a goal for the first time in five matches across all competitions in Thursday’s defeat. And while this squad is not known for their lengthy runs at the World Cup, it is tough to ignore that they have advanced to the semi-finals in two of their past three knockout stage appearances.

After settling for a scoreless draw with Mexico in their group stage opener, Poland received a lift from Robert Lewandowski, who finally netted his first-ever World Cup goal in the team’s 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia. Poland’s all-time scoring leader and team captain also set up a goal in that contest.

However, Poland will need Lewandowski to build on that performance, which marked the first time the Barcelona star has scored for the national team in seven outings. It also extended a steady run for the Eagles, who have found the back of the net in five of their past six when Lewandowski finds the back of the net.

France Vs Poland Game Prop: France To Record Shutout Win
Sports bettors should not be distracted by France’s 1-0 loss to Tunisia to close out the group stage in a match where Les Bleus had nothing to gain. Indeed, this is a team on a mission, and the ability to accomplish it after scoring six times in the group stage, and 17 times over their past seven World Cup contests. Conversely, goals have come at a premium for Poland, who have blanked in four of their past seven overall matches. With Lewandowski also struggling to light the lamp, France offers good value as a -130 bet at Bovada to tally a shutout win.

France: Keys To Win
France must overcome their recent tendency to start slow, which has produced just two total goals in the first 45 minutes in seven overall matches since the start of the most recent round of UEFA Nations League play. And while Qatar 2022 is quickly becoming the Kylian Mbappe Show, contributions from the supporting cast would taken the pressure off the team’s biggest stars.

Poland: Keys To Win
The best chance of Poland knocking off the defending world champions will come in the form of a dominating performance from Robert Lewandowski, who has now scored four of the Eagles’ past six goals in major tournament play. Equally important will be the continued steady play from goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, who has blanked opponents in five of his past seven appearances with the national team.

France are 8-0-2 in their past 10 World Cup knockout stage matches.
Poland are 5-2-4 in their past 11 non-friendly matches.
France are 3-2-4 in their past nine non-friendly matches.

NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (15-7) at San Antonio Spurs (6-17)

NBA Editor
-
0
NBA Preview: Phoenix Suns (15-7) at San Antonio Spurs (6-17)

The Phoenix Suns will look to shrug off a ragged defensive performance and a loss at home to one of the league’s worst teams when they travel to San Antonio to play the struggling Spurs on Sunday.

The Suns head to San Antonio on the heels of 122-121 loss on their home floor to Houston on Friday in which they squandered a 16-point third-quarter lead and a 41-point scoring game by Devin Booker.

Phoenix had four shots to win the game on its final possession — including a 16-foot attempt by Booker at the buzzer — but missed them all.

Booker has averaged 45.3 points a game in his past three contests, including a season-best 51-point showing at home against Chicago on Wednesday.

Mikal Bridges added 22 points for the Suns in the loss Sunday, with Cameron Payne hitting for 20 points and 12 assists.

Friday’s loss snapped a six-game winning streak for a Phoenix team that has reached the top of the Western Conference standings, even though Chris Paul missed his 12th straight game with right heel soreness.

The Spurs have endured one of the most difficult stretches in their 50-year history, dropping 10 consecutive games — most recently a 117-99 decision to New Orleans at home on Friday. The Spurs’ losing streak is their worst since 1989 when they lost 13 straight.

After starting the season a surprising 5-2, San Antonio is just 1-15 since and is looking for its first victory since Nov. 11.

Vassell led San Antonio with 25 points in Friday’s loss to the Pelicans, with Keldon Johnson scoring 15, Charles Bassey adding 11 and Keita Bates-Diop and Romeo Langford 10 apiece. The Spurs led at halftime and by 67-63 with 4:22 to play in the third quarter but then surrendered an 18-4 run to end the period and never threatened again.

San Antonio was shorthanded Friday, missing starters Jakob Poeltl (right knee) and Jeremy Sochan (right quad) and key reserves Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott (both with right ankle sprains).

The Spurs will be without Gregg Popovich on Sunday after the coach underwent a minor medical procedure earlier in the week that also kept him off the bench for Friday’s loss. Popovich is expected to return to the sidelines when San Antonio hosts Houston on Wednesday.

1...3,4943,4953,496...4,373Page 3,495 of 4,373

Contact us: info@sportsgamingjournal.com

* PLEASE NOTE: THE INFORMATION CONTAINED AT THIS SITE IS FOR NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. ANY USE OF THIS INFORMATION IN VIOLATION OF ANY FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL LAWS IS PROHIBITED.

FOLLOW US

TODAY"S TOP CATEGORIES

© Copyright 2024, Sports Gaming Journal. All rights reserved.