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The Dallas Stars have lost three in a row and they play host to a Blue Jackets team that snapped their five-game skid in their last game.

The Blue Jackets had lost five in a row before getting a much needed win in their last game. The team is in the middle of the pack in the Central Division and seven points clear of Dallas, who is in the basement of the division. Columbus scored four goals in their last game but had struggled to score in the previous three games and on the season the team is only averaging 2.71 goals per game.

The Stars have lost three in a row and have been shut out in their last two games. They are in last place in the Central and while they have played pretty good defense on the season they are only averaging 2.56 goals per game.

These teams have split the two games facing each other this season. However, the Blue Jackets have won 13 of their last 16 games facing the Stars and have beaten them in seven of the last eight games in Dallas.

Giving the Fans a W
The Blue Jackets were at home in their last game beating the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 where the team played in front of home fans for the first time in over a year. Columbus scored three goals in the second period and Cam Atkinson scored shorthanded and had a goal and an assist and Riley Nash, Boone Jenner, and Jack Roslovic also lit the lamp. Joonas Korpisalo (6-7-4 3.13 GAA) stopped 19 of 20 shots in the win and while he only has one win in his last four starts he only gave up more than two goals in one of them. He will likely get the start in this game since Elvis Merzlikins (3-3-1 2.81 GAA) is out with an upper body injury.
Atkinson leads the team in both goals (10) and points (19) and he has eight goals in his last 11 games.

Jenner ranks second on the team with seven goals and Oliver Bjorkstrand and Patrik Laine each have six goals. Columbus had only scored two goals in losing three in a row before putting up four goals in their last game.

Not the Best Rematch
The Stars last two games were against the Tampa Bay Lightning, who beat them in the Stanley Cup finals last season and Dallas failed to show up on offense being shut out in both games. They lost the first game 5-0 and the second one 2-0. In the last game, which was at home, they outshot the Lightning 28-19 and were 0-3 on the power play. Anton Khudobin (4-6-1 2.55 GAA) was in between the pipes for both games and after giving up five goals and being yanked in the first one he only gave up one goal on 18 shots in the last one. Backup Jake Oettinger (2-1-3 2.31 GAA) may get the call in this game and has given up three goals in each of his last two starts, which were both losses.
Joe Pavelski leads Dallas in both goals (10) and points (20) and he is the only player for the team that has more than four goals. He has one goal and two assists in the last five games. John Klingberg ranks second on the club with 14 points (3 goals 11 assists) and he has one goal and one assist in his last five games.

BETTING ODDS TRENDS
Dallas Stars
Dallas is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
Dallas is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games
Dallas is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Dallas is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
Dallas is 1-6 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Columbus
Dallas is 1-9 SU in its last 10 games when playing Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Dallas's last 9 games when playing Columbus
Dallas is 1-7 SU in its last 8 games when playing at home against Columbus
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Dallas's last 13 games when playing at home against Columbus

Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Columbus is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Columbus's last 5 games
Columbus is 3-8 ATS in its last 11 games on the road
Columbus is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Columbus's last 20 games on the road
Columbus is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Dallas
Columbus is 9-1 SU in its last 10 games when playing Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Columbus's last 9 games when playing Dallas
Columbus is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing on the road against Dallas
The total has gone UNDER in 10 of Columbus's last 13 games when playing on the road against Dallas

OTTAWA SENATORS VS. CALGARY FLAMES
The Ottawa Senators and the Calgary Flames will meet on the ice at Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday in a battle of division rivals.

Oddsmakers opened the Flames as -200-moneyline favorites versus the Senators, while the game's total opened at 6.5.

Calgary lost its last outing, a 5-1 result against the Senators on March 01. Bettors who backed the Senators at +138 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (6) sent PUSH bettors to the payout window.

Ottawa lost its last outing, a 3-1 result against the Canadiens on March 02. Bettors who backed the Canadiens at -250 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (4) sent UNDER bettors to the payout window.

Ottawa:
Team record: 8-16-1 SU
Ottawa is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Ottawa is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games

Calgary:
Team record: 10-11-2 SU
Calgary is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
Calgary is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home

Next up:
Ottawa at Calgary Sunday, March 7
Calgary at Edmonton Saturday, March 6

The Ottawa Senators will be going for their second consecutive win over the Calgary Flames when they play on Thursday night. The Senators are coming off a 3-1 loss to Montreal. The Flames are coming off a 5-1 loss to the Senators.

Calgary is 6-4-0 in its last 10 games against Ottawa.

Senators Going For Fifth Win In Seven Games
The Senators seem to have turned things around since their poor start to the season and have won four of their last six games. They will try to bounce back from their loss to Montreal with a win over the Flames, which will give them their fifth win in their last seven games.

Ottawa has struggled offensively, averaging 2.64 goals per game. They finished with one goal on 27 shots in their last game.

Artem Zub scored the lone goal for Ottawa, while Drake Batherson and Mike Reilly picked up an assist.

Ottawa has also struggled defensively, giving up 3.8 goals per game. They gave up three goals in their last game and will need to do a better job if they want to win this game.

Flames Trying To End Slump
The Flames haven’t played well in recent games and have lost three of their last four games. They will try to bounce back from their loss in their last game with a win over the Senators, which will give them their second win in their last five games.

Calgary has struggled offensively, averaging 2.52 goals per game. They finished with one goal on 28 shots in their last game.

Milan Lucic scored the lone goal for the Flames, while Mikael Backlund picked up the assist.

Calgary has also struggled defensively, giving up 3.04 goals per game. They gave up five goals in their last game and will need a significantly better performance if they want to get the win.

BETTING ODDS TRENDS
Calgary Flames
Calgary is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games
Calgary is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
Calgary is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games at home
Calgary is 3-6 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Ottawa
Calgary is 10-3 SU in its last 13 games when playing at home against Ottawa
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Calgary's last 6 games when playing at home against Ottawa

Ottawa Senators
Ottawa is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games
Ottawa is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games
Ottawa is 7-17 SU in its last 24 games
Ottawa is 4-9 ATS in its last 13 games on the road
Ottawa is 4-18 SU in its last 22 games on the road
Ottawa is 6-3 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Calgary
Ottawa is 3-10 SU in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Calgary
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Ottawa's last 6 games when playing on the road against Calgary

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS
Divisional bragging rights will be on the line on Thursday when the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Vancouver Canucks meet at Rogers Arena.

Oddsmakers opened the Maple Leafs as -162-moneyline favorites versus the Canucks, while the game's total opened at 6.5.

Vancouver was a 5-2 loser in its last match on the road against the Jets. They lost as +106 underdogs, while the total score of 7 made winners of OVER bettors.

Toronto was a 6-1 winner in its last match on the road against the Oilers. They won as -116 underdogs, while the total score of 7 made winners of OVER bettors.

Toronto:
Team record: 18-4-2 SU
Current Streak: won 4 straight games.
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games

Vancouver:
Team record: 9-15-2 SU
Vancouver is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Vancouver is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Vancouver is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home

Next up:
Toronto at Vancouver Saturday, March 6

The reeling Canucks have lost five of their last six games and they play host to a Maple Leafs team that is in first place in the North Division.

The Maple Leafs have won four in a row and seven of their last eight games. Not only does the team lead the North Division but they have the most points in the NHL by a fairly large margin. Toronto has been more than solid on both sides of the ice on the season and they lead the league averaging 3.63 goals per game.

The Canucks have dropped four of their last five games and are only three points out of the basement in the North Division. They are not a high scoring team and that has hurt them with a defense that has struggled all season giving up an average of 3.46 goals per game.

All three games between these teams this season were in Toronto where the Leafs won all three outscoring the Canucks 15-5.

Hot, Hot, Leafs
The Maple Leafs are hot winners of four in a row, have outscored their opponents 15-2 in that span, and are coming off a 6-1 road blowout over the Edmonton Oilers. In that win Toronto scored four goals in the second period, Jim Vessey lit the lamp twice, and Jason Spezza had three assists.

Frederik Andersen (12-3-2 2.59 GAA) was in the net after missing a few games due to injury and he stopped 26 of 27 shots. Michael Hutchinson (3-1 1.77 GAA) may get the call in this game and he has played great in last two starts where he only allowed one goal.

Auston Matthews is an MVP candidate that leads the NHL with 18 goals and ranks fifth in points. He is nursing a minor wrist injury and while he has not scored a goal in the last three games he has four goals and six assists in his last five games. Mitchell Marner ranks fourth in the league in points and has one goal and three assists in the last five games. He tore up the Canucks in the three-game sweep over them early last month with a goal and six assists. Three players for Toronto have double digits in goals and the team is an NHL best 9-1-1 on the road.

Can’t Build on Shutout
After beating the Winnipeg Jets 4-0 the Canucks lost to them in their last game 5-2. Vancouver had the lead in the first and second period but were outscored 2-0 in the third period. Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller each scored in the losing effort and Braden Holtby (4-6-1 3.56 GAA) gave up four goals on 38 shots. He has given up four goals in each of his last two starts. Thatcher Demko (5-9-1 3.06 GAA) may go in this game and has played pretty well as of late coming off a shutout win in his last start and in three of his last four starts has given up two goals or less.
Brock Boeser leads the Canucks with 12 goals and 25 points and while he has not lit the lamp in his last six games he does have three assists in the last two games. Pettersson has 21 points (10 goals 11 assists) and has been on a tear as of late with five goals and two assists in his last five games.

On the season the Canucks are 5-6-2 at home.

BETTING ODDS TRENDS
Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
Vancouver is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games
Vancouver is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games at home
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Vancouver's last 9 games at home
Vancouver is 0-5 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Vancouver is 0-5 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Vancouver's last 10 games when playing Toronto
Vancouver is 10-2 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Vancouver's last 7 games when playing at home against Toronto

Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games
Toronto is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Toronto's last 5 games
Toronto is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 5-11 ATS in its last 16 games on the road
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road
Toronto is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver
Toronto is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Toronto's last 10 games when playing Vancouver
Toronto is 2-10 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Vancouver
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 7 games when playing on the road against Vancouver

NHL INJURIES
Last Updated: March 4, 2021 7:55 05 AM


Anaheim
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 D Hampus Lindholm Undisclosed IR (03/03)
01/21/21 D Josh Manson Oblique IR (01/21)
01/08/21 D Brendan Guhle Knee IR (01/08)

Arizona
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 GO Darcy Kuemper Lower Body is "?" Friday vs Minnesota
03/03/21 RW John Hayden Conditioning is "?" Friday vs Minnesota

Boston
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 D Jeremy Lauzon Hand IR (02/25)
03/03/21 C Charlie Coyle Quarantine is out indefinitely
02/28/21 D Kevan Miller Knee IR (02/27)
01/18/21 RW Ondrej Kase Upper Body IR (01/18)

Buffalo
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/02/21 RW Tage Thompson Lower Body is "?" Thursday vs NY Islanders
02/27/21 GO Linus Ullmark Lower Body is out indefinitely
02/23/21 D William Borgen Forearm is out indefinitely
02/22/21 D Jake McCabe Knee is out for season
01/06/21 LW Zemgus Girgensons Hamstring is out for season

Calgary
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/04/21 GO Jacob Markstrom Upper Body is upgraded to "?" Thursday vs Ottawa
02/09/21 C Derek Ryan Finger IR (02/06)

Carolina
Date Pos Player Injury Status
02/21/21 LW Teuvo Teravainen Upper Body is out indefinitely
02/01/21 GO Petr Mrazek Thumb is out indefinitely
01/31/21 LW Max McCormick Shoulder IR (01/30)

Chicago
Date Pos Player Injury Status
12/29/20 C Jonathan Toews Illness is out indefinitely
12/23/20 LW Alexander Nylander Knee is out indefinitely
03/02/21 C Dylan Strome Concussion is "?" Thursday vs Tampa Bay
02/22/21 D Lucas Carlsson Groin IR (02/19)
02/22/21 LW Cameron Morrison Knee is out indefinitely
02/17/21 D Anton Lindholm Thumb is OUT 4-6 weeks
02/11/21 RW Andrew Shaw Concussion IR (02/11)
02/05/21 LW Zack Smith Back is out indefinitely
01/12/21 D Brent Seabrook Back is out indefinitely
01/06/21 C Kirby Dach Wrist is out indefinitely

Colorado
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 C Nathan MacKinnon Head left last game, is "?" Friday vs Anaheim
03/03/21 D Bowen Byram Upper Body is "?" Friday vs Anaheim
03/01/21 D Cale Makar Upper Body is OUT Wednesday vs San Jose
02/21/21 D Dennis Gilbert Facial IR (02/20)
02/02/21 D Erik Johnson Upper Body is out indefinitely
01/26/21 GO Pavel Francouz Lower Body IR (01/17)

Columbus
Date Pos Player Injury Status
02/21/21 GO Elvis Merzlikins Upper Body is out indefinitely
02/09/21 C Mikko Koivu Retired is out for season
01/06/21 RW Gustav Nyquist Shoulder is out indefinitely

Dallas
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/02/21 D Andrej Sekera Illness is "?" Thursday vs Columbus
02/12/21 RW Alexander Radulov Lower Body IR (02/12)
02/05/21 D Stephen Johns Concussion is out for season
01/06/21 GO Ben Bishop Knee is out indefinitely
01/06/21 C Tyler Seguin Hip is out indefinitely

Detroit
Date Pos Player Injury Status
02/28/21 D Troy Stecher Lower Body IR (02/19)
02/27/21 C Dylan Larkin Upper Body is out indefinitely
02/02/21 LW Tyler Bertuzzi Upper Body is out indefinitely

Edmonton
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/04/21 C Dominik Kahun Undisclosed is "?"
02/27/21 D William Lagesson Upper Body IR (02/22)
02/21/21 D Slater Koekkoek Collarbone is out indefinitely
02/14/21 RW Zack Kassian Hand is out indefinitely
01/06/21 D Oscar Klefbom Shoulder is out for season
01/06/21 GO Alex Stalock Upper Body is out indefinitely

Florida
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/02/21 D Gustav Forsling Undisclosed is "?" Thursday vs Nashville

Los Angeles
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 C Jaret Anderson-Dolan Upper Body is "?" Friday vs St.na Kunin Lower Body IR (03/01); is out 2-4 weeks
02/11/21 RW Mathieu Olivier Undisclosed IR (02/11)
02/04/21 RW Brad Richardson Upper Body IR (02/04)
01/25/21 D Luca Sbisa Upper Body IR (01/25)
01/25/21 GO Connor Ingram Personal is out indefinitely

New Jersey
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/02/21 C Nico Hischier Concussion is "?" Thursday vs NY Rangers
01/15/21 GO Corey Crawford Retired is out for season

NY Islanders
Date Pos Player Injury Status
01/14/21 D Sebastian Aho Undisclosed IR (01/14)
01/13/21 D Johnny Boychuk Retired is out for season

NY Rangers
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/02/21 D Anthony Bitetto Lower Body is "?" Thursday vs New Jersey
03/02/21 RW Kaapo Kakko Conditioning is "?" Thursday vs New Jersey
02/22/21 LW Artemi Panarin Personal is out indefinitely
02/17/21 D Jacob Trouba Thumb is OUT 4-6 weeks

Ottawa
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/02/21 GO Marcus Hogberg Leg IR (02/18)
03/02/21 C Ryan Dzingel Conditioning is "?" Thursday vs Calgary
02/27/21 C Derek Stepan Upper Body is out for season

Philadelphia
Date Pos Player Injury Status
02/10/21 C Tanner Laczynski Groin is out indefinitely
02/05/21 GO Kirill Ustimenko Hip is out indefinitely
02/02/21 C Morgan Frost Shoulder IR (01/21); out for season
02/02/21 LW Isaac Ratcliffe Lung is out indefinitely

Pittsburgh
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 LW Jason Zucker Lower Body IR (02/23)
03/02/21 C Mark Jankowski Upper Body is "?" Thursday vs Philadelphia
03/02/21 C Sidney Crosby Quarantine is out indefinitely
01/28/21 D Brian Dumoulin Lower Body is out indefinitely
01/27/21 C Evan Rodrigues Lower Body IR (01/24)
01/24/21 D Juuso Riikola Upper Body IR (01/19)

San Jose
Date Pos Player Injury Status
02/24/21 C Tomas Hertl Quarantine is out indefinitely

St.na Lower Body is out indefinitely
01/06/21 LW Micheal Ferland Concussion is out indefinitely

Vegas
Date Pos Player Injury Status
03/03/21 GO Robin Lehner Upper Body is "?" Friday vs San Jose
02/01/21 D Brayden McNabb Lower Body is out indefinitely

Washington
Date Pos Player Injury Status
12/17/20 GO Henrik Lundqvist Heart is out for season
02/05/21 LW Beck Malenstyn Achilles is out for season
01/06/21 D Michal Kempny Achilles is out indefinitely

TORONTO RAPTORS VS. BOSTON CELTICS
The Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics will both be trying to pick up a win on Thursday when they battle at TD Garden.

Oddsmakers opened the Celtics as -8-point favorites versus the Raptors, while the game's total opened at 217.

Last time out for Boston, they were a 117-112 winner as they battled the Clippers at home. The Celtics covered in the match as a +5-point underdog, while 229 combined points moved the game OVER for totals bettors.

In their last action, Toronto was a 129-105 loser at home against the Pistons. They failed to cover the -7.5-point spread as favorites, while the combined score (234) was profitable news for OVER bettors.

Toronto:
Team record: 17-18 SU,16-19 ATS
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games on the road

Boston:
Team record: 18-17 SU,17-18 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games
Boston is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games at home

Next up:
Toronto home to Atlanta Thursday, March 11
Boston at Brooklyn Thursday, March 11

The Toronto Raptors will travel to the TD Garden on Thursday night to take on the Boston Celtics in an Atlantic Division matchup. This will be the final game scheduled between the two teams as the Celtics have won the first two matchups, including a 120-106 Celtics home win on Feb 11. The Raptors are fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 17-17 record and this will be the second half of a back-to-back as they played the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. The Celtics are fourth in the Eastern Conference with an 18-17 record. They are riding a three-game winning streak after defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 117-112 on Tuesday.

These teams are very similar on both sides of the floor, especially on the defensive side, so it will be interesting to see which team can go on a run. Let’s take a deeper dive into the matchup to decide where we should be placing our wagers

Tatum Back to Pre-COVID Levels?
Point guard Kyle Lowry has been leading the offense while the Toronto Raptors are dealing with a COVID outbreak. He is averaging 18 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in 34.3 minutes on the court. He is shooting above his career numbers as he is 46.6 percent from the floor, 40.5 percent from the three-point line, and 86.3 percent from the charity stripe. In his last game against the Rockets, Lowry played 33 minutes and finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, a steal, and a block. If he can figure out a way to record another triple-double in this game, they will be in a great spot.
The Toronto Raptors have a above-average defense in the league at this point as they are giving up 110.4 points per game, which ranks tied for seventh in the NBA. In their last game against the Houston Rockets, they allowed 111 points on 39-of-91 (42.9 percent) from the floor, 16-of-47 (34 percent) from beyond the arc, and shot 20 free-throws. If the Raptors can figure out how to defend without fouling, they will be in an even better spot.

Tatum Back to Pre-COVID Levels?
Small forward Jayson Tatum has been leading the offense for the Boston Celtics so far this season. He is averaging 24.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 steals in 35.7 minutes on the court. He is shooting around his career numbers as he is 43.3 percent from the floor, 36.4 percent from the three-point line, and 87.7 percent from the free-throw line. In his last game against the Clippers, Tatum played 40 minutes and finished with 14 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and three turnovers. If he can figure out how to play a lot better in this upcoming game, it will do wonders for the Celtics.

The Boston Celtics have a above-average defense in the league at this point as they are giving up 110.4 points per game, which is tied for seventh in the NBA. In their last game against the Los Angeles Clippers, they allowed 112 points on 43-of-87 (49.4 percent) from the floor, 18-of-38 (47.4 percent) from beyond the arc, and shot nine free-throws. If the Celtics can figure out how to defend the three ball, it will do wonders for Boston.

BETTING ODDS TRENDS
Boston Celtics
Boston is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 8 games
Boston is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games at home
Boston is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Boston's last 5 games at home
Boston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Toronto
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games when playing Toronto
Boston is 7-3 ATS in its last 10 games when playing at home against Toronto
Boston is 17-8 SU in its last 25 games when playing at home against Toronto
Boston is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Toronto
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Boston's last 9 games when playing at home against Toronto

Toronto Raptors
Toronto is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games on the road
Toronto is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Toronto's last 11 games on the road
Toronto is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing Boston
Toronto is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing Boston
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing Boston
Toronto is 3-7 ATS in its last 10 games when playing on the road against Boston
Toronto is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Boston
Toronto is 8-17 SU in its last 25 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Toronto's last 9 games when playing on the road against Boston
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Toronto's last 17 games

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS VS. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
The Los Angeles Clippers and the Washington Wizards will both be trying to pick up a win on Thursday when they battle at Capital One Arena.

Oddsmakers opened the Clippers as -6-point favorites versus the Wizards, while the game's total opened at 235.5.

Washington lost its last outing, a 125-111 result against the Grizzlies on March 02. The Wizards failed to cover in that game as a -1-point favorite, while the 236 combined points took the game UNDER the total.

Los Angeles was a 117-112 loser in its last match on the road against the Celtics. They failed to cover the -5-point spread as favorites, while the total score of 229 sent OVER bettors to the payout window.

Los Angeles:
Team record: 24-13 SU,20-17 ATS
LA Clippers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
LA Clippers is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games on the road
LA Clippers is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Washington

Washington:
Team record: 13-20 SU,17-16 ATS
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games at home

Next up:
Los Angeles home to Golden State Thursday, March 11
Washington at Memphis Wednesday, March 10

The Washington Wizards (13-20) have had a disappointing last two games, with a one point loss to Boston and a 14 point loss to Memphis. Prior to that, the Wizards had won eight of nine games, and were starting to look like a competitive team in the east after dealing with a tough first half of the season.

In that 125-111 loss to Memphis, the Wizards were led by Russell Westbrook with 23 points and 15 assists. Westbrook’s play, along with Bradley Beal’s consistent scoring, has been the catalyst in the Wizard’s late first half run. Beal finished with 23 points, which is well below his usual production. Robin Lopez added 14 points. The difference in this game was the second quarter, where Washington was outscored by 13 points. That allowed Memphis to take a 15 point lead into the half, and Wizards only briefly got the lead under 10 in the second half.

The Clippers (24-13) are also on a bit of a slide, having lost two games in a row, and three of their past four. Their latest loss was a 117-112 decision against Boston. The Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard in that game, as he was dealing with back spasms. Paul George picked up some of the slack, scoring 32 points while grabbing five rebounds and dishing four assists. Reggie Jackson added 25 points, three rebounds, and seven assists. The game featured 16 lead changes through the first three quarters before Boston pulled away in the fourth.

This is the second meeting between the two teams. Los Angeles won the previous matchup 135-116 on February 23. Leonard led the Clippers with 32 points that night, while George added 30 points and six rebounds. The Clippers bench outscored Washington’s 61-29, and the Clippers hit 19 three pointers in the win. Beal was one of three Wizards over 20 points, scoring 28 while dishing out 10 assists. Westbrook added 20 points and 10 assists, while Mo Wagner had 21 points and seven rebounds.

On the injury front, Boston’s Kawhi Leonard is questionable tonight with back spasms. Marcus Morris, Sr. is also questionable with a concussion. Washington is without Thomas Bryant (knee - out for season) and Ish Smith.

Clippers Look to End Slide Right Before the All-Star Break
The Clippers are in good shape as they approach the All-Star Break, having endured an extended period of time without Paul George. Now, Kawhi Leonard is dealing with back spasms, and missed their last game against Boston. He is questionable for tonight, but it would not be surprising to see him sit given the opponent, the upcoming break, and the team’s first half record.

The Clippers certainly hope to have Kawhi Leonard. Leonard (26.8 ppg/6.3 rpg/4.9 apg, 38.9%) is the unquestioned leader of this team. Paul George has averaged 23.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 5.4 apg while hitting 45.0% from beyond the arc. Serge Ibaka (11.4 ppg/6.7 rpg) holds down the paint, while Lou Williams (12.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg) has been a steady hand off the bench.


Offensively, the Clippers are second in the NBA in effective field goal percent (56.8%), ninth in turnover percent (12.2%), 15th in offensive rebounding percent (22.7%), and 16th in free throws per field goal attempts (.191). Defensively, Los Angeles is 14th in opponent’s effective field goal percent (53.5%), 22nd in opponent turnover percent (11.8%), sixth in defensive rebounding percent (79.2%), and ninth in opponent’s free throws per field goal attempts (.178).

Wizards Hope To Finish First Half on a High Note
There’s no doubt that Washington had a rough first half of the season, but they have rebounded nicely, and can finish the first half on a high note with a win tonight against the Clippers. The Wizards let one slip away against Boston, but the Memphis game was a huge disappointment.
Bradley Beal has been the biggest force behind Washington, carrying his team at times this first half as his teammates were dealing with COVID. The All-Star has averaged 32.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, and 4.8 apg. Russell Westbrook has averaged 20.0 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 9.8 apg. Robin Lopez, who has taken on additional minutes with the loss of Thomas Bryant to injury, has averaged 8.2 ppg and 4.2 rpg. Davis Bertans has been deadly from beyond the arc, hitting 38.4% of his attempts while averaging 11.6 ppg and 3.1 rpg.

As a team, the Wizards have an effective field goal percentage of 52.3%, 23rd in the league. Washington is 14th in the league in turnover percent (12.4%), 21st in offensive rebounding percentage (20.8%), and third in free throws per field goal attempts (.229). Defensively, the Wizards are 23rd in the NBA in opponent’s effective field goal percent (54.8%), 15th in opponent’s turnover percentage (12.8), 20th in defensive rebounding percentage (77.3%), and 27th in opponent’s free throws per field goal attempts (.221).

BETTING ODDS TRENDS
Washington Wizards
Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games at home
Washington is 6-14 SU in its last 20 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 12 of Washington's last 17 games at home
Washington is 1-7 ATS in its last 8 games when playing LA Clippers
Washington is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Washington's last 5 games when playing LA Clippers
Washington is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
The total has gone OVER in 10 of Washington's last 15 games when playing at home against LA Clippers
Washington is 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games
Washington is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games

Los Angeles Clippers
LA Clippers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games on the road
LA Clippers is 15-8 SU in its last 23 games on the road
LA Clippers is 7-1 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Washington
LA Clippers is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing Washington
The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 5 games when playing Washington
LA Clippers is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Washington
The total has gone OVER in 10 of LA Clippers's last 15 games when playing on the road against Washington
LA Clippers is 2-4 ATS in its last 6 games
LA Clippers is 2-4 SU in its last 6 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of LA Clippers's last 6 games

DETROIT PISTONS VS.na Thursday, March 11

Detroit and New York will play their final game before the All-Star break when they square off on Thursday night. The Pistons snapped a three-game losing skid with a win at Toronto on Wednesday, but they are still in dead last in the Eastern Conference. New York has been a pleasant surprise this season, entering this game in fifth place in the standings.

Pistons looking for consecutive wins for second time
Detroit has been in the cellar of the Eastern Conference ever since starting the year with a 1-7 record. It has only strung together consecutive wins once—when it beat Boston and New Orleans in early February. The Pistons went on to lose six of their next seven games before winning at Toronto on Wednesday night. That game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but it had to be pushed back by one day. Now, they will have to play back-to-back road games before the All-Star break. Detroit hosted the Knicks last Sunday, losing in a 109-90 final. The Pistons rank No. 23 in the NBA in scoring offense, averaging 108.1 points per game.

They are facing a New York defense that has been one of the biggest surprises in the league. The Knicks are currently leading the NBA in team defense, giving up just 104.4 points per game. Small forward Jerami Grant leads Detroit with 23.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. He missed Wednesday’s game against Toronto with a quad injury and is listed as ‘questionable’ for this one. Shooting guard Josh Jackson is the team’s second-leading scorer with 13.5 points per game. He missed Wednesday’s contest due to an illness and is also ‘questionable’ for Thursday’s bout. Power forward Blake Griffin has been out since early February due to the possibility of a trade.

Knicks lead NBA in defense
New York has been one of the best teams in the league since mid-February. The Knicks have gone 7-3 over their last 10 games, catapulting them to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are only a half-game behind Boston for fourth place, but they are also leading Miami, Charlotte and Toronto by a half-game. Teams have been taking advantage of Detroit on their schedule throughout the season—New York will be hoping to do the same on Thursday before going into the All-Star break. The Knicks had a three-game winning streak snapped in a blowout loss at San Antonio on Tuesday.

Their defense has the best numbers in the league, but their offense is tied for dead last, only scoring 104.6 points per game. Detroit is much better on the defensive end than the offensive end, allowing 111.8 points per game (No. 14). Power forward Julius Randle leads the Knicks with 23.1 points and 10.9 rebounds. He is also dishing out 5.5 assists. Randle scored 25 points and notched five assists in the easy win over the Pistons on Sunday. Shooting guard RJ Barrett is averaging 16.4 points and 6.0 rebounds. He also had a nice game against Detroit, scoring 21 points on 61.5 percent shooting. Immanuel Quickley is adding 12.6 points off the bench. He poured in 26 points in Tuesday’s loss.

BETTING ODDS TRENDS
New York Knicks
New York is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home
New York is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home
The total has gone OVER in 5 of New York's last 7 games at home
New York is 3-8 SU in its last 11 games when playing Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 5 games when playing Detroit
New York is 16-7 ATS in its last 23 games when playing at home against Detroit
New York is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
New York is 13-6 SU in its last 19 games when playing at home against Detroit
New York is 1-4 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Detroit
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York's last 6 games when playing at home against Detroit
New York is 8-3 ATS in its last 11 games
New York is 7-3 SU in its last 10 games

Detroit Pistons
Detroit is 4-18 SU in its last 22 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Detroit's last 7 games on the road
Detroit is 8-3 SU in its last 11 games when playing New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 5 games when playing New York
Detroit is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Detroit is 7-16 ATS in its last 23 games when playing on the road against New York
Detroit is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against New York
Detroit is 6-13 SU in its last 19 games when playing on the road against New York
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Detroit's last 6 games when playing on the road against New York
Detroit is 2-6 SU in its last 8 games
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Detroit's last 8 games

DENVER NUGGETS VS. INDIANA PACERS
The Denver Nuggets and the Indiana Pacers will both be gunning for a victory on Thursday when they meet at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Oddsmakers opened the Nuggets as -2.5-point favorites versus the Pacers, while the game's total opened at 225.5.

The Pacers were a 114-111 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Cavaliers. They failed to cover the -6.5-point spread as favorites, while the total score (225) made winners of OVER bettors.

The Nuggets were a 128-97 winner in their most recent outing on the road against the Bucks. They covered the +8-point spread as underdogs, while the total score (225) made winners of UNDER bettors.

Denver:
Team record: 20-15 SU,16-19 ATS
Current Streak: won 3 straight games.
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
Denver is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games on the road
Denver is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games on the road

Indiana:
Team record: 16-18 SU,14-20 ATS
Indiana is 1-5 ATS in its last 6 games at home
Indiana is 1-5 SU in its last 6 games at home
Indiana is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Denver

Next up:
Denver at Memphis Friday, March 12
Indiana at Los Angeles Friday, March 12

The Denver Nuggets travel to Banker's Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, for a battle with the Indiana Pacers Thursday night at 8 pm EST.na Bucks Tuesday night as Nikola Jokic was sensational in posting a triple double while Jamal Murry posted 24 points as the Nuggets shot 56% from the floor while nailing 11 treys. On the other hand, the defense held the Bucks to just 41% shooting as they also went 11-40 from long-range. Denver has been stellar on their 5-game road trip winning 3-straight and are currently on the cusp of taking the 2nd-place slot in the Northwest division from the Portland Trail Blazers. Denver covered the number for the 3rd-straight game as 8-point dogs versus the Bucks.

The Pacers were able to halt a 4-game losing skid versus the Cleveland Cavaliers as they picked up a 3-point road win Wednesday night as the team went on a furious 4th quarter run to erase an 8-point deficit to pick up their 16th win of the season. Malcolm Brogdon posted 29 points on 12-15 shooting while TJ McConnell had a whale of a game on both ends posting 16 points and 13 assists while recording 10 steals and a block on the defensive end as the Pacers shot 57% from the floor. The win gave Indiana some breathing room in the Central division as they are now a half game ahead of the Chicago Bulls for 2nd in the standings. However, they failed to cover as 6.5-point favorites and are 0-5 ATS in their last 5 games.

The Nuggets have picked up wins in 6 of 10 meetings versus the Pacers; However, Indiana has won outright in 3 of their last 5 homers versus Denver. And while these teams have split the spread in the last 10 matchups, the Nuggets have covered in 3 of their last 5 at Banker's Life Fieldhouse.

Jokic makes history in win over Bucks
Jokic continued his stellar play with 37 points, 10 rebounds, along with 11 dimes versus the Bucks to collect his 50th career double-double to become the 2nd center in history other than Wilt Chamberlain to reach this milestone. The center was able to post consecutive 30+ point performances in the contest as the Nuggets have picked up wins in 4 of their last 5 games, overall. Despite shooting 1-5 from 3-point range, Murray finished 10-17 from the floor for 24 points as the Nuggets shot over 55% as a team in the blowout win. Nonetheless, the focus remained on the milestone reached by Jokic.

"He's only 25 years old, which is amazing," Denver coach Michael Malone said to ESPN.com. "Nikola has 50 career triple-doubles, but he also has 20 games [in his career] where he missed a triple-double by either one rebound or one assist. It just speaks to his greatness. The guy doesn't get fatigued; he doesn't get tired." Important to note that Jokic posted 30 and 10 rebounds on 10-16 shooting in his last matchup versus the Pacers January of last year while going 2-4 from long-range.

Murray did not suit up for the contest, however, Will Barton posted 16 points, albeit on 7-17 FG (0-4 3FG) while Michael Porter, Jr. struggled going just 3-9 from the field for 10 points as the Nuggets shot 47% from the floor. However, the team went just 3-23 from long-range while allowing 50% shooting to the Pacers (13 treys) in the 8-point home loss. Furthermore, TJ Warren, Malcolm Brogdon, along with Domantas Sabonis each had 22 points in the contest with Sabonis recording a triple double with 15 boards and 10 dimes.

McConnell player of the game versus Cavaliers
Brogdon posted 20 or more points for the 2nd-straight game while Domantas Sabonis went 7-12 from the field for 18 points in a much-needed win for the Pacers versus Cleveland Wednesday night. However, the game ball, in my opinion, could very well go to guard McConnell, who posted a triple-double in the contest while also going 8-8 from the floor. Interesting enough, the point guard entered the contest averaging just under 7 points per game on the year while posting double-digit points in only 4 of his last 10 starts. However, McConnell certainly provided a huge spark off the bench to propel his team to a victory.

"I know what I can do defensively. I can get in the passing lanes. I can pressure people and that gets our team going," McConnell said postgame to the IndyStar. "I just tried to do that tonight. We needed a spark." The Pacers now seek to pick up their 2nd-straight win before the All-Star break versus a Denver team that they have picked up wins against in 2 of their last 3 meetings.

Despite this, the Pacers suffered an 8-point home loss versus the Nuggets in their last visit to Banker's Life Fieldhouse January 2nd of last year. In this contest, the Pacers relinquished a 10-point lead after the 1st period to be outscored 97-79 the remainder of the way. Brogdon did not suit up for this contest while Myles Turner went 7-13 from the floor for 21 points while Sabonis came one rebound and one assists shy of a triple double with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 dimes.

Jeremy Lamb went off for 30 points while accounting for 5 of the team's 12 treys. Important to note that Lamb has struggled with injuries this season; Yet, the guard is shooting 49% from the floor along with a solid 47% from long-range in 2020-21.