Daily Sports Roundup
Wednesday, January 13
Today in the Daily Sports Roundup: The Bruins play in Anaheim, the Celtics get a game in New Jersey, and Kansas tries to get back on track against Nebraska.
Tipping off on the hardwood . . .
The NBA schedule is loaded with 11 games on Wednesday, including Boston at New Jersey. The Nets (3-34 SU, 13-23-1 ATS) have lost five games in a row as they continue their brutal campaign; they were beaten 97-85 in San Antonio in their last game on Sunday. Brook Lopez had 28 points and 11 boards for the Nets in that defeat. New Jersey and Boston last met back on November 7, with the Celtics grabbing an 86-76 win. Paul Pierce had 16 points for Boston that day.
Also on the NBA's schedule for Wednesday: Washington at Atlanta, New York at Philadelphia, Phoenix at Indiana, San Antonio at Oklahoma City, the Clippers at New Orleans, the Lakers at Dallas, Minnesota at Houston, Orlando at Denver, Miami at Golden State, and Milwaukee at Portland. The injury-riddled Trail Blazers (23-16 SU, 20-18-1 ATS) will be looking to bounce back from a 106-94 loss to Cleveland on Sunday; Brandon Roy was good for 34 points in that defeat.
In the college ranks Kansas will be looking to bounce back from its first loss of the season when it plays at Nebraska on Wednesday night; the Jayhawks (14-1 SU, 6-6 ATS) were beaten 76-68 by Tennessee in their last game on Sunday. Texas (15-0 SU, 8-3 ATS), which entered the week as one of only two remaining unbeaten teams, plays on the road against Iowa State on Wednesday, while the night's marquee matchup has Pittsburgh (13-2 SU, 6-5-2 ATS) at Connecticut (11-4 SU, 6-7 ATS) in a Big East battle. UConn sits at 10-0 at home this season.
Taking a trip around the rink . . .
As well, the National Hockey League serves up a light slate of just four games on Wednesday, with Vancouver at Minnesota, Washington at Florida, Pittsburgh at Calgary, and Boston at Anaheim. The 22-15-7 Bruins lost their second consecutive game on Saturday afternoon, falling 3-1 to the Rangers. Dennis Wideman had Boston's only goal in that loss, and Tim Thomas made 31 saves. The 20-19-7 Ducks are on a four-game winning streak, beating Chicago 3-1 on Sunday night. Jonas Hiller stopped 42 of 43 Hawks shots in that win for Anaheim.
Today's Wagering Tips
Wednesday, January 13
Seeing Redd again
In this matchup, the norm would be to talk about the Trail Blazers’ injury problems, but the Bucks were dealt a huge blow Sunday.
Bucks guard Michael Redd tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the season. Rumors have swirled that this setback could end Redd’s 10-year career in the NBA.
"I heard a pop," Redd told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I've been slashing and I've been driving and nothing (bad) has happened to that point. And then on a move that wasn't even dynamic, it happens. I don't question why. My faith is in the Lord and I'm going to stay strong as best I can.”
Redd is averaging 11.9 points per game for the Bucks in 18 games this season. Charlie Bell will likely start in his place with reserve Carlos Delfino expected to see additional playing time.
While it is a travesty to see the illustrious career of Redd possibly come to an end, Bucks backers might be happy with the outcome. Milwaukee went 11-3 ATS in the 14 games Redd missed this season.
Milwaukee is listed as 5.5-point road underdog against Portland with a total of 191.5. The Blazers have covered in four of the last five games in this series.
Wave of injuries
Tulane has lost three straight and will now be without its second-leading scorer for at least two weeks.
The Green Wave’s starting point guard, Kevin Sims, fractured his right ulna in Saturday’s loss to UAB. Sims leads team in assists (44) and minutes played (30.2), shoots 87 percent from the charity stripe and hits at nearly 44 percent (25-57) from downtown.
Tulane will be thin at the guard position on Wednesday as junior Aaron Holmes will miss his second straight game. Holmes has started 13 games this season and is averaging 7.3 ppg and 5.3 rpg.
The all-time series between Rice and Tulane is dead-locked at 21 wins apiece, but Tulane has captured five straight. The Green Wave is favored by 6 points with a total of 124.5.
Endangered Penguin
Pittsburgh is expected to be without defenseman Brooks Orpik for the next three games while he recovers from an undisclosed injury.
Orpik logs major ice time for the Penguins and has registered 15 assists and 28 penalty minutes in 42 contests this season.
“We are treating it day-to-day,” Pens head coach Dan Bylsma said. “Right now we’re not real optimistic that it’s tomorrow. He is better than we hoped from this morning. It’s a good sign. We’re treating it day by day.”
With Orpik sidelined, Pitt recalled minor-leaguer Ben Lovejoy from Wilkes-Barre Scranton on Monday. Lovejoy has appeared in eight games for the Pens this season, posting a trio of assists.
Pittsburgh has been installed as +110 underdogs versus the Flames with a total of 5.5. These two teams have gone under the posted total in three straight games.
Leuer you in
The No. 16-ranked Wisconsin Badgers lost their leading rebounder (6.2 rpg) for quite some time after forward Jon Leuer broke his wrist on Saturday in the team’s 73-66 win over Purdue.
Leuer had 10 rebounds and four points before leaving the game late in the second half.
“They’re just going to get out here and practice and go through our possessions and they’re going to play and really, in their mind, they’re not thinking anything about the unfortunate occurrence,” said coach Bo Ryan when asked about Leuer’s replacements. “They’re just thinking about how they’re going to get better and how they’re going to fit in and how what they can learn about the next team we play.”
Wisky will take on the surprising Northwestern Wildcats without Leuer’s 15.4 ppg Wednesday. The 12-3 Wildcats are getting 3.5 points at home with a total of 122.5. Northwestern won the most recent matchup of this series last year at home, but the Badgers took the previous five meetings.
Notable Quotable
"A number I think is interesting would be eight. And no, that's not the amount of touchdown passes Green Bay gave up against Arizona. That is the number of touchdown passes we gave up all season. And the biggest reason for that is Darrelle Revis.
"For me, this is the best year a corner has ever had, the most impact a corner has ever had in the National Football League. That's my opinion. But apparently that wasn't the opinion of everybody who voted."
-- Jets head coach Rex Ryan after Green Bay’s Charles Woodson won the Defensive Player of the Year award over the Jets’ Darrelle Revis.