NHL: Dallas Stars at Colorado Avalanche

Two slumping teams will meet in a huge showdown in the Mile High City on Tuesday night. Both have a Central Division title in both their sights.

The Avalanche are just 3-5-2 since the All-Star Break, a disappointing start to the second half of their season. The Stars snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over Carolina on Saturday but followed that up with a 3-2 overtime loss against the Islanders on Monday night.

A regulation win for Dallas at Ball Arena would be huge, as they look to put significant distance between them and Colorado in the standings. Right now, the Stars lead the Avs by four points.

In two previous meetings this season, the Avalanche have gotten the better of their division foe. Back on Nov. 18, it was a 6-3 win in Texas after being down 3-0 early in the contest. Scoring six straight goals against any opponent, yet alone one as good as the Stars, is an impressive feat.

Then on Jan. 4, also a home game for Dallas, the Stars lost to the Avs 5-4 in overtime. Nathan MacKinnon was the hero with the OT winner, and it was just one of many special moments the Hart Trophy favorite has had this season. 

MacKinnon is tearing up the NHL with his 96 points, good for second in the league, and his 34 goals, putting him at No. 6 overall. Anytime MacKinnon is on the ice, the Avalanche have a chance to win.

Pair him with Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar, and that’s three of the 10 best players in the world all on the same team. Colorado also got a boost on Monday when it was announced forward Valeri Nichushkin had been cleared to return to practice from the Player Assistance Program. He almost certainly won’t skate against Dallas, but it’s a mental boost for a team that needs more secondary scoring. 

The Stars don’t have the best players in the league like the Avs, but they have a solid and consistent group of guys. Seven players have more than 40 points, as depth is clearly a strength. Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene and Roope Hintz have all cracked 50 points, leading the way.

This is a big game for Dallas, needing to prove to themselves and the rest of the league they can get past this current version of Colorado. As mentioned, they catch the Avalanche at a good time, playing some of their worst hockey of the year. The Stars will look to make it a third straight loss for the Avs after heartbreaking results against Detroit and Toronto the last couple of times out.

Norm LaChatlier’s Pick: Colorado ML (-135)

This one comes down to rest. Not only have the Avalanche not skated in a game since Saturday; they’ve been sleeping in their own beds that whole time. Meanwhile, Dallas had to take on the Islanders at home on Monday night, get on a plane and fly to Colorado, check in at the hotel late and then sleep as much as possible before getting ready to play. The Nichushkin news will give the Avs a little bump of energy in the locker room and they’ll come out hungrier and fresher, even without him. Don’t overthink a 5-3 Colorado win.

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NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Boston Celtics

This is the ultimate who’s hot and who’s not game. The 76ers haven’t been the same since losing Joel Embiid to a knee injury that is keeping him out indefinitely. They’re just 4-7 since last year’s MVP got hurt against the Warriors and are quickly slipping in the standings.

In fact, Philadelphia is just a couple of games in the loss column away from being in the NBA play-in tournament. That’s not a position any team wants to be in, as two bad nights can put an end to the season.

Head coach Nick Nurse said again over the weekend the 76ers are hopeful to get Embiid back late in the season, but if he can’t find his way onto the court, this once-promising campaign could quickly go up in smoke. 

Meanwhile, the Celtics are the favorites to win the championship and for good reason. They’ve won eight straight games and are absolutely running away with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and entire NBA. Their 45-12 record has them 7.5 games ahead of the No. 2 Cavaliers and no one in the Western Conference has fewer than 17 losses. Long story short, any Game 7 Boston must play in the playoffs, whether that be in Round 1 or in the NBA Finals, will be at TD Garden.

After a painful postseason exit last year, the Celtics are out for revenge and not messing around. During this winning streak, they’ve won games by 40 points, 50 points and 17 points. It might be Boston’s turn, and everyone else is playing for second. 

Jayson Tatum is continuing to prove he’s one of the best players in the league, putting up 26.9 points per game, 8.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists. He has plenty of help with both Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis averaging more than 20 a contest and Derrick White chipping in more than 15 a night. Jrue Holiday continues to look like a great offseason addition and this roster really doesn’t have any holes.

The pressure will be on head coach Joe Mazzulla to breakthrough and lead these guys to a title. Barring injury, there’s no excuse for the Larry O’Brien Trophy not to head back to Boston.

Jason Schlefsky’s Pick: Boston -12.5 (-110)

No matter how big this spread might look, there’s just way too big of a talent gap between the 76ers and Celtics right now. Tyrese Maxey is doing his best to carry Philly, but he’s just not a superstar. The Sixers are coming off a 119-98 beatdown at the hands of the Bucks, and this has another blowout written all over it. Since losing Embiid, they’ve lost games by 15 points, 16 points, 23 points, 14 points and 21 points. They’ll add another big defeat to their resume on Tuesday night, as Boston cruises.

And Keep an Eye On…

NCAAB: (11) Auburn at (4) Tennessee (Wednesday, 5:00 p.m. ET)

Two ranked SEC programs will throw down when the No. 11 Auburn Tigers (21-6) travel to Knoxville to take on the No. 4 Tennessee Volunteers (21-6). Both squads are top-three teams in the SEC, and this game could go a long way in deciding the conference winner. Tip-off for this game is set for 5:00 p.m. ET, so be sure to get your bets in early for this one. Alabama, the second-place team in the SEC, takes on Ole Miss on Wednesday night, as well, so keep an eye on the outcome of that game, as it could impact the standings.

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NBA: Sacramento Kings at Denver Nuggets (Wednesday, 7:00 p.m. ET)

The Sacramento Kings (33-23) travel to the Mile High City to take on the red-hot Denver Nuggets (39-19). Denver has won three straight since the All-Star break and appears to be rounding into championship form. Wednesday’s matchup will be a good test for the defending champs, who are 22-5 at home this season. Kings big man Domantas Sabonis has caused problems for Denver in the past, averaging 19.8 points and 12.8 rebounds in his last five games against the Nuggets. Furthermore, the Nuggets have a score to settle, as the Kings have gotten the best of the defending champs in all three matchups this season.

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NHL: Vegas Golden Knights at Boston Bruins (Thursday, 5:00 p.m. ET)

There is a full slate of games in the NHL on Thursday, with 24 teams in action across 12 contests. The Vegas Golden Knights (32-19-7) will travel to take on the Boston Bruins (34-12-13) in a battle of two of the best teams in the NHL. Both teams are trending in the wrong direction, as the Knights have lost three-straight games, while the Bruins have dropped two in a row. One team will notch a win while the other will return to the drawing board. Either way, this should be an entertaining matchup between two top teams.