Watch Dallas Mavericks vs Detroit Pistons Live Online

Watch Dallas Mavericks vs Detroit Pistons Live Online

Time : 6:00 pm EST Sun Nov 15, 2009

Short-handed for most of the first three weeks of the season, the Detroit Pistons have taken advantage of a soft schedule to win three straight. Their ability to overcome their injury problems will likely face a stiffer challenge with the Dallas Mavericks coming to town. Likely without two of their top players again, the Pistons look to extend their streak Sunday night against the Mavericks, winners of four of the teams’ last five meetings.

Detroit (5-4) has played most of the season without Richard Hamilton(ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back) and dropped four of its first six with its two longest-tenured players sidelined. The Pistons, though, have rebounded with three consecutive victories by taking advantage of matchups with struggling Philadelphia, Charlotte and Washington.

After the game, Pistons rookie coach John Kuester sounded encouraged that Hamilton would be able to rejoin the team soon, saying “Rip is getting close.” However, it’s unlikely the three-time All-Star will play Sunday. Regardless, the Pistons could use a scoring boost from someone to keep up with the Mavericks (6-3). Dallas has won four of the teams’ last five meetings, shooting 54.5 percent from the field in those victories, which have come by an average of 10.8 points.

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Watch Los Angeles Clippers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Live Online

Watch Los Angeles Clippers vs Oklahoma City Thunder Live Online

Time : 7:00 pm EST Sun Nov 15, 2009

It took the Oklahoma City Thunder just over two months to win their sixth game last season. They likely won’t need to go as long to reach that mark in 2009-10. Off to their best start in five years, the Thunder try for a third straight victory when they face the Los Angeles Clippers for the second time in five days Sunday night at the Ford Center. After posting an 83-79 road win over the struggling Clippers (3-7) on Wednesday, Oklahoma City handed San Antonio its first home loss with a 101-98 victory on Saturday.

The former Seattle SuperSonics went 23-59 during their first season in Oklahoma City in 2008-09 and didn’t win their sixth game until Jan. 10. The Thunder’s three-game winning streak from Feb. 28-March 4, was their longest of the season. “It feels really good,” Durant said of the team’s start. “If we continue to work like this, you never know what’ll happen.”

Durant (26.8 points per game) and Green (16.1) continue to lead a young and talented club that looks like it’s becoming more competitive and confident with each game. Second-year point guard Russell Westbrook had 19 points and 11 assists against the Spurs, who welcomed stars Tim Duncan and Tony Park back from injury.

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Watch Toronto Raptors vs Phoenix Suns Live Online

Watch Toronto Raptors vs Phoenix Suns Live Online

Time : 8:00 pm EST Sun Nov 15, 2009

The Phoenix Suns’ strong play has been surprising to some. Another win over the Toronto Raptors, however, would hardly be unexpected.The Suns, coming off their worst game during what has been an otherwise terrific start, look to beat the Raptors for the 11th straight time Sunday night. Expectations weren’t very high after Phoenix (8-2) missed the playoffs last season. The Suns, though, have been one of the league’s biggest early surprises, with their only losses coming against last summer’s NBA finalists.

Phoenix fell 121-102 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. It lost 122-100 to Orlando on Nov. 4. Phoenix had its worst shooting game of the season versus the Lakers, making 36.5 percent of its attempts after hitting at least 45.5 percent in each of its first nine contests. Still, Phoenix scored 100 points in its first 10 games for the first time since a 12-game run to start the 1990-91 season. The Suns seem likely to extend that run Sunday.

Phoenix has won 10 in a row over Toronto (5-4), averaging 118.2 points and shooting 52.2 percent, since a 101-94 home loss Feb. 10, 2004. The Raptors have also struggled defensively this season, giving up 106.4 points per game. Toronto has had a particularly tough time trying to stop Amare Stoudemire in recent years. The Suns’ big man averaged 28.0 points and shot 65.3 percent in his last three games against the Raptors.

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Watch Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers Live Online

Watch Houston Rockets vs Los Angeles Lakers Live Online

Time : 9:30 pm EST Sun Nov 15, 2009

The Los Angeles Lakers were fortunate to escape Houston with a victory in their first meeting, pulling out an overtime win despite not being at their best offensively. The second half of their latest road performance unequivocally qualifies as their worst. The Lakers look to bounce back from their most futile half in franchise history Sunday afternoon when they open a home-heavy stretch seeking their sixth straight regular-season win against the Houston Rockets.

Los Angeles (7-2) needed overtime to win both of its first two road games as Kobe Bryant averaged 36.0 points in a 101-98 win at Oklahoma City and a 103-102 escape at Houston on Nov. 3 and 4. Through one half of the Lakers’ first road game since, it looked like they were headed for another tight finish. Bryant had 19 points in the first half as Los Angeles trailed Denver 58-56 on Friday.

A pair of free throws shortly before halftime would be the last points Bryant would score, however. The Lakers scored 23 points in the final 24 minutes - a franchise-low for a half - and Bryant was shut out in a half for the first time since April 11, 2004, as the Nuggets cruised to a 105-79 victory.The Lakers’ eight third-quarter points were two more than their worst quarter ever, when they put up six in a 102-80 loss to Chicago on Nov. 20, 1977.

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Watch Minnesota Wild vs Carolina Hurricanes Live Online

Watch Minnesota Wild vs Carolina Hurricanes Live Online

Carolina Hurricanes came as close to earning two points as they have in weeks their last time out. The end result, though, was the same as in their previous 13 games - a loss. A visit from the Minnesota Wild may provide as good a chance as any to snap their skid. No team has lost more games on the road than the Wild, and the Hurricanes will try to take advantage Sunday afternoon in Raleigh as they seek their first victory since Oct. 9. Carolina (2-12-4) reached the Eastern Conference finals last season before being swept by Pittsburgh - four straight losses that seem minor compared to the club’s current drought.

The Hurricanes have been outscored 54-26 during their 14 consecutive defeats (0-10-4). With a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders on Friday, Carolina tied the franchise record of 14 games in a row without a win set by the 1991-92 Hartford Whalers, who went 0-8 with six ties. No team since the 2004-05 lockout has gone as long without a victory. After rallying from a three-goal deficit, scoring three goals for the first time in nine games and earning a point for the first time in eight, Carolina found positives in Friday’s effort.

Carolina had not earned a point since Oct. 24 , when Sergei Samsonov and Joni Pitkanen scored for the Hurricanes before Cal Clutterbuck’s goal gave the Wild a 3-2 overtime victory. That Minnesota win came at home, but the Wild (7-11-1) have been woeful on the road at 2-9-1.

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Watch Edmonton Oilers vs Atlanta Thrashers Live Online

Watch Edmonton Oilers vs Atlanta Thrashers Live Online

In matchups with the Edmonton Oilers, though, it’s easy to wonder if there has been something wrong with him. Kovalchuk, on one of his best stretches of the season for the Thrashers despite lingering injury issues, looks to end his struggles against the Oilers on Sunday.

Atlanta (9-6-1) managed to go 3-3-0 with Kovalchuk sidelined due to a broken bone in his foot, but his return has sparked the Thrashers’ best two-game stretch offensively this season. The All-Star left wing had two goals and two assists in Atlanta’s 7-0 win over Los Angeles on Friday night, one day after posting a goal and two assists in a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers in his first game back.

Kovalchuk didn’t return after suffering an upper-body injury in the first period of Atlanta’s 4-3 win at Edmonton March 12, the teams’ only meeting last season. He has played at least 18 minutes in his other six matchups with the Oilers (8-9-2), but has been held to one goal and no assists overall. Maxim Afinogenov, in his first season with Atlanta after signing as a free agent in September, has two goals and an assist in his last two games against Edmonton. He was a big part of the Thrashers’ win over the Kings, matching Kovalchuk with two goals and two assists.

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Watch San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks Live Online

Watch San Jose Sharks vs Chicago Blackhawks Live Online

The Blackhawks have won six straight, their longest streak since 2002. In the most recent victory, 3-2 over Toronto on Friday, a season-high 21,036 filled the arena. If they want to make it seven, all they have to do is find a way past a Sharks squad that is 9-0-2 since losing in Tampa Bay on Oct. 22 and leads the NHL with 31 points.

Goals by Dany Heatley and Jed Ortmeyer just 16 seconds apart turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead midway through the second period Saturday night as San Jose went on to win in St. Louis for the eighth time in 10 visits. Joe Thornton put the finishing touches on a 3-1 final with a power-play empty-netter. Evgeni Nabokov, who has started 19 of 21 games this season, withstood a heavy workload to finish with 38 saves.

Cristobal Huet got off to a rough start, but the Chicago goalie has won six of his last eight starts, giving up two goals or less seven times and one goal or less four times. Huet stopped 29 shots against the Maple Leafs, lowering his goals-against average to 2.19 and raising his save percentage to .905 for the season.

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