Daily tips for January 16

What's on today

I'll only be providing limited coverage today due to the extreme heat and the likelihood of wireless interruptions & power failures, stay safe and cool & GL punters!

NHL for January 16

Vancouver Canucks (24-15-9, 57 points) @ Anaheim Ducks (36-8-5, 77 points), Honda Center, Anaheim, CA, Thursday, January 16, 2.10pm

The Vancouver Canucks came the closest to ending the Anaheim Ducks’ current seven-game win streak, but ultimately couldn't slow down a red-hot offence earlier this month at the Honda Center. I’m not expecting they’ll do any better here. Indeed, with captain Ryan Getzlaf back on the ice, I’m confident that the Ducks will put the Canucks to the sword here. Vancouver (24-14-9) held a 2-0 lead after the first period on January 5 in Anaheim and led by one goal with less than two minutes to go. Nick Bonino, though, tallied the tying score for the Ducks with 1:27 left in regulation and Corey Perry scored with 1.3 seconds remaining in overtime for a 4-3 victory. The Ducks (35-8-5) have won three of their past seven games by one goal. They got the go-ahead score in a 4-3 victory in Nashville on Thursday in the second period and stymied Detroit in a 1-0 win Sunday. Jonas Hiller (pictured) made 22 saves in his 14th consecutive win, and Anaheim overcame Getzlaf's absence due to a lower-body injury to improve to 19-0-2 at home.

The Ducks will face a Vancouver team that’s struggling for consistency. The Canucks snapped a five-game skid with a 2-1 win over visiting St Louis on Friday but fell 1-0 in a penalty-filled game in Los Angeles on Monday. Vancouver drew 69 penalty minutes, its most in a game in six seasons, and many in retaliation for Kings captain Dustin Brown injuring goaltender Roberto Luongo in a 3-1 loss on January 4. Eddie Lack gave up one goal for the second straight game but the Canucks were shut out for the first time this season while dropping to 1-3-3 in their last seven. Vancouver scored two goals or fewer for the ninth time in 12 games Luongo is considered day-to-day with an ankle injury, and Lack has started the past four games for Vancouver, including the loss in Anaheim. Lack was also in net for a 3-1 road loss to the Ducks on November 10 Hiller hasn't lost since Dec. 3, matching four other goalies for the second-longest winning streak in a single season in NHL history. His streak is the league's longest in two decades.

Confirmed bet

Vancouver Canucks @ Anaheim Ducks -1.5 (one unit @ $2.75) WIN (1-9)

Leans

Buffalo Sabres @ Toronto Maple Leafs WIN $1.61 WIN (3-4)

Washington Capitals @ Pittsburgh Penguins +5.5 $1.91 WIN (3-4)

NBA for January 16

Denver Nuggets (19-18, 8-10 away) @ Golden State Warriors (25-14, 12-4 home), ORACLE Arena, Oakland, CA, Thursday, January 16, 2.40pm

Even though they were playing so well, the Golden State Warriors were relieved to get a break. They return from a four-day layoff looking for a 12th win in 13 games here when the Denver Nuggets make their first trip to the Bay Area since what turned out to be George Karl’s last game as coach. No team has played more than the Warriors (25-14) even though they haven’t taken the court since Friday’s 99-97 victory over Boston. That came two nights after a 102-98 loss in Brooklyn ended their 10-game winning streak, as well as a seven-game road trip that spanned 11 days. Golden State, which has played a league-high 23 road games, hadn’t enjoyed more than one day off between games since early December. All-Star hopeful David Lee (pictured) has already dominated Denver once this season with 28 points and 10 rebounds in an 89-81 win on December 23 in the teams’ first match-up since the playoffs. That series ended in Game 6 at Oracle Arena, with the sixth-seeded Warriors handing the Nuggets their ninth first-round exit in 10 years.

Brian Shaw replaced Karl as the Nuggets’ coach, and the team was in turmoil as the New Year began. Denver (19-18) was riding an eight-game losing streak, and veteran Andre Miller has remained away from the team after yelling at Shaw during a loss to Philadelphia on January 1. The Nuggets responded with five straight wins until taking a step backward on Monday, allowing a season-worst 55.7 per cent from the field in a 118-103 loss at Utah. Shaw’s team held its previous three opponents to an average of 93.3 points on 39.2 per cent shooting. However, all three of those games were at home. Denver has surrendered 114.0 points and 49.3 per cent shooting in its last five road games, losing four. Golden State has yielded an average of 92.3 points during a four-game home winning streak. Steph Curry and Ty Lawson each shot 5 of 14 in the first meeting, but the Warriors’ leading scorer had seven assists with two turnovers while the Nuggets’ top scorer committed five and tied a season low with four assists. Golden State is 14-2 when Curry has at least 10.

Confirmed bets

Chicago Bulls @ Orlando Magic +180.7 (one unit @ $1.97) WIN (128-125)

Sacramento Kings @ Minnesota Timberwolves +218 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (111-108)

Memphis Grizzlies -5.5 $1.91 @ Milwaukee Bucks LOSE (82-77)
Utah Jazz @ San Antonio Spurs +201 (one unit @ $1.93) WIN (105-109)

Houston Rockets @ New Orleans Pelicans -204.5 (one unit @ $1.95) LOSE (103-100)

Denver Nuggets @ Golden State Warriors +213 (one unit @ $1.91) WIN (123-116)

Leans

Charlotte Bobcats +2 $1.91 @ Philadelphia 76ers LOSE (92-95)

Miami Heat @ Washington Wizards +5.5 $1.94 WIN (97-114)

Toronto Raptors @ Boston Celtics -196 $1.91 WIN (83-88)

Los Angeles Lakers @ Phoenix Suns -11 $1.95 LOSE (114-121)

Cleveland Cavaliers @ Portland Trail Blazers -10.5 $1.91 WIN (96-108)

Dallas Mavericks @ Los Angeles Clippers +209 $1.87 WIN (127-129)

• Selections are listed in three categories – 1) Suggested (likely bet but yet to be finalised); 2) Confirmed (locked in at the price listed); and 3) Leans (tips, but not recommended bets); all times quoted are Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT); prices with thanks to Centrebet (except where markets are not available), correct at time of publication – for most people gambling is an exciting and fun recreational pursuit. For others it can become a problem with devastating consequences for them, their families and friends. We want you to enjoy your gambling experience. We want you to stay in control of your gambling and not allow your gambling to control you.