Blazers invade LA to take on Clippers
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04/07/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Portland Trail Blazers hope to improve on their playoff
position in the Western Conference tonight when they invade Hollywood to take
on the lowly Los Angeles Clippers.
The Blazers won for the fifth time in six tries on Saturday when Brandon Roy
tallied game-highs of 24 points and six assists, as Portland topped
Sacramento, 98-87, at ARCO Arena.
Andre Miller put in 23 points, while Nicolas Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge
scored 21 apiece for the Trail Blazers, who had already clinched a postseason
spot earlier last week and helped solidify the Western Conference playoff
picture with the win.
The triumph, coupled with Oklahoma City's win earlier that same night, dropped
Memphis from the race for the final spot, which was clinched by San Antonio.
Portland is now eighth in the conference but just a game behind both Oklahoma
City and San Antonio.
"We found the open man, that was big. There weren't a lot of forced shots,"
Roy said. "We're going to need our bench to get going if we want to make a run
in the playoffs."
The Clippers, meanwhile, dropped their fifth in a row on Sunday when David Lee
had 29 points and Al Harrington scored 26 to lead the Knicks to their first
win in Los Angeles against the Clippers in over 12 years, 113-107.
Baron Davis recorded 23 points and 11 assists and Chris Kaman posted 22 points
and 16 rebounds for Los Angeles, which has dropped 15 of 17 overall. Eric
Gordon and Drew Gooden each scored 17 in defeat.
"We hurt ourselves by not defending their bigs, we also hurt ourselves at the
free throw line," said Clippers coach Kim Hughes.
Portland center Marcus Camby, who pulled down 15 rebounds at Sacramento, will
be facing his former team tonight for the first time since the Feb. 16 trade
that sent him to the pacific northwest for guard Steve Blake and forward
Travis Outlaw.
The Blazers have won five of their past six games with the Clippers, including
two of three this season.
<< Blackhawks aim to extend win streak in clash with Blues
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Central Division champion Chicago Blackhawks will aim
for a fifth straight victory when they host the St. Louis Blues tonight at
United Center.
The Blackhawks clinched their first division title since 1992-93 on Sunday
<< Playoff-bound Avs visit Oilers
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Now that they are headed back to the playoffs, the Colorado
Avalanche will try to build some momentum in the final week of the regular
season.
The Avalanche will also complete their road schedule tonight when they visit
t
<< Suns host Spurs in the desert
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - A pair of Western Conference contenders jockey for playoff
position in the desert Wednesday as the Phoenix Suns host the San Antonio
Spurs.
Phoenix lost for the first time in three weeks on Saturday in Milwaukee wh
<< Red Wings begin home-and-home set with Blue Jackets
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With a playoff spot secured, the Detroit Red Wings will
focus on positioning when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at Joe
Louis Arena in the opener of a home-and-home series.
The well-rested Red Wings haven't pl
<< Rangers try to keep playoff hopes alive versus Maple Leafs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - With time running out in their quest for a playoff spot,
the New York Rangers will try to bounce back from a poor performance when they
host the Toronto Maple Leafs tonight at Madison Square Garden.
The Rangers were pounde
Seattle Seahawks 2010 Draft Preview (Revised) >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pete Carroll's draft strategy will be laid bare twice in
the first 14 picks, as Seattle picked up an extra first-round pick thanks to a
2009 draft-day deal that helped Denver select cornerback Alphonso Smith in the
second-rou
Mavs, Grizzlies clash in Big D >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Mavericks hope to salvage the finale of a three-
game homestand and inch closer to the Southwest Division crown tonight when
they host the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Mavs are coming off a tough 121-116 loss to Ok
Coyotes try to clinch home-ice against Preds >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bankruptcy and ownership issues left many wondering how
long hockey would be around in Phoenix. A victory Wednesday night and the
playoffs will begin with a game at Jobing.com Arena.
The Coyotes will try to lock up the Wes
Bobcats eye playoff spot in New Orleans >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Charlotte Bobcats are on the verge of a couple of
firsts in franchise history. The team can inch even closer to its initial
postseason berth tonight by securing its first ever win in the Big Easy when
they ta
Jazz pay a visit to Rockets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz get back to work on improving their playoff
position in a crowded Western Conference race when they visit south Texas to
take on the Houston Rockets.
The Jazz are coming off a thrilling 140-139 overti
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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
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After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
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