Fading Hornets resume road trip vs. Clippers
Basketball Betting Lines
03/15/2010 -
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The fading New Orleans Hornets resume a five-game road trip
at Staples Center tonight hoping for their 13th straight win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Hornets dropped the opener of their trek in Phoenix last night when Amare
Stoudemire scored 36 points, pulled down 12 rebounds and sank all 14 of his
free throw attempts, as the Suns ran past New Orleans, 120-106.
Rookie Marcus Thornton scored 28 for the Hornets, who have lost three straight
and seven of their last eight games. David West ended with 24 points and seven
rebounds in defeat. Emeka Okafor chipped in 15 and 12, while Darren Collison
contributed 13 points with 10 assists.
"It's tough. Amare took over the game in the third quarter," Thornton said.
"We made some silly turnovers and that's like giving them two points every
time. We just have to work through it and be professionals."
New Orleans, which is a miserable 7-14 since losing All-Star Chris Paul to a
knee injury, is now an almost insurmountable eight games behind Portland for
the final playoff spot in the West with just 15 games left to be played.
The Clippers, meanwhile, continue to play out the string and are coming off
another setback in a long line of futility against the San Antonio Spurs on
Saturday. Matt Bonner had a team-high 21 points in that one, as the Spurs
cruised to a 118-88 win, their 16th consecutive victory over the hapless
Clips.
The Spurs also completed the series sweep for the fourth consecutive season,
as the Clippers haven't won against them since March 7, 2006. San Antonio's
current streak against the Clippers is the league's longest by one team
against a single opponent.
Baron Davis totaled 22 points to pace the Clippers, who have lost seven in a
row overall. Travis Outlaw had 17 points, six assists and five boards in the
loss.
"We have to compete," Clippers head coach Kim Hughes said. "I think we had
four players on our defensive side competing tonight and that's not enough.
Whether we are playing back-to-backs, four games or five games, we need to be
competitive. I thought most of our guys didn't compete."
LA hasn't beaten the Hornets since a 100-90 win on Jan. 8, 2007.
<< Jazz return home to face hapless Wizards
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Utah Jazz hope a return to Salt Lake City against a
hapless Washington team will get them back on the winning track as the
postseason approaches.
The short-handed Jazz dropped the final two games of a four-game road tr
<< Celtics and Pistons clash in Beantown
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Celtics hope to bounce back from a tough loss in
Cleveland on Sunday when they welcome Eastern Conference also-ran Detroit to
Beantown.
In a possible playoff preview the C's came up short against the Cavs when
<< Sixers, Knicks meet in Philly
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Third place in the Atlantic Division is on the line tonight
in Philadelphia.
Of course, third place doesn't mean all that much if you are entering the
contest at 23-43 like the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers.
Ne
<< Streelman carries 3-shot lead into final round
Rio Grande, Puerto Rico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Streelman finished off an
eight-under 64 in the third round Monday to carry a three-shot lead into the
final round of the rain-delayed Puerto Rico Open.
Streelman made five birdies in
<< Playoff-hopeful Flames, Red Wings square off in key battle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time the Flames took on the Red Wings, they walked
away with two points and the eighth spot in the Western Conference.
Calgary will hope for similar results tonight at Pengrowth Saddledome versus
Detroit, which wi
Lakers shoot for another season sweep of Warriors >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pacific Division foes square off for the last time this
season on Monday when the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers head up
the California coast to take on the Golden State Warriors.
The Lakers - Warriors rivalry h
Nuggets press on without Karl; meet Rockets >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets continue their push toward the
postseason without head coach George Karl tonight against a desperate Houston
Rockets team.
The Nuggets have played without Karl, who is undergoing radiation and
chemother
Rachel Alexandra absence does not affect Zenyatta >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The hoped for meeting next month at
Oaklawn Park between 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and champion mare
Zenyatta has been put on hold.
Rachel Alexandra's majority owner Jess Jackson an
Colts sign OT Terry >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts have agreed to
terms with offensive tackle Adam Terry, who had spent his first five NFL
seasons with Baltimore.
Terry missed the entire 2009 campaign because of an in
Roy Williams re-signs with Cincinnati >>
Cincinnati, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cincinnati Bengals made it official on
Monday and re-signed safety Roy Williams.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed for Williams, who had become an
unrestricted free agent after an injury-s
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
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."
NFL Betting Lines
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