Lakers crush Clippers in Battle of Los Angeles

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04/11/2008 - Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Luke Walton scored 18 points as the Lakers routed the Clippers, 106-78, at the Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant added 16 points for the Lakers, who finished a perfect 4-0 against the Clippers this season and extended their lead in the Pacific Division to one full game over the idle Phoenix Suns. The Lakers are also just 1 1/2 games behind New Orleans for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Lamar Odom chipped in with 14 points and 13 rebounds, while Pau Gasol had 13 points.

"We made shots finally although we started slowly," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Our defense stepped it up."

Elton Brand scored 23 points and had seven rebounds for the Clippers, who have lost four in a row and 15 of their last 17 games. Rookie Al Thornton added 22 points and 10 boards in the loss.

"Tonight was the story of how things have gone for us," said Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy. "We played hard but made mistakes."

The Lakers held a slim 27-25 lead after the opening 12 minutes and started to pull away with an excellent defensive second quarter. The Lakers allowed just 17 points in the frame and took a 51-42 edge into the locker room.

The Lakers continued to play frontrunner through three quarters and led 73-61 heading to the final frame.

The Lakers then really put things away by opening the fourth with a 19-5 run. Walton had a pair of layups in the spurt and then finished it by stroking consecutive threes to make it a 92-66 game with 7:21 on the clock.

The Lakers kept running away from there. Walton dropped in another three with a little more than five minutes to go and just over a minute later D.J. Mbenga nailed a jumper to make it a 31-point game, 100-69.

The Lakers coasted to the finish line from there.

Game Notes

Clippers swingman Quinton Ross left with a sore left leg in the second quarter and did not return...Walton had missed the previous two games with a strained right hamstring...The Lakers outscored the Clippers 33-17 in the fourth quarter...The Lakers finished 27-14 on the road this season. They will finish the regular season with a three-game homestand against New Orleans, San Antonio and Sacramento...The Clippers finished a dismal 13-28 as the host this season. They will wrap up their schedule with games at Golden State, New Orleans and Houston.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract

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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