Basement brawl: Woeful Nets visit lowly Sixers

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03/17/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The bottom two teams of the Atlantic Division will go head- to-head for the final time of the 2009-10 campaign this evening at the Wachovia Center, where the homestanding 76ers aim for a season sweep of the dismal New Jersey Nets.

Both clubs enter tonight's clash mired in five-game losing streaks, with the Sixers suffering their 10th defeat in 11 outings with Monday's 94-84 home setback to the New York Knicks.

Philadelphia saw an 11-point halftime lead evaporate in their latest loss after being outscored 29-14 by the Knicks in the third quarter. The 76ers shot a woeful 27.3 percent from the field in the second half and just 38.4 percent for the game.

"You get open shots and just can't make it," said Philadelphia head coach Eddie Jordan afterward. "That was the story of the game for me."

Jrue Holiday was one bright spot for the Sixers, with the rookie logging 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert each posted double-doubles in a losing cause, with Iguodala amassing 14 points and 17 rebounds and Dalembert finishing with 11 points and 18 boards.

Philadelphia played Monday's contest without second-leading scorer Louis Williams due to back spasms, while forward Thaddeus Young fractured his right thumb in the loss and will be sidelined indefinitely. Williams, who's averaging 14.7 points and 4.1 assists this season, will be a game-time decision for tonight's tilt.

Even short-handed, the 76ers figure to have a solid chance of stopping their current slide, considering they've won all three previous meetings with the lowly Nets in 2009-10. In addition, New Jersey is an NBA-worst 7-59 for the season and owns a brutal 4-31 mark on the road.

The Nets' struggles continued last night in East Rutherford, where the league doormats were dealt a 108-84 defeat by Atlanta. New Jersey shot just 38.5 percent as a team and played without standout guard Devin Harris, who sat out because of a upper respiratory infection that is expected to force him to miss tonight's game as well.

"We've sustained runs before in previous road trips since the All-Star break," said center Brook Lopez, who led New Jersey with 21 points. "We just didn't do that tonight."

Forward Josh Boone racked up 13 points and a career-high 20 rebounds against the Hawks and has averaged 8.8 boards in five games since replacing the injured Yi Jianlian (sprained left ankle) in the starting lineup.

The Nets, whose three losses to the Sixers this season have all been by four points or fewer, have prevailed in two of their last three visits to the Wachovia Center.

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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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