Westbrook, Thunder cruise past Jazz

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02/11/2012 - Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Russell Westbrook scored a game-high 28 points as the Oklahoma City Thunder cruised to a 101-87 victory over the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena on Friday.

Kevin Durant added 19 points and Serge Ibaka contributed a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Thunder won three of their last four games to wrap up a five-game road trip with a 3-2 record.

Utah had all five starters in double figures, including 20 points from Al Jefferson. Raja Bell and Gordon Hayward scored 13 points apiece for the Jazz, who have dropped three straight and five of their last six.

"They [Thunder] played well," said Bell. "They took the game to us. They were aggressive. We got stuck in one mode and were never able to transition into something else to see if it could get going."

Utah would pull ahead by two, 58-56, on a Jefferson jumper in the third quarter, but Oklahoma City would rip off a 16-4 run to give the Thunder a 72-62 lead with just over three minutes left.

The Thunder would finish the quarter leading 74-65.

The Jazz clawed their way back into the game, but another 7-0 spurt by the Thunder pressed the lead up to 85-73 with just over seven minutes to play.

Utah was unable to put a run together in the closing minutes as the Thunder ran away with the double-digit victory.

The Thunder turned the ball over seven times in the first frame as the Jazz took a 30-27 lead into the second quarter.

"We have always been a good bounce-back team after a loss," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "Tonight was a good indication of how we play. We didn't have a lot of things going for us early. We were turning the ball over, but we fought, we stuck together and we competed."

Utah grabbed a 40-36 lead midway through the second as C.J. Miles finished back-to-back alley-oop dunks around a Westbrook jumper, but Oklahoma City would score the next 10 points to jump out to a 46-40 advantage with 1:30 left in the half.

Westbrook scored 15 points in the first half, including a jumper from the wing that closed out the first half with the Thunder leading 49-44.

Game Notes

The Jazz will begin a back-to-back-to-back road stretch in Memphis on Sunday and finish with a rematch in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, which marks the Thunder's next game...The Thunder are now 12-5 on the road this season...Oklahoma City improved to 4-1 this season in games played after a loss...The Thunder were 4-of-20 from long range, while the Jazz were 3-of-9 from three-point range.

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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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