Lakers hold off Nuggets

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02/04/2012 - Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Andrew Bynum had 22 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, helping the Los Angeles Lakers hold off the Denver Nuggets, 93-89.

Kobe Bryant added 20 points and nine assists for the Lakers, who have won three in a row. Bryant shot just 7-of-23 from the floor, including a 1-of-4 performance from beyond the arc.

Pau Gasol donated 13 points and 17 boards for Los Angeles, which improved to 3-7 on the road this season. Andrew Goudelock also had 13 points.

Al Harrington ended with 24 points and eight rebounds for the Nuggets, who have lost three of four. Andre Miller and Ty Lawson chipped in with 16 and 14 points, respectively.

To make matters worse, Denver lost starting center Timofey Mozgov to a sprained left ankle. With about 10 minutes to go in the third quarter, Mozgov came down awkwardly on his left ankle after making a layup. He was not able to put pressure on his left foot, but X-rays came back negative.

Bryant's three-pointer with 7:23 to play gave the Lakers an 80-72 lead.

But Denver responded with an 11-4 run to make things interesting down the stretch. Harrington made a pair of three-pointers around Bynum's slam to cut the gap to 84-83 with 4:23 left.

Metta World Peace made a much-needed trey from the corner to give the Lakers an 87-83 margin.

Still ahead by four moments later, Bryant turned the ball over. Lawson failed to make a three-pointer at the other end.

Denver was still alive after Los Angeles missed three shots. Nene's layup cut the gap to 89-87 with 1:40 to go.

Derek Fisher came up with a big shot at the other end, making a 21-foot shot from the corner.

Lawson's steal of Gasol led to Nene's slam with 28.6 seconds remaining, making it 91-89.

At the other end, Bryant found Bynum open under the hoop. But instead of going up strong, Bynum tried for a layup. Nene was able to block the shot. Upon review, it was determined the ball went out off Los Angeles.

Harrington's three-pointer bounced off the rim in the final second. Matt Barnes made two free throws with 0.2 seconds left to seal the win for the Lakers.

Los Angeles led by as many as 11 in the first half and took a 44-41 lead into the locker room.

Denver started the second half on an 8-2 surge to take the lead. But the Lakers stormed right back and led for the remainder of the third period. It was a 72-68 game heading to the fourth.

Game Notes

The Lakers have taken two of three from the Nuggets this season...Los Angeles started a season-high six-game road trip on Friday...Fisher had 10 points...Nene had 12 points for Denver.

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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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