Durant, Thunder face Spurs in Alamo City

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02/24/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The winning streak is over for young star Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who will try to get back on track Wednesday with a road test against the San Antonio Spurs at the AT&T Center.

Oklahoma City's nine-game winning streak was halted in last night's 104-102 home loss versus the Phoenix Suns. Jason Richardson's basket with 0.7 seconds remaining in the game sealed the win for the Suns, while Durant poured in 36 points and has now scored at least 25 points in 29 straight games. Durant, the leading scorer in the NBA with 29.9 ppg, continues to inch closer to legend Michael Jordan, who scored 25-plus points in 40 straight games during the 1986-87 season.

"Well, we had a nice run going and there's nothing to be ashamed of," said Thunder head coach Scott Brooks, whose team went 0-for-10 down the stretch. "We stubbed our toe tonight. I liked the way our guys fought. We didn't have our good stuff defensively and we were down early and we battled back and took a 10-point lead. We had a good run. They made plays. They made some big plays, big shots down the stretch."

Russell Westbrook finished with 21 points and 10 assists, while Jeff Green added 16 points and six rebounds in defeat. Westbrook is averaging 24.6 points in his last three games. Oklahoma City, the sixth seed in the West, has won five straight road games and is 17-11 away from the Ford Center this season.

The Spurs are back home after their Rodeo Road Trip to start the month and went 4-4 on the excursion. They lost the last two tests of the swing and are coming off Sunday's 109-101 overtime loss in Detroit.

Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan registered 29 points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio, which played without guard Tony Parker because of a hip problem. Manu Ginobili and George Hill netted 21 and 17 points, respectively, in a losing cause. Over the last eight years since moving to the AT&T Center, the Spurs' combined record on the Rodeo Road Trip is 44-20.

"Like many NBA games down the stretch you need to make shots and Detroit did. We shot poorly from three again and it made a difference for us. In the end it comes down to making shots down the stretch," said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Parker is listed as questionable tonight against Oklahoma City. The Spurs sit 3 1/2 games off the lead in the Southwest Division and seventh in the conference standings. They will try to work on their 19-10 home mark tonight.

The 2009-10 season series between the Spurs and Thunder is tied at a game apiece, but San Antonio has won 20 of the last 27 meetings between the clubs.

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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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