Blazers turn back Grizzlies

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02/19/2009 - Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brandon Roy had a game-high 24 points and nine assists, as the Portland Trail Blazers hung on to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies, 94-90, at the Rose Garden.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 15 points and six rebounds for the Blazers, who started a three-game homestand. Nicolas Batum ended with 11 points. Joel Przybilla pulled down a game-high 15 boards.

The Blazers were without emerging center Greg Oden, who sat out because of a bone chip in his left knee. He suffered the injury against the Warriors on February 12. Oden was unable to play in the All-Star weekend's rookie challenge because of the injury and is currently listed as day-to-day.

"This was a tough game. It's not surprising though. Often, when there are a number of days off it's sometimes as disadvantage," said Portland coach Nate McMillan. "We were fortunate to play really well in parts of the first half. But in the second half, a second wind never came for us."

Memphis was paced by Rudy Gay, who ended with 20 points and five rebounds. O.J. Mayo chipped in 19 points for the Grizzlies, who finished a three-game road trip with a 0-3 record. Mike Conley finished with 15 points and 10 helpers.

Rudy Fernandez drilled a three-pointer with 8:15 remaining to extend Portland's lead to 82-76. But Memphis responded with a 10-2 run to take its first lead since early in the first quarter. Gay made 1-of-2 from the stripe to cap the flurry with 4:50 to go.

With the score knotted at 86, Darius Miles was charged with a technical foul. Roy converted on the technical free throw to put the home team up by one. Travis Outlaw connected on a three-pointer from the corner to make it a 90-86 game with 2:31 left.

Trailing 92-88, Memphis brought the ball down the court with 15.2 seconds to go. Mayo made a one-handed driving layup with 5.4 ticks left to cut the gap to 92-90, but it was too late. Roy made 2-of-2 from the stripe on the ensuing Blazers possession to put the home team ahead by four with 3.9 seconds remaining. On the final possession, Mayo missed a jumper as time ran out.

"We turned the ball over -- we didn't pass it to our team and we didn't stop at the free throw line and we ran over people and made charges and just didn't execute," said Memphis coach Lionel Hollins. "They just got out and ran. It looked like a track meet in the first quarter. I told our guys that it was a lesson in how hard you have to play and how the good teams play. That's the intensity that you have to bring every night, every day. I was proud of the fact that they caught on to the lesson because we started playing harder and we caught up to them and it was a game."

The majority of the first quarter was a back-and-forth battle. The Blazers opened a six-point lead, the largest of the frame, on a Batum slam with 3:38 left. Portland held onto a slim margin for the rest of the stanza and took a 30-27 advantage into the second quarter.

After Hakim Warrick made a layup to start the second period, the Blazers scored 10 unanswered points to extend their lead to 40-29. Sergio Rodriguez drilled a shot from beyond the arc to culminate the spurt with 8:12 remaining.

Aldridge made a pair of foul shots to give Portland a 54-40 cushion with just over three minutes until half. But Memphis responded with a 13-3 spurt to close out the half. Mayo hit a three-pointer with a few ticks remaining to culminate the run and cut the gap to 57-53 heading into the locker room.

Mayo and Roy tallied 13 points apiece at the break to lead their respective teams.

Down 60-55 early in the third period, The Grizzlies scored five straight points to tie the game. After Marc Gasol made a short jumper, Conley capped off the spurt with a shot from beyond the arc.

The Blazers didn't let this small run bother them, as they responded with six unanswered points. Batum culminated the spurt with a jumper with about 8 1/2 minutes left. The Blazers maintained a small advantage for the rest of the frame and took a 75-72 edge into the final quarter.

This game also marked the return of Darius Miles to the Rose Garden. Miles was waived by the Blazers at the end of last season, and then a doctor determined that Miles' knee injury was career-ending. However, Miles came back and played for Boston in the preseason before joining Memphis, and after playing a total of 10 games, the Blazers were hit with a salary-cap hit of $18 million. He finished with six points and five rebounds in Wednesday's game.

Earlier in the day, Portland was involved in a three-team trade with Sacramento and Chicago. The Kings traded center Brad Miller and swingman John Salmons to the Bulls in exchange for forwards Andres Nocioni, Cedric Simmons and Michael Ruffin, and center Drew Gooden.

The Kings then turned around and sent Ruffin to Portland in exchange for forward Ike Diogu. The Blazers also gained a $3 million trade exception, which they can use for one calendar year.

Game Notes

The Blazers shot 15-of-18 from the foul line, while the Grizzlies went 12-of-20 from the stripe...This was the first meeting between the teams this season...Portland won all three meetings last season...Memphis dropped to 3-21 on the road this season...Blazers' starting point guard Steve Blake, who had missed 13 of the last 14 games with a separated right shoulder, returned to the lineup. He finished with seven points.

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Terrell Owens could return for Cowboys next game
A bye week will allow Terrell Owens broken hand to recover just in time for the next game the Dallas Cowboys are slated to play, according to reports. MySportsbook.com, an football sportsbook, has posted football betting lines on TO playing.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger Sunday night and had a plate surgically attached to it Monday. Although Owens' hand was swollen and aching Wednesday, Dallas Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said he's optimistic the receiver will be back at work next week and catching passes a week from Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

MySportsbook.com online sportsbook listed Terrell Owens with odds of 7-2 (or $7 paid out for every $2 bet) to return back for the game against Tennessee.

"I certainly wouldn't rule it out now," Parcells said, referring to Terrell Owens immediate return. "Maybe five days from now I might, but I wouldn't rule it out now. ... I know we're looking to try to get him moving around pretty good in the next day or so. So we'll see where we are."

Owens did not speak with reporters Wednesday, but said Sunday he'd be out two to four weeks. A return against the Titans would be 13 days after the surgery. The Cowboys were listed as an early -7 1/2 favorite vs. the Tennessee Titans for Week 4 at MySportsbook.com

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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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