NEW YORK -- Five former NFL players, including six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Neil Smith, are suing the union for not providing accurate information about the risk of head injuries. The lawsuit on behalf of Smith, Ladell Betts, Anthony Davis, Christian Ballard and Gregory Westbrooks was filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, with the plaintiffs claiming the NFL Players Association "withheld information from the players about the risks of head injuries." The former players are seeking medical monitoring and financial compensation for long-term chronic injuries, financial losses, expenses and intangible losses. It refers to the "pathological and debilitating effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by concussive and sub-concussive impacts." The players named former union presidents Trace Armstrong, Troy Vincent and Kevin Mawae in the suit. "This lawsuit has no merit and we will defend our union and our past presidents," the NFLPA said in a statement. "It erroneously alleges that the NFLPA knowingly and fraudulently concealed from players the risks of head injuries players faced by playing in NFL games and practices over the last several decades. "The NFLPA has made the health and safety of its members a priority and the advancements in professional football on concussion education, prevention and treatment are a result of our efforts." The lawsuit notes that the players paid dues to the union, which assured them their best interests would be protected. But, the plaintiffs say, that did not happen. "We believe that the most important resource in the NFL is the players, and the most essential part of a players body is the brain," said attorney Kevin Regan, who is representing the players in the lawsuit. "Considering the millions of dollars received as dues from NFLPA members, the NFLPA did not do enough to protect its members from traumatic brain injury." The union also is accused of "engaging in a campaign of disinformation designed to dispute accepted and valid research regarding the connection between repetitive head injuries or concussions and degenerative brain disease; and to create a falsified body of research that the NFLPA could cite as proof that truthful and accepted neuroscience on the subject was inconclusive and subject to doubt." Smith spent 13 seasons in the NFL, nine with Kansas City, and was one of the games top defensive players. He retired in 2000. Betts was a running back for nine seasons, the first eight with Washington. He retired in 2010. Davis played eight seasons with four teams and won a Super Bowl with Baltimore after the 2000 season, his last year in the league. Ballard, a defensive end in 2011 and 2012, left the Vikings last September. Coincidentally, he is being represented by the union in a grievance concerning about $240,000 in 2013 salary that he collected but the team is trying to recoup. Westbrooks, now 61, played parts of seven seasons from 1975-81 as a linebacker and special teamer with four clubs. California Jerseys From China . 1. CAVALIERS: At 19-20, theyre a mess. Watched the game Tuesday night vs. Phoenix and their defence was poor (107 points and 52 per cent for Suns). Where is the high level play from Kyrie Irving and LeBron James (13 turnovers!)? Kevin Love looks like a man thats wondering what he got himself into. Throwback California Jerseys . The veteran fighter will be squaring off with Henderson in a five-round lightweight bout as part of another network televised card at the United Center on Saturday night. http://www.cheapcaliforniajerseys.com/ . If one fighter gases, he usually gets beat up pretty bad from that point on. Stitched California Jerseys . Braden Calverts Winnipeg rink rallied to defeat Italy 8-7. After giving up three points in the second end, Calvert came back with a single, then stole two more points in the next two ends to tie it up at the fifth-end break. Cheap California Gear . Radulov scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Predators edged the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night to reach 100 points for the second time in three seasons and fourth in seven. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson didnt need to give a big speech before his struggling team faced the depleted Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. Recalling a loss against the short-handed San Antonio Spurs the last time out was good enough. David Lee had 19 points and 10 rebounds, Andrew Bogut grabbed 20 rebounds and the Warriors shook off a slow start to rout the Lakers 102-83. "I told the guys, What we dont want to do is let any more opportunities slip," Jackson said. "And tonight, were in our building against a team that were supposed to beat in our building. And the mindset was to handle our business. "And we did that." Stephen Curry scored 18 points and Klay Thompson added 17 points to help the Warriors pull away with a 26-8 spurt to start the third quarter. Golden State (15-13) went ahead 83-70 early in the fourth to put the game out of reach. "We knew how important this game was for us," said Bogut, who also had 12 points, two blocks and an assist. "We won a game we should have won." Los Angeles had more notable names at home than at the arena. Pau Gasol sat out with an upper respiratory infection for the Lakers, who already were missing Kobe Bryant (fractured left knee), Steve Nash (nerve root irritation in back), Steve Blake (torn ligament in right elbow) and Jordan Farmar (torn left hamstring). Nick Young scored 20 points, and Chris Kaman had 17 rebounds and 10 points for the Lakers (13-14) in a sloppy game by both teams. The Lakers committed 24 turnovers, while the Warriors had 18. Golden State shot 38.8 per cent and Los Angeles shot a season-low 32.5 per cent. "They battled. We just didnt have enough," Lakers coach Mike DAntoni said. Though the Lakers were undermanned, the Warriors had failed to consistently take advantage of opportunities against short-handed teams lately. Golden State had lost three of its last four games, including Thursday night at home against a San Antonio team playing without Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The lone win during that stretch was against New Orleans, which played without injured starters Anthony Davis and Tyreke Evans. Thhe Lakers have been decimated even more by injuries.dddddddddddd Los Angeles used its 12th different starting lineup this season: Xavier Henry, Jodie Meeks, Wesley Johnson, Jordan Hill and Kaman. Gasol was the only player to start the first 26 games. DAntoni was hoping Gasol would be healthy enough to play Monday at Phoenix, but the centres status remains questionable. At this point, the Lakers need anybody they can get. Los Angeles beat Minnesota on Friday night in an emotional first game since Bryant fractured his left knee, but the Warriors -- who struggled for long stretches again -- were too much to overcome on consecutive nights. Neither team led by more than six points in a forgettable first half, and both sides hovered just above 30 per cent shooting for most of the game. "It was ugly, but it was a pretty decent first half just to really stay in the game," said Johnson, who scored two points on free throws and missed all seven of his shots from the floor. Thompson hit a pair of 3-pointers, and Bogut finished an alley-oop from Curry to highlight a 26-8 run to begin the third quarter that gave Golden State a 72-50 lead. It was the ninth time in Boguts career that he had at least 20 rebounds in a game. Curry finished with nine assists and six rebounds as the Warriors went ahead 83-60 early in the fourth quarter. The only drama left had little impact on the final score. Officials called a flagrant-2 foul and ejected Marreese Speights for hitting Young around the neck from behind to prevent the Lakers reserve from a dunk. Los Angeles never got closer than 16 points in the final quarter. "We were definitely not letting our guard down tonight after what happened with San Antonio," Lee said. "Because of the poor effort we put forth against San Antonio, at this point, its more about what were doing out there than who were playing against." NOTES: The Warriors improved to 2-1 against the Lakers this season, with the home team winning each time. ... The Lakers have not lost a season series to the Warriors since 1994-95, which also was the last time Golden State won both of its home games in the season series. ... The teams meet for the final time this season on April 11 in Los Angeles. 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