Sports News

NEW ORLEANS (AP) The Hornets' two rookies left the New Orleans Arena with bright-colored, glittery suitcases specially selected for them by veterans, Darren Collison's with a "Little Mermaid" theme and Marcus Thornton's emblazoned with Tinkerbell's smiling visage.

"It keeps us grounded, I'll tell you that much," Collison said.

The way Collison and Thornton are playing lately, the Hornets might want to think of other ways to keep their egos in check.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) No matter how bleak things look for the Knicks, they can take comfort knowing worse basketball is being played 10 miles away.

And if the Nets don't win soon, they could be the worst ever to start an NBA season. Read More...

CLEVELAND (AP) There's one thing - other than LeBron James, of course - that the Cleveland Cavaliers can always count on when things get tough.

In a pinch, they turn to their defense. Read More...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Martell Webster took full advantage of his return to the Portland Trail Blazers' starting lineup.

Webster had a season-high 21 points and 13 rebounds and keyed a third quarter rally with three consecutive 3-pointers in the Trail Blazers' 106-78 victory over the free-falling Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night. Read More...

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Andrei Kirilenko and the Utah Jazz outlasted the Detroit Pistons for their fourth straight victory.

Kirilenko scored six of his 22 points in overtime and the Jazz beat the Pistons 100-97 on Saturday night. Carlos Boozer scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half and overtime to help the Jazz escape a back-and-forth game that produced 17 lead changes and saw no lead larger than five points after halftime. Read More...

DENVER (AP) J.R. Smith finished off the Chicago Bulls.

Smith, Denver's streak-shooting sixth man, scored 12 of his 19 points in the final period and the Nuggets pulled away for a 112-93 victory Saturday night. Read More...

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) It took a half, then Brandon Jennings showed the Memphis Grizzlies why he is among the best of this year's rookie class.

Jennings, who leads first-year players in scoring and assists, scored 24 of his 26 points after halftime, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Grizzlies 103-98 on Saturday night for their third straight victory. Read More...

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Ten days and four games later, the San Antonio Spurs won for what Tim Duncan said felt like the first time in a year and a half.

The Washington Wizards lost another, and after getting blown out for the second time in two nights, the frustration is starting to show. Read More...

NEW YORK (AP) Marv Albert said Saturday he was never involved in an altercation with 50 Cent, denying Internet reports of a fight on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

According to the reports, punches were thrown after members of the rapper's entourage didn't recognize Albert, the longtime sports broadcaster who was appearing as a guest on the show on Wednesday night. Read More...

HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Rockets kept their record clean in second games of back-to-backs. Still, it almost got a little messy in the fourth quarter.

After leading by 15 points in the second quarter and holding a 59-52 halftime edge, the Rockets needed 22 points from Luis Scola and some defense down the stretch to beat the Sacramento Kings 113-106 on Saturday night. Read More...