New-look lineup lifts Trail Blazers

PORTLAND — Brandon Roy had 24 points and five rebounds, Steve Blake added 15 points and the Portland Trail Blazers got a lift from their new-look lineup in a 96-84 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night.

Richard Jefferson had 19 points, Manu Ginobili had 17, and Tim Duncan added 14 points and eight rebounds. But San Antonio lost Tony Parker to a sprained ankle and couldn't overcome a lethargic first half, playing one night after a loss at Utah.

The Spurs (2-3) haven't won on the road this season.

In an effort to shake up the Blazers' stagnant offense, coach Nate McMillan inserted Andre Miller into the starting lineup, placing him in an expanded backcourt along with Blake and Roy, the former Huskies star.

With 2:36 left in the first half, Parker appeared to come down awkwardly, called timeout and left the floor for the locker room. He did not return.

Portland (3-3) had lost two in a row at the Rose Garden and had struggled on offense, with only Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Travis Outlaw averaging in double figures. Portland also entered the game 23rd in the NBA in scoring with a 94.2 average.

Greg Oden had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers, and Miller, who signed with Portland in July, had 10 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Celtics dealt

first defeat

BOSTON — Jason Richardson and the Phoenix Suns had no trouble putting their only loss of the season behind them, even against unbeaten Boston.

One game after going scoreless for just the third time in his career, Richardson had 34 points and 10 rebounds to lead Phoenix to a 110-103 victory over the Celtics on Friday night. Richardson hit a three-pointer for the Suns' first points and scored 14 in the first quarter alone.

Steve Nash had 16 points with 12 assists for Phoenix, shaking loose to hit a three-pointer with 51 seconds left after Boston closed an 11-point fourth-quarter gap to four points. Amare Stoudemire added 22 points, while Richardson finished 6 for 7 from three-point range.

Kevin Garnett had a season-high 26 points for Boston — the most he's scored since missing the end of the 2008-09 season and the playoffs with strained ligaments in his right knee.

Notes

• Sacramento Kings leading scorer Kevin Martin will be sidelined for about two months after deciding to undergo surgery on his injured wrist. The team said Martin will have the operation on his left wrist Monday and is expected to miss at least eight weeks. Martin has a non-displaced hairline fracture of the navicular bone in his wrist. Martin is averaging 30.6 points for the Kings.

• Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James said he has no timetable for deciding what he will do next summer. The NBA's MVP said it will be his first time getting to be an unrestricted free agent, so he's not going to rush any decision.

• New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn, 68, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, but remains healthy and is optimistic he will conquer the disease.

• Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough made his pro debut against Washington after missing the exhibition season and four regular-season games with a right-shin injury. He scored 13 points in 13 minutes.

• Chicago Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas broke his left forearm during a weight-training session and will have surgery today. He could miss four to six weeks.