Thunder fire Carlesimo after 1-12 start

The losses kept piling up for P.J. Carlesimo, and it didn't matter which city his team called home. With the relocated Oklahoma City Thunder off to an NBA-worst 1-12 start, Carlesimo was fired as coach yesterday and replaced on an interim basis by assistant Scott Brooks. The firing - the first of an NBA coach this season - followed Friday's 105-80 defeat to the New Orleans Hornets, the Thunder's 10th straight loss. The Thunder also let go assistant coach Paul Westhead, who guided the Phoenix Mercury to the 2007 WNBA title and won an NBA title in 1980 with the Los Angeles Lakers . . . Milwaukee Bucks leading scorer Michael Redd could be out another week as he continues a slow recovery from a right ankle injury. Redd has not played since sustaining a high ankle sprain at New York Nov. 2. Coach Scott Skiles said he doesn't expect Redd to join the team on the road.

Eight-time Grand Slam champion Jimmy Connors was arrested outside the campus arena where the University of California-Santa Barbara and top-ranked North Carolina were playing a basketball game Friday night. Connors was taken into custody after refusing to leave an area near the entrance of the Thunderdome following a confrontation, police sergeant Dan Massey said in a statement. A Santa Barbara County jail employee said Connors was booked and released . . . Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco won their doubles match to give Spain a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup final in Mar del Plata, Argentina. Lopez and Verdasco defeated David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. Spain could be in good position for its third Davis Cup crown if Argentina's leading player, Juan Martin del Potro, who is scheduled to meet David Ferrer, cannot play reverse singles because of a thigh injury.

New Jersey defenseman Mike Mottau received a two-game suspension from the NHL for elbowing New York Islanders forward Frans Nielsen. Mottau came across the ice 3:22 into the third period of Friday's game and caught Nielsen with an elbow that laid out the center. Nielsen had to be helped off the ice with head and leg injuries. The Islanders recalled center Jeremy Colliton from AHL Bridgeport . . . The Colorado Avalanche called up Brian Willsie from their AHL affiliate and placed center Ben Guite on injured reserve because of a rib injury . . . Martin St. Pierre's goal was the lone bright spot for the Providence Bruins, who fell to the host Springfield Falcons, 5-1. Winter sports Swedes win cross-country ski opener Marcus Hellner and Charlotte Kalla of Sweden won their first World Cup cross-country ski titles in Gallivare, Sweden. Hellner edged Pietro Piller Cottrer of Italy by 1.4 seconds in the 15-kilometer freestyle, while Kalla cruised past Marit Bjorgen of Norway by 24.4 seconds in the 10K freestyle. Hellner earned his first World Cup title in 32 minutes 35.2 seconds. Kris Freeman, the only American competing, finished 20th . . . Norway's Havard Bokko won the 1,500-meter race and Claudia Pechstein dominated the 5,000 in Moscow to win their first World Cup speedskating races this season. Bokko finished in 1:45.46, .35 seconds ahead of Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands. Pechstein, a four-time Olympic champion, was clocked in 6:49.92 for her 22d World Cup gold, edging world record-holder Martina Sablikova by 7.26 seconds . . . France's Brian Joubert's sensational short program gave him such a big lead, he won the Cup of Russia in Moscow even with a less-than-stellar free skate. Italy's Carolina Kostner topped error-strewn Fumie Suguri of Japan (third place) with an elegant free skate for the women's title, while American Rachael Flatt took silver. China's Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao won the pairs. Miscellany Revolution's Joseph one of MLS's best New England Revolution midfielder Shalrie Joseph was named to the 2008 Major League Soccer Best XI team. The Best XI is voted on by the league's general mangers, coaches, players, and media and represents the top players at each position. Joseph also was honored in 2005 and 2007 . . . Golfer Seve Ballesteros, who underwent a 6 1/2-hour operation Oct. 24 to remove a malignant brain tumor, is recovering well and doctors are upbeat about his progress, fellow Spanish star Jose Maria Olazabal said at the Hong Kong Open . . . Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders will miss tonight's game in San Diego because of his ailing right knee . . . The Chicago Bears placed veteran offensive tackle Fred Miller on injured reserve and elevated receiver Brandon Rideau, a fourth-year pro, from the practice squad. Miller appeared in just six games and played mostly on special teams . . . Hugo Hernan Garay of Argentina defended his World Boxing Association light heavyweight crown with a unanimous decision over Juergen Braehmer in Rostock, Germany.