Howard sets pace in debut with Rockets

NBA: Dwight Howard had 17 points and a career-high-tying 26 rebounds in his Houston debut, James Harden added 21 points and the Rockets cruised to a 96-83 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night in Houston.

Howard spurned the Lakers to sign an $88 million deal with Houston.

• Suns pound Blazers: Goran Dragic scored 26 points and Eric Bledsoe added 22, leading the Phoenix Suns to a 104-91 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Phoenix and giving Jeff Hornacek a win in his coaching debut.

Damian Lillard scored 32, including 6 of 12 3-pointers, for the Trail Blazers. LaMarcus Aldridge added 28.

• Thompson carries Warriors: Klay Thompson scored 38 points, hitting 5 of 7 from 3-point range, and the Golden State Warriors routed the Los Angeles Lakers 125-94 at Oakland, Calif.

• Kings edge Nuggets: DeMarcus Cousins had 30 points and 14 rebounds to give Sacramento fans plenty more to cheer about than just having a team as the Kings held off the visiting Denver Nuggets 90-88.

• Love sparks Timberwolves: Kevin Love had 31 points and 17 rebounds and hit the game-tying 3-pointer with 10.2 seconds left to force overtime in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 120-115 win over the Orlando Magic at Minneapolis.

• Sixers stun Heat: Spencer Hawes scored 24 points and hit the winning basket late in the fourth quarter to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past the visiting Miami Heat 114-110.

• Mavericks roll: Monta Ellis started his Dallas career with 32 points, Dirk Nowitzki scored 24 and the Mavericks spoiled Mike Budenholzer’s coaching debut with a 118-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Dallas.

• Knicks hold off Bucks: Carmelo Anthony had 19 points and 10 rebounds, making a pair of baskets in a finishing run after New York had blown a 25-point lead, and the Knicks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 90-83 in New York.

• Raptors top Celtics: Rudy Gay had 19 points and eight rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the visiting Boston Celtics 93-87.

Ex-Gonzaga star Kelly Olynyk had four points in 16 minutes in his NBA debut with Boston.

• Iverson retires: Allen Iverson officially retired from the NBA, ending a 15-year career during which he won the 2001 MVP award and four scoring titles. Iverson retired in Philadelphia where he had his greatest successes and led the franchise to the 2001 finals.

• Pelicans lose Anderson: New Orleans Pelicans forward Ryan Anderson has a chip fracture in a toe on his right foot and is expected to miss one to three weeks.

Sutter, Jokinen propel Penguins

NHL: Brandon Sutter and Jussi Jokinen scored 6:58 apart in the third period and the Pittsburgh Penguins held on for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins in Pittsburgh.

• Leafs put out Flames: James van Riemsdyk scored a short-handed goal and Jonathan Bernier made 41 saves to help the Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Calgary, Alberta.

• Selanne sidelined: Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne could be out two weeks for oral surgery after losing several teeth to a high stick.

Nadal, Federer advance at Paris

Tennis: Top-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the third round of the Paris Masters and Roger Federer qualified for the ATP Finals for a 12th straight year.

Nadal beat Marcel Granollers 7-5, 7-5 and Federer topped Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-4.

Defending champion David Ferrer, Juan Martin del Potro and Stanislas Wawrinka also moved into the third round.

• Hingis questioned about assault: Martina Hingis has been questioned by Swiss police after her estranged husband said he was attacked by the five-time Grand Slam champion and her family.

Hingis, her mother Melanie Molitor and her mother’s boyfriend Mario Widmer were interviewed. French equestrian athlete Thibault Hutin said he was attacked on Sept. 23 at his home. Hutin claimed Hingis and Molitor hit him, and Widmer struck him with a DVD player.

FAU’s Pelini resigns over drug use

Miscellany: Florida Atlantic football coach Carl Pelini resigned after acknow- ledging to school officials that he used illegal drugs.

Defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis at the Boca Raton, Fla., school also resigned after a meeting with A.D. Patrick Chun, who says school officials received word about the matter earlier this week.

• Summitt released: Former Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt has been released from a Knoxville hospital after completing what her foundation described as “a round of routine tests.”

• Watson promoted: Mark Watson has been named head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes after serving as the interim coach since June.