In brief: Cavs begin new era by beating Celts

NBA: LeBron James’ former team has already done something his new, super team in sunny Miami couldn’t – beat Boston.

Playing their first game in seven years without James, the Cleveland Cavaliers stunned the visiting Celtics 95-87 in their season opener Wednesday night, a win that at least for one night gave local fans reason to believe that life will be OK minus the two-time MVP.

J.J. Hickson scored 21 points, Daniel Gibson added 16 – all in the second half – and the Cavaliers made several big, clutch plays to hold off the Celtics, who defeated James and the Miami Heat on Tuesday night.

Rajon Rondo scored 18, Paul Pierce 13, Ray Allen 12 and Kevin Garnett had 15 rebounds for Boston, which led by 11 points in the third quarter but was outscored 27-14 in the fourth.

• That’s one for Big Three: Meanwhile, James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh earned their first win with Miami, and the Big Three got help from some big 3s in the Heat’s 97-87 victory over the host Philadelphia 76ers.

Playing with purpose, the three looked as if they still need some games to get used to playing with each other. Only Wade, with 30 points, looked particularly sharp against the Sixers. The Heat hit three straight 3-pointers in the third quarter to bust open an eight-point halftime lead.

James scored 16 points and Bosh had 15.

• Blazers move to 2-0: Brandon Roy totaled 22 points and nine rebounds as the Portland Trail Blazers improved to 2-0 with a 98-88 win against the host Clippers at Los Angeles.

• Nets reward new owner: Anthony Morrow hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 26 seconds to play and the New Jersey Nets gave Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov a win in his first game as their owner with a 101-98 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Newark, N.J.

• Arenas will miss start of season: Gilbert Arenas will miss at least the first two regular-season games for the Washington Wizards with a strained tendon in his right ankle.

• NBA moves draft to Newark: The NBA will hold its 2011 draft in Newark, N.J., while Madison Square Garden undergoes renovations.

Commissioner David Stern said the event might keep moving around even after the work on the Garden is completed.

St. Louis sparks Lightning past Pens

NHL: Martin St. Louis scored the tiebreaking goal early in the third and added a late empty-netter to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 at Tampa, Fla.

• League, officials approve deal: The new labor agreement between the NHL and the league’s officials is in effect.

The league’s board of governors and the NHL Officials’ Association ratified the four-year pact that was agreed to Oct. 4. The deal will run through the 2013-14 season.

• Blues lose Polak: St. Louis Blues defenseman Roman Polak will have surgery on a severed tendon in his right wrist and will be sidelined indefinitely.

Horse racing: Zenyatta will put her 19-0 record on the line when she defends her title in the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic, going against the boys for the second consecutive year.

A record total of 184 horses, including 26 from overseas, were pre-entered for the $26 million, 14-race Breeders’ Cup world championships at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on Nov. 5-6.

Zenyatta was pre-entered in the Classic, along with 13 others, including Preakness winner Lookin At Lucky.

Wozniacki’s top ranking up for grabs

Miscellany: Sam Stosur upset Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-3 at the WTA Championships in Doha, Qatar, keeping alive the race for the top tennis ranking for at least one more day. Wozniacki, who won her opening match Tuesday against Elena Dementieva, would have secured the top ranking for 2010 with a victory.

• Notre Dame student dies in tower mishap: A Notre Dame student died after a tower used to tape football practice toppled over.

Declan Sullivan, a 20-year-old junior from Long Grove, Ill., was transported from the LaBar practice complex to a South Bend hospital, where he died.

• Former Rice athlete tackles NCAA: A former Rice University football player is suing the NCAA over its policy to limit athletic scholarships to one-year, renewable awards.

Joseph Agnew played two seasons for the private Houston school before coaches told him in 2007 his scholarship would not be renewed.