Los Angeles - Through the first 12 games, the San Antonio Spurs missed their leading scorer Manu Ginobili, but the Argentine star hardly missed a beat once he returned to action.

George Hill scored 20 points and Roger Mason added 18 with five three-pointers as the visiting Spurs welcomed back Ginobili with a 94-81 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.

Ginobili had not played this season while recovering from off- season surgery on his left ankle. However, the energetic All-Star guard scored 12 points in just over 11 minutes in his season debut.

Washington  - Matching their worst start in franchise history, the Washington Wizards fired head coach Eddie Jordan on Monday and replaced him with team director of player development Ed Tapscott on an interim basis.

The Wizards compiled a 197-224 record during Jordan's five-plus years, including playoff appearances in the last four seasons.

Los Angeles - Randy Wittman hasn't had much to smile about this season, but the Minnesota Timberwolves coach beamed a rare happy face after Sunday's game.

Randy Foye had 23 points and a career-high 14 assists as the Timberwolves spanked the Detroit Pistons 106-80 for their first road victory of the season.

Minnesota entered the game with a 2-9 record, including 0-5 away from home, before dominating one of the Eastern Conference powerhouses with ease.

Los Angeles  - Trying to guard Chinese superstar Yao Ming, Dwight Howard thought he was in a fairy tale.

The 7-6 Yao racked up 22 points and 13 rebounds while Howard was saddled with foul trouble Saturday night as the Houston Rockets held on for a 100-95 victory over the host Orlando Magic, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.

"It's like a big beanstalk," Howard said. "You've got to chop ... just kidding."

Los Angeles  - P J Carlesimo's stay in Oklahoma City was shorter than his stay in Seattle.

Carlesimo, the coach of the relocated Oklahoma City Thunder, was fired Saturday after a league-worst 1-12 start, the team announced.

Assistant Scott Brooks was named interim coach and will guide the Thunder in Saturday night's game at New Orleans. Oklahoma City has lost 10 straight games by an average of 14 points.

Carlesimo was hired prior to the start of the 2007-08 season, when the team was known at the Seattle SuperSonics. With teenage rookie Kevin Durant as the centerpiece, the SuperSonics went 20-62 before moving to Oklahoma City this summer.