g drugs. He also is being investigated by the league for a misdemeanor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento Kings waited a long time to kick off a new era of basketball, especially considering the franchises recent fortunes.Symbolically, they will step into the future Thursday when they open their shiny new arena.The San Antonio Spurs may find that to be the perfect backdrop as the continue into their new era of basketball, one that kicked off in a way reminiscent of the old one.Sacramentos new pad, the $557 million, 17,500-seat Golden 1 Center in the citys downtown area, will become the franchises ninth home. It will be the Kings third arena since moving to Sacramento in 1985.The Kings simply hope they can win there. Sacramento finished 18-23 in its final season at Sleep Train Arena and hasnt been above .500 at home in a season since the 2007-08 campaign.A win against San Antonio would add to the good feelings the Kings stirred up in a 113-94, opening-night win at Phoenix on Tuesday. Center DeMarcus Cousins scored 24 points, and forward Rudy Gay scored 22 with four blocked shots as a Kings team that allowed an NBA-worst 109.1 points per game a season ago held the Suns to only 38 in the first half.A victory for Sacramento on Thursday also would be the punctuation to a night of celebration that is supposed to mark a new path after 10 seasons of turmoil without a playoff appearance.The first thing weve got to do is learn how to compete, and the second thing then is to learn how to win, Sacramento coach Dave Joerger told the Sacramento Bee. Were not a young group, so if we can get through stage one quickly, then we can get to stage two.The Spurs should feel right at home against a rowdy crowd. San Antonio laid a 129-100 beating upon the two-time Western Conference champion Warriors on Tuesday in Oakland, Calif., spoiling forward Kevin Durants debut with Golden State and taking the air out of an arena overflowing with enthusiasm.San Antonio also showed that life without Tim Duncan might be just as full of winning as it was with him. The Spurs are playing without Duncan as a regular part of their lineup for the first time since the end of the 1996-97 season. The Hall of Fame-bound center retired in June after a 19-season career during which San Antonio won five championships and never won fewer than 50 games in a full regular season.With Duncan, the Spurs won 13 times in their past 14 visits to Sacramento.Without Duncan, San Antonio hardly missed a beat in its opener. The Spurs didnt need him on the glass, outrebounding Golden State 55-35. They also seemed to have no issues finding replacements, running up a 54-16 advantage with their reserves. Guard Jonathon Simmons turned in a 20-point effort.Guard Kawhi Leonard supplied the scoring with a 35-point night that included 15-for-15 shooting from the free-throw line. Only Duncan (twice), guard George Gervin and center David Robinson ever scored that many on a perfect night at the line for the Spurs, according to the San Antonio Express-News.If there was an outcome I wasnt expecting, it was this one, San Antonios Manu Ginobili said after the game. A 29-point lead against a team like them? I truly didnt expect it.Optimism from a new arena aside, the Kings arent sure what to expect during the seasons early days. They jumped to a 19-point halftime lead against the Suns and looked dynamic at times. However, the contest was the first of 11 in the seasons first 17 days, eight of which they will play with only one true point guard (Ty Lawson) wile fellow point guard Darren Collison serves an eight-game suspension after pleading guilty to domestic abuse.Lawson played 36 minutes against Phoenix and finished with nine points, seven assists and six rebounds. Jose Urquidy Jersey . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. Francis Martes Astros Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. https://www.cheapastros.com/ . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Roger Clemens Astros Jersey .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. Yordan Alvarez Jersey . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. The Cleveland Browns released linebacker Armonty Bryant on Monday, the day he was due to rejoin the team after a four-game suspension.Bryant had been suspended for violating the NFLs policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He also is being investigated by the league for a misdemeanor drug conviction stemming from a Christmas Eve arrest where Adderall and Oxycodone were found in a car in which Bryant was a passenger.In July, Bryant pled guilty to a misdemeanor after originally being charged with a felony. He was sentenced to a $1,000 fine, a 180-day suspended jail sentence and 68 days of probation. The move with Bryant came one day after Jackson vowed the Browns were going to do things right.Im trying to lay a right foundation for our organization and Im nnot going to put up with foolishness with any of our players, Jackson said after the 31-20 loss to Washington.dddddddddddd We are going to do things right, and thats whats important.Guard Alvin Bailey did not play against Washington. He had been arrested for operating a vehicle impaired and misdemeanor drug charges early in the morning after the team lost in Miami.The Browns last week also made it clear they are moving on from receiver Josh Gordon. In the offseason, they had stated they were weary of Johnny Manziels off-field incidents and eventually released him.When people step out of line, Jackson said, theres consequences. ' ' '