James Scores 21 in Defeat

The NBA’s future was showcased Thursday night, and 20-year-old Amare Stoudemire and the Phoenix Suns came away with a 95-86 victory over 18-year-old LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Phoenix.

Stoudemire, last year’s rookie of the year, scored 23 points -- including a pair of three-point plays in a 10-3 fourth-quarter run -- and grabbed eight rebounds.

James, with an array of soaring dunks, hanging bank shots, leaping rebounds and slick passes, flirted with a triple-double with 21 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, but had seven turnovers.

The teenage sensation had only one turnover in 42 minutes in his 25-point NBA debut in Sacramento on Wednesday night.

Stephon Marbury scored 24 for the Suns, including a 25-foot three-pointer as the shot clock expired to give the Suns an 89-82 lead with 3:46 remaining. Cleveland never was closer than five points thereafter.

Stoudemire’s steal and three-point play put Phoenix up, 79-75, with 8:22 to play, then he capped the run with another three-point play with 6:40 remaining.

Ricky Davis scored 22 points for the Cavaliers on nine-of-23 shooting. Carlos Boozer had 11 points and 15 rebounds.

Shawn Marion had 15 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix.

Houston 102, Denver 85 -- Cuttino Mobley scored 21 points as the Rockets never trailed in the first game played at Toyota Center, their new downtown arena at Houston.

A sellout crowd of 18,189 was on hand as the Coach Jeff Van Gundy era started with a runaway victory.

Leading 48-42 at halftime, the Rockets started the third quarter with a 13-5 run that made it 61-47 with 7:28 left in the period, their biggest lead of the game to that point.

Steve Francis capped the run with a long pass to Mobley for a fast-break dunk for the Rockets, who led, 72-60, at the end of the third quarter.

The Nuggets beat defending champion San Antonio in their season opener Wednesday but they couldn’t keep pace with the Rockets, who had all five starters plus sixth man Maurice Taylor in double figures.

Yao Ming scored 17 points in 20 minutes and finished the game with five fouls. Francis finished with 17 points and Kelvin Cato, Jim Jackson and Taylor each scored 10 points.

Andre Miller led the Nuggets with 19 points and rookie Carmelo Anthony added 18, shooting four of 15 from the field.

The opener took place without Rocket forward Eddie Griffin, indefinitely suspended after missing several workouts and a team flight.

Taylor played in his first game after sitting out the exhibition season because of a dislocated shoulder.

New Orleans 100, Orlando 98 -- George Lynch scored on a fast-break layup with 36 seconds left as the Hornets ruined the Magic’s home opener at Orlando, Fla.

Orlando’s Tracy McGrady scored 33 points, but Jamaal Magloire blocked his potential tying layin with 3.9 seconds to go. McGrady also had seven rebounds and six assists. Drew Gooden added 16 points and 11 rebounds.

New Orleans took advantage of its size in the third quarter, denying second-chance shots and getting Orlando’s big men in trouble, to build a 10-point lead.

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Philadelphia 76er All-Star Allen Iverson strained his left shoulder in practice.

The guard collided with a teammate during a five-on-five drill and left practice with an ice pack on his shoulder and his left arm bandaged. He was listed as day-to-day, pending the results of an MRI test.