Kidd suffers defeat as Paul steals show

NEW ORLEANS – Perhaps Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets don’t need any blockbuster trades to keep pace with their Western Conference rivals.

Paul had 31 points, 11 assists and a career-high nine steals, spoiling Jason Kidd’s debut with Dallas and lifting the New Orleans Hornets to a 104-93 victory over the Mavericks on Wednesday night.

“We were excited that we would be their first game [with Kidd],” Paul said. “We knew it was going to take some time for them to get used to playing with those guys and we took full advantage of it.”

Kidd, acquired Tuesday from New Jersey, committed six turnovers.

“He made some great passes and some of the time guys weren’t looking for the ball,” Dallas Coach Avery Johnson said. “This is kind of like a mini-training camp. We just don’t have a lot of time. But at the same time, we need every practice and every game for everybody to get on the same page and everybody to get used to playing with Kidd.”

Kidd finished with eight points and five assists.

“I caused a couple of breakdowns,” Kidd said. “We can build on this… . I have some bad habits. I just have to make some adjustments and look at the game. I just need to keep getting the feel of everybody and go to practice tomorrow.”

Around the league

Minneapolis police are investigating a nightclub incident involving New Jersey Nets forward Richard Jefferson in which Jefferson allegedly put his hands on a man’s neck until the man lost consciousness after the man asked the player to leave a party that he was hosting at a hotel before dawn on Jan. 27… . Devin Harris, acquired from Dallas in the Kidd trade, said an ankle injury that has sidelined him for three weeks could delay his New Jersey Nets debut for two more weeks… . Philadelphia 76ers Coach Maurice Cheeks had his contract extended one year through the 2008-09 season.