CAVALIERS Coach changes mind on players

Paul Silas wants to send a message that the team comes first.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- Cavaliers coach Paul Silas changed his mind and took guard Ricky Davis to New Orleans for Cleveland's game tonight against the Hornets.
On Monday, Silas banned Davis from two practices and said his third-leading scorer -- as well as forward Michael Stewart -- would not travel with the Cavs for one game.
Silas, though, had an apparent change of heart Tuesday, allowing Stewart to practice and saying that Davis would accompany the team to New Orleans.
"He's going," said Silas, who met with Davis shortly before the team departed Gund Arena. "I just think it's necessary."
It's been a strange two days for the Cavs, who suspended forward Ira Newble for one game following his argument with Silas after Cleveland's loss Saturday in Atlanta.
Raises questions
The club's decision to keep Davis and Stewart away from the team raised more questions than answers after Silas and general manager Jim Paxson refused to say what led to the players being disciplined.
Paxson said Tuesday night that it would be up to Silas whether or not Davis would play in tonight's game. Paxson said Silas had a positive meeting with Davis before the team left for New Orleans.
"Paul felt as if we could move forward," Paxson said. "He wants to change the environment and send the message to all of our players that this has to be about team first."
Silas, who will face the Hornets for the first time since being fired by New Orleans owner George Shinn in May, said Tuesday that he may have reacted too quickly in benching Davis.
"We really didn't get a chance to talk and I have a tendency to do that sometimes," he said.
The friction between Davis and Silas dates to their days together in Charlotte, where the fifth-year guard began his NBA career.
In Cleveland, the two seemed to have worked out their differences as Davis has played well in the first month of the season, averaging 15.3 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.9 assists through 14 games.
Davis, who intentionally missed a shot at his own basket last season in a game against Utah to get a rebound for his first triple-double, has even looked to pass more than in recent years.
But last week, problems surfaced. Silas benched Davis during the fourth quarter of two games. Silas didn't give his reasons, but it's probably because the 6-foot-7 guard was doing too much freelancing on offense and not staying within the club's offensive system.
Stewart, who has only played in two games this season, was surprised to learn Monday that he was being punished. He said it was simply a misunderstanding with Silas.
Resolved
"We talked about it, and it's over," said Stewart, currently on the injured list.
Silas seemed to regret not talking to Stewart before keeping him out of practice Monday, saying it was probably a mistake.
"You make decisions -- sometimes they're good and sometimes they're bad. But you live by them and you go on," he said.
Even if Davis comes back, the Cavaliers, who have lost 29 straight road games, will be short-handed in New Orleans.
Leading rebounder Carlos Boozer has a sprained ankle and is not likely to play until Saturday, and forward Chris Mihm has had lower back spasms the past few days.