OKLAHOMA CITY — The losses kept piling up for P.J. Carlesimo, and it didn’t matter which city his team called home.

With the relocated Oklahoma City Thunder off to an NBA-worst 1-12 start, Carlesimo was fired as coach Saturday and replaced on an interim basis by assistant Scott Brooks.

“This was a very difficult decision to make,” general manager Sam Presti said in a statement. “It is one that I felt was necessary at this time. I am very appreciative of the hard work and effort that P.J. gave to this team, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

The firing — the first of an NBA coach this season — followed a 105-80 defeat to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night for the Thunder’s 10th straight loss. Brooks was to make his debut last night in a rematch with the Hornets in New Orleans.

Pro Basketball

Milwaukee Bucks’ leading scorer Michael Redd could be out another week as he continues a slow recovery from a right ankle injury. Redd was averaging 21.3 points in four games before the injury.

? Toronto Raptors forward Jermaine O’Neal did not practice yesterday and was listed as day-to-day after straining his surgically repaired left knee against New Jersey on Friday night.

Boxing

Former world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis would be tempted out of retirement by the lure of a $100 million payday as well as his desire to “save the sport,” he told a British newspaper today. Lewis retired from the ring in 2003 after beating Vitali Klitschko, but the 43-year-old said he could be ready for a title fight after six months of training.

? In Rostock, Germany, Hugo Hernan Garay (32-3) of Argentina defended his WBA light heavyweight crown with a unanimous decision over Juergen Braehmer (31-2).

Pro football

The Tennessee Titans bolstered their injury-depleted secondary, signing veteran cornerback Tyrone Poole and promoting Tuff Harris from their practice squad a day before hosting Brett Favre and the New York Jets.

? The Denver Broncos waived running back Alex Haynes and elevated rookie safety Josh Barrett from their practice squad.

? The Chicago Bears placed veteran offensive tackle Fred Miller on injured reserve and elevated receiver Brandon Rideau from the practice squad.

Golf

Paula Creamer will have a chance to be the first American to win the LPGA Tour’s season money crown in 15 years today, when she’s one of eight remaining competitors at the ADT Championship at Trump International. All will start tied at par when they embark on an 18-hole shootout for the $1 million winner’s prize. Suzann Pettersen put together the best round yesterday with a 4-under-par 68, shaking off a triple-bogey at the par-4 fourth with almost flawless golf the rest of the way.

? Oliver Wilson made six birdies and held off a charge from Bernhard Langer to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Hong Kong Open.

Horse racing

Wishful Tomcat led all the way yesterday, beating That’srightofficer by 13/4 lengths in the $110,100 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct in New York.

Soccer

The United States will open the final round of regional qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup at home against Mexico and finish its run against Costa Rica. The other three teams in CONCACAF’S qualifying tournament, played between February and October, are El Salvador, Honduras and Trinidad and Tobago. The top three advance to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and the No. 4 team meets South America’s fifth-place nation in a home-and-home playoff for another berth.

Tennis

In Mar del Plata, Argentina, Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco won their doubles match to give Spain a 2-1 lead in the Davis Cup final. Lopez and Verdasco defeated David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-3, boosting Spain’s hopes of winning the best-of-five championship on the road despite the absence of an ailing Rafael Nadal.

Off the field

Tennis great Jimmy Connors was arrested outside the campus arena where UC Santa Barbara and top-ranked North Carolina were playing a Basketball game. The eight-time Grand Slam champion was taken into custody Friday night after refusing to comply with an order to leave an area near the entrance of the Thunderdome following a confrontation, police Sgt. Dan Massey said in a statement. Connors could not immediately be reached for comment early yesterday.

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