Hornets’ Davis Hurting

New Orleans guard Baron Davis is questionable for the Hornets’ playoff game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night because of a left knee injury.

Davis didn’t practice on Monday, and doesn’t plan to practice today. Results of an MRI on Monday were negative.

“Right now it’s still sore,” Davis said. “I hope it’s rested, and some of the swelling and inflammation will go down by Wednesday.”

Davis missed 20 games after having surgery to repair torn cartilage in his knee on Jan. 28. He returned March 11, and played 14 of the final 18 games.

Davis had 10 points, six assists and committed six turnovers in Sunday’s 98-90 series-opening loss to Philadelphia.

Though he was in foul trouble and appeared bothered by the knee, Davis played 37 minutes.

“I feel like I can contribute,” Davis said. “As far as minutes, I don’t know how many I can play. I feel if I can give five good minutes at a time, or 10 good minutes at a time and the knee stops stiffening up, I can give as much as I can.”

The Hornets were 19-13 without him this season, including an eight-game winning streak. If Davis can’t play, Kenny Anderson likely will take his spot.

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The Utah Jazz suspended guard DeShawn Stevenson on Monday, hours before their playoff game against the Sacramento Kings, for getting into an argument with Coach Jerry Sloan at practice.

Stevenson was sent back to Salt Lake City for conduct detrimental to the team, the Jazz announced in a brief press release. A team spokesman said the Jazz will decide the length of the suspension after meeting with Stevenson later in the week. Stevenson declined to comment when contacted at his home in Sandy, Utah.

Sloan also didn’t want to talk about the incident before Monday’s game, but Stevenson’s teammates said the two argued during a Sunday practice.

“It can happen, but the coach is the coach,” forward Andrei Kirilenko said. “Mentally, he disappointed us. We need to be a team, like a fist.”

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Center David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs is the 2003 recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award presented annually by the Professional Basketball Writers Assn.

The award honors an NBA player or coach for outstanding community service and commitment to serve and give of his time outside the arena.