NBA-National Basketball Association roundup

Dec 30 (The Sports Xchange) - Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James was scratched from the lineup against the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday because of soreness in his left knee. James, who celebrated his 30th birthday, had recurring soreness in his knee dating to an injury that occurred during the Christmas game against Miami. James hurt the knee when he crashed into some seats in the third quarter of the loss to his former team. James is averaging a team-leading 25.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 7.6 assists. He is listed as day-to-day. The Cavs also were without forward Shawn Marion because of a sprained ankle, but point guard Kyrie Irving returned after missing two games with a bruised left knee. Irving entered the game averaging 20.2 points and 5.3 assists. He first injured the leg on Dec. 11 against Oklahoma City but continued to play before he hyperextended the knee during the fourth quarter of the loss to Miami last Thursday. - - - The Miami Heat shipped guard Shabazz Napier to Sioux Falls of the NBA Development League on Tuesday. The former Connecticut standout has played in 25 games for the Heat this season and is averaging 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists. Napier had a string of six consecutive games scoring in double figures in November. - - - The Atlanta Hawks assigned guard John Jenkins to Idaho and forward/center Adreian Payne to Austin of the NBA Development League on Tuesday. Jenkins averaged 19.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in five games this season with Fort Wayne in the D-League. In 11 games for Austin and Fort Wayne this year, Payne, a former Michigan State standout drafted in the first round in June, has averaged 13.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists. (Editing by Andrew Both)