Bodog Beat

The Spurs open another promising season tonight. (AP Images)

Coming off their longest summer break since 2000, the San Antonio Spurs open their season  tonight when they host a New Orleans Hornets team that’s also looking to bounce back from a first-round playoff exit.

NBA basketball betting odds have the Spurs listed as 8.5-point favorites.

Over the summer the Spurs acquired forward Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto. San Antonio also signed veterans Antonio McDyess and Theo Ratliff in the offseason to bolster its frontcourt.

Chris Paul, who finished fifth in last season’s MVP voting, won’t have Tyson Chandler to pass to this season after the Hornets traded the center to Charlotte for Emeka Okafor.

David West scored a career-best 21.0 points per game with 8.5 rebounds in 2008-09. He averaged 23.5 points and 10.5 boards as the Hornets and Spurs split four games last season.

New Orleans has lost three straight and nine of 10 in San Antonio.

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