The suspension of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl for making improper contact with a prospect was reduced yesterday to two games. The NBA originally suspended Karl for the first three games of the season.

The Nuggets were fined $200,000 by the NBA, which said the violation occurred from May 16-18 when Karl attended workouts at Marquette University involving a player not eligible for the draft.

The NBA did not identify the player.

Karl, a Penn Hills native, will miss the season opener Nov. 1 at San Antonio and the home opener against the Los Angeles Lakers the next night.

More pro basketball

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett didn't have structural damage to his sprained left ankle, X-rays showed. Garnett sprained his ankle in practice Monday when he landed on Mark Madsen's foot.

Russ Granik will leave his job as NBA deputy commissioner after this year to become a senior adviser to David Stern. Granik will remain the league's main representative to USA Basketball and board chairman of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Auto racing

Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, had some damage from the strong winds of Hurricane Wilma, but the season-ending NASCAR Ford 400 Nov. 20, will go on as scheduled, the track president said.

There was no structural damage to the racing surface. Speedway president Curtis Gray said he was still waiting for a damage estimate.

Skating

Michelle Kwan has withdrawn from the Cup of China, her last chance to skate in the Grand Prix series before the 2006 Olympics. She has been out for two weeks with a strained ligament in her right hip.

College basketball

Defense lawyers for two former La Salle University basketball players charged with simultaneously raping a woman said she may have regretted the sex act, but they insisted she was not raped. Gary Neal, of Baltimore, and Michael Cleaves, of Paterson, N.J., went on trial on charges of raping a visiting University of New Haven player as she vomited in a sink after drinking eight shots of high-proof alcohol.

The time for the Pitt-Duquesne game Dec. 7 has changed from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and will be televised by FSN Pittsburgh.

St. Bonaventure starting point guard Tyler Relph is out indefinitely after having surgery to remove bone spurs in his left ankle. Tests also revealed that Relph has a stress fracture in his left foot.

Soccer

Kansas City Wizards teammates Jimmy Conrad and Chris Klein won Major League Soccer season awards. Conrad was selected as the MLS Defender of the Year and Klein was chosen Comeback Player of the Year. Real Salt Lake midfielder Brian Kamler was recognized as the U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year and veteran referee Brian Hall was voted the Referee of the Year.