NBA briefs

Rivers returns to TV as ABC color analyst

New York — Fired Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers has joined ABC Sports as an analyst on its top NBA announcing team.

Rivers will work with Al Michaels on a select number of regular-season and playoff games, as well as the NBA Finals. He will also work games with play-by-play man Brad Nessler. Rivers’ and Michaels’ first game will be Christmas Day when Houston plays at the Los Angeles Lakers.

After entering the season as the longest-tenured coach in the Eastern Conference, Rivers lost his job this week after the Magic fell to an NBA-worst 1-10. He was replaced by assistant Johnny Davis.

In four-plus seasons with Orlando, Rivers had a record of 171-168. He won Coach of the Year honors in his first season for leading a team with four undrafted starters to 41 wins.

Rivers was a TV analyst for Turner Sports before joining Orlando.

Rockets’ Griffin charged with assaulting woman

Houston — Suspended Rockets forward Eddie Griffin was charged for fighting with a woman who says he beat her and fired a gun in her direction.

Griffin faces one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of assault with bodily injury, Houston police spokesman John Cannon said Thursday.

Joann Romero accused Griffin of hitting her three times in the face and shooting at her as she drove away from his home in a gated community in southwest Houston Oct. 25.

Rusty Hardin, Griffin’s attorney, was in court Thursday and did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press.

The Rockets suspended Griffin Oct. 16 for missing a series of practices and skipping a team flight.