NEW ORLEANS — Thanks to dramatically improved defense, the unbeaten New Orleans Hornets are a totally different team from last season. So are the Portland Trail Blazers, with All-Star guard Brandon Roy rendered ineffective by a chronically sore left knee.

David West and Marco Belinelli each scored 18 points Saturday night and the Hornets improved to 8-0, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 107-87.

The Hornets have held all of their opponents this season under 100 points. This was the third straight time New Orleans allowed fewer than 90 points.

New coach Monty Williams, a Portland assistant the previous five years, has done an immediate makeover of what was one of the NBA’s worst defensive teams last season.

“Defense is where we want to make our staple,” West said. “We are really drilling and really working and doing what we have to do in terms of preparation. We’ve been able to execute the game plan defensively from start to finish.”

Chris Paul added 11 points and 13 assists for the Hornets. Center Emeka Okafor had a double-double before the end of the third quarter, finishing with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Roy limped to the locker room with 6:43 left in the third quarter. He missed his first six shots and did not score until the third period, shortly before exiting for good.

Roy said earlier this week he would not opt for surgery and would play through the pain, but he could not finish against the Hornets.

“He told me his knee was sore, and he needed to be pulled,” Portland coach Nate McMillan said. “He’ll be evaluated here and we’ll wait and see what happens.”

Portland cut a 17-point deficit to 75-70 early in the fourth quarter, but New Orleans responded with a 16-5 run to put the game away.

Nicolas Batum led the Trail Blazers with 16 points, all in the second half. Andre Miller scored 12 of his 14 in the first half.

New Orleans was in control almost all the way, placing seven scorers in double figures and quickly answering Portland’s surge spanning the end of the third quarter and the start of the fourth.

Hornets reserve Willie Green, averaging 7.3 points through seven games, almost matched that output in two minutes after Portland pulled within 75-70. He converted a drive into a three-point play, hit a layup off a turnover and made an outside jumper to give the Hornets an 84-73 lead.

“I just wanted to attack,” Green said. “I just have to stay ready and be aggressive. I never know when I’m going to get in or what situation we’re going to be in when I get in the game.”

West and Peja Stojakovic took over from there. Stojakovic hit a three-pointer between two inside baskets from West.

Belinelli sealed the victory with two three-pointers after Portland climbed with 91-81 on a three by Batum.

Also on Saturday:

Jazz 96

Bobcats 95

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Deron Williams hit a running hook shot with 0.8 seconds left to cap a fourth-quarter rally and Utah beat Charlotte. Williams finished with 17 points and nine assists for the Jazz.

Heat 109

Raptors 90

MIAMI — Dwyane Wade scored 31 points, LeBron James added 23 points and 11 assists and the Miami Heat snapped a two-game slide with a win over the Raptors in Chris Bosh’s first game against his former club. Bucks 79

Warriors 72

MILWAUKEE — John Salmons scored a season-high 26 points, including a basket with 50.8 seconds left to lead the Bucks to a win over the Warriors. Brandon Jennings added 19 points and Drew Gooden scored 16.

Bulls 103

Wizards 96

CHICAGO — Derrick Rose scored 15 of his 24 points in the second half, outplaying John Wall and leading the Bulls to a victory over the weary Wizards. Joakim Noah had 21 points and nine rebounds for Chicago.

Pacers 99

Cavaliers 85

CLEVELAND — Danny Granger scored 34 points and the Pacers pulled away in the second half to defeat the short-handed Cavaliers. Cleveland lost its fourth straight home game for the first time since March 2003.

Magic 91

Nets 90

NEWARK, N.J. — Jameer Nelson made the go-ahead basket with 4.1 seconds left, and the Magic avoided a third straight loss by beating the Nets. Dwight Howard had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic.

Celtics 116

Grizzlies 110

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ray Allen hit a key three-point shot in overtime and Paul Pierce scored 28 points as the Celtics held off a furious rally by the Grizzlies. Rudy Gay’s short pull-up jump shot for Memphis with 7.3 seconds left in regulation tied it at 99..

Spurs 116

76ers 93

SAN ANTONIO — Tony Parker scored 24 points and capped a big surge in the first quarter that sent San Antonio past Philadelphia for its sixth win in a row. Manu Ginobili added 18 points for the Spurs.