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NBA roundup: Orlando fires coach Van Gundy, GM Smith (The SportsXchange)

The Orlando Magic said so long to coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith on Monday.

 

Indiana Pacers Take 2-1 Series Lead Against Miami Heat: Fan Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

The Indiana Pacers put on one of their most impressive performances of the year against the Miami Heat on May 17, taking a 2-1 lead in Eastern Conference semifinals with their 94-75 victory.

 

NBA players set to lead Brazil's Olympic team (The Associated Press)

SAO PAULO (AP) Brazil's men's basketball team will be led by NBA players Nene, Leandro Barbosa, Tiago Splitter and Anderson Varejao when it returns to the Olympics for the first time in 16 years.

 

Lakers-Nuggets Preview (The Associated Press)

DENVER (AP) The Denver Nuggets have crept back into their series with the Los Angeles Lakers by outrunning and outgunning their older opponents.

 

Nuggets counting on altitude, fatigue factor vs LA (The Associated Press)

DENVER (AP) The Denver Nuggets have crept back into their series with the Los Angeles Lakers by outrunning and outgunning their older opponents.

 

JaVale McGee threw away his game ball (VIDEO) (Ball Don't Lie)

Once a laughingstock, Denver Nuggets center JaVale McGee is turning into a capable NBA player right before our eyes. On Tuesday night, he was one of the best players on the floor for the second time in the series in Denver's 102-99 win over the Lakers in Los Angeles . McGee, for his part, had 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. The Nuggets, who once seemed at danger of getting swept, now have the chance to even up the series at home in Thursday's Game 6. [ Marc J. Spears: Andrew Bynum's 'arrogant statement' costs Lakers against Nuggets ] While teammate Andre Miller arguably had a bigger effect on the outcome, McGee was awarded the game ball and earned a postgame interview with TNT's Craig Sager. At the end, as a means of congratulating JaVale, Sager told him to "hold on to that game ball" for a long time. So, naturally, McGee launched it into the crowd right before walking through the tunnel and to the locker room. It's unclear if anyone caught the ball, or if McGee just threw it into an open space. Whatever the case, it was weird. Somehow, though, I think the reaction might have been very different if McGee had done this after a random game during his time with the Washington Wizards. When a player helps win a really important road playoff game, actions like this one showcase his confidence. When that same player does it in a meaningless January contest, it's a sign that he'll never grow up. It's amazing what a little success can do for a guy's reputation. More news from the Yahoo! Sports Minute: Other popular content on Yahoo! Sports: • Former Sonics star Shawn Kemp hits the stage to perform Shakespeare • Video: Could Steve Nash run the New York Knicks' offense next season? • Criticism of the Clippers' flopping extends to Chris Paul, Blake Griffin

 

Andrew Bynum's comments heat up Nuggets (Yahoo! Sports)

Andrew Bynum said closing out an opponent in the playoffs is "kind of easy." The Nuggets chose not to play along.

 

Bruising OT win gives Clippers a 3-1 series lead over Grizzlies (The SportsXchange)

LOS ANGELES -- The story throughout the first-round Western Conference playoff matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers has been the Clippers trying to match the Grizzlies' physicality.

 

Clippers 101, Grizzlies 97 (OT) (The SportsXchange)

LOS ANGELES -- The story throughout the first-round Western Conference playoff matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Clippers has been the Clippers trying to match the Grizzlies' physicality.

 

The 10-man rotation, starring Larry Coon’s collective bargaining agreement FAQ (Ball Don't Lie)

A look around the league and the web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out. C : Larry Coon's CBA FAQ . Larry Coon is an Internet legend. When his first collective bargaining agreement FAQ came out following the last lockout season, it helped a whole generation of us burgeoning NBA scribes figure out the following offseason, and the would-be boffo free-agent class of 2000 that followed a whole heap of teams using questioned-about cap machinations to clear space. This is required reading, re-skimming, bookmarking, what have you. You are not allowed to comment on a website, a message board, a blog, or on talk radio until you've gone over it. And this goes for you, professional scribes and TV talking heads. You don't get to just offer the "I don't know if that's cap-legal" caveat, after discussing a hypothetical deal. Now you know. Thank you, once again, Larry. PF : Hardwood Paroxysm . Curtis Harris on the late Knicks coach Andrew "Fuzzy" Levane. SF : Meloship of the Ring . Amar'e Stoudemire's late-game defense was pretty happenin' on Sunday. SG : Washington Post . John Wall is touring the playoffs with Sam Cassell, learning from the top PGs. PG : Grantland . Jonathan Abrams on the divergent careers of Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, 11 years on.