HoopsHype.com Rumors

Sam Amick: The hole in the visitor locker room wall, courtesy of Denver's Kenneth Faried. http://twitpic.com/cmrju2 Twitter

Denver Nuggets, Kenneth Faried 

Sam Amick: Asked if he kicked it with his ailing left foot (ankle injury), a frustrated Faried said, "I don't know. I just kicked it." Twitter @sam_amick

Denver Nuggets, Kenneth Faried 

Karl, the grand poobah of sharing the basketball, made an unusual request before his team's 86th — and most crucial — game of the NBA season: He approached Iguodala and asked him to get a little selfish. Take control. Shoot early. And more often. Karl told Iguodala to demand the ball. "I think I said those exact words to him," said Karl, revealing his pregame request for Iguodala to be the hero. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Andre Iguodala 

Karl was a pesky guard for the Spurs back in the 1970s. He was asked before Sunday's game about Bogut, who had taunted Nuggets center JaVale McGee in Game 3 to punch him in the face. "I was once sent into the game to instigate a guy to punch me in the face," Karl said. "Brian Taylor, he punched me, I punched him, and it was a 16-minute fight. Well, Brian Taylor hit me first, I hit him from behind and then it was going on all over the place. I was sent into the game to hold, grab and wrestle — things that Bogut does really well." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Javale McGee 

Scott Howard-Cooper: George Karl clearly concerned about Nuggets' confidence. Never expected to hear that. This is a team that has handled doubt for years. Twitter @SHowardCooper

Denver Nuggets, George Karl 

Faried hasn't returned to full health since suffering a sprained ankle April 14 during a game against Portland, and because of it, he has struggled in the playoff series against Golden State. Even when his numbers have been good, he has felt bad. "It's extremely frustrating," Faried said Sunday. "Especially when it's taking away my most powerful weapon — my legs. I've just got to fight through it and hopefully I'll be all right." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Injuries, Kenneth Faried 

Nuggets center JaVale McGee promises not to let Golden State's 7-foot bruiser, Andrew Bogut, get to him. The two had a dust-up in Game 3, which resulted in a technical foul for Bogut, during which McGee said Bogut tried to provoke him: "He told me to punch him in the chin. That was idiotic. I'm never going to tell someone to punch me in the chin." This series has been an exercise in patience for McGee — and most of the other bigs on the Nuggets' roster. The minute Golden State's David Lee was injured, the complexion of the series changed from one the entire team could love to one where small ball is severely cutting into the time of Nuggets' post players. So McGee's time on the court at the same time as Bogut's, which was endangered because Bogut starts and McGee comes in as a reserve, is even shorter. Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Javale McGee, Andrew Bogut 

But should Bogut try any more funny stuff, McGee said he's ready — and won't take the bait. "He was trying to get me to do something to where I get kicked out," McGee said. "Because I'm very effective just being out there, not even doing anything. If you really watch the tape, when I'm in there he's closer to me and less effective on blocking shots because he's worried about me getting an alley-oop or getting a rebound. When I'm out, it's totally different. He's going after everything." Denver Post

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Javale McGee, Andrew Bogut 

JaVale McGee refused to comply with the unusual request. Locked in an a tight playoff game, the Denver Nuggets center found himself face-to-face with Andrew Bogut, who pointed to his chin and shouted over the din of the sellout crowd at Oracle Arena. “He told me to punch him in the chin,” McGee said. “I don’t know why you’d want somebody to punch you in your chin.” NBA.com

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Javale McGee, Andrew Bogut 

“I'm not going out there to hurt anybody or be cheap or anything,” Bogut told reporters Saturday. “I'm just playing physical like they are. If someone steps up and wants to get into it, I've got no problem with that. It’s nothing personal. They’re physical. Kenneth Faried runs around and hits people. We just have to match their intensity. If it gets personal during games and guys want to have a crack at you, that’s playoff basketball. I’m not sitting here saying I hate McGee or I hate Faried. But if they want to be physical, we’re going to be physical back. We’re not going to take a step backward.” NBA.com

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Javale McGee, Andrew Bogut, Kenneth Faried 

In the final seconds, as the arena DJ played Eminem's "Lose Yourself," the crowd, on its feet, nearly lost its collective mind. And when a last-gasp shot by Denver's Andre Iguodala glanced off the rim at the buzzer, the party was on. The victory chorus: Waaarrr-iors, Waaarrr-iors, Waaarrr-iors. "It was unbelievable," CEO Joe Lacob said through a mile-wide smile. "This crowd was just an incredible advantage for us. And we needed them tonight." San Jose Mercury-News

Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Andre Iguodala, Joe Lacob 

Simone Pianigiani, coach of the Italian National Team, lost Danilo Gallinari due to a torn ACL, will likely have Andrea Bargnani in Slovenia for Eurobasket 2013. Il Mago missed the second part of the NBA season due to an elbow injury but from May Bargnani will be in Rome to workout. "Andrea Bargnani will land in Rome in May and he will work with the physical trainer Cuzzolin. Datome? He will be in Slovenia. Belinelli? He cares of the Italian National Team. But in July we will decide he is going to play Eurobasket" said Pianigiani in a press conference. Sportando

Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Danilo Gallinari, Italy, Andrea Bargnani 

Steve Kyler: What you want to do and what you can do are often two entirely different an unrelated things. The Blazers want to add some veteran guys that can defend… to me that is Nikola Peckovic or Javale McGee in terms of possibly obtainable. HoopsWorld

Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Javale McGee, Nikola Pekovic 

Earl felt Karl had it in for Smith during their five seasons together in Denver. “The assistant coaches loved him there but they couldn’t say anything,’’ Earl Smith said. “There was negativity from Day 1. I was at the practice arena just sitting around and George comes by while J.R. is shooting. I heard George say to the assistants, ‘J.R. Smith, I’m going to bust his ass this year.’ ’’ New York Post

Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, JR Smith, Earl Smith 

Scott Howard-Cooper: Karl also said Kenneth Faried, who came off the bench in G2 after returning from ankle injury, likely returns to starting role Friday. Twitter @SHowardCooper

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Injuries, Kenneth Faried 

Davide Chinellato: #Nuggets Danilo Gallinari announced via Facebook he'll undergo surgery on April 29 to repair his torn left ACL #NBA Twitter

Denver Nuggets, Injuries, Danilo Gallinari 

Emiliano Carchia: Danilo Gallinari will undergo knee surgery on April 29. Today he was visited in Vail by Steadman Twitter @SportandoBasket

Denver Nuggets, Injuries, Danilo Gallinari 

Kenneth Faried: I'm up & I'm ready aye.. Playoffs game 2 Feels good to be back & playing for my team its time to #PopandGo #BlueAndYellow #UNLEASHTHEMANIMAL Twitter @KennethFaried35

Denver Nuggets, Injuries, Kenneth Faried 

Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, one of Mike Dunlap’s mentors, was saddened but not particularly surprised Dunlap didn’t get a second season as Charlotte Bobcats head coach. Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching, Mike Dunlap 

Karl said that being fired in a situation like this is mostly a disappointment but also somewhat of a relief. “About 80 percent of Mike Dunlap is sad and despondent because he wants to continue coaching in the league,’’ Karl said. “There will be a piece of him that is relieved. In general, we get paid a lot of money to do a very difficult job. Sometimes it’s not an appropriate or thankful job.’’ Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching, Mike Dunlap