HoopsHype.com Rumors

Howard Chen: McHale: Delfino still needs more checking out. Will know more tonight. Harden looks a lot better today. #RedNation Twitter @ho_chenCSN

Houston Rockets, Carlos Delfino, James Harden, Injuries 

he list of known candidates for the Charlotte Bobcats head-coaching job is at five and probably growing. Various news sources have identified four current NBA assistants, plus Shelby native Alvin Gentry, who has been a head coach with four NBA teams. The assistants (in alphabetical order): Jeff Hornacek (Utah Jazz), Kelvin Sampson (Houston Rockets), Nate Tibbetts (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Elston Turner (most recently with the Phoenix Suns). Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Bobcats, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson, Alvin Gentry, Jeff Hornacek, Elston Turner, Nate Tibbetts 

Fran Blinebury: Rockets Chandler Parsons: "We’re fully confident that we’re gonna win tomorrow night and that we’re gonna take the series." #ThundervRockets Twitter @franblinebury

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Chandler Parsons 

Jason Friedman: Beverley on handling pressure as rookie: "I've played on a team where I was the James Harden; where there's billboards of me in the city." Twitter @JasonCFriedman

Houston Rockets, Patrick Beverley 

Jason Friedman: McHale says Delfino getting bone spurs, etc. in left foot checked out today. Expecting update on his status going forward later in day. Twitter @JasonCFriedman

Houston Rockets, Carlos Delfino, Injuries 

Royce White may not be with the Houston Rockets for the playoffs. However, that didn't stop him from taking a few jabs at the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kevin Durant. After the Rockets staved off elimination for a second straight game with Wednesday's 107-100 win in Game 5, White tweeted his confidence at the Thunder and Durant: "And... that's why you play the games. That @okcthunder team just looked shook. They're looking shaky baby." White followed with another tweet to Durant. "@KDTrey5... Y'all are looking SHAAAKYY BAAABYY." ESPN.com

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Royce White 

Gery Woelfel: Bobcats could save moving expenses by hiring Kelvin Sampson, who already has a home in Charlotte. Twitter @GeryWoelfel

Charlotte Bobcats, Houston Rockets, Injuries, Kelvin Sampson 

Harden made the first seven 3s he tried and Houston led by as many as 16 to win its second straight, getting halfway to becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome an 0-3 series deficit. "I just tried to go out there and give it all I had," said Harden, adding that he slept all day. "It was a win or go home, so I got some shots to fall and I just tried to not think about it." Oklahoman

Houston Rockets, James Harden 

Houston rookie Royce White, who has yet to make his NBA debut after spending months engaged in a dispute with management over the treatment of his mental health, took a jab at Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant on Twitter Wednesday night. “Y’all are looking SHAAAKYY BAAABYY,” White wrote to Durant. SI.com

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Kevin Durant, Royce White 

Those messages prompted a number of replies to White suggesting that his comments lacked substance given that he has isn’t currently playing for the Rockets. White laughed off that line of and defended his right to speak his mind. “It’s ALOT of tough B-BALL fans on [Twitter],” he wrote. “I’m a spectator right now, I’ll say whatever the f— I want. Swing when you see me. … Do [people] ACTUALLY think if they tweet enough I’m going to change? ‘Never change when you’re winning.’ Say what I want… Freedom of speech.” SI.com

Houston Rockets, Royce White 

Royce Young: Brooks on sticking with Hack-a-Asik: "If we hit maybe one more shot, we would've gotten out of it." Twitter @dailythunder

Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Omer Asik, Scott Brooks 

The Bucks will interview Van Gundy and Sampson, the Rockets' top assistant, for the job vacated Wednesday when interim coach Jim Boylan was let go, league sources said. It is also believed that Lakers assistant Steve Clifford -- a Van Gundy assistant in Orlando (under Stan) and Houston (under Jeff) -- will be under consideration. CBSSports.com

Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Coaching, Stan Van Gundy, Kelvin Sampson 

The Pistons are pursuing Sampson and McMillan, the former Trail Blazers coach, sources said. Team president Joe Dumars has long admired McMillan, and owner Tom Gores is taking a leading role in the search. "He's looking to put his stamp on this one," a person familiar with Gores' approach said. CBSSports.com

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Coaching, Nate McMillan, Kelvin Sampson 

Andre Drummond: Congrats to my boy @Damian Lillard on getting rookie of the year! Great season bro! instagram.com/p/Yyfx2oyMY8/ Twitter @DRE_DRUMMOND_

Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Andre Drummond, Damian Lillard 

Mark Berman: Rockets trainer Keith Jones says James Harden will play tonight despite being sick. Kevin McHale said as much this morning. Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Houston Rockets, Kevin McHale, James Harden, Injuries 

Mark Berman: Jeremy Lin says he will not play tonight. Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Houston Rockets, Injuries, Jeremy Lin 

Mark Berman: Patrick Beverley on the Rockets:"They took a chance on me when no one else took a chance on me. I would definitely love to be here forever." Twitter @MarkBermanFox26

Houston Rockets, Patrick Beverley 

Westboro Baptist Church plans to two NBA playoff games, using “#GodH8stheNBA” in its announcement on Twitter. Tonight’s game between the Houston Rockets and Thunder in Oklahoma City and Thursday night’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and Bulls in Chicago are the targets of their protests, which come two days after Jason Collins announced that he is gay. Washington Post

Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Jason Collins 

Sampson is well-regarded within the Bucks organization and the Bucks will aggressively pursue him along with Van Gundy, sources said. Sampson spent two seasons as an assistant with former Bucks coach Scott Skiles, and he knows the organization well. Sampson has drawn significant interest as a head-coaching candidate this spring. Charlotte will interview him soon, and Philadelphia and Detroit also could reach out to meet with him, sources said. Yahoo! Sports

Charlotte Bobcats, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, Philadelphia 76ers, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson 

In addition, Sampson is a potential candidate for Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Clippers, if those teams make coaching changes. Yahoo! Sports

Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Coaching, Kelvin Sampson