HoopsHype.com Rumors

Thunder fans will continue to have a pregame opportunity to gather in Love’s Thunder Alley outside Chesapeake Energy Arena prior to the Thunder Western Conference Finals home games, but the event will conclude when the game begins. The Thunder will no longer show the game broadcast on the video board outside the arena. Love’s Thunder Alley, an outdoor block party along Reno Ave, will begin three hours prior to tipoff and will end when the game starts. It includes music, games, food and drink, face painting for kids, Thunder merchandise sales and the Thunder Rewards Zone, a game-day opportunity to win or buy remaining game tickets. NBA.com

Oklahoma City Thunder, Media 

Jarrod Rudolph: I'm very confident that Stan Van Gundy will be joining his brother Jeff at ESPN next season. Stan the analysis will be a hot commodity. Twitter

Orlando Magic, Coaching, Media, Stan Van Gundy 

Marc Berman: NBA TV announces Stoudemire takes over tweeting during Sixers-Celtics tonight on official @NBATV account. No extinguisher references I hope. Twitter

New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Media 

(Argentinean basketball reporter) Miguel Romano died this morning. La Nacion

Media, Miguel Romano 

“My daughter is now starting kindergarten, and you have to wonder whether it would be stressful for the family,” he said of going foreign again. “But if it was up to me, I would play as long as I could. “Whatever happens, I don’t think I’ll leave basketball, even if I just do color commentary on games. I don’t really think I’d be a very good studio guy, but I think I could do a really good job with color commentary.” Boston Herald

Chicago Bulls, Free Agency, Brian Scalabrine, Media 

NBA commissioner David Stern will attend Game 3 on Friday night, but is not scheduled to speak with reporters, two league sources told this newspaper. Stern often holds a pregame news conference during the playoffs with Lakers beat reporters. Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Media, David Stern 

There are a number of issues open for discussion, particularly Stern's decision to block the Lakers' multi-player and multi-team trade that would have netted them point guard Chris Paul back in December. Stern has never fully explained his reasons. Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Media, David Stern 

While some Tulsans might continue to harbor resentment that the nearby NBA team is called the Oklahoma City Thunder instead of the Oklahoma Thunder, there is a growing number of Tulsans who attend games, purchase licensed apparel and watch Thunder telecasts. In the Tulsa area, Wednesday's TNT-televised Game 2 of the Los Angeles Lakers-Thunder playoff series attracted what is believed to have been the largest audience ever for a Thunder telecast. The final, overall Nielsen rating was a 12.5, but at one point during the game the rating was as high as 16.5 - which would equate to 87,450 households in the 22-county Tulsa television market. Each rating point equals 5,300 households. Tulsa World

Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Media 

Brandon Jennings: Shoutout to the @bucks for winning the PBWA Bryan McIntyre award for a PR staff that goes above and beyond. Special Shoutout to Dan Smyczek Twitter

Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Jennings, Media, Bryan McIntyre 

The Professional Basketball Writers Association has chosen Steve Nash for the Magic Johnson Award, which recognizes the player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation with the media and fans. Doc Rivers gets the Rudy Tomjanovich Award (same as above, only with coaches), while the Brian McIntyre Award (best PR) goes to the Milwaukee Bucks. Sulia

Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Media 

The Nets informed Tom Barrise that he's out of a job after 17 years with the club and the last eight as an assistant coach. He'll be a valuable addition for some NBA team. New York Daily News

Brooklyn Nets, Media, Tom Barrise 

Eric Pincus: Lost in the mix - Clippers line up multi-year deal to stay with KFWB on radio Twitter

Los Angeles Clippers, Media 

The Oklahoma City Thunder has settled on a new public address announcer for the remainder of the NBA playoffs. Mario Nanni, who served in the same role with Houston from 1996 through 2003, will now man the microphone inside Chesapeake Energy Arena beginning with the Thunder's opening game of the second round on Monday night. Oklahoman

Oklahoma City Thunder, Media 

Royce Young: Thunder PA announcer Jim Miller has been removed from his duties due to criminal allegations against him. Twitter

Oklahoma City Thunder, Media, Jim Miller 

The Miami Heat issued a statement Thursday apologizing to the New York Knicks and Amare Stoudemire for Miami's arena announcer mocking the forward when he fouled of Wednesday's playoff game. Heat announcer Michael Baiamonte referred to Stoudemire over the AmericanAirlines Arena loudspeakers as having been "extinguished from the game" after he was assessed his sixth foul with 4:48 left in the game. The Heat went on to claim a 106-94 victory to eliminate the Knicks from the playoffs in five games. "That's Stoudemire's sixth personal foul," Baiamonte announced after Stoudemire was called for an offensive foul on a drive into the lane. "He has been extinguished from the game." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, New York Knicks, Amare Stoudemire, Media 

If moving on doesn't progress swiftly enough, don't expect to see McMillan follow in the footsteps of Hubie Brown and Jeff Van Gundy by jumping on television as a NBA broadcaster. “I don't see myself as a TV guy, but you never know,” McMillan said. “You never say never. Maybe an appearance or two. I'm a coach.” CSNNW.com

Charlotte Bobcats, Coaching, Media, Nate McMillan 

Johnathan Tjarks of RealGM.com asked Russell Westbrook if he thought teammate James Harden was a max contract player following the bearded wonder’s divine performance in Oklahoma City’s series-clinching win over the Mavs. Westbrook politely answered without answering, offering a couple positive nuggets on Harden and, after sensing a followup question was on the way, said “no more questions for you, bro … trouble.” The Big Lead

Oklahoma City Thunder, Media, Russell Westbrook 

In a way, Phil Mushnick's aside about Jay-Z's influence on the Brooklyn Nets is almost too stupid to be racist. I honestly don't think Mushnick has some sort of deep-seated enmity for African-Americans when he "points out" (?) that the rapper and Nets co-owner should rename the team after some of the nastier and more derogatory terms Jay-Z has used in his songs. I just think Mushnick, the longtime New York Post columnist, was just being a moron. An inexcusable, potentially fire-worthy moron. Look at this quote from Friday's column: As long as the Nets are allowing Jay-Z to call their marketing shots — what a shock that he chose black and white as the new team colors to stress, as the Nets explained, their new "urban" home — why not have him apply the full Jay-Z treatment? Why the Brooklyn Nets when they can be the New York N------s? The cheerleaders could be the Brooklyn B----hes or Hoes. Team logo? A 9 mm with hollow-tip shell casings strewn beneath. Wanna be Jay-Z hip? Then go all the way! Yahoo! Sports

Brooklyn Nets, Media 

One that ought to be equally prominent is "No wagering on the teams or players you're covering." ESPN's Bill Simmons has just learned that latter lesson in a very public way. He has given back his ballot for the NBA's MVP award, because it was well known that he had bet on LeBron James to win. USA Today

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Media, Bill Simmons 

Jerry Zgoda: FSN's Wolves' ratings up 132 percent this season, ties OKC for NBA's biggest gain. FSN ratings dropped noticeable after Rubio got hurt Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Media