Basketball : NBA 2008/2009

The Los Angeles Lakers secured their 15th NBA title at the Amway Arena on Sunday after a 99-86 win over Orlando Magic in Game Five gave a 4-1 victory in the best-of-seven finals. It marks NBA Kobe Bryant's fourth title and his first without longtime teammate Shaquille O'Neal. The win gives Los Angeles coach Phil Jackson his record 10th title, breaking a tie with former Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach as the winningest coach in finals history.

Jameer Nelson will play in Game 1 of the NBA finals against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Coach Stan Van Gundy said the All-Star point guard would be the backup behind Rafer Alston, who the Orlando Magic acquired in February shortly after Nelson went down with what was expected to be a season-ending shoulder injury. Nelson averaged 27.5 points in Orlando's two wins over the Lakers during the regular season.

Orlando is evaluating All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson for a possible return to the Magic lineup for the NBA finals that begin Thursday in Los Angeles. Magic spokesman Joel Glass said on Sunday that Nelson's rehabilitation from a shoulder injury is ahead of schedule but that his status remains uncertain. Nelson has been out since early February with what had been called a season-ending shoulder tear.

The anticipated Lakers-Cavaliers, LeBron-Kobe Finals didn't happen, but that doesn't mean L.A. will have it any easier against Orlando. The Lakers went 0-2 against Orlando in the regular season, but they would have home-court advantage in the NBA Finals. Games 1 and 2 are Thursday and next Sunday at Staples Center. The middle three games will be in Orlando, followed by the final two games back at Staples Center, depending on how many are needed in the best-of-seven series.

Los Angeles Lakers are in the NBA Finals for the second straight year after a 119-92 victory over Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of Western Conference finals. Bryant had 35 points and 10 assists and got plenty of scoring help from Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as the Lakers shot 57.3 percent from the field. "We saved our best game for last here, or maybe we caught our opponent a little bit off stride," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who gets a shot at his record 10th title.

The Philadelphia 76ers hired Eddie Jordan to be the 22nd head coach in franchise history. The 54-year-old Jordan takes over for Tony DiLeo, who served as the interim coach when Maurice Cheeks was fired. Jordan last coached in the NBA with the Washington Wizards before being fired last November during his sixth season with the club. He owns a career record of 230-288 as a coach for Sacramento and Washington.

Cavaliers forward LeBron James and Lakers guard Kobe Bryant headline the All-NBA First Team, the league announced Wednesday. James, the NBA's MVP for the 2008-09 season, was put on the First Team on every ballot of 122 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Bryant finished second, selected by 119 voters, while Dwight Howard of the Magic, Dwyane Wade of the Heat and Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks rounded out the First Team.

Lamar Odom played against Houston in Game 5 of the Los Angeles Lakers' Western Conference semifinal series despite suffering from a bruised lower back. The forward had 10 points and 6 rebounds off the bench and played over 18 minutes in LA's dominating 118-78 win. Odom suffered the injury in a horrific fall during Game 4 Sunday.

Chris "Birdman" Andersen says he's fully recovered from a bout of food poisoning that kept him out of the Denver Nuggets' 119-117 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He ate something bad at the team hotel Monday and spent the game in the locker room suffering from severe abdominal cramps and vomiting. Andersen said he's ready to play in Game 5 Wednesday in Denver.

Philadelphia 76ers interim coach Tony DiLeo has withdrawn his name from consideration for the permanent coaching job. Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski said DiLeo decided Monday to return to his old job in the front office, citing family reasons. DiLeo coached the Philadelphia 76ers to 32 wins in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. Stefanski said that there isn't a precise timetable to hire the franchise's 23rd head coach.