watermock
05-29-2009, 02:58 PM
Lakers, Nuggets downplay refs' whistles ahead of Game 6
By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
The Lakers' Pau Gasol gets tied up in an elbow-bumping battle under the boards with Denver's Chris Andersen during Game 5.
2009 NBA PLAYOFFS
By David Leon Moore, USA TODAY
Enough with the back and forth on the officiating in the Western Conference finals.
That's the view of veteran Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher, who said Thursday that he has heard all he wants to about his team getting all the calls in Wednesday's victory in Los Angeles and the Denver Nuggets getting all the calls in their victory Monday in Denver.
X-FACTOR?: Lakers' Odom looks for consistency
Lakers coach Phil Jackson began the discussion with remarks after Monday's Game 4 that resulted in $25,000 fines for himself and the Lakers from the NBA.
Denver coach George Karl complained about the refs after Wednesday's Game 5, and an anonymous Nuggets player, according to a report in The Denver Post, said the Lakers "paid $50,000 to win that game. They got their money's worth."
Slow down, Fisher said.
"Both coaches have coached enough basketball to know the officiating is going to vary at times," Fisher said. "It's never the same. Still, coaches feel compelled sometimes to state their cases for their teams.
"We'll go to Denver (Friday for Game 6), and the game will be called differently. That's just the way it is. I mean, in high school, you go across town, and you know you aren't getting calls. At the highest level of the sport, why would it be any different?"
Jackson, asked Thursday about the Nuggets player's comment, said, "That's unfortunate. ... I don't want to make an issue out of that. That's not something we want to focus on."
Karl insisted Thursday that he wasn't blaming the officials for Denver's demise. But he took another shot at them when saying some of his younger players were letting the officiating get to them.
"We're hoping and we believe that the officiating won't be a problem," Karl said. "When you're getting hit in the back of the head, knocked on your (backside), you're human beings; you react to people of authority."
Around the hardwood:
Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin, appearing Thursday at the NBA draft combine in Chicago, wasn't ready to sign a mortgage in the Southern California area or declare himself going to the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 1 pick. "I'm planning it as if I don't know right now, which I don't," he said. "I'm not going to guarantee anything. I'm going through it just like everybody else is." ... Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea had successful surgery Thursday to repair cartilage damage in his left shoulder. ... Portland Trail Blazers guard Steve Blake is scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery today in Los Angeles. Blake separated the shoulder Jan. 14 against the Philadelphia 76ers and missed five games before aggravating the injury Jan. 26 against the Clippers.
Contributing: Matt Poms, wire reports
By Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY
The Lakers' Pau Gasol gets tied up in an elbow-bumping battle under the boards with Denver's Chris Andersen during Game 5.
2009 NBA PLAYOFFS
By David Leon Moore, USA TODAY
Enough with the back and forth on the officiating in the Western Conference finals.
That's the view of veteran Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher, who said Thursday that he has heard all he wants to about his team getting all the calls in Wednesday's victory in Los Angeles and the Denver Nuggets getting all the calls in their victory Monday in Denver.
X-FACTOR?: Lakers' Odom looks for consistency
Lakers coach Phil Jackson began the discussion with remarks after Monday's Game 4 that resulted in $25,000 fines for himself and the Lakers from the NBA.
Denver coach George Karl complained about the refs after Wednesday's Game 5, and an anonymous Nuggets player, according to a report in The Denver Post, said the Lakers "paid $50,000 to win that game. They got their money's worth."
Slow down, Fisher said.
"Both coaches have coached enough basketball to know the officiating is going to vary at times," Fisher said. "It's never the same. Still, coaches feel compelled sometimes to state their cases for their teams.
"We'll go to Denver (Friday for Game 6), and the game will be called differently. That's just the way it is. I mean, in high school, you go across town, and you know you aren't getting calls. At the highest level of the sport, why would it be any different?"
Jackson, asked Thursday about the Nuggets player's comment, said, "That's unfortunate. ... I don't want to make an issue out of that. That's not something we want to focus on."
Karl insisted Thursday that he wasn't blaming the officials for Denver's demise. But he took another shot at them when saying some of his younger players were letting the officiating get to them.
"We're hoping and we believe that the officiating won't be a problem," Karl said. "When you're getting hit in the back of the head, knocked on your (backside), you're human beings; you react to people of authority."
Around the hardwood:
Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin, appearing Thursday at the NBA draft combine in Chicago, wasn't ready to sign a mortgage in the Southern California area or declare himself going to the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 1 pick. "I'm planning it as if I don't know right now, which I don't," he said. "I'm not going to guarantee anything. I'm going through it just like everybody else is." ... Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea had successful surgery Thursday to repair cartilage damage in his left shoulder. ... Portland Trail Blazers guard Steve Blake is scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery today in Los Angeles. Blake separated the shoulder Jan. 14 against the Philadelphia 76ers and missed five games before aggravating the injury Jan. 26 against the Clippers.
Contributing: Matt Poms, wire reports