Karl trying not to cross the fine line

George Karl stood with his back against the wall inside his team’s hotel in Marina del Rey, his eyes darting when a question was raised about the officiating and whether it has had an effect on his Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference finals against the Lakers.

Karl paused for five seconds to let the question soak in, to gather his thoughts.

The coach cleared his throat and mumbled something, some of which was inaudible, some of which was uttered cautiously.

Half smiling, Karl said he would “try not to get fined.�

Karl paused for another 10 seconds, still mulling the question before answering.

“Yes.�

Karl voiced his displeasure with the foul disparity after Game 5 at Staples Center, which favored the Lakers after the Nuggets had evened the series in Game 4 at Denver.

Denver was called for 30 fouls in Game 5, the Lakers 22, which translated into the Lakers shooting 35 free throws in the victory that gave them a 3-2 lead in the series, versus the Nuggets’ 30.

Hardly enough, it would seem, to draw a complaint from Karl.

His team, which flew back to Colorado on Thursday afternoon, is on the brink of elimination and must win Game 6 tonight at the Pepsi Center to force a Game 7 at Staples Center on Sunday.

Maybe it was Karl’s turn to take a page out of Lakers Coach Phil Jackson’s book.

Jackson criticized the officials after Game 4 and both he and the Lakers’ organization were hit with a $25,000 fine by the NBA for his comments.

“We’re hoping and we believe that we’re just going to go out and officiating won’t be a problem,� Karl said Thursday.

Isn’t it up to his players to let the officials officiate and for his players to play?

“Yeah, we’re all human beings,� Karl said. “We’re capable of doing that. When you get hit in the back of the head, knocked on your [butt], you’re human beings. You react to the people of authority. Referees are the ones that have the authority that control the game and the way they want to control it.�

The Nuggets have been called for 19 technical fouls in this postseason, and that’s after four have been rescinded. They’ve had 11 technicals in the conference finals against the Lakers, seven in the fourth quarter, never going a game without getting at least two.

“We have some guys that are emotional, may be a little too emotional,� Karl admitted. “But for me, I’m not going to tell them to stop that because I think it stops them from becoming a competitor. And right now we’re competing on the best state at a pretty good level. I think the Lakers know we’re there.

“In a lot of ways, if you’re an analyst, L.A. did what they’re supposed to do. Our challenge now is to make it a seven-game series. And with the help of the fans in Denver and little tricks and little tune-ups . . .

“I don’t really want to come back to L.A., but I think I’m going to have to.�

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