A somber George Karl apologized publicly and to his team Thursday for being suspended for two games by the NBA, but said he was shocked by the punishment.
The NBA handed the Nuggets coach a two-game suspension without pay Wednesday, costing him from $80,000- $100,000 for publicly criticizing and attacking the integrity of the officials. The Nuggets were also fined $100,000. Karl served the first of a two-game suspension in Denver’s 102-95 loss to visiting New Orleans/ Oklahoma City on Wednesday. He will sit out tonight’s game at Phoenix and return to coach Saturday against visiting Miami.
“There was no question I was surprised,” Karl said after Thursday’s practice. “I was shocked by the severity and amounts of money. I thought I would be fined, but there are different philosophies I wasn’t aware of. I hurt my team again and I feel badly.”
It’s the second time this year the NBA has suspended Karl, who was forced to sit out the first two games of the season for violating rules about scouting underclassmen last spring. The Nuggets were fined $200,000 for that infraction.
“George’s comments were extremely serious, evidenced by the fact he received a pretty substantial penalty,” NBA vice president Stu Jackson said.
After his team’s loss to New Jersey on Monday, Karl insinuated the Nets’ Vince Carter intentionally flopped twice late in the game to draw fouls. Karl added there was “a rumor out of the league office” that they were trying to eliminate flopping but that didn’t appear to be the case. While Karl retracted his statements about flopping Tuesday, he added he thought the referees rewarded the Nets with free throws in the fourth quarter as make-up calls.
“They thought I was challenging the integrity of the officiating,” Karl said. “I tried to explain to them that’s furthest thing I would ever do. I thought I was trying to explain that flopping was bad for the game of basketball. But they thought my other comments were stronger. In general, I was hoping to stand up for my team and get a better whistle. Now I think it’s best to put it behind me and keep my mouth shut.”
Denver is 0-3 with assistant Scott Brooks running the team. Karl described watching games during his suspension as “not easy” and “hopeless” and “painful.” Karl is traveling to Phoenix for tonight’s game but can’t be at the arena during the game.
“I know (he) feels bad on the inside,” Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. “He came to practice (Thursday) apologizing to us.”
The NBA sent a memo to the other 29 teams Thursday stating why Karl was suspended and listing the quotes that got him in trouble. The memo also stated the Nuggets were fined and that similar actions from any team representative would result in similar punishment.
“Any time a coach, a player or a participant in a game or a representative of a franchise criticizes the integrity of our product, that is a matter that is going to be considered very seriously at the league office,” Jackson said.
The Nuggets finished November 8-8 and slowed by injuries. Forward-center Nene was lost on opening night to a severe knee injury. Numerous other Nuggets have been sidelined, most notably forward Kenyon Martin, who has missed five games because of tendinitis in his left knee.
“This has been a month of turmoil,” Karl said. “I still think we’re on a good path. But there are too many cloudy days right now. We need some sunny days.”
The Nuggets did get some good news as Anthony, who is averaging a team-best 20.3 points, said he will likely play tonight after sitting out Wednesday because of a left ankle sprain suffered Monday.
“I’m feeling good,” Anthony said after practice. “Most likely I’m going to play. The swelling (is) down. It’s not as tender.”
Staff writer Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
