Link:Denver got the worse of the suspensions handed out Monday by the NBA, but Nuggets coach George Karl left no doubt who he thought responsible - namely, Knicks coach Isiah Thomas, who escaped punishment.
Karl unleashed a verbal assault on Thomas, worsening an already bad relationship.
"In my mind it was premeditated, it was directed by Isiah," Karl said Monday at the Pepsi Center, speaking about the fight between the Nuggets and Knicks on Saturday night that was sparked by a hard foul committed against Nuggets guard J.R. Smith with 1:15 left. Karl believed Thomas ordered the foul because of frustration Denver's starters were still in the game with the Nuggets up by a big margin.
Karl called Thomas' actions "despicable" and called Thomas several expletives.
He added, "He made a bad situation worse. He's a jerk, for what he's trying to do. I mean, I have a basketball team that's learning to win, and learning to win on the road, and my team has blown 10-point leads, 11-point leads with two minutes to go, and I watched Utah blow a 12-point lead to Sacramento two nights before with four minutes to go in the game, and you're telling me that I'm running the score up? ... He should be held accountable for what his actions are."
When told of Karl's remarks, NBA commissioner David Stern said he would deal with Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke directly.
"That's for Mr. Kroenke to decide, and I'll have that conversation with him about the public comments of his employees," Stern said. "Although, if it gets beyond the emotional outburst of the moment and there is a continued lack of self-control, I will deal with it myself."
Thomas was barred from responding to Karl by Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan before the Knicks' game Monday night. Thomas said, "We won't discuss that or talk about it anymore."
After the Knicks conducted their shootaround, Thomas took his shots at Karl, however.
"I can't speak for him, but he put his players in a tough position," Thomas said. "I think he put his players in a very bad position."
Karl has never had a problem opening his mouth and being blunt about things. Never really respected him that much as a coach but if insulting Thomas makes him feel better then so be it. It won't change the fact that his idiot player Carmelo got suspended for throwing a punch and proceeding to run away like the coward that he is.
