Nuggets Coach George Karl On Lakers' Andrew Bynum: 'Nice Illegal Defense'

Andrew Bynum had 10 blocks for the Los Angeles Lakers in their easy Game 1 win over the Denver Nuggets yesterday, 103-88, helping him to record the first Laker playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson over two decades ago. But Nuggets coach George Karl isn't impressed -- he thinks officiating may have played a big role in that.

"He was playing nice illegal defense," Karl said of Bynum, according to ESPN. "He zoned up good. I think we got one illegal defense. I saw about 30."

The Nuggets shot just 36.5 percent from the field against the Lakers, their worst shooting performance of the entire year. While the defensive presence of Bynum and fellow behemoth Pau Gasol played a part in that, Karl said the refs just wouldn't give the Nuggets a fair fight.

"It just isn't going to be called," he said. "We know it's not going to be called. It's just not a thing that's called. We play too fast sometimes and we don't let the call happen, and then other times, the action creates the vision of the referees.

"[Bynum] was sensational defensively. Pau Gasol was good out front and they did a great job protecting the basket."