When Karl was asked about his team's lack of composure, he blew up and left the news conference. This is the emotion the Bucks are feeding from.
Back in the locker room, guard Sam Cassell was saying that he thought his teammates were showing amazing restraint, considering the circumstances--circumstances being the refs.
But here's the problem.
The 76ers have earned the reputation of being a good defensive team by playing well and hard on defense all season. The Bucks have earned the reputation of being a jump-shooting team interested in getting that defensive part over with so they can quickly shoot more jump shots.
And jump-shooting teams don't get fouled much. And teams that have practiced and played defense hard all year learn just which shoves and pushes will be allowed and which won't and will get the benefit of the doubt because they always play defense hard. The team that wants to start playing defense hard only in the playoffs gets caught out of position.
So the Bucks have Glenn Robinson shoving Tyrone Hill to the floor or Tim Thomas hooking Hill by the shoulder and throwing him to the floor. Note to Bucks: That's not defense.
As much as everyone has given the NBA championship to the Lakers, watching this series has been exhausting and exhilarating. Both teams want to win. Sometimes too much. Karl has his guys all riled up and maybe that will still work.
Cassell sinks consecutive jump shots in Game 5 to give the Bucks a 63-55 lead. Great.
Then he fouls Iverson on a three-pointer. Bad enough. Then he argues about the foul and gets a technical. There's Iverson, shooting four three throws and making them all. Even worse. Because Cassell has bought into Karl's rants.
Robinson had taken 77 shots without shooting a free throw and was so mad he got two technicals and an ejection in Game 4. But watch Robinson. He doesn't like contact when he's shooting. He took an eight-foot jump shot as the clock ran out in Game 5, rather than chance the drive to the basket, where the 76ers might have had to foul him.
Karl is complaining that the NBA and NBC are treating Milwaukee like a small-market team.
So Karl behaves like a small-market coach. Yes, Philadelphia has been to the free-throw line 134 times to 77 for the Bucks. Yes, the Bucks have eight technical fouls and Philadelphia one. And, yes, those are both products of the way the teams play and has nothing to do with the markets they play in.
Karl has his players looking for insults. When you're looking so hard, you'll always find them.
*
Diane Pucin can be reached at: diane.pucin@latimes.com.
