Going gets rough for Lakers, Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have been physical, undoubtedly, but did they cross the line in Game 4?

Variations of that question were tossed around Tuesday at Lakers practice, with players and coaches answering in distinctly different ways.

The synopsis: Kobe Bryant welcomed the Nuggets' increase in aggression, Pau Gasol criticized it and Coach Phil Jackson avoided the concept altogether.

The league also weighed in on a Western Conference finals that spilled beyond the normal parameters of offense and defense, making three rulings related to Game 4, none of which will directly affect Game 5 tonight at Staples Center, where one team will take a 3-2 series lead.

The NBA fined Jackson and the Lakers $25,000 each for Jackson's critical comments of the referees in the wake of the Nuggets' 120-101 victory.

Also, Dahntay Jones was assessed a flagrant foul 1 but not suspended for purposely tripping Bryant in the third quarter of Monday's game, and Andrew Bynum's fourth-quarter flagrant foul was reduced to a personal foul.

Once all the infractions were reviewed and reallocated, the Nuggets officially finished with three technical fouls and a flagrant foul, while the Lakers had one technical foul and a stiff financial penalty.

"We're not shocked, but we're disappointed," Lakers spokesman John Black said.

If only the Lakers' front court was as active as the NBA office.

The Lakers were pummeled on the boards in Game 4, 58-40, and outscored in the paint, 52-34.

It has become so bad that the mild-mannered Gasol demanded more touches after scoring 21 points on eight-for-11 shooting.

"I just want to go with what's effective, what works out there and what's been working for us and what's been a strength of ours," said Gasol, averaging 17.8 points on 62.5% shooting this series. "I think we should explore that a little more."

The Lakers weren't so sure they wanted the Nuggets to continue exploring their rough-hewn ways.

"They get away with a few things and obviously at home they get away with more stuff," Gasol said. "I think the league is pretty aware of it at this point in time and they should be able to cut it off, so hopefully they will."

Bryant, for one, seemed to embrace the Nuggets' rough tactics, even though he skidded several feet after Jones stuck out his foot while Bryant moved in to pursue a possible rebound of Lamar Odom's three-point shot.