NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association has fined Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson 25,000 dollars for his public criticism of the officiating in game four of the Western Conference finals.

The Lakers were also handed a 25,000-dollar fine, a day after the team lost 120-101 to the Denver Nuggets - who evened the best-of-seven series at two games each.

Jackson was irked by the discrepancy in trips to the foul line. Denver had 49 - 14 more than the Lakers.

Jackson was also angered by a flurry of foul calls against Luke Walton, and accused Denver's Dahntay Jones of unsportsmanlike play for tripping Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant.

The league might have agreed with him on that one, since they assessed Jones a flagrant foul on the play after reviewing game video.