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Former Denver Nuggets coach George Karl hasn't held back his criticism of the LA Lakers during their first-round playoff series against Denver. His commentary has irked Lakers fans, with many taking shots at the 72-year-old. So, on Thursday, Karl clapped back at LA's fanbase.
Since the Nuggets and Lakers' playoff series tipped off on Saturday, Karl has regularly remarked on X/Twitter about LA's inability to match up with Denver. Meanwhile, he's critiqued Lakers superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while praising Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic.
Many of LA's fans have responded by pointing out Karl's failure to win a championship over his 27-year NBA head-coaching career. Meanwhile, some have taken personal shots at the former coach.
However, in a Thursday tweet, Karl scoffed at their insults, highlighting his extensive accomplishments on and off the court.
"Laker troll fans make me laugh when they talk about me not having an NBA championship ring," Karl said. "Hey, I’ve got a [Hall of Fame] ring, beat cancer’s butt three times and have 1200 wins in the league. I’m doing ok. But congrats trolls on your 2K championship ring last night from mama’s basement!"
As Karl alluded to, he won 1,175 regular-season games over 27 seasons with six different franchises, the sixth-most wins by a coach in NBA history. He also made the playoffs in 22 out of 27 seasons, guiding the Seattle SuperSonics to the 1996 NBA Finals.
Karl's strong coaching resume culminated with his enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2022. So, despite not winning a championship, he is one of the league's all-time most accomplished coaches.
After clapping back at Lakers fans, George Karl cracks joke about LeBron James
Hours after firing back at Lakers fans on social media, George Karl seemingly couldn't resist mocking LA for its 112-105 Game 3 home loss to Denver.
The defeat marked the Lakers' 11th straight against the Nuggets, with their last victory against them coming on Dec. 16, 2022. So, amid LA's 3-0 series deficit, Karl subtly quipped about LeBron James potentially having his soul snatched by Denver.
"Can a GOAT actually have his soul stolen? Just asking on behalf of a Carolina friend of mine," Karl tweeted.
It remains to be seen if James and LA can bounce back during Game 4 at home on Saturday. However, given their long-running struggles against the defending champions, they appear on the verge of getting swept by Denver for the second straight postseason.
