Lakers, Coach Jackson Each Fined $50,000 for Bryant Comments 
Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers have been fined $50,000 apiece by the NBA after the coach said the league was conducting a "witch hunt" against Kobe Bryant.

Stu Jackson, the NBA's executive vice president of basketball operations, announced the fines on Thursday citing comments Jackson made earlier this week over the league's recent review of several on-court incidents involving Bryant.

The guard was disciplined for the third time in six weeks after elbowing Kyle Korver of the Philadelphia 76ers in the jaw on Friday.

Bryant also recently received two one-game suspensions for striking players in the face.

Jackson reacted angrily after the earlier ruling this week against the guard.

"That's crazy. That's a vendetta. They have a witch hunt going on," he told the Los Angeles Times.

Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut, the overall top pick in the 2005 draft, was also fined $25,000 on Thursday for making an obscene gesture toward fans during the 108-93 defeat at the Toronto Raptors on Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency via Reuters March 16, 2007)