Chris 'Birdman' Andersen Won't Travel With Team During Final Playoff Game

LARKSPUR, Colo. (CBS4)- Denver Nuggets player Chris "Birdman" Andersen won't travel with the team to Los Angeles during an investigation.

The Denver Nuggets forced a Game 7 in their first-round playoff series with a dominating 113-96 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.

Investigators searched Andersen's home Thursday. The Internet Crimes Against Children unit started looking into Andersen in Feburary after getting a tip from law enforcement in California.

"Douglas County Sheriff deputies went to the home of Christopher Andersen in Larkspur. They did go into the home and they did remove property from his house," said Douglas County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Deborah Sherman.

Evidence was taken from the home but no one has been arrested.

"The lead agency is the Internet Crimes Against Children and those investigators are digging into this very thoroughly," said Sherman.

The team has excused Andersen from the team indefinitely during the investigation.

The Nuggets' head coach isn't racing to any conclusions.

"He's been fantastic and I think he's really grown as a person and we're going to support him and stand by him," said Nuggets' Head Coach George Karl. "I wish the media would wait a little bit until they know because a man is innocent until proven guilty."

Fans at Thursday night's game at the Pepsi Center didn't want to jump to any conclusions.

"I just told him that Birdman won't be playing tonight, there's some things on the news about him but until we actually hear what the story is we weren't going to come to any conclusions," said Nuggets fan Terri Marranzino.

Anderson has not seen much playing time for the Nuggets in recent months. His last big game off the bench came on March 23, when he had 17 points and 11 rebounds in a win against the Washington Wizards.

This is the statement released from the Denver Nuggets on Thursday: The Denver Nuggets are aware of today's media reports involving forward/center Chris Andersen. It involves a legal investigation and we are awaiting further details. Chris has been excused from all team-related activities indefinitely as he deals with the reported investigation. Per team policy, the Nuggets will not comment on any ongoing legal circumstance involving any player or employee.