The NBA is not happy that tensions between teams and referees seem to be rising.

Then again, B次元官网网址榯is the season.

Playoff-race pressure is real, and the NBA thinks B次元官网网址� or hopes B次元官网网址� that some tantrums in recent weeks can be attributed to that and not an eroding of the always-tenuous relationship between those who commit infractions and those who call them. Golden State coach Steve Kerr smashing clipboards and Houston star James Harden calling out longtime official Scott Foster are sights and sounds that the league doesnB次元官网网址檛 want, so the NBA is once again reaching out to teams to offer reminders about not going too far when ripping the refs.

B次元官网网址淭his is the dark ages of the season,B次元官网网址� said Michelle Johnson, the NBAB次元官网网址檚 senior vice-president and head of referee operations. B次元官网网址淭eams are shaping up where they stand and it matters more to some teams than others, and some coaches do tactical outbursts for the good of their teams. So even if we go to teams and they donB次元官网网址檛 have a lot of issues B次元官网网址� we want to keep the dialogue open.B次元官网网址�

Kerr got fined $25,000 earlier this month for verbally abusing referee Ken Mauer, and the tirade was at the level where the WarriorsB次元官网网址� coach obviously knew it would be costing him cash so he decided to get his moneyB次元官网网址檚 worth. He got ejected, the Warriors lost that night in Portland, but writing that check probably earned him some more points with players who always need to know that their coach has their back.

Kerr actually likes Mauer, and believes heB次元官网网址檚 one of the best refs in the league.

That being said, Kerr also said the coach-ref dynamic is almost always weird.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know why anybody would want to be a ref,B次元官网网址� Kerr said. B次元官网网址淲hat a brutal job.B次元官网网址�

The & were each victorious on Sunday!

B次元官网网址� NBA (@NBA)

Harden also got fined $25,000 for saying that Foster should no longer work HoustonB次元官网网址檚 games, after the Rockets were upset with a number of calls in their loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. Foster is traditionally one of the leagueB次元官网网址檚 highest-rated refs, and itB次元官网网址檚 a really good bet that at some point in this post-season the Rockets will be playing a big game and Foster will be out there.

Johnson and referee-turned-league-executive Monty McCutchen have made improving relations a top priority. TheyB次元官网网址檙e talking to every team again about finding common ground B次元官网网址� just as they did around this time last year.

B次元官网网址淚 think thereB次元官网网址檚 progress,B次元官网网址� Johnson said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 still the same passionate game, a tough game and the stakes are up now.B次元官网网址�

Players and coaches have been fined more than $2.2 million already this season for technicals, ejections and other reasons for sanctioning by the league office B次元官网网址� not counting salaries lost to suspensions.

And if thereB次元官网网址檚 any good to be derived from behaving badly, itB次元官网网址檚 this: That $2.2 million (and more to come) goes to charities chosen by the NBA and the playersB次元官网网址� union.

CRUNCH TIME

Forget his streak of eight straight appearances in the NBA Finals. LeBron JamesB次元官网网址� streak of 13 straight trips to the playoffs is in major peril.

James and the Los Angeles Lakers (29-30) are currently 10th in the Western Conference. And the Lakers do not have the easiest stretch run in the NBA, either.

When he signed with L.A., James knew getting the Lakers to the playoffs in Year 1 would be a test. But itB次元官网网址檚 proving to be a bigger mountain to climb than he imagined, partly because of injuries that the Lakers have been dealing with and partly because not all of his teammates have a real understanding yet of what it takes to get into the post-season.

B次元官网网址淚 knew it was going to be very challenging, just because of the experience that the roster had at that point in time,B次元官网网址� James said. B次元官网网址淚 knew it was going to be challenging from that sense, but I felt like we could still play better basketball.B次元官网网址�

They still have to face Milwaukee and Utah twice, plus have a five-game Eastern Conference road trip in mid-March and four back-to-backs left to navigate. Among the other top teams left on the LakersB次元官网网址� schedule: Boston, Denver, Golden State, Oklahoma City, Portland and Toronto.

Assuming itB次元官网网址檒l take 44 wins B次元官网网址� basically the average needed over the last five years B次元官网网址� to secure the No. 8 seed in the West, that means the Lakers would have to finish 15-8 to get into the playoffs.

MAGIC HAPPENING

The Orlando Magic are on their hottest run in more than seven years.

OrlandoB次元官网网址檚 win in Toronto on Sunday was the eighth for Steve CliffordB次元官网网址檚 club in its last 10 games. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the first 8-2 stretch for the Magic since going 8-2 from Feb. 1-17, 2012.

The coach of that Orlando team? Stan Van Gundy, who just happened to be assisted by B次元官网网址� Steve Clifford.

THE WEEK AHEAD

A game to watch each day this week:

B次元官网网址� Monday, Golden State at Charlotte: Stephen Curry goes back to his hometown, after All-Star weekend there was a Curry family celebration.

B次元官网网址� Tuesday, Oklahoma City at Denver: Paul George has played himself into the MVP race, and the NuggetsB次元官网网址� late-season schedule is brutally hard.

B次元官网网址� Wednesday, Milwaukee at Sacramento: A win over the team with the NBAB次元官网网址檚 best record would be a big help to the KingsB次元官网网址� post-season hopes.

B次元官网网址� Thursday, Miami at Houston: A brutal back-to-back for the Heat, who have Golden State at home on Wednesday and then go to the Rockets.

B次元官网网址� Friday, Charlotte at Brooklyn: Few might have guessed last summer that these clubs meeting on March 1 would have post-season implications.

B次元官网网址� Saturday, Orlando at Indiana: The Pacers, even without Victor Oladipo, keep plugging along, while the Magic have a real shot at a playoff spot.

B次元官网网址� Sunday, Toronto at Detroit: Dwane CaseyB次元官网网址檚 new team plays host to Dwane CaseyB次元官网网址檚 old team, and right now every result matters to both clubs.

___

Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press

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