"It's kind of hard to keep your emotions down when you play a game like basketball and keep them totally wrapped up," Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said. "Too many referees have rabbit ears and very thin skin. And until they realize that they're not perfect, they can't expect the players to be perfect. There has to be some kind of give-and-take there."

Jackson said there is, as long as players don't overdo it. When Duncan began yelling about a clearly incorrect call that went against him Monday night in New York, the official didn't respond right away. It wasn't until Duncan kept up the argument on the next trip that the technical finally came.

"This is not a zero tolerance policy. If a player doesn't act inappropriately or make disrespectful statements on a call or a non-call, such as yelling or cursing or inappropriate physical reactions or gestures like flailing their arms, without that we'll allow players a heat of the moment reaction," Jackson said.

"But when those reactions or those comments become continuous, then you're subject to receiving a technical foul."

Another complaint from the players is that they lost the right to have dialogue with the referees. Officials have always been able to interact with the players as they please, and what may be a technical from one may not even warrant a reaction from another.

"If you're in the league for a long time, you develop relationships with certain officials," Bryant said. "In fact, some officials I've known even since high school, because some of the officials are from the Philadelphia area."

Jackson said the league has heard only a few complaints from players, but Hunter said he has received plenty of calls. He may be placing one of his own soon to Stern.

"My staff is talking regularly back and forth with his staff," Hunter said. "If we think they're not being sensitive at all, it usually requires a session between myself and David. We haven't had it yet, but the way things are going, I'm sure I'll be calling him in the immediate future."

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