Many members of the media have called attention to the lack of respect NBA referees are shown by players and coaches. That argument is now also being made by actual coaches.

“It is out of control and that includes my own team at times,” said one coach of a playoff team. “The league needs to do something about it.”

Chris Paul was fined but not suspended for making contact with a referee at the end of Game 1.

“This isn’t the first time that this player has been involved with referees,” former NBA referee Steve Javie said on Sirius XM NBA Radio. “Even during my career he’s been very, very difficult. And I’ll put that in a kind way; very, very difficult for referees and it seems like he has a disdain for referees. I don’t know whether that’s because he’s so competitive. At some point in your career you would learn to control yourself more be a little more mature and he’s not.”