Anthony: Communication is not there anymore between players, refs

Carmelo Anthony has witnessed communication crumble between NBA players and referees over the past decade and a half.

With tensions mounting between the two parties, the Oklahoma City Thunder swingman compared the dynamic between them to when he first entered the league in 2003.

"The game has changed a lot since I came in 15 years ago, the players and the officials had that dialogue, whether it was good or whether it was bad, there was always a point where they would let you get a little steam off, and then would come to you and say that's enough, let's move on," Anthony said Tuesday, as quoted by ESPN's Royce Young.

"And now, the trigger is too quick. You look at somebody wrong, you get a technical foul. You say one wrong thing, you get a technical foul. So I think that's the difference from when I came in, the dialogue and communication and the relationship the players and officials (had) when I first came in and from now is a lot different. ... Now, the communication is not there."

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The issue has materialized in a multitude of ways this season, such as ejections - including the first of LeBron James' career - and referee Courtney Kirkland going forehead to forehead with Warriors guard Shaun Livingston. Officials have received criticism over controversial calls, with L2M reports largely making matters worse for them. It's getting so ugly that the respective associations representing the players and referees reportedly met last month to discuss the rising conflict.

NBPA executive director Michele Roberts explained players are fed up with being ignored, being told to 'shut up,' and being hit with a technical when trying to address officials.

Asked what he thinks caused the hostility, Anthony opined:

"I think it just changed with the game. The rules of the game changed, the style changed, the game is faster, so I don't think they have as much time to forge relationships anymore nowadays."