LOS ANGELES — In recent weeks, the tense relationship between NBA referees and players has come under the microscope.



After a string of December ejections — which included LeBron James, Anthony Davis and one Warrior player in three straight games, highlighted by the forehead to forehead altercation between Shaun Livingston and referee Courtney Kirkland, resulting in a combo suspension — ESPN reported that the National Basketball Referees Association and the Players Association met to discuss the growing on-court rift between the sides.



On Saturday in Los Angeles, a few weeks after that reported meeting and hours after picking up his league-leading 11th technical foul, Draymond Green told The Athletic that the situation has become toxic and it’s something the league must address immediately.



“It’s bad,” Green told The Athletic. “It’s horrible. It’s really bad. I...