NBA commissioner Adam Silver addresses player frustration with officiating

Unsurprisingly, NBA players are down on the recent crackdown by the league on how they're able to communicate with officials. 

With that in mind, commissioner Adam Silver was asked about the topic while meeting with reporters ahead of Saturday's All-Star festivities in Indianapolis.

In true diplomatic fashion, Silver said he was "sympathetic" to both sides. 

"What makes me most frustrated are the communication issues between players and officials," Silver told Jared Weiss of The Athletic. "I feel that's an area we should do a better job in, both ways." 

To encourage respect, the league urged referees to have a zero-tolerance policy on backtalk or even the hint of displeasure sent their direction from players. 

Yet, things have seemingly gotten out of hand, as many believe officials are either hungry with power, getting more sensitive or both. 

The most recent example came less than a week ago when Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker received two technical fouls in the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons, resulting in an ejection. 

Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic pointed out that the ejection was for "continual complaining" after being warned. Following the game, Suns head coach Frank Vogel said running Booker that early was "total BS," claiming he sees worse on a nightly basis in the NBA. 

While finding common ground is an issue Silver promised to address, it bleeds into another — criticism of officiating as a whole. 

Cries of poor officiating seem to be louder nowadays, which might be due to the times we live in as a replay from multiple angles is available instantly for every play. However, many would argue that the complaints are warranted, and technological advances only spotlight the obvious.

Meanwhile, Silver was sure to point out that the league "acknowledges" when referees make mistakes, but according to the NBA, they're more accurate than ever.  

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Monty McCutchen, NBA senior vice president of referee development, said missed calls by officials are down "about an error per game."