In the midst of what seems to be a very confrontational part of the season, Toronto Raptors star point guard Kyle Lowry gave his take on the increased number of altercations as of recent, given his involvement in one with Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons on Monday.

“It really is that time of the year,” said Lowry, according to TSN's Josh Lewenberg. “Mid-season, about a month until All-Star and then the stretch run, some guys/teams are a little restless.”

From a heavily-contested Raptors-Sixers matchup to an L.A. Clippers-Houston Rockets secret passage post-game kerfuffle on Monday, to now an actual fight between the Orlando Magic's Arron Afflalo and Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nemanja Bjelica last night.

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Tempers are flying high at this time of the season, having played more than half of the campaign, and some awaiting a break, which will come by the All-Star Weekend.

Many discussed the tough-guy image that some of these NBA players put front without any actual fighting, as Raptors swingman C.J. Miles pointed out, most of it happens on Twitter.

Until yesterday that is… when Afflalo swung for the fences, literally — trying to clip the 6-foot-10 Serbian with a four-inch height disadvantage.

The league has tried hard and long to clean up the image some of the rugged games in the 80s and 90s left for fans, getting even more strict after the Malice In The Palace between the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

The NBA office is reviewing each of these events and bound to dole out the punishment at some point in the week.