RALEIGH, North Carolina - Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy, already fined a record $100,000 by the NBA, could be banned from the league if he continues to publicly criticize officials, commissioner David Stern said.

"If he's going to say things like that, he's not going to continue in this league," Stern told reporters in Houston.

Van Gundy was given the largest fine ever for an NBA coach Monday for accusing officials of targeting center Yao Ming in the post season.

Stern called the fine "an intermediary step" and said an investigation would continue once the playoffs were over for Houston.

"If the attitude reflected in those comments continues to be public, he's going to have a big problem with me as long as I'm commissioner," Stern said.

Stern said the league was upset both at what Van Gundy said and his refusal to divulge the official he claims told him that referees "were looking at Yao harder because of (Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's) complaints" to the league office about officiating, The Houston Chronicle reported.

The Mavericks lead the Rockets 3-2 in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

"This is the first case I can remember when an allegation has been made and the perpetrator hasn't co-operated," Stern said about Van Gundy.

"At this time of year, there usually is a craziness in the land that has to do with referees as coaches jockey for position.

"This one, in our view, set a new low for that. That's why the fine is what it was and that's why the investigation is continuing."

Van Gundy stood by his comments Monday.

"I didn't see anything wrong with what I said. But certainly, obviously, for a statement like that to come out, he (Stern) obviously differs...that's all right," Van Gundy said.

Van Gundy told reporters in Dallas Sunday a referee not working the playoffs had called him and had warned Yao was mentioned in an online evaluation from supervisor of officials Ronnie Nunn.

Van Gundy added that because Dallas owner Cuban "has been hard on" the league and officials, "he's gotten the benefit."

The coach said Monday he had made similar comments to the league privately all season.

Yao declined to say whether he thought he was being officiated fairly but did offer to pay half of Van Gundy's fine because "coach was talking about me." "I feel I need to do it that way," Yao said.