When Lebron James broke his nose last week against the Thunder, it became his second opportunity to wear the black face mask that makes him the yang to the ying of a 1980s hockey goalie, psycho killer Jason, Hannibal Lector, the phantom of the opera, and "Halloween's" Michael Myers, among others. Lebron's protection is all black, while those visages were all white (likely because a lighter color made for more visible TV). Darth Vader, WWE's Mankind, and, more generally, bank robbers, may be the closest example to dark masks in popular culture.

According to the Bleacher Report, the league hasn't officially banned the mask, but they told Lebron they don't approve of it (which is an odd thing to say because that statement probably applies to a lot of things NBA players do), claiming it hides the eyes and thus gives its wearer an unfair advantage. They then cited a pair of goggles Dwayne Wade was banned from wearing for the same issue.

"The reason the league prefers the 'clear' is so that opponents can see a player's eyes," B/R's Ethan J. Skolnick wrote as an explanation. "They have set rules about goggles, which came into play with (Dwyane) Wade in New York in 2011."

Since when is a player required to show his eyes? The rule doesn't apply in football, baseball, running, poker, skeet shooting, and really any other sport. There's also the more relevant fact that the mask doesn't actually block one's eyes. Not even a little bit. Actually, if Lebron had blue eyes, the mask would accentuate them.

More likely, the league is wondering what sort of example the eery mask could set. Will the next broken nose-protecting player don a tye-dyed head piece, a replica Lecter mask, or something more? The mask's rise to fame is reminiscent of another trend started by Lebron: tights. After allowing them for some time, the NBA eventually banned them. Probably, non-clear masks are next, unless they can find a way to avoid it.

Ever since the association's dress code policy backfired, they've been hesitant to impose stylistic restrictions in a league that takes pride in its pre and post-game outfits. Notifying Lebron of their displeasure is their way of attempting to squash black masks without officially doing so.

Will Lebron resist the NBA's hints and make them play their cards? We'll see Saturday when Miami plays Orlando.