OKLAHOMA CITY, October 13, 2011—Professional basketball as we know it is in danger. The NBA announced Monday that the first two weeks of the season have officially been canceled. The issues surrounding the NBA lockout have not been resolved between the players and the owners, which means games are being lost. ESPN asked Commissioner David Stern if he thought any more games would be canceled and he answered that he feared there will be.
A lot can be made from this statement and not just about the first two weeks.
An NBA season typically starts on November 1 and runs through April. The playoffs then run through June. They spread 82 games over the regular season. There is no reason that even if they started the season November 15 they still couldn’t get 82 games in. It would just mean fewer days off and pushing the playoffs back a little. You could still get a whole season in.
So the fact that Stern said he is worried about canceling more games is a clue that they are not even close to coming to an agreement. The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, and Stern says that if there is no agreement then, the marquee Christmas day games will be axed as well.
The players have taken basketball into their own hands. Kevin Durant has been on a world tour playing in games at Rucker Park and the Philippines just to name a few.
A game being billed as Durant vs. Griffin has officially been scheduled in Oklahoma City on October 23 with two teams led by Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin squaring off for charity.
Another clue.
If the players thought that this meeting on Tuesday was going to end with an agreement then why would they have a non league game scheduled?
At best this lockout will end after Christmas.
Jason Black is a regular sports contributor on America’s Morning News and America’s Radio News. Coincidently, or not, he also does movie reviews for KJ103 and102.1 Kissin’ Country. You can also follow Jason on Twitter @jasonblack23.
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