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After a seven and a half hour bargaining session on a Saturday no less, there were high expectations among fans that owners and players were nearing a breakthough in talks to end the lockout, now in its fourth month. Nope. While both sides reported things were progressing, both also emphasized they were nowhere close to a deal.
"We're not near anything," David Stern said. "But wherever that is, we're closer than we were before." How close no one would say, but the key issues, a hard (or less soft) cap and the split of basketball related revenues remain unresolved. Billy Hunter said, "It's a pretty wide gulf that we're dealing with."
The two sides are taking Sunday off, then will talk in smaller groups Monday in New York. It's likely another week of preseason games will be canceled in the next few days, then after that, if there's no progress, the first week of the regular season, scheduled to start November 1.
- Stern: 'We're closer than we were before' - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
- NBA lockout: No deal after day of salary cap talks - Brian Mahoney - AP
- NBA players and owners still miles apart after Saturday meeting - Ian Thomsen - Sports Illustrated
- NBA lockout talks last seven hours Saturday - Chris Sheridan - Sheridan Hoops
- NBA Lockout Update: What the writers are writing - Chris Sheridan - Sheridan Hoops
- Long session yields little progress; sides to meet Monday - Steve Aschburner - NBA.com
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Spurs Nation » No tangible progress at NBA meetings - Mike Monroe - San Antonio Express-News
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NBA Talks Remain Passionate (Video) - ESPN
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No progress at Waldorf - Marc Berman - New York Post