The Associated Press is reporting that NBA Commissioner David Stern has canceled 100 games, or the first two weeks of the season, after seven hours of negotiations failed to produce a new labor deal.
The owners and players have been locked for weeks in a struggle over salary caps. And the cancellation of games scheduled through Nov. 14 mark the NBA's first work stoppage since the 1998-99 season was reduced to 50 games, the AP reports.
Clashing more over the salary cap system than economics — but still far apart on both — Stern said the sides are "very far apart on virtually all issues … We just have a gulf that separates us.
"With every day that goes by, I think we need to look at further reductions in what's left of the season," he added.
Stern said last week that he would cancel the first two weeks of the season Monday without a new collective bargaining agreement to end the lockout. The two sides expect to remain in contact, but no additional formal talks have been scheduled …
Players reacted quickly — and in some cases, strongly — on Twitter within minutes of the cancelations being announced.
Miami guard Dwyane Wade … said the situation "just got real" after he learned the first two weeks are now gone, then lashed out at Stern's comments in a second post by saying they hurt employees at arenas around the league, other businesses that thrive off NBA business and the league's fans in general.
Read more at News One.
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