NBA
owners and players have hammered out a tentative agreement to end the
league’s lockout. Now fans can expect to receive some basketball as a
Christmas present. The two sides reportedly settled their differences
during weekend bargaining sessions. Sports Illustrated reports the
season will be shortened from the traditional 82 games to 66, with the
season expected to start December 25th. Although terms of the agreement
are still fuzzy, early indications say that the owners pretty much
steamrolled the players, reducing their basketball-related income by
$240 million a year. The resolution is especially good news for the
hundreds of league workers who have been missing paychecks since the
lockout started.
