Heads up, hockey

From the Associated Press:

Labor talks between the NBA and the players’ union broke off Wednesday, increasing the chance of a lockout starting in the offseason.
In a statement, the NBA accused the union of backtracking on several items that the sides had agreed upon. The collective bargaining agreement expires June 30.
“Since we are at a loss as to how we can possibly reach a new deal that is in any way consistent with the principal terms that we have been discussing for many months, there are no further meetings scheduled at this time,” deputy commissioner Russ Granik said.
The union did not immediately respond.
If no new agreement is reached, a lockout could begin as early as July 1 — three days after the draft.
The sides had been publicly optimistic over the prospects for reaching a new deal until last Friday, when commissioner David Stern downgraded his outlook to “hopeful.” That came just hours after two union attorneys gave a verbal outline of the union’s new offer and, according to the league, changed its position on several key issues.

To Gary Butthead, er, Bettman and Bob Not Goodenow, get your butts in gear and get a settlement NOW! You have a chance to be the only game in town for a while if you do! And if you don't, your league is dead, dead, dead.