NBA owners and players have a deal, season could start on Christmas

The agreement still has to be approved by the league's owners and by the players association, but negotiators for both shook hands on a tentative deal. If approved, training camps would open Dec. 9 and a 66-game season would commence on Christmas Day. "We've reached a tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25," Commissioner David Stern said early this morning.