NBA owners and the players’ association will meet this afternoon in Midtown, less than a week after talks broke down with a federal mediator, sources said.
The meeting will be small groups from each side. Commissioner David Stern, who missed the last session on Thursday because of illness, is expected to take part.
Stern said without a deal last week, he feared games could be lost right through Christmas. The sides tried, spending 30 hours together while meeting for three straight days for the first time since the lockout began July 1. They made some progress on minor issues, but continue to be stuck on the two main ones.
Sources said the owners have relaxed on their demand that negotiations only take place with preconditions that the union accept the 50-50 revenue split.
Last week’s federal mediation crashed and burned when the NBA refused to negotiate on other issues if the union did not first accept a 50-50 split. The union’s last offer sought a 52.5 percent for the players.
Union director Billy Hunter had charged the NBA would not sit down with them to discuss issues unless the players first accept the 50-50 revenue split. Hunter has contended salary-cap issues go hand-in-hand with the revenue split and said the incident appeared another case of the owners not bargaining fairly.
On that front, sources said the National Labor Relations Board is expected to make a decision about the players association’s July complaint regarding unfair bargaining practices by the owners within two weeks.
According to a prominent NLRB attorney, the players have a greater shot at ending the lockout at the bargaining table than relying on the NLRB or federal court.
Washington labor attorney Jay Krupin, who has represented NHL and MLB teams, including the Yankees and Mets, told The Post the players association’s bid for victory with the NLRB is “all theater.’’
The players association is hoping the NLRB rules there is “reasonable cause to go forward with the complaint.’’ The NLRB would then hold an extensive hearing and could also file an injunction with federal court to stop the lockout.
Yesterday, the players association weathered an erroneous report stating the NBA would announce more cancellations yesterday. In all probability, those announcements might have come today or tomorrow. If this reported next round of talks break down, another two weeks are expected to be slashed.
Krupin said the heavy burden of proof in the NLRB case makes it a pipe dream for the players to believe the NLRB will save them.
“We shouldn’t blow that out of proportion,’’ Krupin said. “That’s something the players are looking to do because they don’t have anything else. Players have their backs against the wall unless they make concessions.
“They are magnifying the NLRB issue like it’s important to, but it’s not important at all.’’