Mediation talks between National Basketball Association (NBA) owners and players will spill into Thursday after another marathon meeting failed to resolve the bitter labor dispute. The two sides met for eight hours Wednesday, following Tuesday's 16-hour session with federal mediator George Cohen, leaving hope the parties might yet salvage the NBA season. Thursday's meeting would mark the first time the two sides had bargained for three consecutive days. “Everyone is extremely focused on the core issues, the difficult issues that confront them. The discussions have been direct and constructive, and as far as we are concerned, we are here to continue to help assist the parties to endeavor to reach an agreement,” Cohen told NBA TV. NBA Commissioner David Stern has identified this week's mediation talks as a potential “make-or-break” for the league, with the pre-season and the first two weeks of the regular season already canceled. The protracted dispute came to a head on July 1, when the league locked out players after they failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement. Should no breakthrough be achieved this week, Stern could announce more canceled games. NBA owners contend the league lost $300 million last season with 22 of 30 teams in the red. They had wanted the players' share of basketball-related income cut to 47 percent from the previous collective bargaining agreement, along with a firm salary cap and shorter contracts. The players had offered to reduce their share from 57 to 53 percent. Owners pushed back board meetings Wednesday and Thursday to allow members of the labor relations committee to continue talks with the players, a move viewed as a sign that the dispute may be set to end. Stern had earlier left after talks surpassed the seven-hour mark to attend an owners' planning committee meeting at another hotel. He departed with Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck, the planning committee chairman, and NBA president of league and basketball operations Joel Litvin. Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, the league's lead negotiator, and Spurs owner Peter Holt, who heads the labor relations committee, remained to lead the talks with players.
