League, players complete new labor deal
Westbrook shines again for Thunder
The votes are in, and labor peace in the NBA is virtually assured for several years.
The National Basketball Players Association has completed its process of voting to approve the terms of the next collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players, which was tentatively agreed upon last week. All that’s left to do now is for the sides to sign the deal, which will happen once the writing of the actual document is completed.
Members of the NBA’s Board of Governors voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the deal, and players got their vote done subsequently. The approvals were announced in a simple, short statement Friday night, essentially ending a process that was blissful compared to the rancor filled mess that surrounded the last round of labor negotiations — ones where a lockout wound up threatening an entire season — five years ago.
“The parties voted based on a term sheet that outline the key deal points,” the league and the union said in that statement. “Once the NBA and NBPA finish drafting and execute the complete agreement, specific details will be released.”
The seven-year deal will go into effect July 1. Either side may opt out after six years.
“It’s funny: I don’t feel old by any means, but I’ve been through sort of two of these, this the second one I’ve really been involved in,” union president Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers said after the deal was struck last week. “I can remember how ugly it got back in 2011. I was a little younger then, didn’t fully understand all the things that were taking place. This was different … like a partnership.”
This era is the most lucrative in NBA history, with salaries and revenues both rising — and if forecasts from both sides are correct that trend will continue for the foreseeable future. The league’s record $24 billion television deal is responsible for much of the money that the sides are essentially sharing, and the average player salary is predicted to reach $8.5 million next season and $10 million within four years under the new deal.
Friday’s games
THUNDER 117, CELTICS 112: In Boston, Russell Westbrook had his 14th triple-double of the season and his third straight 40-point game, scoring 45 points with 11 assists and 11 rebounds to lead Oklahoma City to a victory over Boston.
Westbrook missed his first five shots but scored the last seven points of the first half as the Thunder turned a three-point deficit into a four-point lead. He scored 18 in the fourth quarter, including eight straight during a 10-0 run that flipped a 104-100 deficit Rookie into Domantasa six-point lead. Sabonis topped his career high by halftime and finished with 20 points for Oklahoma City, which had lost three of its previous five games.
Isaiah Thomas had 34 points and 10 assists for Boston. WARRIORS 119, PISTONS 113: In Auburn Hills, Mich., Draymond Green made a tie-breaking dunk with 1:31 left and Kevin Durant overcame foul trouble to score 32 points, lifting Golden State past Detroit. SPURS 110, TRAIL BLAZERS
90: In Portland, Ore., Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points as San Antonio handed Portland its fifth straight loss. MAVERICKS 90, CLIPPERS 88: In Los Angeles, Harrison Barnes hit a 10-foot jumper with 3 seconds left to give Dallas a victory over LA.
CAVALIERS 119, NETS 99: In Cleveland, LeBron James scored 19 points, Kevin Love added 14 points and 15 rebounds, and Cleveland rolled past Brooklyn. GRIZZLIES 115, ROCKETS 109: In Memphis, Tenn., Mike Conley scored 24 points and Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol each added 16 to help Memphis beat Houston.
PELICANS 91, HEAT 87: In New Orleans, Anthony Davis had 28 points, a career-high 22 rebounds and four blocked shots, and New Orleans overcame a 14-point deficit
to beat Miami. KINGS 109, TIMBERWOLVES 105: In Minneapolis, DeMarcus Cousins scored 21 of his 32 points in the second half and Sacramento rallied to beat Minnesota. BUCKS 123, WIZARDS 96: In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a career-high 39 points to help Milwaukee rout Washington.
HORNETS 103, BULLS 91: In Charlotte, N.C., Nic Batum had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double of the season, and Charlotte beat Chicago for its third straight victory.
MAGIC 109, LAKERS 90: In Orlando, Fla., Elfrid Payton had 25 points and nine assists and Orlando blocked nine shots in the first quarter in a victory over Los Angeles. HAWKS 109, NUGGETS 108: In Denver, Paul Millsap capped a 9-0 run in the final 1:43 with two free throws and Atlanta rallied to beat Denver. RAPTORS 104, JAZZ 98: In Salt Lake City, Kyle Lowry took advantage of a depleted Utah guard corps by scoring a seasonhigh 36 points, including 19 in the fourth quarter, to lead Toronto to a victory over Utah. SUNS 123, 76ERS 116: In Phoenix, Eric Bledsoe scored 16 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to lead Phoenix to a come-frombehind victory over Philadelphia.