NBA season shortened by two weeks

HISTORICALLY BAD TIMING: Ready for “Occupy Staples Center”? It’s there for the taking. The Lakers won’t be on the court, and the well-heeled season-ticket holders won’t be in their seats, for the first two weeks of the pro basketball season. NBA Commish David Stern issued a cancellation notice late Monday following a fruitless two-day negotiation session between the league and the players. Stern said the two sides were "very far apart on virtually all issues... We just have a gulf that separates us"—which is sure to elicit deep empathy from the other 99% of the population. Said a spokesman from Turner Sports, which brings us Inside the NBA, one of the most entertaining shows on all of TV: "Like most NBA fans, our hope is that a favorable resolution is reached for both sides and for an outcome that preserves as much of the 2011-12 season as possible." (10/11a)