NBA & union: pointing toward Friday

After meeting for more than 15 hours on Wednesday, and bargaining until well into Thursday, the NBA and the NBA Player's Association ended Thursday night's meeting short due to fatigue and feeling "wiped out."

Both sides cited Wednesday's epic session as the reason for parting ways on Thursday after only 7-plus hours. Both said it made little sense to keep plodding along when everyone was exhausted from the previous night's all-nighter.

The NBA and the union will get back to the table on Friday morning at 10:30. And both the union and the NBA said they'd be coming to Friday's meeting prepared to stay as late as possible to reach a deal. Union chief Billy Hunter said after Thursday's meeting that, "I think we're within striking distance of getting a deal," while union president Derek Fisher cautiouned that the final push would also be the most difficult.

Hunter, NBA commissioner David Stern and deputy commissioner Adam Silver made their point clear: Friday's meeting will be critical.

"We're preparing to negotiate over everything," Stern said, adding, "There's no guarantee that we're going to get a deal done, but we're going to give it a heck of a shot."

Also of note, the union's lead economist, Kevin Murphy, was missing from today's bargaining session. He will rejoin the union on Friday when the talks will, inevitably, shift toward the split of basketball revenue.

Tomorrow's session will be crucial in determining if the NBA can save its full season.

--Kate

Each week, Kate will check in from the road and answer fan questions about the Sixers. Click here to ask Kate a question or e-mail her at kfagan@phillynews.com.