In an attempt to counter litigation by NBA players claiming the league violated U.S. antitrust laws by imposing the lockout, the league asked a federal court to declare the lockout legal and not in violation of law.

The owners also issued a formal complaint to the National Labor Relations Board that the players’ union violated law when they threatened filing to de-certify the union. The threat to de-certify is a similar move that was made by the NFLPA during football’s lockout.

While complaining about the players threatening, the league engaged in threatening of their own. The AP reported that within the NLRB complaint was a request by the owners to terminate all existing contracts with players if the union is allowed to disband.

All these aggressive legal actions add to the nasty tone that has come out of the league office since the NBA Finals concluded.

David Stern is attempting to stop the players from directing the action. If this thing ends up in court, it’s going to be Stern and his 29 owners getting the jump on players. While the NFLPA were prepared to de-certify and file a suit, Billy Hunter and the NBA players were not, prompting the bold move by the league to file ahead of the players.

While Stern seems to be taking control of the public posturing that occurs during these kinds of negotiations, the only significant talk about the lockout regarding the union has come from individual players who are looking for paychecks in Europe or Asia.

Many expected the NBA to try to prevent that and keep their assets healthy until the league re-opens for business but several players are already running the courts overseas. Stern has responded opposite as expected, telling players to have fun but get their own insurance.

The owners appear to be willing to have their financial positions take a hit if it breaks the will of the union….time will tell if that maneuver works. In the meantime fans are getting a taste of the sport watching Kevin Durant tear up Rucker Park as he takes his street ball tour for Nike through New York City.

Used with permission of the author.

Paula Duffy is a national sports columnist for Examiner.com and the Huffington Post and regularly comments on sports/legal matters for radio affiliates of ESPN and Fox Sports. She founded the sports information site, Incidental Contact, is the author of a line of audio books designed for sports novices and in her spare time practices law in Los Angeles.

Copyright ©2011 Sports Climax, LLC

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK. – The Oklahoma City Thunder came to play on Saturday, out-rebounding the L.A. Lakers and their 7-foot duo, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum and thrashing the Lakers 110-89 to even the NBA Playoff series 2-2.

Kevin Durant scored 22 points and Russell Westbrook netted 18 and added 8 boards for the Thunder who are suddenly making believers out of their fans and opposition around the league.

After the game Durant was composed and seemed all business during a courtside interview saying, “It’s a seven game series.”

“We knew what we were capable of and how hard we play every day and how hard we practice every day,” said Durant. “With those attributes, I think that we can go far as a team. It’s all on us. We control our own destiny at this point.”

“A lot of people didn’t expect us to be here and once we got here, people were saying we were going to get swept.”

Kobe Bryant was held to 12 points and his decision to not take a shot for the first 15 minutes of the game, got his team in a 15-point deficit hole they could never dig out of.

The Thunder responded with a vengeance and the Lakers never got within double-digits after the first quarter.

“This is as big as a game can possibly be,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. “You’re playing against one of the best teams in the playoffs on your home floor. Like I told the guys after the game, the Lakers did a good job the first two games. They took care of their home court. We did the same thing.”

Bynum and Gasol led the Lakers in scoring with 13 and Kobe took his 12 points to the bench, spending the entire 4th quarter there with 3 other Lakers starters.

“Our expectation is we wanted to win both of these games and be done with it. I think that’s every team’s mindset coming on the road being up 2-0,” Bryant said during post-game. “We’ve got a tough fight.”

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax™