HoopsHype.com Rumors

George Karl: "I'm sure Commissioner Stern won't like this, but I think the product would be better if we shortened the season. When we start playing in late October, the people are thinking football. If you could just get us less fatigue [in a shorter season], I think you'd have a better product. When they started on Christmas Day, I thought, 'This is not a bad idea. This should be the start of NBA basketball ... Maybe start Dec. 1 and play 62 games, whatever number they'd come to." NBA.com

Denver Nuggets, George Karl, Coaching, David Stern, Schedule 

The Nets' first game as Brooklyn's team will be played in their old home on Long Island. The Nets will open the preseason against the Knicks at Nassau Coliseum on Oct. 9, league sources said. The Knicks and Nets also face off against each other in both team's regular-season opener Nov. 1 in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Newsday

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Schedule 

The NBA released its 2012-13 schedule last night and in addition to showing the Knicks opening up the Brooklyn Nets’ brand new Barclays Center digs on Nov. 1 in a 7 p.m. nationally televised TNT game, — right, the Nets on national TV! — one of the highlights for the area will be Lin’s first game with the Rockets against the Knicks on Dec. 17. Lin signed a 3-year, $25.1 million offer sheet with Houston and New York declined to match, breaking the hearts of pun-loving headline writers throughout New York. New York Post

Houston Rockets, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Schedule 

The seasons starts Tuesday, Oct. 30, with three games, including Boston at Miami. For the Nets, who underwent the most expensive makeover in the league in the offseason — all the talent courtesy of owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s cavernously deep pockets — there will be 12 nationally televised games, a far cry from last year’s total of almost one — as in none. Including the season opener with their bitter cross-East River rivals, the Nets play on TNT (three times) and ESPN (nine times). Additionally, the Nets are on NBA-TV five times. The Knicks play on national TV 25 times, excluding NBA-TV games. New York Post

Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Mikhail Prokhorov, Schedule 

Howard and Orlando also are scheduled to bring “Dwightmare” to Brooklyn two days later, Sunday, Nov. 11, in a 3 p.m. start, to the Garden against the Knicks on Jan. 30. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers make their lone visit to the Garden Dec. 13, to Barclays Center Tuesday, Feb. 5. The Western champ Thunder with Kevin Durant visit Brooklyn Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. and the Garden March 7. New York Post

Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Schedule 

The Boston Celtics began the playoffs with Ray Allen sidelined by an injury. The Clippers' best players, Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, are hurting and won't be at their best for their second-round playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs. Is the lockout-compressed schedule to blame? "I probably shouldn't say this because I'm not a doctor and I don't know, but you'd have to think so," coach Mike Brown said before the Lakers faced the Oklahoma City in Game 1 of their second-round series Monday. "Some of the injuries that have happened to these high-caliber athletes, running down the floor or jumping in their air or getting back in transition defense without getting touched, you know? Rose makes that play a million times a season." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Lakers, Mike Brown, Injuries, Schedule 

NBA commissioner David Stern said Tuesday he would "certainly look at" making a shortened regular season beginning Christmas Day a permanent fixture, while acknowledging the financial limitations of the idea. "We're going to certainly look at it and raise the issue with the owners," Stern said in an interview on "Rome" on CBS Sports Network. "The reason you don't make it a shorter year is because of the infrastructure that's been built. You have all of the buildings that have been selling an 82-game schedule. You have these local TV deals. You have these network TV deals. So, we'd have to negotiate with our players to take 20 percent less every year on the salaries that they're getting. That is a problem." CBSSports.com

David Stern, Schedule 

That doesn’t mean that everyone’s happy with the way this season went down. The compressed schedule raised serious concerns among coaches right from the start, and before the year, former coach Jeff Van Gundy called the 66-game slate a “money grab” by players and owners. Asked whether the schedule has worked out better or worse than he anticipated, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, “Worse. I just think a lot of teams have not been able to work on a lot of stuff, especially, I look at some of our young guys who might have been able to help us in an 82-game season, they’ve had zero practices. On the days that we do practice, it’s not as competitive as it would have been, and I think those guys have been robbed of a year in a lot of ways, the young guys. ... Execution, it has taken all year. I mean, we’re still working on it. It’s been hard that way. I didn’t anticipate it being this difficult.” Sporting News

Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers, Schedule, Jeff Van Gundy 

Though the league says ratings are up and attendance will be about the same as last season, Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver sees no future for a 66-game schedule. "If you cut the season shorter, we cut our revenues significantly as well. Players would make less, so no, and I think it's not optimal to play a condensed season in this fashion," he said Thursday. "I think both we and the players' union recognized that going in, but it was a compromise on both our parts to maximize the amount of salary players would get this season and to have as authentic a season as possible, sufficient number of games for competitive reasons." Houston Chronicle

Schedule, Adam Silver 

Emiliano Carchia: Stern revealed sites of next season's overseas games: Berlin; Istanbul; Barcelona, Spain, Milan in Europe, Shanghai and Beijing in China Twitter

David Stern, Barcelona, Spain, China, Italy, Schedule, Turkey, Milan, Istanbul, Shanghai 

The Heat, considered the league’s most athletic team with three superstars in their prime, resorted to resting guard Dwyane Wade April 8 in a win over the Pistons, claiming he had a sore ankle. But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged that the 66-games-in-120-something-days schedule has taken a toll on his club, and even the most energetic players concede it has been taxing. “Once you’re in it, that’s all you’re thinking about,’’ said Spoelstra. “We knew it would be a challenge. We didn’t have much time to prepare for it anyway. “Once we found out it would be a season, we had less than two weeks before training camp to prepare. I think this time here we’ve had at home was well-needed.’’ Boston Globe

Miami Heat, Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra, Schedule 

Wade has dealt with various injuries over the years, but being the senior member of Miami’s Big Three, his long-term health is more fragile. He was also held out of Friday’s game against the Bobcats for a break in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Knicks. “You didn’t know what to expect at the start of the season,’’ said Heat forward LeBron James. “You just wanted to play well and see if you could get as much rest as possible because they told us at the beginning we would have 66 games in 124 days. It was like, oh wow, if you break it down, it was like a game every other day. “So you knew that you had to play well because you don’t have the 82-game luxury, but you also knew you had to stay healthy because the teams that can stay healthy are going to be in a really good position at the end of the season. Boston Globe

Miami Heat, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Erik Spoelstra, Schedule 

When the league and union finally came to an agreement on how to settle their revenue differences, it's almost as if they then plotted how to soak every least bit of revenue out of fans. A competition driven schedule? Not this season. A money-driven schedule? "It came down to that," said Heat forward James Jones, secretary-treasurer of the National Basketball Players Association. "You don't get paid unless you play games. And having already missed a good portion of the season, the players felt that it was up to each individual player to be professional and maintain a level of conditioning and health and strength so that we can play as many games as possible." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, James Jones, Schedule 

"I mean 66 games is a lot of games," Jones said. "However, those guys that properly prepared are in better condition and those guys that didn't are struggling a little right now." South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Miami Heat, James Jones, Schedule 

For the most part, though, the season has been hell on the limbs, on the elderly vets, on practice time and, most nights, on the eyes. Which is what you'd expect from a condensed 66-game schedule and a microwaved training camp. "Guys are tired," said Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, and aren't we all by now? The good news is players will eventually adapt to the rapid-fire pace of the games, and the quality of play can only get better. We, at least, didn't get stuck with the alternative, either: no basketball at all. As long as the playoffs bring the typical intensity and some compelling matchups, this start will be forgotten and forgiven. Unfortunately, that's still a few months off. In the meantime, we're left to seriously wonder if the Pistons can break 100. NBA.com

Portland Trail Blazers, LaMarcus Aldridge, Schedule 

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich wisecracked when asked how he's managing to put up with this kind of season. "Are you married? How does your wife put up with you? She has to. She has no choice for now. It's the same thing here. You've got no choice. Quit your crying and just deal with it. Just deal with it and shut up. That's the best way," he said. He then spoke for all coaches when he discussed the tricky task of preparing for the weekly flurry of games. "My daily schedule is different," he said. "Our staff meetings and approach and when we do things is different now because of the rapidity of games. The teaching logistics have changed. We're cramming in less than normal. NBA.com

San Antonio Spurs, Gregg Popovich, Schedule 

Steve Nash said, "It takes more than a couple of beers and a nap in the afternoon" to recover from the previous night, and so players have adjusted their off-court schedule accordingly. Let's just say the nightclub business isn't booming in most NBA cities. "It's not a fun season," said Keyon Dooling. "You're so fatigued at the end of the night, you just go home." Through Sunday's games, offensive numbers are slightly down from a year ago, including shooting percentage (45.6 to 44.2), 3-point percentage (36 to 34) and points scored per 100 possessions (104 to 100), while turnovers are up (16, from 15.3). You almost can't predict which team will show up on a nightly basis. "It's interesting," said Rivers, explaining the personality of his team. "Every once in a while they'll sprinkle in a great game. Our first game of the year (against the Knicks), shockingly, both teams were on fire. We've probably had only one other game like that. You see it all around the league." NBA.com

Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Schedule 

What has five heads, wears short pants and is a danger to your family? If you answered AC/DC, you would have been right, in 1980. But in 2011, the correct answer appears to be the NBA's Christmas Day quintuple-header, five games from noon through midnight that few parents will relish playing in or coaching in or broadcasting. Last year, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy memorably said: "I think the NBA is so important to Christmas that we really need to increase from five games to 10, and we need to start them at midnight on Christmas Eve and play them all through the day so there's not a minute of Christmas Day when there's not an NBA game on TV. Because it's great. The NBA is Christmas ... It's what it's all about." SI.com

Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy, Schedule 

Jerry Zgoda: You'll like Ricky: He said he was imputing Wolves sked into his iPad: "I was saying `16, 17, 18.' Three games in a row? What the hell..." Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, Schedule 

Phoenix is the only team that will not have a home game this season against Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York or Orlando. "I was disappointed for our fans," Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver said. "When the preliminary schedule came out, I asked the league to reconsider and they didn't. You've got to factor in all the arenas and timelines, and they weren't able to move dates around." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Robert Sarver, Schedule