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NBA Owners, Players Hold Long Bargaining Session

DALLAS (AP) -- NBA owners and players have met for more than five hours, the first of two straight days of sessions planned to discuss a new collective bargaining agreement.

With the current deal set to expire June 30, both sides say they hope frequent meetings can help prevent a lockout.

Commissioner David Stern says the talks Tuesday were "good and frank," saying it's "a real positive that we're continuing to meet" despite the significant differences in their positions.

Owners are seeking major changes to the financial structure, with Stern saying they need a "very significant restructuring for the owners to have a sustainable investment here on hopefully approaching $5 billion of revenue."

The union declined to comment until after Wednesday's meeting.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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