SIAULIAI, Lithuania (AP)—Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol(notes) scored 29 points to help defending champion Spain beat Poland 83-78 Wednesday in its opening match at the European Championship. San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker(notes) had 31 points to help France beat Latvia 89-78, and Serbia, which lost to Spain in the title match two years ago, shook off a slow start to beat Italy 80-68. The Atlanta Hawks’ Zaza Pachulia(notes) scored 16 points in Georgia’s 81-59 rout of Belgium, and Montenegro scored the last five points in overtime to beat Macedonia 70-65 at the start of the 24-team tournament.

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NEW YORK (AP)—Two people with knowledge of the plans say the lead negotiators for the NBA owners and players will meet Wednesday for just the second time since the lockout began. Commissioner David Stern, deputy commissioner Adam Silver and San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt, who leads the labor relations committee, will take part, as will players’ association executive director Billy Hunter and union president Derek Fisher(notes) of the Lakers, two people told the Associated Press on Monday on condition of anonymity because the talks are supposed to be confidential. The sides last met Aug

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Read More: nba lockout, david stern, billy hunter, Derek Fisher (G – LAL) Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports that the next meeting between the league and players’ union seeking progress in ending the NBA lockout — scheduled for sometime next week — will be limited to only the top officials from each side, possibly just five people total. NBA commissioner David Stern, his deputy Adam Silver, San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt, National Basketball Players Association director Billy Hunter and union president Derek Fisher are the reported attendees.

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Among the signs you should just try and get comfortable because this lockout is going to be a long, bumpy ride…. Bexar County — which includes San Antonio — has helped clear the way for the Spurs to save millions by putting off planned upgrades to the AT&T Center (where the Spurs play). The San Antonio News-Express’s Spurs blog has the details.

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The San Antonio Spurs would undoubtedly prefer to see them playing together in South Texas, but the prospect of Tony Parker and longtime Spurs favorite Omri Casspi teaming up in France is very much alive. Sources close to the situation told ESPN.com on Monday that Casspi is giving strong consideration to signing with ASVEL in France’s top division. That’s the same ASVEL club which claims Parker as a co-owner and as its vice president of basketball operations

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