Read More: Kobe Bryant (G – LAL), Kevin Durant (F – OKC), Russell Westbrook (G – OKC), Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers

With the cancellation on Friday of all November NBA games due to the ongoing labor strife, league commissioner David Stern has ruled out an 82-game regular season, if in fact there will be a season at all. Let’s assume for a moment that the league and the players union come to an agreement in time to begin play in December. Here is a look at what Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers missed out on.

The Lakers were set to open their regular season schedule on Tuesday, November 1 at Staples Center against Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder. But as it stands now, the Lakers will begin their truncated regular season on Friday, December 2 in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz.

Gone for the Lakers are home games against the San Antonio Spurs on November 9 and the New York Knicks on November 17, and a back-to-back pair against 2011 Western Conference semifinalists Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City on November 22 and 23. In all, the Lakers said goodbye to nine home games and five road contests with Friday’s news:

• November 1: vs. Oklahoma City
• November 2: at Golden State
• November 4: at Phoenix
• November 6: vs. New Orleans
• November 7: at Sacramento
• November 9: vs. San Antonio
• November 11: vs. Denver
• November 13: vs. Detroit
• November 15: vs. Washington
• November 17; vs. New York
• November 22: at Memphis
• November 23: at Oklahoma City
• November 25: vs. Sacramento
• November 29: vs. Minnesota

For more Lakers news and information, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.

FAST FACTS:

• The NBA has cancelled games through November as part of the ongoing lockout
• The lockout means the Grizzlies will not play in FedEx Forum anytime soon
• Fewer Grizzlies games means less business for Beale Street merchants

(Memphis  10/28/2011)     The NBA lockout is not only a loss for Memphis Grizzlies players and fans, but also for the businesses that depend on the season’s traffic to help boost revenue.  Some Beale Street merchants are already seeing a drop in customers.

“We’ve seen a noticeable drop,” said Matt Carpenter, an assistant manager at Johnny G’s Creole Kitchen.  “Can’t wait for the Grizzlies to get back.”

“Last year we got spoiled and were looking forward to being spoiled again this year.  It really became a Grizzlies/Tigers town,” said Jeff Goss, Director of Operations at Blues City Cafe.

Beale Street merchants were hoping to bank on the success of the Grizzlies last season, but the ongoing lockout is doing just the opposite.  On Friday, NBA games were cancelled through November as the bitter feud with players continued.  The longer the lockout, the greater the threat to local business.

“You’d really start seeing it at the end of January, February, March, when it gets closer to the playoffs.  And you’d see it on your big games, like the Lakers or the Heat,” Goss said.

The City of Memphis is already bracing itself.  In the last few weeks, Memphis Mayor A C Wharton joined mayors across the country in signing a letter to the NBA asking the organization to end the lockout.  The Memphis City Council is also exploring all options, including filing suit against the NBA, to recoup lost revenue.

“This hurts municipalities all across the country who’ve signed contracts to pay for their facilities.  This hurts the restaurant owners, sales tax receipts.  It has much more of a wide-ranging effect than the NBA players,” Council Chair Myron Lowery told News Channel 3 last week.

For now, Beale Street businesses are trying to stay positive, hoping the lockout doesn’t mean “game over” for their busy season.

“We miss our Grizzlies.  We were doing so well.  We want to keep it going,” Carpenter said.

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MANILA, Philippines – The Memphis City council is exploring the option of suing the National Basketball Association (NBA) for lost revenue because of the ongoing lockout.

Memphis approved a resolution to look into the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the NBA over lost revenue used to pay the bonds issued to build the home arena of the Memphis Grizzlies, the FedEx Forum.

According to Yahoo! Sports Kelly Dwyer, “The Memphis Grizzlies needed city bonds to help put together their home at the FedEx Forum, and the city’s taxpayers stand to foot a hefty bill if game revenue isn’t achieved this season.”

Lauren Lee of MyFox Memphis says that according to early estimates, taxpayers may have to pay up to $18-million in bond payments should the entire regular season be canceled.

NBA Commissioner David Stern canceled the first two weeks of the 2011-2012 regular season earlier this month when an agreement could not be reached with the players’ union regarding a new collective bargaining agreement.

Memphis appears to be the first city with an NBA team to consider a lawsuit.

The Grizzlies made the playoffs for the first time in five years in the 2010-2011 season, where they upset the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in 6 games.

It was only the fourth time in NBA history that the number 8 seed triumphed over the number 1 seed, and only the second time in a best-of-seven series.

The Grizzlies eventually fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 7 games during the Western Conference semi-finals. – With a report from ANC

Hamed Haddadi will temporarily head back to hoop in his native home of Iran, reports the Tehran Times: “Memphis Grizzlies center Hamed Haddadi joined Melli Haffari basketball team on Tuesday. The Ahvaz-based basketball team signed Haddadi on a short-term contract for an undisclosed fee. Following the North America’s National Basketball Association (NBA)’s ongoing lockout, the Memphis Grizzlies center joined Melli Haffari to play for the Iranian Basketball League and will return to Memphis in December to take part in the training sessions.”