NBA players union executive director Billy Hunter (GETTY IMAGES)

Back in 1998, the NBA suffered a huge financial setback and public relations black eye when the league wiped 32 regular-season games and the best it could do was put together a 50-game schedule that started in January. Union executive director Billy Hunter was asked who won or lost in the collective bargaining war and explained that neither side came out unscatched.

“Did we blink? I guess we both blinked,” Hunter said hours after a new deal was reached in January of 1999 to save the season and the playoffs.

Fast forward to 2011 and we are in the same place again. Deja vu!

It’s like a bad Hollywood sequel. “The Lockout II” stars David Stern, reprising his role as the commissioner, and Hunter returns as the union’s embattled executive director. “The Lockout II” introduces a couple of new characters, Derek Fisher replaces Patrick Ewing as the union president and Adam Silver takes over for Russ Granik as the league’s deputy commissioner. However, the storyline and plot remains the same. Ultimately, the big dramatic final scene the players are expecting won’t reach the cutting room floor because the ending has already been written.

Even the script from the league hasn’t changed, just needing some very minor editing. Granik took the podium and addressed the media in 1998 and said the current system is broken. Silver didn’t have the benefit of a podium in 2011 but his message was basically the same. He said on Monday that the current system is broken.

Contrary to what Hunter said 13 years ago, the big winner from the 1998 lockout were the players. Let’s face it, from 2000 to 2010, the players – especially the superstars – enjoyed the fruits of the very long and hard labor debate of ’98. If the players didn’t think they won the last fight, then check out these numbers:

– $19.2 million for Gilbert Arenas.

– $21.2 million for Kevin Garnett.

– $21.3 million for Tim Duncan.

– $22.1 million for Rashard Lewis.

– $25.2 million for Kobe Bryant.

Those were the estimated salaries earned by each player last season. Kobe certainly earned his paycheck but you can argue that the other four were severely overpaid. Arenas was a bit player for the Orlando Magic and has never been the same since multiple knee surgeries. Duncan and Garnett are well past their primes and Lewis’ contract was like stealing money and is the very reason why the system has severe flaws.

The players will argue that nobody put a gun to the owners’ heads when they wrote these massive checks, so the players have a very good argument there. However, the owners will argue that under the current system overpaying for talent is the only way to stay competitive.

Two former NBA players who lived through the 1998 lockout were Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller. Barkley, who now works as a studio analyst for TNT, recently said on NBA TVs “Game Time” that besides revenue distribution the one gigantic issue hovering over this year’s lockout is competitive balance.

“We can’t have all our stars playing in just the major markets. It’s not fair to the game, it’s not fair to the system,” Barkley explained, an obvious strike at LeBron James’ highly debated decision to leave Cleveland for Miami last summer.

“This thing is about competitive balance,” Barkley continued. “Commissioner Stern, who I tell people is the best commissioner in sports and it has been that way for a long time, he’s not gonna let the NBA [become] like pro baseball where it is top heavy. All the teams with the most money get all the stars and then we have 10, 15 franchises dormant. He’s not going to let that happen.”

According to NBA insider David Aldridge, the Los Angeles Lakers’ team payroll reached $110 million last season. Meanwhile, the Sacramento Kings had an estimated team payroll of $44 million.

One way to combat the disparity between the have and the have-nots is having a bonafide superstar in each market. “You can have a bad team in a small market, but at least if you have a star that team can make money,” Barkley said. “You’ve got something to sell to the public. But if you are not gonna have these stars in these small markets they are not gonna survive.”

Miller, who also works for TNT, agrees with Barkley but has a pointed message for the owners. “Stop overspending on these mediocre players!” the former Indiana Pacers guard said on NBA TV. “Maybe you should hire better general managers who can evaluate talent better. There’s no way you give Rashard Lewis $120 million, a 30-year-old shooting guard in Joe Johnson $130 million, Travis Outlaw five years $30 million. Start looking at your general managers. That’s the reason why we are in this mess in the first place because you can’t assess talent well.”

Miller predicts the players will blink and there will be a 50-game season, starting in January. However, Miller also said he wouldn’t be surprised if the whole 2011-12 season is wiped out. Barkley sees a lost season if the players don’t agree to the 50-50 revenue split on basketball related income.

“If they get a 50-50 split they can make money. If they get a hard cap that can work, or they can have a better revenue sharing system,” Barkley said. “The NBA has been preparing not to play this season for two years. When they went through the whole LeBron thing for the whole season, then the Chris Bosh thing happened. Then you have the whole ‘Where is Chris Paul going next, where is Dwight Howard going?’ You can see the NBA saying ‘We’ve got to stop this.’ ”

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him @onemanfastbreak.

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Ray Allen recently broke Reggie Miller’s NBA record for most 3-pointers in a career. Allen now has more than 2,600 3-pointers in his illustrious and soon-to-be Hall-of-Fame career. However, despite having the distinction of being the NBA’s all-time 3-point king, is Ray Allen the best pure shooter in the game today? Moreover, where does Allen rank among the all-time great pure shooters in NBA history? Let the debate begin.

OneManFastBreak.net examines the 10 best pure shooters in NBA history. Editor’s note: As much as we’d like to include Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant or even Dirk Nowitzki on this list, they’re more pure scorers than pure shooters. A pure shooter is someone who relies on screens to score, and they rarely go for the spectacular dunks or the isolation dribble drives. Pure shooters, or basketball snipers, can also stretch a defense with their ability to make jump shots from beyond 23 feet.

10. Dale Ellis
Remember the flat-top haircut? Ellis’ Kid-n-Play haircut is just as impressive as his jump shot. Ellis was a big guard (6-7) who took advantage of his great size when he was shooting from distance. He may not have won an NBA title, but Ellis was a 3-point shooting king during All-Star Weekend.  He also ranks in the top five in 3-point field goals made (1,719).

9. Drazen Petrovic
It is unfortunate that Petrovic died at 28. The basketball world only saw a short trailer of the Croatian sensation’s made-for-TV career. Petrovic was a natural-born shooter and his impact in the NBA, even though it was shortlived, was undeniable. His game blossomed after he was traded from Portland to New Jersey, instantly becoming the Nets best scorer. His range was unlimited, and he oozed with remarkable confidence for someone who was totally out of his element. During the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Petrovic was the only player who stood up to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the rest of the U.S. Dream Team.

8. Danny Ainge
The Boston Celtics during the 1980s had arguably the best starting five in the league. They had an All-Star center in Robert Parish, a great power forward in Kevin McHale,  the quintessential small forward in Larry Bird, a Hall-of-Fame point guard in Dennis Johnson and one of the deadliest shooting guards in the game in Danny Ainge. He complemented the Celtics’ Big Four extremely well because he was a tremendous spot-up shooter. He was fearless and unafraid to take (and make) the big shots. He was also a pest on the court, and sometimes his cocky persona got him in trouble. (See his fights with Sedale Threatt and Tree Rollins). But Ainge was a winner, helping the Celtics reach the NBA Finals three times in the ’80s, and a key contributor for the Portland Trail Blazers (1992) and the Phoenix Suns (1993) when they each reached the Finals.

7. Peja Stojakovic
Stojakovic was drafted in the first round in the 1996 draft by the Sacramento Kings, one of Geoff Petrie’s major draft gems. His 1,760 3-pointers ranks in the top five all-time and is a 40% shooter from behind the arc for his career. Peja’s incredible shooting was one of the reasons the Kings were one of the best scoring teams in the NBA from 2001-05. He’s made more than 100 threes 10 times in his career – 240 in 2003-04 with the Kings, 231 in 2007-08 with the Hornets. He’s currently a key contributor to the Dallas Mavericks as a sniper off the bench. At 6-foot-9, Stojakovic is a shooting guard in a forward’s body, which allowed him to shoot over any defender. He loved to drift to his left side to set up his jump shot, a step-back move that became his signature shot.

6. Mark Price
The pride of Oklahoma and Georgia Tech, Mark Price is basketball’s Baby Face Assassin. Price offers that choir-boy appearance at first but then you realize this guy is a true sniper who can knock down cold-blooded shots. Price was a 40% 3-point shooter and 90% free throw shooter in his 12-year NBA career, nine of which were spent with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He shot 94% from the line during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons.

5. Glen Rice
You want “Minute Rice” or “Instant Rice?” That was the question posed by Glen Rice to teammate John Salley before the start of the 2000 NBA Finals. It’s not boasting when you own one of the sport’s deadliest jump shots. The man used to be known as G-Money was a pure gunner who never took a shot he didn’t like. Once Rice got off the team bus, he was open. He was an absolute sniper. His range was unlimited and his form was almost perfect. It was a stunner whenever he missed because it seemed like every shot he took looked good coming out of his fingertips. Rice averaged more than 20 points per game six times during his career, and drained 1,559 3-pointers.

4. Chris Mullin
The former collegiate star from St. John’s University wasn’t fast nor flashy and wasn’t blessed with great athleticism. But he made his living by perfecting a deadly baseline jump shot, a smooth left-handed stroke that would enable him to last 16 years in the NBA and amassed almost 18,00 points. A member of Golden State’s formidable trio “Run TMC,” Mullin averaged more than 20 points six times in his career and shot 86% from the free throw line. When the 1992 Dream Team was being constructed, Mullin was called to provide the greatest team in basketball history some much-needed outside shooting. He averaged 12.9 points, which was fourth on the Dream Team.

3. Reggie Miller
Most Indiana Pacers fans were scratching their heads when Miller was chosen by the team in the 1987 NBA draft, especially when Indiana’s favorite son, Steve Alford, was still on the board. Well, more than 25,000 points and 2,560 3-point shots later, the Pacers were left satisfied with their pick. Miller basically invented the art of running off defenders on screens. To do so, you had to be in tremendous physical condition, which he was. Miller worked extremely hard at his craft. He was always one of the first players in the gym shooting jump shots. He also was one of the league’s best trash talkers, and he backed up his big talk more often than not (see Reggie Miller v. Spike Lee at Madison Square Garden, 1994 NBA playoffs).

2. Ray Allen
In terms off work ethic, very few in the game has worked harder than Ray Allen. Even though he’s in mid-30s, Allen continues to amaze with his incredible endurance and leg strength. Reggie Miller and Richard Hamilton were incredibly fit during their primes, but Ray Allen blows both of them away because he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Allen has taken the art of running off screens from Miller and enhanced it with his own style. Allen also has a unique shooting stroke because his release is uncanny and hard to teach. He may have one of the quickest shots in the sport, a shot so smooth and compact that it is almost perfect.

1. Larry Bird
In terms of technique or statistical achievement, Bird is not on par with his constituents. For his career, Bird was only a 37% shooter from 3-pointer range and never made more than 98 in one season. His career total of 649 doesn’t even crack the NBA’s top 100. Heck, J.R. Rider (667), Rodney Rogers (690) and George McCloud (920) made more threes than Bird. However, when the stakes are at its highest and the lights are at its brightest, very few can compare with Bird. Larry Legend saved some of his best shots during the postseason, helping the Celtics win three titles in 1980s. Adding to his legendary legacy, Bird was also unbeatable during All-Star Weekend. He entered the 3-point contest three times and won it three times. One time he didn’t bother to take off his warm-up jacket. That’s Larry Bird for you. He won’t wow you with stats or amazing highlight plays, but he is a pure assassin when it’s money time.

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It was a Thursday afternoon in El Segundo, Calif. The Southern California weather was very accommodating and the players practicing at the Toyota Center had a certain bounce to their step.

The Los Angeles Lakers opened training camp this week and based on the sounds and images during a practice session, everything suggests that the defending NBA champions are primed and ready for another run a title – the 15th in the storied franchise’s history.

“The way this team is built, they are going to challenge the Bulls’ ’96 record of 72 wins in a season,” TNT analyst Reggie Miller said during “Real Training Camp” on NBA TV.

Miller’s sentiments are shared by many basketball experts who all feel that the Lakers have the best team in the world and have the talent and depth not only to repeat but to challenge the benchmark of 72-10 set by the 1996 Chicago Bulls. Those Bulls boasted a star-studded roster that included the best player in the game, the most versatile player, a European stud, a defensive dynamo with a flare for the dramatics and head coach Phil Jackson.

Sound familiar.

Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom are the HD version of Jordan and Pippen.

It is almost freakishly too good to be true. Kobe Bryant can play the role of Michael Jordan, Lamar Odom as Scottie Pippen, Pau Gasol as Toni Kukoc, Ron Artest as Dennis Rodman and Phil Jackson as … Phil Jackson. In supporting roles, Derek Fisher can be B.J. Armstrong, Sasha Vujacic can play Steve Kerr, Shannon Brown can simulate Randy Brown, Luke Walton is Jud Buechler and Andrew Bynum can easily be the next Dickey Simpkins.

The schedule also suggests that the Lakers should get off to a phenomenal start as 17 of their first 21 games are at Staples Center. “The way their season is built, their first 21 games, four of those are on the road,” Miller explained. “Oklahoma City…young team, a win. Houston…no Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady we don’t know, a win. Denver…OK, Denver plays great at the Pepsi Center so let’s say that’s a loss. And then they have Golden State, a young team in disarray. The Lakers can go 20-1 in their first 21 games.”

Miller added: “So yes, I think they’re going to challenge the Bulls’ 72-win season. But are they gonna win it all? If everyone is healthy, I kinda like the Boston Celtics. But it’s gonna be a fabulous matchup between the Lakers and Boston.”

Before we put Miller in a straight jacket for his bold prediction, it may not be that far-fetched considering that the Lakers won 65 games last season, has the reigning NBA Finals MVP in Kobe, the reigning European MVP in Gasol and arguably the greatest coach in the sport in Jackson.

Miller reasoned that the acquisition of Artest upgraded the small forward position and the former defensive player of the year should add toughness on defense and flexibility on offense.

“The West has gotten better, but so have the Lakers,” Miller said. “The rich get richer.”

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