Clippers’ Gordon says players not ready to give in

Eric Gordon believes his fellow NBA players will stand strong

throughout the lockout.

About 60 minutes before the Indiana Hoosiers started basketball

practice Saturday night, Gordon told reporters at his former

college that he did not believe players would fold under the

pressure to save the NBA season.

”It’s hard to say, but I don’t think the players are going to

give up so easily,” he said.

The comments came one day after Washington Wizards center JaVale

McGee said a few players were ready to give in to the owners’

demands though, McGee added, the majority would continue to

fight.

Gordon, who played one season at Indiana, concurred with the

second part of McGee’s assertion.

He said he has attended some negotiating sessions and has been

getting regular updates. During the wait, Gordon said he is working

out and hoping the two sides can reach an agreement.

But Gordon also thinks the league’s owners have more leverage at

the moment.

”It’s kind of tough because the owners almost have the upper

hand in terms of what we have to give,” Gordon said. ”It almost

seems like the owners always come with something new and different

every meeting.”

The lockout, which began in July, already has wiped out the

first two weeks of the regular season.

The sides are scheduled to meet in front of a federal mediator

Tuesday, a session Commissioner David Stern has said could

determine whether there will be games by Christmas.

Gordon agreed with that assessment.

”I’d say Tuesday determines a lot of what’s going to be done

through the first half of the season,” he said. ”All I’ve been

doing is working out.”

Working out is about all most players can do right now.

Gordon and former college teammate D.J. White played in a

lockout league game last month in Indianapolis. Gordon is scheduled

to appear in a similar game Oct. 24 at Rupp Arena in Lexington,

Ky.

White, also an Indiana alum and NBA player, attended Saturday

night’s festivities in Bloomington and acknowledged he, too, would

be willing to continue playing in those games.

But, like everyone else, White would rather get back to

work.

”I’m just working out, working out every day,” said White, who

has promised to keep his growing beard until the lockout ends.

”That’s pretty much all you can do now. I’m bored out of my mind,

so that’s about it.”