National Basketball Association

Durant says owners at fault in lockout

Published Oct. 16, 2011 3:48 a.m. ET

foxsports

Oklahoma City star Kevin Durant is looking for some concessions from NBA owners to help end the lockout.

''They got to meet us at some point,'' Durant said after playing in an exhibition game at a DC-area high school on Saturday. ''I feel like (the owners) aren't helping us out - they're not trying meet us halfway with it.''

Durant said the players had ''sacrificed a lot'' in an effort to reach a labor agreement.

The owners and players are scheduled to meet with a federal mediator on Tuesday and Commissioner David Stern has said the league's popular Christmas Day games could be canceled if that session does not go well.

The lockout, which began in July, already has wiped out the first two weeks of the regular season.

''The way the meetings (have) been going, it's just so slow,'' Durant said. ''Us as players, we bring in a lot of the money. Hopefully we come to an agreement, but we got to stand firm.''

Though there has been speculation over whether there will be a season, Durant is optimistic the sides will resolve their differences in time to play.

''I'm not concerned about that,'' he said. ''I think we'll get something done - I hope so. I don't want to think about that.''

For as long as the lockout progresses, Durant said he'll continue to participate in exhibitions to keep in shape and maintain a positive relationship with fans.

Durant was in Washington with Wizards guard John Wall, Kings forward DeMarcus Cousins and other NBA stars to renew the Philadelphia-Washington DC rivalry in front of crowd of several hundred fans.

Lou Williams and Hakim Warrick led the way in Philadelphia's 172-169 win. Durant scored 56 points for the DC team.

''They've been talking trash to me for two weeks now,'' Durant said of the Philadelphia team. ''I wanted to put on a show.''