Stern: Further cuts could be on the table

NBA: Commissioner David Stern said Friday he thinks eliminating teams will be on the table during collective bargaining as a way to solve the league’s financial woes.

“It’s a sensitive subject for me because I’ve spent 27 years in this job working very hard not only to maintain all of our teams, but along the way (to) add a few,” Stern said.

“But I think that’s a subject that will be on the table with the players as we look to see what’s the optimum way to present our game, and are there cities and teams that cannot make it in the current economic environment. I’m not spending a lot of time on it.”

CBSSports.com first reported Thursday that the league would continue to be open to contraction, after Stern said he wanted player costs reduced by $700-$800 million.

The players’ union released a statement later Thursday in which executive director Billy Hunter said the owners’ stance could lead to a lockout and loss of part or all the 2011-12 season.

The players likely would fight contraction because of the loss of jobs it would entail. For now, Stern is more interested in making teams in smaller markets competitive than he is in taking them away.

• Slippery court cancels Magic-Heat game: Slippery court conditions forced the cancellation of Friday night’s preseason finale between the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat, after arena officials said an oil-based cleaning solution was mistakenly applied.

Workers at the St. Pete Times Forum tried to solve the problem for several hours before the NBA decided to cancel, citing “unsafe playing conditions.”

The game will not be rescheduled.

Prugh two back at Las Vegas tourney

Golf: Jonathan Byrd shot an 8-under 63 at rain-softened TPC Summerlin to take the second-round lead at 13 under in the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open at Las Vegas.

Ryuji Imada was a stroke back after a 62, and defending champion Martin Laird (62), Alex Prugh of Spokane (64), John Senden (67), George McNeill (66) and Nicholas Thompson (66) were two strokes back at 11 under.

Prugh, who finished in a tie for second last week at the Frys.com Open, is after his fifth top-10 finish in his rookie season.

This is the third time Prugh has fired a 64, his best round, in a tour event. The round included an eagle 2 on the 15th hole.

“I actually hit a perfect drive pin high just right, on the green, and funny enough, I absolutely murdered my putt,” said Prugh, when asked about the eagle.

“I mean this thing might have not stayed on the green, but fortunately it stayed dead center of the cup. One of those you kind of just turn around and start laughing and like I’m running away with a 2.”

• Two share LPGA lead in Malaysia: Japan’s Mika Miyazato and South Korea’s Jee Young Lee shot 5-under 66s in steamy conditions to share the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia lead. Hee-Won Han was third at 67 while Michelle Wie opened with a 68 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

• Pavin leads Champions tourney in Houston: Corey Pavin shot a 6-under-par 66 for a 1-shot lead after the first round of the Champions Tour’s Administaff Small Business Classic at The Woodlands, Texas.

Mark Wiebe birdied three of the final six holes for a 67.

Russ Cochran (69) was three strokes off the lead.

Tennessee coach aware of violations

Miscellany: Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl said details of NCAA violations made public in a letter were not new to him or investigators.

The university released a Sept. 9 letter from athletics director Mike Hamilton informing Pearl his contract would be voided because he knowingly violated NCAA rules.

The letter states Pearl told men’s basketball recruits and their families that a visit to his home for a team cookout would be an NCAA violation. He also told the recruits and their families he would not tell anyone about the violation and asked that they not tell anyone.

• Federer battles through to Stockholm semis: Roger Federer recovered from a set down to beat Swiss countryman Stanislas Wawrinka 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 and reach the Stockholm Open tennis semifinals.

Federer meets fourth-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia in the semis. Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen and Germany’s Florian Mayer play in the other semifinal match.

• Fredricks beats Davis in 500 meters: Tucker Fredricks upset Olympic medalist Shani Davis to win the 500 meters at the U.S. Single Distance Long Track Speed Skating Championships at West Allis, Wis. Fredricks finished in 35.45 seconds, 0.39 ahead of Davis.

Jonathan Kuck won the 5,000-meter race in 6 minutes, 22.59 seconds, while Heather Richardson won the women’s 500 in 38.41. Jilleanne Rookard took the 3,000 in 4:08.86.

• Uchimura wins men’s all-around at worlds: Kohei Uchimura of Japan retained his all-around title at the world men’s gymnastics championships at Rotterdam, Netherlands. Uchimura won with 92.331 points for a huge 2.283 margin over silver medalist Philipp Boy of Germany.

Jonathan Horton of the United States was 2.467 behind for bronze.