NBA Lockout: 5 Coping Tips for the Obsessed Fan

As the NBA lockout continues to drag on, we can only hope the two sides will come together and make peace.

The preseason is already canceled, and NBA commissioner David Stern doesn't seem bothered by the idea of canceling the entire regular season altogether.

If they don't make a deal soon, we may be in for a long winter.

Here are my five tips for those fans like me, who can't figure out what to do with themselves in this time of basketball crisis.

Call a Family Member

Haven't called that weird uncle in a long time? How about your mother?

One phone call to the right family member could keep you occupied until December. But that might not necessarily be a good thing.

Play Video Games

I'm sure this one is a no-brainer to some, but to others it could be a revelation.

If you need some basketball action, look no further than your video game collection.

Don't own any video games? Go make some friends.

Watch Classic Games

Here's a good tip—go find a classic game you love and watch it as if you have no idea what is going to happen.

Just imagine you and your friends watching Game 2 of the 1996 NBA Finals. Will the Sonics find a way to win?

"I think Shawn Kemp can lead this team to a Championship!"

Go Outside

Feeling deprived of basketball? Call up your friends and get a game going. I'm sure your match will be just as entertaining as one with Lebron or Kobe.

Or not.

Watch Football

What better way to fill the void in your heart left by one sport by filling it twice as much with another?

If the NBA can't get their act together, you might as well devote yourself to the league that figured things out.

Or you can just sit in your house and cry. I guess everyone copes differently.