L.A. Lakers: What Stern's Latest Lockout Threats Mean for Laker Fans

On Friday, NBA Commissioner David Stern threatened to cancel all games through Christmas if there were no breakthroughs in the October 18th meeting between the league and the players union.

Tough talk, said the players union, chalking this latest threat up to scare tactics.

Still, with the first two weeks of the season officially cancelled, Laker fans could be staring at an even lengthier cancellation that includes a marquee Christmas Day Game versus the Chicago Bulls.

Let's take a look at what games Laker fans would miss due to this very real threat.

November 15th: Versus Washington Wizards

Opening Night.

The stars are out and the journey begins when John Wall & Co. visit Staples Center for a very favorable first game match up.

This is a chance to work out the kinks from training camp and get the train rolling in the right direction.

Not to mention the return of John Wall who put on a ridiculous opening act in his first career game at Staples, posting 22 points, 14 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks, including a highlight rejection on NBA Players Union President Derek Fisher (pictured). 

Oh, the bitter irony.

November 17th: Versus New York Knicks

It's always a big deal when New York plays Los Angeles.  

Add the fact that the Lakers have yet to play a Carmelo Anthony-led Knicks team with all this offseason chatter about Kobe and Melo joining forces and you've got the recipe for one heck of a ballgame.

Storylines are aplenty in this one: Ron Ron and Lamar being from New York, Kobe historically shredding the Knicks including his 61 point Madison Square Garden record, Amare Stoudemire publicly calling Pau Gasol "soft."

It's New York versus L.A. It's all there.

November 22nd: At Memphis Grizzlies

Every Gasol brother showdown is epic. This one is particularly monumental coming off of Spain's gold medal performance in Eurobasket where the Gasol brothers played side by side for their country.

After Memphis made a fantastic run in last year's playoffs, this match up would have been a great early season test for the Lakers. 

November 23rd: At Oklahoma City

For those keeping track, these four matchups represent the next four scheduled games for the Lakers in the soon-to-be defunct November 2011 NBA regular season.

Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant in the same building is enough to make basketball fans drop everything and tune in. 

These two teams are also building something of a real rivalry after Oklahoma City's gritty first round performance in the 2010 NBA Playoffs.

This game was scheduled for a national TV audience on ESPN.

December 8th: At Miami Heat

A possible NBA Finals preview, this dream match up would surely have been the highest rated game of the NBA season to this point.

Kobe. LeBron. Wade. Gasol. Four of the top ten players in the league. (Forgive this Laker fan for ranking Pau in the top 10, but I'm not the only one).

A Thursday Night TNT game, no less.

This was a prime opportunity for the Lakers to avenge last season's 0-2 sweep by the Miami Heat, especially L.A.'s embarrassing loss at home on Christmas Day last year.

December 15th: At Dallas Mavericks

Revenge would also await a week later.

This time, in a possible Western Conference Finals preview, the Lakers would travel to the Lone Star state and face the NBA champion Dallas Mavericks.

You can bet the Lakers are chomping at the bit to play Dallas considering L.A.'s let down in last year's playoffs.

American, German and Spanish national TV audiences would have all tuned in to this Thursday Night TNT blockbuster rematch.

December 25th: Versus Chicago Bulls

And finally, like the Grinch who stole Christmas, David Stern is threatening to steal presents from under our trees by cancelling the Christmas Day showdown between the Lakers and the Chicago Bulls.

Always the big ticket in town, Christmas Day Laker games have been a tradition for purple-and-gold families since 1999.

When you threaten to cancel the Christmas Day game, you're playing with people's emotions.

And maybe that's the sort of tough talk that can bring both sides closer together in this contentious labor spat and make serious headway this coming Tuesday.

Otherwise, it doesn't matter if you were naughty or nice—we're all getting a big piece of coal in our stockings this year.

Merry Early Christmas, friends.