Wednesday's deadline for the NBA's current offer to the players, after which the league states it will move to an offer of 47 percent with a flexible hard cap, could effectively mean that the entire 2011-12 season might be lost as early as November 9.  

Would the owners really follow through on a threat to lose the entire schedule so soon?

"The hardliners have control and will," said a source briefed on Saturday's meeting among all the owners.