NBA Lockout

* Games lost Thursday: Eight.

* Total games missed: 77.

* Earliest estimated date season can start: Dec. 15.

* Negotiations: Nothing scheduled. Commissioner David Stern and union director Billy Hunter were supposed to speak by phone Thursday.

* Projected player salary losses

(through Dec. 15): $250 million.

* Thursday’s best canceled game: Minnesota at Seattle. The Timberwolves were to return to KeyArena for the first time since losing the deciding Game 5 in the first round of the playoffs last April.