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BY GARY COTTON

You're watching multisource sports video news analysis from Newsy. 

The NBA is used to getting its players to play by the rules , and now they’re blowing the whistle--legally. (WFTV)

“The start of the NBA season, which is just three months away is looking more and more unlikely after the NBA filed legal actions against the players union earlier today. The NBA claims the players have not been negotiating in good faith.”

The New York Times expanded on the suit saying the NBA…

“filed a lawsuit that contends that the lockout does not violate federal antitrust laws.”

Wait--who said anything about antitrust laws? According to Yahoo Sports, the players did—a lot.

“The NBA has returned fire…The league has filed two unfair labor practice claims against the NBA Players Association, charging it with what the NBAPA threatened to do to the NBA for months. The NBA thinks the NBAPA is being uncooperative in negotiations.”

Split up and sue separately. As part of the NBAPA players don’t have the right to sue the league, but when they’re not they can. The New York Daily News says this tactic isn’t original and was inspired by the NFL lockout. Where several star players were named as plaintiffs.

“The suit hopes to establish that if the union decertifies in order to file an antitrust suit, as the NFL players union did, and if decertification were to be found lawful, all existing player contracts would become void and unenforceable.”

Sue or be sued—That’s what the league is saying, but the players say it’s all backward. The LA Times quoted them saying…
 

“The litigation tactics of the NBA today are just another example of their bad faith bargaining and we will seek the complete dismissal of the actions as they are totally without merit,"

So both sides are wrong and right…but when will we get to see some basketball? A writer for Sports Illustrated projects the lawsuits could either end the lockout--or cause complete disaster.

“If the players decide to disband as a precursor to the lawsuits, much -- if not all -- of the 2011-12 season would be lost. But the league's preemptive strike could force both sides back to the bargaining table for sessions far more meaningful and productive than the one that took place on Monday."
 

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Transcript by Newsy.