This is a big week for the NBA, per ESPN.

A pivotal stretch in the NBA lockout begins Tuesday, when full bargaining committees return to the table.

That could move players and owners closer to a new labor deal, but it also could send things in the wrong direction with time running down if more voices in the room leads to discord.

Any setback now would diminish hopes of the preseason opening without delay.

The process toward getting a new collective bargaining agreement seems to have gotten back on track after three meetings in the past two weeks between top negotiators from each side.

They decided their full committees have to return before they can go any further, so the owners’ labor relations committee and the union’s executive committee were told to come to New York for a session Tuesday, and perhaps even Wednesday. That should more than double the number of people in the room from last week, when there were nine.

The league is running out of time to get something done so that the season isn’t delayed. Although no one seems particularly optimistic about the chances of the two sides striking a deal, it’s a good sign that they’re bringing their bargaining committees to the table. We’ll have a better idea where a potential deal stands on Thursday.

ESPN’s TrueHoop dissected comments from player representative Derek Fisher and wonders if the two sides are holding something back:

The two sides have agreed not to characterize the talks to the media. And in the spirit of keeping that promise, Stern and Fisher peppered their talks with let’s-not-get-carried-away language. Stern said, “I don’t know if it’s positive or negative,” that the groups’ meeting will expand next week. Similarly, Fisher said, “It doesn’t imply that we’re somehow on the verge,” and added that, “We still haven’t found that place where we can come out and say here’s where we are, here’s where progress is being made.”

But it’s hard to talk for 15 unscripted minutes, as Fisher did, without dropping some hints as to what has happened behind closed doors.

The most alarming of the hints came when Fisher explained expanding the meetings: “From our perspective, we want to make sure that our executive committee members who aren’t in the room are able to really fully understand the deal, the deal points, all the information that’s being thrown around the room, all the ideas that we’re going back and forth with.”

A deal? Deal points? There are deal points?

The post has more positive quotes from Fisher which do sound encouraging.

Is it possible that the NBA could reach a deal soon? It doesn’t seem likely given the reported chasm between the two sides, but compared to media attention surrounding the NFL labor negotiations, the NBA and NBAPA have been able to negotiate in relative anonymity.

A month ago I would have pegged the chances of the season starting on time somewhere in the 0%-5% range. Now I’d give the two sides a 15%-20% of coming to an agreement by mid-October.

Here are five questions about the C’s that ESPN posed to its network of basketbloggers along with my take.

1. Fact or Fiction: Rajon Rondo’s up-and-down play is a concern.
Fact! Of course you don’t want up-and-down play from your point guard. That’s a silly question.

2. Fact or Fiction: The Celtics should consider trading Ray Allen.
Fiction. What’s the point? The C’s are in “win now” mode, so why trade away one of the best shooters in the game? On the off chance that Kevin Garnett undergoes a resurgence and the C’s can get back into contender status, wouldn’t they want Jesus Shuttlesworth out there knocking down three-pointers?

3. Fact or Fiction: Boston should bring back Jeff Green and Glen Davis.
Fiction-ish. It depends on what Green wants to return. I think he could still be part of Boston’s future, but he’ll probably get more money than he’s worth. As for Davis, he looked lethargic last season and I’m not sure he can trim down enough to earn a new deal.

4. Fact or Fiction: The C’s will go as far as Kevin Garnett takes them.
Fiction, but KG is the key. The Celtics are a team in the truest sense of the word and will need contributions and good play from several players if they hope to make another title run, but Garnett has to get back to All-Star level play on both ends of the court if the C’s are going to go anywhere.

5. Fact or Fiction: The Celtics’ title window has closed.
Fact. It’s not completely closed, but if you’re standing a few feet away, it sure looks like it’s closed. It would take a perfect storm of good play and good health by the Celtics along with disaster striking in both Miami and Chicago (not to mention the Western Conference contenders) to re-open the window to let anything more than a draft through.

It’s time to discuss the Knicks. ESPN is running a five-question series with its network of bloggers, and I’ve been tossing in my two cents (which is worth about one and a half cents in today’s economy). Anyway, off we go:

1. Fact or Fiction: The Melo trade, as constructed, was a mistake.
Fiction. The Knicks didn’t gel right away (and never really did), but they still added a Top 15 player and anytime you can do that, you’ve won the trade. This question was never going to be answered in 2011. It’s going to be answered over the next four or five years.

2. Fact or Fiction: The Knicks will eventually form their own Big Three.
Fact. I’m not sure how they’ll do it, but the prospects of playing in New York with Carmelo and Amare would have to convince some point guard somewhere to force a trade or take a less than market deal.

3. Fact or Fiction: Landry Fields is a legitimate starter for a contender.
Fiction. But only because of the word “is.” He has the potential to be a legit starter on a contender, but I don’t think he’s there yet. He has to find his niche on the perimeter alongside Anthony, who holds the ball too much and that doesn’t jibe well with Landry’s game. But he can shoot, rebound and defend, so he can certainly develop into a legit starter.

4. Fact or Fiction: This is the final season in New York for Mike D’Antoni.
Fiction. Give D’Antoni a full season — wait, there’s a lockout isn’t there? I don’t think that the Knicks are going to find a better coach unless they’re somehow able to coax a revitalized Phil Jackson out of retirement. I think D’Antoni is capable of shaping the Knicks into the Suns of the East, but he needs to find a point guard to run the show.

5. Fact or Fiction: The Knicks are a top-four team in the East.
Fiction. I’d still take the Heat, Bulls, Magic (for now) and Celtics (for now) over the Knicks. They’re a “next four” team — should make the playoffs every year, but they aren’t going to make that next step until they find a good point guard.

ESPN asked five Minnesota-related questions of its network of NBA bloggers and it’s once again time for me to piggy-back on the proceedings.

1. Fact or Fiction: Ricky Rubio will be a star.

Fiction: I think he can be a better than average NBA starter, but by all accounts he hasn’t developed over the last couple of seasons as was expected. His shooting percentage is pretty dreadful, so that inaccuracy will limit his upside. On a positive side, he has great court vision and is a pretty good defender. I don’t see stardom, but I do see starterdom.

2. Fact or Fiction: Rick Adelman should be the Wolves’ next coach.

Fact. He’s the best coach available and has had success just about everywhere he’s landed. He’s not going to turn this ship around quickly, but he’ll make the T-Wolves better.

3. Fact or Fiction: Derrick Williams should start.

Fact. Let’s see if he can play the 3. If it’s a disaster, then bring him off the bench in a 6th man role and let him build his confidence against the other team’s backups. It’s not like losing a few games early is going to tank the T-Wolves’ season. It’s already tanked.

4. Fact or Fiction: Michael Beasley has a bright future in Minnesota.

Fiction. It’s doubtful that he has a bright future anywhere. This is a guy who, at one of these glorified playground games, recently pushed a fan in the face because he couldn’t take the criticism. Maybe he’ll turn it around — you never know. He did post nice numbers on a bad team in 2010-11.

5. Fact or Fiction: Minny makes the playoffs while K-Love is still there.

Fiction. I’m not in Love’s head, but I wouldn’t re-sign with a team that is run by David Kahn. So unless the team fires Kahn and brings in a great basketball mind, Love will likely sign elsewhere even though the T-Wolves can (currently) offer the most money.