RUSS NEVER SLEEPS: GRANIK SAYS NBA LABOR TALK CONTINUE

          NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik appeared on the "NBA
     on TNT" with Verne Lundquist and Doc Rivers prior to the
     start of the second half of the Knicks-Pacers game last
     night.  Granik, on the league's labor negotiations: "We had
     our fifth or sixth meeting today.  We've been meeting about
     once a week and our hope is that we will continue that pace
     and maybe even pick it up a little as we go forward."  
     Granik mentioned that Rivers was part of past labor talks,
     and added, "You hope that if you keep talking, keep meeting,
     that eventually will lead to some agreement.  The biggest
     thing for us is the economic system.  We have an economic
     system that we think is out of whack. ... That's the biggest
     issue, there are other issues but I think those are going to
     be resolvable" ("NBA on TNT," TNT, 5/7).
          AGENTS MEET: SI's Jackie MacMullan reports that agents
     representing a 20-member advisory committee will meet today
     to discuss, "among other things, whether a majority of
     players support decertification" (SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, 5/11).