Though lockout talks between owners and the players union remain stalled, league officials said late Monday they were still optimistic a deal could be reached in time to salvage a 10-game NBA season. 'If we continue to push ourselves through 13-hour days as we have been, were probably only six or seven months away from breaking the impasse,' NBA commissioner David Stern told reporters. 'We know the fans want to see this season happen, so were doing everything in our power to give them a whole week of games in early April before their team hits the offseason.' If a deal does come in time to hold the short season, Stern promised fans, the NBA playoffs will still seem about 30 weeks long. 