NBA owners and players have reached a tentative deal to end the lockout and hope to open a shortened season on Christmas Day.

NBA commissioner David Stern emerged from a 15-hour meeting between the parties in the early hours yesterday to say they had reached a “tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of ap-provals and very complex machinations. We’re optimistic that all will come to pass and that the NBA season will begin December 25.”

Any agreement must still be ratified by both NBA owners and players, with a majority needed on both sides.

The ratification process for the players is complicated by the fact that they disbanded their union on November 14 – when talks last broke down – and launched an anti-trust lawsuit against the league.

They must drop the lawsuit and re-form the union in order to vote on the deal.

“We thought it was in both of our best interests to try to reach a resolution and save the game,” said union executive director Billy Hunter, who sat next to Stern as they announced the agreement.

If the deal is approved, it paves the way for a season in which each team plays 66 games. And it appears to have come in time to save the traditional Christmas line-up.

If the schedule stays the same, this season’s December 25 games feature Miami at Dallas in a re-match of last season’s championship series won by the Mavericks over the LeBron James-led Heat.