Yesterday, for a few short hours, former New York Knicks President Dave Checketts made us believe that the end was finally here . . .the NBA lockout was finally over.

“I’ve received a couple of phone calls from friends who are very close to the process who say, ‘We have a deal, and now it’s a matter of getting everything straightened out,’ ” Checketts told ESPN Radio yesterday afternoon.

With that simple statement he set off a firestorm of Tweets, reports and rumors that the NBA would soon be getting back to business, with a 72-game schedule ready to tip off once the paperwork and formalities were handled.

Now, some 18 hours later, we’re hearing a very different tune from those involved in the talks . . .an all-too-familiar tune.

HOOPSWORLD’s Alex Kennedy reported the following via Twitter:

“Uh oh. I just got this text from an NBPA source: ‘No deal. Total BS. The deal got worse. No season.’”

“The union reps almost unanimously rejected the NBA’s last offer. If this is worse, no way executive comittee and team reps accept on Monday.”

And so, in one sweeping move the hopes of millions of NBA fans are dashed and the NBA lockout appears to be right back at the point of stalemate.

Be sure to check out HOOPSWORLD’s Eric Pincus’ piece about the ramifications of a decision by the Players not to take this latest offer, as well as what we can expect from the next offer put forth from owners, which NBA commissioner David Stern promises will be less player-friendly than this one.

The bottom line is . . .the NBA lockout appears to be just as locked as ever, despite Checkett’s premature annoucement.