Crafty NBA commissioner David Stern cancelled the first two weeks of the league’s December schedule Thursday night without the pomp and circumstance of his past cancellations. There was no formal press release or direct mention of it. It wasn’t until last night that games from Dec. 1-14 were finally deleted from the Knicks’ website.

Stern said if the owners’ revised proposal is accepted by the players’ representatives Monday, the clubs will begin the season Dec. 15.

The Knicks would have played seven games during that span, including four home games against Milwaukee (Dec. 2), San Antonio (Dec. 7), Charlotte (Dec. 10) and Minnesota (Dec. 12). The games versus San Antonio and Minnesota may not be made up in the new 72-game permutation because games against Western Conference opponents would be first to go. According to the Knicks’ website, their opener is now Dec. 15 versus Philadelphia.

Stern had made four prior cancellation announcements.