In another reality, one not irrevocably …

In another reality, one not irrevocably altered by the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, the excitement in Los Angeles would be palpable. The Lakers were back, sitting atop the Western Conference standings, poised to end a six-year playoff drought. The poor chemistry that defined last season’s 37-win team had been replaced by an unshakeable bond among the players of a team that racked up 49 wins before the NBA season was suspended on March 11. LeBron James, after showing signs of basketball mortality throughout the 2018–19 season, had surged back into MVP contention in this one. A championship run had become not just possible but probable, a franchise that was shaken by an unspeakable tragedy at midseason with a chance to give it a storybook ending, a superstar in James with an opportunity to line his résumé with a signature accomplishment. “I don’t think I’ll be able to have any closure,” says James, “if we do not have an opportunity to finish this season.”