As the NBA’s regular season was winding down just more than a month ago, a number of interesting developments seemed to be falling into place.
The struggling, defending-champion Lakers had gotten LeBron James and Anthony Davis back from injury just in time for what they hoped would be a long postseason run. League-scoring champ Stephen Curry and the Warriors, trying to stay afloat during the play-in race, were hoping to do the exact same thing. The Nets were trying to get their troubled star trio back on the court together. Even the Knicks, after an eight-year hiatus, were not only preparing to reach the playoffs but also hold home court advantage for the first round.