The length of the NBA schedule creates seasons within seasons. Teams wax and wane; in the past five months, there were stages at which the Rockets looked to be in real peril, the Grizzlies were on track for the playoffs, and the Lakers made a case as a credible Western Conference challenger. An entire month was consumed by the trade market for Anthony Davis, who was ultimately not moved—an outcome that plunged a superstar talent into purgatorial irrelevance. Over a long enough term, a brilliant scorer can burn out or a late-blooming prospect can find his way.
Paul George and the Thunder Carry the Weight of the Regular Season
