THE UTAH JAZZ were moments away from tipping off against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 11, 2020. A positive COVID-19 test from center Rudy Gobert abruptly halted the game, and the official announcement that night said the league was going on hold "until further notice." At the time, league insiders expected play to be halted for at least two weeks.
Two weeks turned into 20 as the season resumed July 30 in a bubble environment at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. A year later, half the league's teams are still hosting games in empty arenas as the pandemic that has claimed more than 500,000 American lives persists across the country.