SVP's One Big Thing: Why I'll enjoy LeBron and Steph this season - ESPN

The NBA gets going again Thursday after the All-Star break after the open gym last weekend in Indianapolis.

I don't need to waste any energy on what that was. I tweeted that if you don't care, neither do we. People take that as me being mad. No, I'm not. The commissioner clearly was. Despite his pleas and some old-school legends giving a nudge, apparently getting guys to care and/or try even a little is a bridge too far. But it's an exhibition. So, oh well.

The title is what matters, and the pursuit begins in earnest again Thursday. I was checking out the standings and I looked at the back end of the East. The Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks are the 9- and 10-seeds. Huge markets — some All-Stars in both spots. But how much time or interest will we devote to pondering the playoff fates of either? Likely not a ton.

Now look at the 9- and 10-seeds in the West. It's the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. There will probably be a bit more conversation here. The trade that didn't happen involving LeBron James and the Warriors speaks to where those franchises and players are in their respective story arcs. You know how those work, right? In literature or filmmaking, you have (1) rising action, (2) climax, (3) falling action and (4) resolution.

The characters involved for both teams have starred in more than their share of blockbusters. But we're getting closer to the credits rolling than we might be comfortable admitting out loud. Because when that ends… it makes us all aware of where our story arcs are.

LeBron debuted in the NBA a couple of years after I got to ESPN. Has it really been 20-something years? Damn. He's done a remarkable job of not aging out of his job and is not just capable at doing it, but still