A Month Ago, the 76ers Played What Could Be Their Final Game This Season

Exactly one month ago from today, the Philadelphia 76ers were gearing up for their first home game in over a week. The team had just wrapped up a disappointing four-game road trip on the West Coast. Since the Sixers are known to struggle on the road, it came as no surprise they went 1-3 during the long stint.

That's why the matchup against the Detroit Pistons on March 11th was so important. The Sixers were 38-26, sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Injuries were killing them, but the team was fortunate enough to get Joel Embiid back in action after he missed a handful of games due to a shoulder injury.

The return of Embiid was significant because the Sixers needed a star to rely on with Ben Simmons down for the count. Unfortunately, after his first game back in some time, the result of the Sixers' season became one giant question mark along with the rest of the league.

At that point in time, the coronavirus was finally starting to threaten the NBA, and sports as a whole. There were discussions held before the Sixers took on the Pistons about potentially preventing fans from attending games moving forward.

But it never happened. The show went on one last time before the NBA suddenly suspended the season. In Philly, the Sixers-Pistons matchup was going on as planned. While it was evident that fewer fans showed up compared to your typical game night in South Philly, the Wells Fargo Center was still packed.

Across the map, so was the Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Utah Jazz were supposed to play that night. However, Jazz star, Rudy Gobert's test results for COVID-19 created other plans. After a team doctor rushed out onto the court just seconds before tip-off in OKC to speak to the refs, the Thunder's arena announcer encouraged fans to pack it up and go home as there was no game to be played.

While in Philly, I could hardly pay attention to what was going on between the Sixers and the Pistons -- and I wasn't alone. Many media members and fans were glued to their screens, waiting to get an accurate description of what occurred over in OKC on that strange night. Before anybody could find out, the Sixers defeated Detroit 124-106.

It was time to stop worrying about what's going on in the Western Conference for a moment, but it was impossible. As a bunch of media members, including myself, waited for Sixers head coach Brett Brown to come out for a routine press conference, The Athletic's Shams Charania dropped a bomb (Sorry, Woj).

Utah Jazz All-Star Rudy Gobert has tested positive for coronavirus, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

Sources say Gobert is feeling good, strong and stable — and was feeling strong enough to play tonight.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 12, 2020

I don't remember what I heard precisely, but somebody shouted out in shock, something along the lines of "he's got it!" Immediately, I pieced two and two together and knew that "he" was Rudy Gobert and that "it" meant COVID-19. Sure enough, I could confirm for myself. Not even 30 seconds later, something that I honestly never thought would happen happened. "The NBA is suspending gameplay following the conclusion of tonight's schedule of games until further notice," was written right on my iPhone screen.

The events from that night were shocking. To this day, everything that went down is almost unbelievable. Unfortunately, it's all very real. At this point, it's unclear if that unforgettable Wednesday night was the conclusion of the 76ers' 2019-20 season, or if it was just the start of a strange playoff scenario set for the summer.

There's hope for a return, but the decision-makers and influencers within the NBA have made it clear that they won't rush back if they're truly not ready. And if the hiatus drags on too long, the white flag could be waved before crowning a champion.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_