Paul George, knees bent, ready to play some of the greatest defense of his life, shot multiple anticipatory glances to his left and right, wearing a bemused expression on his face as he felt no one approaching him to set a screen.

Ausar Thompson, the Detroit Pistons’ high-flying 22-year-old wing, was diagnosed with a blood clot in March 2024 and did not return to the court until November. Chris Bosh, who played with the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat and retired in 2019, had a pulmonary embolism before eventually being diagnosed with DVT.