The History of the NBA in Twelve Games: From 24 Seconds to 30,000 3-Pointers

From its early days as a physical, plodding game with franchises parked in outpost towns like Fort Wayne, Moline, and Rochester, to today's international showcase sport, professional basketball has evolved dramatically over the decades. But the development of the National Basketball Association and its star players was not preordained. There were moments, both obvious and subtle, that steered the direction of the sport, whether it was Bill Russell's swan song, a near-miss on Michael Jordan,...