How did you pull this off?

It’s the final possession of the seventh game of the NBA Finals. Tyrese Haliburton has led the Indiana Pacers through an improbable run in the playoffs to make it farther than anyone ever thought possible. He has Domantas Sabonis on a switch with the chance to win the game and the NBA Championship in front of his former fans in Sacramento.

You stand watching in a courtside seat next to the stanchion near the Pacers bench. As Haliburton steps back and raises up to take his 3-point shot with the Pacers down two and time slowly ticking away, you see in the corner of your eye something strange on the ceiling of the Golden 1 Center. Everything starts to move in slow motion as you look up and see the growing hole at the top of the arena. The basketball remains in the air as it arches towards the basket.

It looks like a scratch mark, almost as if the building has been torn at its top like a piece of fabric. But beyond the tear, you don’t see the sky, but something indescribable and outside your comprehension. The ball nears the rim as the buzzer sounds.

A blinding light illuminates the entire arena and you are transported instantly into a dimension of nothingness. Just a blank white abyss that you’re floating through when you hear a voice.

“Did you really think you could get away with it?” the voice bellows. “You thought there was no consequence for messing with the space-time continuum by continually going back and looking for the best possible outcome for your precious team.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you say. “I swear. This was the first path I chose.”

“LIES!”

The unknown being has surrounded you with a ring of fire as a television screen appears in front of you. It appears to be a news report from a helicopter in Sacramento. The tear above the arena has started pulling in everything that surrounds it.

“You did this. You broke the fabric of the universe and everything is bending in on itself. All these timelines created for what? A basketball team?”

You watch the television screen as the helicopter starts to get pulled in. The camera though starts to zoom in as the roof has been torn almost completely off of the arena, you can see that something is happening on the court. You can see Tyrese, Domas, De’Aaron Fox, and Buddy Hield all holding arms together as they inch towards a purple button at center court.

“Oh, shit,” you whisper. “LIGHT THE BEAM!”

The players together all slam their hands onto the button.

A purple beam immediately shoots directly into the center of the tear from the only remaining portion of the arena’s roof that still stands when suddenly you notice the white abyss has turned purple.

“What? Noooooooo,” the voice echoes. “You won’t get away with this! The universe cannot sustain it—-

You blink and look around. You’re sitting in your office, phone in your hand scrolling through Twitter. You just got the Woj notification that the Lakers traded for Rui Hachimura in exchange for three second-round picks. The date is January 23, 2023. You are confused and tired. Click here to continue.