The NBA Playoffs are heating up, and the Western and Eastern Conference finalists have been decided.
In the west, the Los Angeles Lakers are set to clash with the Denver Nuggets, while in the east, the Boston Celtics will take on the Miami Heat. These matchups might feel familiar because they mirror the brackets from the 2020 COVID-19 bubble.
However, amidst lingering skepticism surrounding the legitimacy of the 2020 championship, with critics describing it as a “Mickey Mouse” trophy due to the unconventional circumstances of the bubble, a compelling narrative emerges. Now, three years later, the same four teams are in the final four, confirming the legitimacy of the Lakers’ 2020 championship triumph.
Looking back to 2020, the regular NBA season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic for several months. The playoffs eventually resumed within a bubble environment in Orlando. The absence of home-court advantage, lack of fans in attendance, and an extended rest period for the players significantly impacted the dynamics of the games. Teams struggled to develop regular-season chemistry, and players had ample time to rest and recover from injuries.
The Los Angeles Lakers benefited greatly from the pause in the regular season and the subsequent break leading up to the playoffs due to the pandemic. Their two superstars, the injury-prone Anthony Davis and the aging LeBron James, were able to minimize their injury concerns and get the necessary rest, respectively. The Lakers claimed the championship convincingly, with “King James” and “AD” displaying dominance. LeBron secured his fourth title and fourth Finals MVP, solidifying his status as one of the greatest of all time, or as it is known in sport, the GOAT.
In the current season, as the seventh seed, the Lakers demonstrated their dominance by defeating the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in the first round and overcoming the defending champions, the Warriors, in the second. The physical presence of Davis and James played a crucial role in their success.
Now, the Lakers face the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals, just like in 2020. However, this time around, the Nuggets’ superstar, Nikola Jokic, is more experienced, having clinched two regular-season MVP awards and currently putting on impressive offensive stats in the playoffs. This includes a stellar performance in Game 5 against the Phoenix Suns in the western semis with his 10th career playoff triple-double, which is the most ever recorded by a center in NBA playoff history.
Furthermore, in 2020, Davis received significant help from his former teammates JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard in defending Jokic down the paint. This year, however, the situation has changed, making it a showdown between Jokic’s offense and Davis’ defense.
On the eastern side, the Miami Heat have been surprising everyone with their performances. They barely made it to the playoffs, losing their first play-in game but managing to win the second one and secure a spot. In a stunning upset, they knocked out the No. 1 seed in the east, the Milwaukee Bucks, in five games. The Heat’s experience in the playoffs has been evident, especially as they defeated the Knicks, who made their first playoff appearance since the 2012-13 season.
Now, the Heat face the Celtics, setting up their third playoff clash in the past four years. In the Orlando bubble playoffs of 2020, the Heat defeated the Celtics in six games, while last year, the Celtics eliminated the Heat in seven games to reach the finals. This year’s series will likely hinge on the performances of Jimmy Butler for the Heat and Jason Tatum for the Celtics.
Both Butler and Tatum have already made history in these playoffs. Butler’s 56-point performance against the Bucks in the first round tied him for the fourth-most points in an NBA playoff game. Meanwhile, Tatum’s game on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers resulted in the most points scored in a Game 7, tallying an impressive 51 points. Their individual performances will play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the series.
Are we in for another epic faceoff between the Heat and the Lakers, igniting memories of the thrilling bubble season? Or will we witness a Lakers-Celtics clash in the finals, rekindling their historic rivalry?
Is it finally the time for Jokic or Butler to clinch a championship for the first time?
The coming weeks will reveal the answers, but one can never underestimate King James, with a remarkable 10 trips to the finals. History stands firmly on his side.
