The 2020 NBA Bubble Was Better Than You Remember

I have a confession. I love the NBA bubble. No fans, empty gyms, no travel, no homecourt advantage, none of that.

It was like an open gym with the best players on the planet. Pure unfiltered hoops, and it did not disappoint. We saw one of the greatest playoff duels of all time.

Witnessed a handful of game-winning buzzer beaters, comebacks and chokes, legacies being cemented, and TJ Warren turning into Michael Jordan for a week. The bubble had it all. We're now nearly half a decade removed from it, and I thought it'd be a good time to revisit the wildest, weirdest, most unforgettable chapter in NBA history.

The Utah Jazz and OKC Thunder are scheduled to tip off at 7:00 p. m. on March 11th, 2020.

Yet, here we are 10 minutes later in a state of confusion. The officials are huddled up talking about something. And just moments later, like it was straight out of a movie.

Men in suits rush the court like the FBI to speak to the officials. Something was said. The teams go back to their locker rooms and the game is postponed.

No one knew what was going on, but about an hour and a half after their scheduled tip off, Sham Shirania broke the news. Someone on the Utah Jazz had tested positive for a virus that for the past few months had the world on the cusp of a global pandemic. And that someone was Rudy Gobear, who just days prior had jokingly touched every reporter's mic in what is now seen as an act of complete ignorance.

Not even 10 minutes after the news broke, the NBA announced they were suspending the season, becoming the first major sports league to do so. Word spread to Dallas, where the Mavericks were playing the Nuggets. Mark Cuban reacts to the news just like the rest of us.

The sports world explodes and we're questioning if anything will ever be the same [Music] again. After a chaotic 5 months, the world began to calm down and the NBA wasted no time. The league formalized a plan to resume the season on July 30th at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando, inviting 22 teams to play eight seating games followed by a fulllength postseason.

Thank God for the bubble because we had a hell of a season going on. The new LeBron and AD Lakers were dominating as they were chasing a championship in honor of Kobe. The LA Clippers had just loaded up with the reigning champion and finals MVP Kawi Leonard alongside Paul George.

A battle of LA in the conference finals seemed inevitable. The Denver Nuggets' star duo were making noise as a possible dark horse. And a secondyear superstar in Dallas was hooping.

The West was loaded. Out east, the Bucks were steamrolling the NBA as the overall number one seed as Giannis chased his second of back-to-back MVPs. Surprisingly, right on their tail were the Toronto Raptors.

Thriving in their first season without Kawaii in search of consecutive titles. And down in Miami, Jimmy Butler was making waves on his new team, surging as serious championship contenders. I mean, the guy didn't even bring any of his family to the bubble, stating that it was a business trip.

He was locked in. An all-around great NBA season was finally back. Basketball was back.

The seating games made one thing blatantly clear. NBA players playing in an empty gym was like rookie mode compared to playing in front of 20,000 people. Some of the shots these guys were making had me thinking there were magnets in the ball.

And don't even get me started with MJ Warren. The man exploded for 53 in his first bubble game. 53.

TJ Warren and 53 points should never be in the same sense together, but in the bubble, he was like that, averaging 31 a night in the seeding games. It was like an alternate universe. In other news, Blue Williams was caught leaving the bubble to go to Magic City just for some wings.

Kyle Kosma hit a gamewinner against the Nuggets to no crowd reaction, which felt weird. In a Raptor's Magic game, Kyle Lowry and Aaron Gorn get into it, to which Lowry tells him his room number so they can handle business only in the bubble. However, the more intriguing story line from the seating games was that all the clocks were broken and no one knew why.

They all said Dame time. Lillard five to shoot. A minute and a half to play.

That's a bomb. [Music] Oh, second chance points favoring Portland. Lillard for three.

Dame able to force the foul, the bucket and Damen Lillard. Give and go. Lillard throws it down.

Lillard fires and it doesn't take much time. White side. Nice screen.

Lillard launches. Dame wants another three. Jeremiah Martin.

Maybe a little dribbling up. You guarding him. I don't care if that's CJ McCull.

I don't care if that's Michael Jordan over there. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness.

That was from the NBA logo. Oh my goodness. What a shot.

You got to be kidding. Game time was in full effect in the bubble as he averaged 37 points per game on sizzling efficiency, including 51 on Philly and 61 on Dallas in back-to back games. This dude was launching from just a step inside half court.

He was possessed. So much so that he won the bubble MVP. Yep, the bubble MVP.

Get me to the playoffs, bro. Round one in the East was a quick one. Giannis and the Bucks trampled the Magic in five.

The JTJB Celtics battered an injured Philly team in four. Miami looked deadly on their way to a sweep over the Pacers, lining them up for a date with the number one seed Bucks. And the defending champs swept a depleted Nets team, including a game four where the Raptors' bench scored 100 points.

It's an NBA playoff record, and they'll need all of that in round two against Boston. For the first time in history, the Raptors and Celtics were facing off in the postseason. And it was humbling for Toronto as the Seas smacked them by 18 in game one.

But they rallied in game two up by eight points headed into the fourth quarter. And then Marcus Smart happened. The dude cashed in five straight threes in a 4-minute span including an and one to take the lead.

Boston never looked back and they're up 2. In our other Eastern series, we had the now back-to-back MVP and defensive player of the year, Giannis, up against a wellbalanced Miami team led by Jimmy Buckets. And in game one, it was Butler who played like the MVP.

He spazzed for a 40piece, including 15 clutch points in the fourth to go up 10. And in game two, tied at 114 with 4 seconds left, he does it again. Here's Butler with three.

Butler with two, with one. Butler against Matthews gets it away and no good. Do we have a foul?

We do. A foul is called and Jimmy Butler can win it at the line. Got it.

Two nothing in the series. Wow. On a questionable shooting foul, Butler nails two free throws at the buzzer to take a 20- series lead.

And in game three, he'd run it back. Jimmy outd the MVP once again, pouring in a 17-point fourth quarter, while all of Milwaukee scored just 13. In an absolute shocker, Butler and the Heat have the NBA's overall number one seed on the ropes down 03.

the same deficit the Raptors are just 0. 5 seconds away from down 02 and tied at 101. Toronto fell asleep on defense as Daniel Ty threw down the gohead bucket with.

5 on the clock. The Raptors are going to need some of that playoff magic from 2019 to pull off this miracle. But without Kawawaii, who takes the final shot?

Up high taking anybody coming to the ball. Series on the line. Anomi got it off and it goes.

Did it count is the question. O Ganobi buries a triple at the buzzer. Off an insane pass from 6' Kyle Lowry over a 7'6 taco fall.

OG Andinobi quick triggers the corner three to save his team from an 03 deficit. It's one of the most underrated gamewinners of all time. Toronto kept the momentum too with a game four win to tie the series at two to which Boston responded with a game five blowout to retake control of the series.

But you can never underestimate the heart of a champion. In a game six doubleot thriller, Kyle Lowry lasered in a dagger fadeaway for his 33rd point of the night as he slid on the court like a penguin in celebration. We got a game seven.

Milwaukee, however, did not force a game seven. In fact, it got worse. Giannis got injured in game four.

The Bucks somehow got the win. And with the MVP still out for game five, it was wraps. Miami kept their foot on the gas to complete the upset over the number one seated Bucks and clinched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Finals.

But will it be against an old foe or the defending champs? It was do or die for the Celtics and Raptors and it came down to the wire. With Toronto down two with a minute left, Norman Powell gets the ball on the fast break and Marcus Smart evolves into LeBron James as he swats his layup right off the backboard.

It was insanity. And with another chance to tie the game, Fred Van Vleet airballs, Boston wins, and the Tatuman Brown Celtics are back in the Eastern Conference Finals to face Miami. got downhill, couldn't punch it.

Bam says, "Get it out of here. " Out in the Western Conference, the bubble MVP got to face the number one seed LeBron AD Lakers in round one. And you know what they say, that's all taco fall.

Put a ball leg in five. Nice little Eurosep setting up Nau and a two-handed jam. Drves into the paint goes inside.

Shot blocked by Davis. As we approach the one minute mark of this first half, LeBron James Davis suspends step back puts it in. Anthony Davis again finds Davis for the slam.

Some very big plays in game one. Alioop to James. Boy, he could see it coming.

Now Green leaves it up top. Davis hammers it down. LeBron with a long three.

That one's down. LeBron James. in OKC was a movie.

The series went seven and with the Rockets up one with just 5 seconds left, James Harden seals the game on defense with a clutch block on Lou Dort to win the series and move on to face the Lakers in round two. Our other series was Clippers Mavericks and a young superstar stole the show in game four down two games to one. He does this back to Donic.

Donuch pulls up. [Music] Three-pointer. Bang.

Bang. It's good. Donic wins the game at the buzzer.

Luca Donuch put up 431713 and did that. It was mind-numbing. Kawhai and the Clippers would come through to win the series in six, but holy, watch out for Dallas in years to come.

Dallas sending Luca Donuch to the Lakers. Now, I saved the best for last. Utah versus Denver in an absolute classic.

Donovan Mitchell wasted no time in game one, going ballistic for the third highest scoring performance in NBA playoff history with 57 points. Want to know something funny though? It wasn't a loss.

The Denver Nuggets won behind 36 from Jamal Murray, but this was just a preview. The Jazz responded with blowouts in games 2 and three to go up 2-1, which brings us to August 23rd, 2020 for the single greatest in-game playoff duel in history. [Music] finds Murray.

Shot clock down at one. It gets up in time and counting. Decoy find an open man.

Donovan Mitchell shakes Porter in the second quarter. Step back three. Murray.

Oh, he's got it there. Here's Mitchell now. Pull up from the free throw line.

He's got it. Under five minutes to go in regulation here. Murray fires again and Murray hits again.

Shot clock down to four. Mitchell has Milsap arm. He'll pull a three and he hits a three and returns the starown.

Donovan Mitchell a clutch three-pointer for the Jazz. Mitchell and Murray become the first opponents to each score 50 points in the same playoff game in NBA history. It was iconic.

Murray was a sniper with 21 in the fourth, but Mitchell got the final laugh with 18 in the quarter and the win to take a chokeold on the series up 3-1. Denver though would survive game five and then the Stars did it again in game six. 44 for Mitchell, but it was oneuped by another 50 piece for Murray in the win.

The dude couldn't miss and this series is tied at three. Game seven was an absolute slugfest. And with Denver up two in the final moments, this series gave us one more hearts stopper.

Had it back. He lost it. The Nuggets come up with a defensive play.

Murray, they missed the layup. Go. Mitchell hanging at the other end.

Two seconds to go for the win. And it rims out. Denver hangs on.

[Applause] Off an insane sequence that saw Tory Craig miss a wideopen layup, Mike Connley rims out a three that could have won the series for Utah. Instead, Denver completes the 3-1 comeback in one of the all-time playoff series. And they're off to face the Clippers.

Round two in the West gave us Lakers versus Rockets. And game one was pure entertainment. In the second quarter, LeBron sprints down the court and completely baptizes Russell Westbrook.

LA was buzzing, but Houston roared right back. And as Russ drained a three that sealed the game, he starts talking smack to an empty gym. It was the most Westbrook thing you can imagine.

But you know what they say, Russ 3, KFC, UFC, later than five. LA continues their playoff destruction to move on to the Western Conference Finals where they'll either get those pesky Nuggets or a highly anticipated battle of LA. Clippers versus Nuggets was seen as a cakewalk for LA and it started out that way with a 23point murder in game one.

Denver responded in game two to tie the series and game three was a house of highlights. Michael Porter Jr. detonates on Montre Harrow.

Zubots gives Millsap a facial and late in the fourth, Murray tries to join the party, but Kawawaii literally hits him with a middle finger for one of the most disrespectful blocks ever to seal the win. And the clock kept it rolling in game four with a masterclass to go up 3-1. And the battle of LA seems imminent.

There's no way Denver has another 3-1 comeback in them. No, I'm just kidding. They do.

The Clippers choked away a 16-point lead in game five. In game six, LA sold again, losing a 19-point thirdarter lead as Joic took over for 3414 and seven. Nuggets win by 13.

And somehow this one's going seven. The Nuggets become the only team in NBA history with two 3-1 comebacks in the same playoff run. And it was all thanks to Murray and Joic.

Jamal oozed confidence in game seven, draining some ballsy threes on his way to another 40point night alongside 1622 and 13 from the Joker. They did what Kawine PG couldn't. I mean, look at these numbers.

After all that talk, the Clippers completely collapsed. It'll be Denver off to face the Lakers. Heat and Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals was a rivalry renewed with new faces and it lived up to the hype.

In game one, the Heat are down one with 15 seconds left in overtime. Butler drives down and throws in a wild and one to go up two. Boston needs something and the new face of their franchise has the ball.

Clock at seven working against Butler got downhill. Couldn't punch it. Bam.

Says get it out of here. out of bio sky high with the block and rejection. Bam.

Literally gets nothing but ball as he stuffs Tatum at the cup with one of the cleanest blocks you'll ever see. Miami takes game one. And in game two, the Heat kept riding their hot streak to go up 20 in their third straight series.

Jimmy tried to warn us. It was all business. Back in the West, the Lakers and Nuggets were gearing up for a war in the Western Conference Finals.

But game one was anything but that. The Lakers did what the Clippers couldn't as they built up a big lead and kept it behind 37 and 10 from AD to go up 1. In game two though, we got what we signed up for.

Jump to clutch time and AD and the Joker are going at it. Jokic tips in a ridiculous shot to go up one. AD responds to go back up one and then Joker gets him right back with a hook shot to retake the lead.

Now down one with two seconds left. Does AD have one more in him? Trying to disrupt Rondo?

He puts it in. Here's Davis 43 in the win. Oh, it's good.

Anthony Davis has won it for the Lakers. Bubble AD comes through with a colossal wing three to win the game, yelling Kobe as he celebrates in the black mamba uniforms while also smoking Dion waiters. The trade for AD is paying off and just like the Heat, LA goes up 20.

Miami, however, got some push back in game three. Boston delivered in a must-win game to get back in the series to which a rookie Tyler Herro countered in game four with a 37point bomb including 17 in the fourth to go up 3-1. Boston would get one more in game five.

Then the Heat shut down any chance of a comeback in game six as they clinch an NBA Finals appearance for the first time in 6 years as the fifth seed. No one saw this coming. Back in the West coming off of Anthony Davis's unreal gamewinner, the Lakers stumbled in game three as Denver got themselves back in the series.

But LA came right back with a game four win to go up 3-1. Wait, 3-1? Can Denver possibly Nope.

LeBron shut down any chance of another 3-1 comeback as he turned back the clock for a masterful 3816-10 performance, including a 16point fourth quarter barrage to get the Lakers back in the NBA finals. The King will be making his ninth Finals appearance in 10 years, chasing his fourth championship against a team he once brought to the Promised Land. The underdog Miami Heat in the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA Finals with no fans starting on September 30th.

This is going to be one for the books. Game one started out hot, but it only lasted a quarter. The Lakers blew the game wide open the rest of the way to win by 18.

AD was electric for 349 and5 while LeBron toyed with his former team for 2513-9. The NBA's best duo was utterly dominant as LA takes game one. Miami got beat up in game one.

And I mean that in the literal sense. Bam Adabio dealt with a left shoulder strain while Goran Ditch suffered a tear in his left foot. With both guys out for game two, the Heat were down two starters and it went as expected.

The Lakers took a commanding 14-point lead into halftime, and there was nothing Miami could do. LA is now 4-0 when wearing the black mamba jerseys this postseason in honor of Kobe. They're up 2, but the job's not finished.

Entering game three on the brink of an 03 deficit, Miami needed a miracle. With Autobio and Drg still sidelined, there was no other option. The Butler had to serve up a masterpiece.

A career high for him in game two. Then with the steal down the other end, they throw it ahead to Butler and Butler throws it down. Butler's got Caruso on him.

Goes right at him and banks it home. We approach the midway point here in the second. Mid-range jumper from Butler.

Butler backs in. Backs in. That fall away shot is up and good.

34 for Butler. Butler the drive. The runner.

He banks it in. Oh, what a masterpiece from Jimmy Butler. In what is no doubt the greatest game of Jimmy Butler's career, the dude went super Nova for 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 13 dimes, becoming just the third player in history to post a 40point triple double in the NBA finals.

It was a performance for the ages, capped off by a tough and one and snarl from his rookie to get right back in this series. LeBron entered game four with this emotionless anger. You could see it on his face and no one really knew why until he did this.

Back out Robinson. Stolen by James. James drives, was inside, and throws it down.

Halfway through the first quarter, he gets the steal, flies down the court, bodies Tyler Hero, and throws down the two-handed slam, getting the rookie back for that snarling game three. This was personal for LeBron. And with a six-point lead late in the fourth, it was LA's newest star who shine the brightest.

Back to Davis. Davis for three. [Music] Bang.

Anthony Davis from downtown. And the Lakers take a nine-point lead. Timeout Miami.

Anthony Davis hits a monster three to push the lead to nine. And by he and LeBron's reaction, you can tell this one's over. The purple and gold are just one win away from their 17th championship.

Entering game five with one team on the cusp of a title and the other on the brink of failure, we had a storm brewing. So, let's skip to late in the fourth quarter where we got the Butler versus the King. With a couple minutes left, Jimmy pulls up and puts his team up too.

James counters as he flips home a tough and one to take the lead. Butler fades out of the post and takes it right back. Brun puts back his own miss and LA's back on top.

Jimmy drives right down, gets the foul, and you can see how exhausted he is as he nearly collapses onto the table. Butler was giving it his all. LA answered again with a put back from AD, but Jimmy didn't let up as he knocked down two more free throws to go up one.

Now with 15 seconds left, LeBron has the ball for the final possession with a chance to win the championship. He drives to the cup, gets triple teamed, throws it back to Danny Green for a wideopen three, but he clanks it. Marke Morris gets the rebound and inexplicably throws it out of bounds.

Despite 40137 and three from the King, it was the Butler who came through with 3512115 and most importantly the win. We're going to a game six. The Lakers entered game six on a mission.

I mean, it was over before it even started as they took a 28point lead into halftime. The dream season was about to be complete. It was lights out.

And that's it. It's over. This historic 2020 NBA championship belongs to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers conquer the bubble and banner number 17 will soon hang in the Raptors. And I have a feeling that this finals MVP is going to have a trophy named after him one day. The finals MVP is LeBron James.

We just want our respect. Rob wants his respect. Coach Vogga want his respect.

Our organization want their respect. Laker Nation want their respect. And I want my damn respect, too.

Is an introduction really necessary for someone we all know so well?