2020 edition of the NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat
2020 NBA Finals
Team
Coach
Wins
Los Angeles Lakers
Frank Vogel
4
Miami Heat
Erik Spoelstra
2
Dates
September 30 – October 11
MVP
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
Eastern Finals
Heat defeated Celtics, 4–2
Western Finals
Lakers defeated Nuggets, 4–1
← 2019
NBA Finals
2021 →
The 2020 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2019–20 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, winning their first NBA championship in ten years. It was the franchise's 17th title overall, tying the Boston Celtics for the most in league history.[1] The Lakers' LeBron James was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the fourth time in his career. He became the first player in league history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises (two with the Heat, one with the Cleveland Cavaliers and one with the Lakers) and along with teammate Danny Green, jointly the third players to win the NBA Finals with three different teams.[2] Lakers president Jeanie Buss became the first female controlling owner to guide her team to an NBA title.[3][4]
The Lakers were the No. 1 seed in the West, while the Heat were No. 5 in the East, becoming the third-lowest seed to advance to the Finals. This was the first NBA Finals matchup between the two teams, and the first time that Finals participants had both missed the playoffs in the previous season.[5][6] James had previously played with Miami under Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, winning back-to-back NBA titles in 2012 and 2013 in four consecutive Finals appearances from 2011 to 2014, while Heat president Pat Riley was head coach of the "Showtime"-era Lakers from 1981 to 1990, leading them to four NBA titles in seven Finals appearances. For the first time in six seasons, the Golden State Warriors were not in the Finals.[7]
The Finals were originally scheduled for June,[8] but the season was suspended in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The NBA and its players later approved a plan to restart the season in late July, setting up the NBA Bubble at Walt Disney World to protect teams from the virus.[10][11] The games were played in the Bubble behind closed doors at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Bay Lake, Florida, with the Finals being played from September 30 through October 11. The Finals marked the conclusion of the NBA Bubble, which recorded no COVID-19 cases for the participating teams.[12] The 2020 Finals was the latest to begin (beating the 1999 edition which began on June 16) and the first one played in September and October, and as well held in the fall.[citation needed]
^McMenamin, Dave (October 11, 2020). "Los Angeles Lakers lean on defense in dominant Game 6 win vs. Miami Heat, claim first NBA title in a decade". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
^"LeBron James Becomes 4th Player To Win NBA Championship With 3 Different Teams". NPR. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
^Negley, Cassandra (October 12, 2020). "Lakers' Jeanie Buss becomes first female controlling owner to win championship". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
^Plaschke, Bill (October 11, 2020). "Kobe Bryant's spirit is present in Lakers' NBA championship triumph". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
^"Heat, Lakers become unprecedented NBA Finals opponents". NBA.com. September 28, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
^Reynolds, Tim (September 27, 2020). "The Finals are set: LeBron, Lakers will meet Butler, Heat". Associated Press. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
^Call, Tommy III (October 4, 2020). "NBA Finals: Highlighting Klay Thompson's top career performances vs. Miami Heat". USA Today. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
^Hladik, Matt (February 25, 2020). "The NBA Has Announced A Starting Date For The Finals". The Spun. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
^"NBA to suspend season following tonight's games" (Press release). National Basketball Association. March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
^Cite error: The named reference restart was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Cite error: The named reference nbapa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Pegher, Kelcie (October 12, 2020). "Coronavirus Today: The NBA's bubble worked". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
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