The NBA has made it through the end of the regular season in the Orlando bubble. Overall, it was a success with limited issues surrounding COVID-19.
Now, fans get to watch the exciting, competitive play of the NBA postseason. Several teams have a chance to win it all.
What Teams Need to Win
Teams are going to have to perform at their best to make it to the NBA Finals. The all-stars will need to shine for their organizations.
– Milwaukee Bucks
The team with the best record in the league didn’t perform well to end the season. However, Milwaukee’s spot as the top seed in the Eastern Conference was all but sealed.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has to perform at his best. This team had a disappointing end to last season, and he needs to make a deep playoff run to cement his status as one of the best players in the league.
– Los Angeles Lakers
Lebron James is going for his fourth championship, but this time in a Lakers uniform. He can’t do it alone, so much of L.A’s success will come down to the play of guys like Kyle Kuzma and Danny Green.
Anthony Davis needs to show his dominance in every game. During the season, he would have a 40+ point game, but follow that with an eight-point performance. He can’t take any days off if the Lakers are going to make a run.
– Toronto Raptors
Many people counted the Raptors out when they lost Kawhi Leonard last year. But they have remained one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
Marc Gasol showed up to Orlando ready to play. The inside presence he provides this team will be essential for them to make a playoff run.
– Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers had more players in quarantine during the restart than any other team. Several players left the bubble for personal reasons, resulting in them having to sit out several games.
The only thing that might hurt L.A. is that they haven’t played at full strength much lately. The Clippers played games where Paul George sat out, then Leonard sat out the next.
– Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets had several surprises in Orlando. One was the weight-loss from their star, Nikola Jokic. He has been a significant player in this league, but a postseason run has eluded him.
Denver also got better than usual performances from Michael Porter Jr. He proved what kind of player he can be for the Nuggets, not just in the future, but this year.
– Houston Rockets
The Rockets need to make it long enough for Russell Westbrook to come back. He will be out of the beginning of the playoffs with an injury.
That means James Harden will need to score even more, and he is already averaging over 40 points a game.
The Champion
2020 will be one of the strangest NBA playoffs ever. Competing in the bubble without fans has been anything but ordinary.
The champion will forever be known as the team who conquered the bubble during the COVID-19 pandemic.
