In an unprecedented postseason down in the NBA bubble, plenty walked away with accomplishments to hold their head high for.
It’s hard to remember a time before the NBA’s bubble, where basketball is played in front of thousands of passionate fans. The Larry O’Brien trophy is presented amid the ecstatic cheers of the home crowd or the respectful claps of an opposing arena.
We didn’t get that this year, not with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the NBA down to Disney World. What we ended up with wasn’t too far off, basketball in its purest form, free of outside distraction combined with a playoff stage that brought plenty to keep us interested.
There were four Game 7s throughout the entire playoffs. Three game-winners sunk through at the buzzer. One team pulled off two 3-1 comebacks. 40 and 50 point outings at one point became a nightly occurrence.
Of course, there can only be one NBA champion, the natural winner of any postseason. But not every team has their sights solely on that prize.
Because of that, even though the Los Angeles Lakers were the last team standing, many left the bubble in better spirits than when they entered. Hopefully, those good vibes can be put towards the efforts of the 2020-21 season, whenever it kicks off.