In a series where the Miami Heat put up more of a fight than many expected, the Los Angeles Lakers ultimately took the NBA championship on Sunday night with a 106-93 victory. This is the seventeenth title in Lakers history, tying them with the Boston Celtics for the most championships in NBA history. Sunday’s win was also a historic night for Lakers star LeBron James, who became the sole leader for the league’s all-time playoff appearances at 260 games. In 17 seasons, he has made the postseason 14 times and now has four championship rings.
The Heat deserve credit for playing their heart out, even after losing Bam Adebayo for two games and Goran Dragic for the series. Miami shocked the world by winning Game 5 behind their leader, Jimmy Butler, who played phenomenally in Game 5 as well as for most of his time in the Orlando bubble. In a win-or-go-home game for Miami, head coach Erik Spoelstra played Butler 47 of 48 minutes, in which he had 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Sharpshooter Duncan Robinson also chipped in 26 points and 5 rebounds, while also shooting 7 of 13 from three-point range. Butler, who is considered to not have much of an outside shot, proved this criticism wrong in each of Miami’s two wins in this series. In the last series against the Celtics, he took over late in games when it mattered most and was the leader Miami needed on the floor. This was even more true in his series against the Lakers, where he dominated the game in both of his team’s wins.
In a postseason played in a “bubble” due to COVID-19, both the Lakers and the Heat had to overcome difficult circumstances in order to reach the Finals. Ultimately, the Lakers defeated a formidable opponent and deserve all the credit for their championship win. Now Los Angeles can enjoy their first city title since 2014.
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