2020 NBA Finals

Well that wasn't what everyone was expecting! The 2020 season has been everything but ordinary so let's recap everything that has lead us to this point.

In my last post I wrote that I truly believed that the Heat were equipped to force a 7 game series vs the Bucks. I referenced Jimmy Butler's grittiness and the Heat's young fearless talent. With that being said I never would've predicted that the Heat lead by Butler's veteran savvy would send the Bucks home in 5 games. The Heat did not beat a hobbled Milwaukee team either, so there are no excuses. The Bucks were fully loaded and Giannis went out in the fifth and final game of that series (not to mention that the only game they were able to win was without him!).

I believe the magnitude of this loss will have your casual NBA fan reevaluate what an MVP truly is. Giannis and the Bucks got embarrassed so badly that the talk immediately following the game was that the Bucks are a "piece away" from a championship. Before this series started everyone was saying Giannis was the clear MVP and possibly the best player in the world, but now that the series is over he's being compared to Pippen? Listen, I do believe Giannis is one of the best players in the world, he's a freak talent, but I still believe he's a raw talent. Now that Jimmy Bucket's put that to rest the Celtics better watch out!

Sticking on the topic of disappointment, where do we even begin with the Clippers. Maybe that franchise is cursed, and it doesn't matter who has the jersey on. With preseason title aspirations, the 2019-20 LA Clippers had an opportunity to overcome 49 years of misfortune. After squandering a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals, the franchise has again failed to get over the hump. The Clippers had 3 opportunities in front of their face. In Game 5, the Clippers were outscored 44-25 over the last 13:25, suffering a six-point loss after leading by as many as 16 points in the game. Game 6 saw LA build a 19-point lead before getting outscored 56-25 over the final 20:27 of a 13-point loss.

And then there was Game 7.

As the Clippers looked to overwrite 49 years of shortcomings while simultaneously living up to championship expectations, they led by as many as 12 points in the first half and held a seven-point lead just over a minute into the third quarter.

Then things fell apart.

During final 32 minutes of game time, Denver outscored LA 47-28. The superstar duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George scored a combined five points on 2-for-17 shooting to close the game, both also not hitting a single field goal in the fourth quarter (Not to mention Paul George's infamous brick off the side of the backboard.

Just like that, LA became the 13th team to squander a 3-1 series lead after holding double-digit advantages in each potential closeout game. Unfortunately for the Clippers, this feeling has become all too familiar, as they've failed to get over the hump a number of times.

With the inevitable NBA Finals matchup between the Heat and the Lakers, does anyone really see anything stopping LeBron, because I don't! The Heat are on fire in the Playoffs right now, but I believe the Lakers will cool the Heat in the same fashion they did the Blazers. Now that LeBron was snubbed for yet ANOTHER MVP and has even more motivation, look out for the King! Lakers in 6!