The NBA Conference Finals Participants Show We Can Finally Put an End to the Bubble Myth

The same teams who made the 2020 Conference Finals are back in the same position this year.

NBA fans discredited the 2020 success of the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, and Boston Celtics because they made the conference finals in the COVID bubble. 

Three years later, those same teams are once again competing for an NBA title.

The final four teams that remain in the NBA Playoffs are the same exact four that remained back in the 2020 NBA Bubble.

🏀 Lakers
🏀 Nuggets
🏀 Celtics
🏀 Heat

Does this prove the Bubble was not a fluke? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/S95r49ceHH

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 15, 2023

The Nuggets are headlined by MVP runner-up Nikola Jokic, who is nearly averaging a triple-double in the playoffs. Unlike last season, Jokic has his supporting cast of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Murray is a deadly No. 2 to Jokic, averaging 25.9 points in the postseason. Porter hasn’t been the most efficient offensively but he rounds out the scoring for Denver’s top three players.

The Lakers havae arguably been the best team since the All-Star break. Their acquisitions turned another underwhelming season to a possible fifth championship for LeBron James. For all the ins and outs, the Lakers’ main X-factor is Anthony Davis. If he is healthy and playing up to standard, the Lakers look unbeatable.

The Heat still have doubters but continue to prove those on the outside wrong. They’ve been headlined by Jimmy Butler but it’s been players like Kyle Lowry, Max Strus, Caleb Martin and Kevin Love who stepped up to aid their superstar during this playoff run. Gabe Vincent has struggled lately, but is still holding it down as Miami’s third scorer in the absence of Tyler Herro. Bam Adebayo has tapped more into his All-Star form as the postseason develops.

Then there’s the Celtics, the current favorites to win the NBA title. They are led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with a strong guard combination of Derrick White and Marcus Smart. Al Horford continues to make plays to aid the team in crucial moments, while Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III hold it down in Boston’s second unit.

The conference finals begin Tuesday night with Denver opening up against the Lakers.

Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.