Lakers News: Long-Time Trade Target Sets Record Straight About 2020 LA Bubble Title

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When the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA championship back in 2020, it was seen as a redemption story for everyone involved. The team had broken their long drought, LeBron James got his fourth ring and the winning ways of the Lakers had returned.
But for some reason, post-title, the ring was questioned by some. People said that it was a fake ring, due to the games being played in the Disney World bubble, because of the COVID-19 pandemic that was going on in the world.
However, every team that was invited to come to the bubble had the same chance to win the title, but it was the Lakers who came out on top. Over time, multiple people have come out in defense of the Lakers title, saying that it was one of the hardest in history, because of the circumstances.
You can now add long-time Lakers trade target Damian Lillard to that list. In a new episode of the BACKONFIGG podcast, Lillard spoke up about the 2020 ring and came to the Lakers defense.
"I felt like that was the best version of me to that point," Dame said. "I don't understand what people mean when they talk about not giving [the Lakers] credit. I thought it would have been hard to win that because people was fresh.”
Per Damian Lillard
Lillard got to see the Lakers up close and personal, as he and the Portland Trail Blazers faced off against LA in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers dispatched the Blazers in five games, but Portland did take game one of the series.
Damian Lillard speaks on people who discredit the Lakers bubble Championship
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) September 19, 2023
“The physical part, everybody was fresh, that’s why you seen dudes hooping like that cause there was nothing else. So I feel like that would make it harder to win it all.”
(Via @backonfigg ) pic.twitter.com/NdSJ1DB1IE
And to anyone who questions if the 2020 championship counts, Lillard has a response for you.
"It count to me,"
Dame added.
"You got to look at it like this, 'Why don't it count? Nobody else won it. Everybody else had the same opportunity to win it. So, why didn't they win it?'"
Per Damian Lillard
It’s nice to see other players coming out in defense of the title. Real basketball fans know the truth about what happened in the bubble, and that was the Lakers being the best team.
Fans also tend to forget that LA was one of the top teams in the league before the season was suspended. They were riding high when the league shut down, taking down both the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers in consecutive games.
While the bubble wasn’t what anyone wanted, it did provide some pure forms of basketball. It was a level playing field for all involved, and the Lakers took advantage of the opportunity in front of them.
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Matt earned a Master of Science degree in Sport Management from Louisiana State University in 2021. He was born and raised in the Los Angeles area, covering all Southern California sports in his career.
Follow @Levine1445