The Lakers won, as expected, but it was a great battle between the two sides. The Lakers won the play-off series 4-2, but a lot of credit is due to this Miami team. After Game 4 everyone thought the series was over, but the courage and passion of the Heat showed they were very much still in it. Even though they lost the next game, and subsequently the Championship, Game 5 was probably the best match of the playoffs.
The strength and depth of the Lakers' squad helped them dominate the playoffs. From the first round to the finals, they have been simply impressive. With solid teammates like Anthony Davis and Danny Green, a great veteran in Rondo and Howard, Lebron James had everything to take his team to the title. They won 4-1 against every team in the West: the Portland Trail Blazers, the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets. They came into the Finals prepared and hungry. Even though Miami pushed them for one more game, injuries to Heat's starters meant they were unable to beat this Lakers team.
Nevertheless, the Heat surprised in this year's NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler's epic matchup against LeBron James was one for the ages and is already being considered one of the best matchups in recent history - maybe even of all time. Posting a 40-point triple-double in Game 3 was special from the Heat guard.
Moreover, we also had the opportunity to admire Tyler Herro doing great things. For a 20-year-old, he was superb. Overall, this team excited throughout and they caught a lot of people off guard.
The Lakers last won the Championship ten years ago, when Kobe Bryant (who tragically passed away earlier this year) took home the Finals MVP award against the Celtics in Game 7.
This year another legendary player won the award: Lebron James. The General Manager of the LA side, Rob Pelinka, signed James in the 2018 offseason. Two years later, the team’s dream of winning the title came true, led by the extraodinary 35-year-old.
