After further review, I'm starting to shade LA's 2020 title

[HotRocks34]

When the Lakers won the 2020 title, I said (here on RealGM) that the title was completely legit even if the circumstances were different than normal. Everyone faced the same obstacles, etc, etc. I battled doubters and Bubble Title Haters in a few threads.

However, I'm starting to think that under normal circumstances that the Lakers don't win that title. Thus, I'm personally starting to devalue the title slightly (though the title is never going away and LA should proudly claim it).

I say this because of the health/missed game issue for both Bron and Davis. Bron has now played four seasons in LA and in each season except the Bubble one, he's missed 20+ games. Davis has missed 25+ games in each of the last 4 seasons but the Bubble one.

Thus, to me, it seems like if these two did not get the four month interval, they likely break down physically again and miss out on the #1 seed and possibly aren't healthy for the playoffs, as well. Which, as we saw last year, would be the real issue (IMO; as compared with needing the #1 seed for a crowd-less, home-less Bubble playoffs).

Davis, of course, has always had health issues. Bron, sadly, is just wearing down with age. I saw it with Hakeem (my namesake here) and many others. It happens. But attrition is part of the sport, and in 2019-20 that factor was dramatically reduced in a way that may have almost uniquely aided LA.

Poll above and share your thoughts below.

[SNPA]

Welcome.

[Joshyjess]

To the Light side, Welcome! The force is strong in this one!

[SUPERVILLAIN]

Totally legit. They won 4 playoffs series to get that championship. They didn't cheat.

Let's stop this bullsh*t.

[SkyBill40]

Totally legit. They won 4 playoffs series to get that championship. They didn't cheat.

Let's stop this bullsh*t.

He's just as entitled to his opinion as you are to show disdain for it. There have been loads of bad takes on a plethora of things on RGM... and you know that to be the truth. Let this be his.

[picc]

They legitimately won the title, considering every team played in the same conditions.

Its also fair to think they wouldn't have made it had the season gone regularly considering the age and injury history of the players.

Both are true.

[theforumblue]

non-injuries are part of the game.

[Eagle4]

Yes Lebron and Day to Davis at the very least would have broken down if not for that break. They then got to face a Dragic-less, Bam-less Heat team.

[Hankey89]

What ifs and excuses... every championship is legitimate.

[JamesToney]

I'm a Laker fan and I 100% agree that Bubble title was not legit.

[NyKnicks1714]

What ifs and excuses... every championship is legitimate.

Unless of course you hate a player on the team that wins it

[NyKnicks1714]

non-injuries are part of the game.

Well said; I wish the people making these "arguments" would take a step back to actually analyze what they're saying. They're giving asterisks to a team's championship because its players were healthy, whereas in a normal season they allegedly would have broken down. That's literally the whole case.

[AmIWrongDude]

Cute little story full of what if’s but what happened, happened.

It’s legit and no amount of whining will change that

[Ill News]

They legitimately won the title, considering every team played in the same conditions.

Its also fair to think they wouldn't have made it had the season gone regularly considering the age and injury history of the players.

Both are true.

Same here. Lakers were playing like a title contender before the bubble happened, so it's not that surprising that they won the title. However, I also think the mid-season break of 3 months really helped, especially considering they have an aging star in LeBron, a glass star in AD, and multiple veterans. Playing in the bubble after such a long break, also with no travel in between, must have been really good for their bodies. In a regular season, AD probably would've suffered an injury before the playoffs, which is pretty normal for him.

So yeah, I don't devalue the Lakers' bubble title (a championship is a championship), but I also don't discount that they probably benefited from the break.

[Sofia]

Cool, can we review the asterisk circumstances for every title now?

Every season there are circumstances that teams either benefit or don't benefit from... a wild concept I know

[AussieCeltic]

They won therefore it’s legit but I think it’s fair to say or assume that under normal circumstances things probably would’ve been a lot different.

[DroseReturnChi]

Totally legit. They won 4 playoffs series to get that championship. They didn't cheat.

Let's stop this bullsh*t.

nope that season lebron/ad played 20 games less which made them more fresh and time to prepare. any 82 games, they would be lucky to get past 1st round mostly due to injuries. i dont count it as a legit title more like 0.5.

[kombayn]

Totally legit. They won 4 playoffs series to get that championship. They didn't cheat.

Let's stop this bullsh*t.

This dumbass narrative is so ridiculous. Kobe passed away that year, the pandemic happened, the bubble, the Blake shooting. That has to be one of the hardest titles to ever win. The Lakers were that good. Save the hate. I'm with SuperVillian, stop the B.S.

[apollyon]

Cool, can we review the asterisk circumstances for every title now?

Every season there are circumstances that teams either benefit or don't benefit from... a wild concept I know

Watch on YouTube

It's already been done

[timO]

Who wins It instead?

LA were the best that year.