By Jack Voight, Sports Editor
The NBA has gone through a long and difficult season to get to this point, from the mass panic and pausing of the season back in March – when officials found that Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz had COVID – up to the NBA “bubble” that was created so the teams could continue playing this summer.
While this year has been full of unprecedented surprises, one thing that isn’t a surprise is the Los Angeles Lakers making it to the Finals. Add Anthony Davis and a lot of depth to a team that already has one of the greatest to ever play, LeBron James, and you’re bound to be looking at a great run in the playoffs.
The Lakers have taken care of every team they have faced so far in only five games, and are looking pretty unstoppable. Davis and James are doing their thing, looking like the superstars they are, and getting important minutes from role players such as Dwight Howard and Kyle Kuzma.
On the Eastern Conference side of the playoffs, the Miami Heat have managed to make the Finals as a real underdog team. Only a five seed in the East, the Heat had to take out back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetekoumpo and the Bucks to just advance past the second round, and then beat Jayson Tatum and the Celtics to play the Lakers.
The Heat are led by Jimmy Butler and a group of upstart youngsters, such as Bam Adebayo – who played high school and AAU basketball in North Carolina – and Tyler Herro, who is the first player born in the 2000s to play at this stage, and is playing quite well at that.
With these teams facing off starting on Wednesday night, it is going to be quite an interesting matchup. While most would say the Lakers have the advantage, the Heat are red-hot and have the depth to compete with the Lakers for a full 48 minutes a night. What it’s going to come down to is if the Heat’s young studs are going to be able to step up and compete with the Lakers’ superstars.
The matchup between Adebayo and Davis is going to be a great one, with both putting up insane statlines to this point in the playoffs. Whoever gets the edge in that matchup could decide the series. Shooters like Duncan Robinson on the Heat and Danny Green from the Lakers also will play a big role, as their 3-point shooting will be necessary for either team to take home the title.
And, of course, Jimmy Butler and LeBron James facing off as point forwards, who are most likely going to guard one another, is the headliner in the series, with both having a lot to prove.
This matchup should be quite an exciting one, even with it being the first final played without fans. Will James win his fourth title and claim his title as the GOAT? Or will Butler silence his haters and prove that you don’t need a true superstar to win in the NBA?
Who are you rooting for? Make your pick in the comments below!
Senior Jack Voight can be reached at 21voightja99@daretolearn.org.
