NBA: Everything You Need to Know About the Conference Finals

The NBA conference finals are finally here! With only four teams left in the NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics kicked off the Eastern Conference finals on September 16, 2020, battling the Miami Heat. Over in the West, the Denver Nuggets took on the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time on September 18, 2020.

As the conference finals continue, the Boston Celtics are aiming for the NBA Finals ticket for the first time since 2010, while the Miami Heat are looking to return to the Finals since 2014. The Los Angeles Lakers, like the Celtics, are trying to advance to the NBA’s biggest stage since 2010 as well.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2019-2020 NBA season went on hiatus on March 11, 2020, and resumed on July 30, 2020, with many prominent changes. The biggest of all was the creation of the “bubble.” The NBA announced its agreement with Disney to have the games played at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida, to isolate the players and staff members from Covid-19. NBA further announced that no live audience will be in attendance for the remaining season and only “virtual fans will be accepted.”

Many NBA players have documented their experiences in the bubble and shared their initial reactions through social media. In less than 24 hours of being in the bubble, Los Angeles Clippers forward Montrezl Harrell posted a picture of an uncooked chicken, writing “That ain’t it,” alongside a vomiting emoji. Philadelphia 76er’s star player Joel Embiid also showed his discomfort with the meals served, commenting that he was “definitely losing 50 Ibs.”

However, as time progressed, many players seemed to be slowly adapting to the bubble. Despite having the fans virtually through a widescreen, Alex Caruso, a guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, commented “I got hyped,” when he drew a charge with one-minute remaining in the third quarter. Sacramento Kings guard Kent Bazemore added that “It’s basketball at its purest form.”

As a passionate fan of the NBA, it is interesting to see how the NBA playoffs are still actively progressing despite the Covid-19, especially with unexpected teams and players taking over the game.

For more in-depth information about the NBA playoffs information, please visit ESPN and NBA.