2020 NBA Championship in Bubble
The bio-secure bubble that saved the 2019–20 NBA season and crowned the Lakers champions.
The 2020 NBA Bubble was the bio-secure bubble at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando, created by the NBA to protect players from the COVID-19 pandemic during the final eight games of the 2019–20 regular season and throughout the 2020 NBA playoffs.
- Key Roster Additions
- Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, Danny Green (acquired prior to the season, not during the bubble)
Lore & Background
The bubble was a $190 million investment by the NBA to protect its 2019–20 season, which was initially suspended on March 11, 2020. The resumed season generated an estimated $1.5 billion in total league revenue (not net recoupment after the bubble's cost). 22 out of 30 NBA teams were invited. The season ended on October 11 when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in six games. From the start of the resumed season until the end of the NBA Finals, there were no recorded cases of COVID-19 for the teams participating in the bubble.
In Their Own Story
LeBron James stood at center court, the confetti falling not from a stadium roof but from the ceiling of an empty arena in Orlando. He looked up, searching for his family behind the glass partition that separated the Bubble's world from reality. Beside him, Anthony Davis held the Larry O'Brien trophy, its gold gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. There were no cheers, only the soft murmur of teammates and the hum of cameras capturing history in a vacuum. LeBron took the mic, his voice echoing slightly in the void, declaring that this was for everyone who never gave up. In that quiet moment, amidst the strangest season imaginable, the legacy of the Lakers felt louder than ever.
Reader's Guide
The bubble involved phases: Phase 1 (June 16–22) players returned to home cities; Phase 2 (June 23–30) testing every other day; Phase 3 (July 1–11) mandatory individual workouts; Phase 4 (July 7–21) travel to Disney World and quarantine; Phase 5 (July 22–29) three scrimmages; Phase 6 regular season and playoffs. Players wore masks indoors except when eating. A hotline allowed anonymous reporting of rule violations. Four players were cited for violations: Lou Williams, Richaun Holmes, Bruno Caboclo, and Danuel House.
Did You Know?
- The bubble cost $190 million to operate, and the resumed season generated an estimated $1.5 billion in total league revenue.
- No recorded cases of COVID-19 occurred among participating teams during the bubble.
- Players could decline to join; at least ten did, including Lakers guard Avery Bradley, who still received a championship ring.
- The NBA used RFID-enabled MagicBands for check-in and contact tracing.
More in Club History & Eras
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