2020 NBA Finals Game 6 vs Miami Heat

Lore & Background

The Lakers became the first and only team in NBA history to be undefeated in a season when leading entering the fourth quarter, going 57–0 in the regular season and playoffs. LeBron James became the first player to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises. Lakers president Jeanie Buss became the first female controlling owner to guide her team to an NBA title. The Finals were played in the NBA Bubble at Walt Disney World due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Their Own Story

The air inside the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex was thick with a decade of pent-up anticipation. As the fourth quarter wound down, LeBron James didn't just drive; he carved through the Heat's defense like a conductor finalizing a masterpiece rehearsed in isolation for months. With his eyes locked on the rim, he drew the double-team and found an open shooter, sealing the rhythm of the game. It was the raw, unfiltered scream of a brotherhood forged in a bubble. LeBron collapsed to his knees, hands reaching toward a sky he couldn't see, while Anthony Davis enveloped him in an embrace that carried the weight of eleven lost years and the restoration of a dynasty.

Reader's Guide

The Lakers won the regular season series 2–0. In Game 1, Anthony Davis had 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists; LeBron James added 25 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 assists. In Game 2, James scored 33 points and Davis added 32, making them the first Lakers teammates to each score 30 in a Finals game since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in 2002.

Did You Know?

• LeBron James averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game on 59% shooting in the Finals.
• The Lakers were the No. 1 seed in the West; the Heat were No. 5 in the East.
• This was the first NBA Finals matchup between the Lakers and Heat.
• The Finals were played from September 30 through October 11, 2020.