Experts like to poke fun at the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2020 NBA Championship, asserting that it was won in an empty arena devoid of intensity and therefore not a real ring.
Critics claim that playing in road games and being heckled by fans is an inherent part of a playoff game. The fact that these elements were not present in the 2020 NBA Finals made the Lakers’ chip a fake victory, according to haters.
Dwight on the bubble
Members of the Lakers’ 2019-20 squad have been on a crusade to shut down their naysayers. In a recent appearance on the Legends of the Sport podcast, Hall of Famer Dwight Howard explained how difficult it was to play high-level professional basketball in the Orlando Bubble. Howard reiterated the struggles of playing in high-stakes games while the world was going through uncertain times.
“People thought it was just the easiest basketball, the easiest time in the world. But it really wasn’t. That was a very difficult time. Not just for us as basketball players but us as people with the stuff going on in the whole world,” Howard said.
Winning a championship is the greatest accomplishment in the sports world. The trophy and the ring signify years of hard work, sacrifice and hours away from one’s family.
When an athlete wins gold, the first thing that immediately enters his mind is the people who have helped him on his journey. It feels good to celebrate the victory with the people you love the most. But given the dire circumstances in 2020, Howard and the Lakers could toast their glasses among themselves.
“For us to come out on top, throughout all the odds, it shows how resilient we were, how consistent we were and also how dominant we were throughout the whole season for us to come back and win that championship — and we celebrated with six people,” he highlighted.
Get me out, said Danny Green
Howard’s thoughts were echoed by his former teammate Danny Green. The sharpshooting swingman snagged his third NBA Championship that year, but he wasn’t necessarily hyped about it. Rather, his mind was focused on packing his bags and getting out of the hotel room — a space he had been trapped in for almost 100 days.
“It was more of a relief that we’re done and we can get out of here,” Green said. “I can’t imagine losing and having to go that far. I’d be highly upset.”
Those who made it to the bubble Finals, the Lakers and the Miami Heat, didn’t have the privilege of going home to their loved ones to be energized before heading back to war. The switch always had to be turned on because they would encounter their foes in hallways, in the elevator and during lunch.
Howard shared how he stared down Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic every time he saw him in the resort. LeBron James, too, felt awkward whenever he encountered a player who just elbowed him in a recent game.
Was the 2020 NBA Championship really a Mickey Mouse ring?
One thing’s for sure: that championship is the most unique one in NBA history.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 15, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.