The Ginebra Gin Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers now have one thing in common: Bubble champions.
After the Lakers won the NBA crown in October, the Kings followed suit two months later by winning the PBA Philippine Cup.
In capturing their record-tying 17th title with the Boston Celtics, the Lakers toiled through six games, winning Games 1, 2 and 4 before pocketing the series-clincher with a 106-93 Game 6 victory over the Miami Heat on Oct. 12.
LeBron James won the Finals MVP, becoming the first three-time MVP in three different teams, adding his MVPs with Miami and Cleveland.
James, turning 36 on Dec. 30, had just re-signed for two years with the Lakers worth US$80 million, his move luring Anthony Davis to also rejoin the Lakers for $190 million in a five-year deal.
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Four of the 2020 champion Lakers have departed—Dwight Howard, Danny Green, Rajon Rondo and JaVale McGee.
But not to worry as their replacements are no pushovers: Wesley Matthews, Marc Gasol (Pau Gasol’s younger brother), Montrezl Harrell and Dennis Schroder. Harrell was the 2020 Sixth-man awardee, nipping runner-up Schroder. This early, Schroder is being groomed to start as a guard, relieving much of James’ back court duties.
The Covid-19 pandemic had forced the NBA and the PBA to hold their tournaments in a thoroughly sanitized atmosphere, giving birth to the “bubble” designed to insulate all participants from the deadly virus.
While the NBA held all its remaining games in Orlando’s Epcot (Disneyland) in Florida with smashing success, the PBA had an expanded bubble at Clark Freeport (hotel billeting) and the Angeles University Foundation gym in Pampanga—also with similar success.
In stashing away its 13th title on Dec. 9—and first All-Filipino crown in 13 years—Ginebra took a not so torturous route, fashioning its 4-1 Finals victory over TNT with TNT being virtually crippled by the absence of its two scoring marvels, Ray Parks Jr. and Jayson Castro, on injuries.
But, well, there’s nothing new in seeing any team suffering casualties in a war. Staying healthy is a weapon as lethal as any shot, whether it’s a free throw or a triple.
Is that clear?