So does the 2020 Bubble Championship count or what?

[@ClaytonCrowley]

Thanks to Factor for sponsoring this video! Use code CLAYTON50 to get 50% OFF your first Factor box plus 20% off your next month at bit.ly/3zz5axK!

[@qzurx]

hell no it doesn't count. it never will either

[@redhorsepapi]

Of course this dude hates Trump and loves Lebron. 🤣

[@TFNARMY_2009]

@@redhorsepapigenuinely, bro has the worst opinions

[@KrowFPS]

As a Spurs fan, I got to count it if I'm gonna count 99', and you bet your ass I'm counting 99'.

[@Davivd2]

At least your honest about it. 99 counts. So does 2020. The Lakers had a good squad that year. They haven't had a team that good since 2020.

[@Greidyelcuh]

Man much respect to you. It must suck having people discredit that 99 ring

[@stevemattero1471]

I'll bite. Anyone plz explain what happened in 99?

[@Trdjj6447]

@@stevemattero1471 Lock out season, Spurs won the 'chip vs the Knicks.

[@earlc6793]

@@stevemattero1471They went up against the 8th seeded Knicks that was missing our super star player Patrick Ewing. Make no mistake though Spurs utterly crushed us and even if we were 100% it wouldn’t even be close. Tim Duncan was that good. That ring absolutely counts.

[@doximaxx]

Haven’t seen a almost exactly 10 minute video in awhile, it’s almost retro

[@YunisRajab]

I miss the days of videos respecting my team and not making a mini movie every time

[@peamut547]

@@YunisRajabSome people like longer-form videos better, though. I, for one, do.

[@johnjenson8783]

For this subject it was perfect

[@fortynights1513]

A lot of videos were exactly ten minutes long for years because that was the minimum length to be eligible for ads in bulk.

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@peamut547 Some things are overextended though. Simply wastes your time, like unnecessarily 5 hour long video essays

[@Mali-rl4yg]

Only reason why this is question is because it’s lebron James who won but just like every other champion in nba history they beat what was in front of them

[@havok6280]

Not exactly. Health matters. The long break between the regular season and the playoffs meant LBJ and AD entered the playoffs healthy for the only time in all the seasons they played together.

[@ConstantDreadxxx]

@@havok6280with that logic, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that a healthy LeBron and AD would’ve won in a normal season if they were healthy cause they were that good right?

[@alexpabloroy]

Hearing arguments you think only the Lakers got the time to rest up and come in healthy… or only the other teams dealt with the stress of the bubble, pandemic, and lack of home court. They were the first seed, you know, home court advantage would have been advantageous…

[@Mali-rl4yg]

@@havok6280 other players had got to rest up too not just the lakers khawi and Paul George was both healthy I think I’ve proved my point enough with saying that😂

[@liamday453]

idk man basically every 2020 championship gets this same shit thrown against

[@VinceWhitacre]

I'm a Lakers hater who thinks MJ is the GOAT. And yes, it counts.

[@windowpainzplays8601]

mj is a bum

[@d.columbia9603]

​@@windowpainzplays8601I'm impressed you can type. A take like that, I'm certain your iq is room temp at best. You must have an aI assist function helping you. That explains it

[@vincentallen1318]

@@windowpainzplays8601 & James is 4-6 in the Finals.

[@1vaultdweller]

Care to explain why the other haters dont count it? Are they that dumb?

[@CarmeloAnthonyLover]

Probably ​@@1vaultdweller

[@Rodanguirus]

Not even a LeBron fan, but him winning it is the only reason people discredit it so vehemently.

[@packerpf]

no most of us thought it was a joke to begin with.

[@shepardice3775]

​@@packerpfMost people thought the Lakers would _lose_ going into the bubble. They thought it would be the hardest for them to adjust to being thrown off the routine and that the Blazers would be the one of the toughest 8 seeds ever. There were hardly any questions until they actually won it

[@CrazyxEnigma]

What? Of course it does. Anybody who says otherwise is an idiot and wants an asterisk because the Lakers and/or LeBron James won it and are hating.

[@Th3Tua]

nuh uh

[@windowpainzplays8601]

@@Th3Tua fatass spik

[@vulcanraven9701]

It doesnt count

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@Th3Tua Yuh huh. What reasons shouldn’t it count? It was all equal. Maybe not worth as much, but it should count

[@Th3Tua]

@@Jonathan-A.C. ...nuh uh

[@leftyforrester58]

The vast majority of fans [Milwaukee, Orlando, Indiana, Miami, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Brooklyn, L.A., Portland, Houston, OKC, Denver, Utah, or Dallas] wanted their team to win the championship. That's what they were rooting for. None of them thought it was fake until their team lost

[@Davivd2]

It would have been funny if Utah or Portland won. The internet would be flaming that title to the ground

[@ThugShakers4Christ]

My team wasn't in the playoffs, but I thought before it started that it was too goofy to count

[@americasteam2112]

For real. My team lost fair and square.

[@hittheboof1084]

@@ThugShakers4Christ good for you

[@vulcanraven9701]

because LA struggled against an injured garbage finals opponent. Any other champion last 8 years would have swept the heat

[@qqw743]

I'm a Warrior fan and they weren't even in the bubble and I loved the bubble so much. The context of that year matters. The world was coming apart. People were dying and frightened and everything was wrong. I sat in my house, like most people, trapped, and hating life. When the NBA announced the bubble I was ALL IN. I watched as much as I could. I got SO INTO the Donovan Mitchell-Jamal Murray series. I LOVED watching Luka. I rooted against the Lakers, but not because I hate LeBron, I just find him boring because we'd seen it by then for 16 years, but I was OK with whoever won. But as Clayton says, the bubble championship just different from other years. Another way to think of it: the in-season tournament is like other basketball, but it also isn't. At this moment the Lakers and Pacers are the only teams to ever play in that one. So maybe the way to describe what happened in historical context is that the Lakers are 1-0 in bubble tournaments, and hopefully we never need another.

[@TheLeftie600]

Why I accept the bubble finals? It got Caruso a ring.

[@Nazoto]

CaruGOAT

[@imonangeltime4253]

That's racist

[@shaanalam3872]

@@imonangeltime4253ydkb

[@AndyLikesPie]

Real NBA fans know that pure basketball was happening in the bubble. No home court advantage. The equivalent of choosing Final Destination on Smash.

[@redhorsepapi]

Wtf does that even mean? So the regular NBA isn't pure basketball? It's fake?

[@unavailable3914]

@@redhorsepapi he saying that they only had to worry about basketball not about the fans or media or other teams having home court ,just balling out against eachother

[@BobBobson321]

What a reference! Gets automatic agreement from me haha

[@vulcanraven9701]

Except a ton of the major stars were injured (Steph, Kyrie, KD, Klay, Giannis) and the long offseason helped teams with old ring chaser veterans

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@vulcanraven9701 Steph got injured practically in the same way LeBron did, after going through several Finals previously. KD similar to Steph, and like Klay, who was A L R E A D Y injured, so gtfoh with those two. Giannis has gotten injured multiple times at key points after that, just like the Heat made the Finals after that. It benefited and harmed everyone equally. 2021 if anything was a weak ring because of circumstances

[@BoBnfishy]

The bubble was the thing that got me back into basketball after a long time. I had just broken up with my ex and moved into my own apartment, was still working 10 hours days at a retirement place, and was just completely burned out with life. Getting sucked into the wackiness of their lives and watching all the games was just the break I needed from life

[@benjiequezada]

If anything, the 2020 playoffs were the most pure form of competition that the NBA playoffs has ever seen. There was no traveling, no home court advantage, and every team had a few months to rehab injuries and come back refreshed. It was the most even playing field ever. The only reason anybody actually debates the validity of the title is because it was LeBron who came out on top.

[@vulcanraven9701]

no Steph Kyrie KD, and Giannis was injured. Heat had injuries in finals too

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@vulcanraven9701 Every season has injured stars. It’s just cause LeBron won

[@secularZoo]

You said it, no home court advantage. The season is played for playoff seeding and determining home court advantages, and 2020 didn't have any of that. Traveling is also part of the grueling marathon of the 82 game NBA typical season. There was also no "real" regular season. Each team played 6 or 7 games before the playoffs began (after a 4 month break) and teams were seeded accordingly. About half the Eastern Conference didn't even play the rest of the season out. The NBA had already planned to start the 2021 season only a few months after the Bubble Championship, so some players did not play at all because they were prepping for the next season. This season and playoffs deserved an * at best.

[@fastlaneRome]

⁠​⁠@@vulcanraven9701I mean kd was already injured since the raptors series steph got injured 4-5 games. into the season giannis got injured game 4 they were down 3-0 at tht point

[@EmiMorera]

When is the Hakeem video coming out?

[@windowpainzplays8601]

stfu

[@ActivBowser9177]

It came out today.

[@INCREDIBLEBULK88]

Now

[@iceeizzy5313]

The 2020 ring meant so much to us Laker fans especially after the tragedy that happened with Kobe. It was something we needed.

[@samhowl]

I've also always had the take that since the Clippers got bounced in 7 that it was what made it "Mickey" for LAL. It's not LeBron's fault that Kawaii shot 6/22 and PG shot 4/16 in a game 7 against what is a worse team! Also, they beat who was in front of them.

[@tomgoulding_]

Everything stops. Clayton posted

[@skatedurr]

just found this dude, guess ill stay

[@unacosadelocosradio]

Can't believe you didn't mention PLAYOFF RONDO. Good arguments tho

[@zacharyclemons9167]

I'll go to my grave saying that the bubble produced some of the best and most fun basketball I've seen in a long time. The mental toughness to stay focused in such a bizarre situation is what it came down to down the stretch.

[@siler22]

most difficult and weirdest nba championship, neither team had an advantage but they had a disadvantage, nba crowds arent that intimidating but playing at home is huge for players

[@johnjenson8783]

But they had the 1 seed yeah? Not sure what you're arguing (not a Lakers fan) and I have 1)MJ 2) LeBron 3) TD for modern 🐐's

[@relicdad88]

Most difficult? No way i disagree big time sry play 82 games go 6 or 7 games each series and win. This was easy idc bout crowds or whatever it was basically a street ball tournament

[@shinglesshingles]

Idc what people say. The bubble was the perfect setting for just hooping. No distractions, no home court advantage. It was an exposure of who is out here just ballin. Some of the best plays and performances happened in the bubble. I bet the bubble is more memorable than 2017 playoffs for most fans unless you're a Warriors fan. If the bubble championship would've been won by anyone else then they would've been celebrated. Mfs was crying for Giannis to get one and if u were paying attention back then u can't tell me I'm lying. And if we're talking about how important it is I'll just say it's more important than a lot (not all) of recent champions given the circumstances.

[@BigChungus-u3f]

I just found your channel and along with nonstop, you make some of the best NBA content on KZbin. I’m addicted 👍🏼

[@tbow13gbr22]

I always love how the teams that didn’t make it to the finals in the bubble always talk about how “easy” it was or how they didn’t care, but the two teams who actually made it there both talk about how difficult it was and how they had to go into a completely different headspace and mentality to get through it. To me, it just sounds like copium from the losers.

[@alxx292]

The last point is something I actually agree with. It has an asterisk because of how weird and different it was not because it didn’t count or the lakers had easy competition or anything like that

[@paddle_my_mad_laddle]

can we get an arvydas sabonis video? I'm a blazers fan and need something blazers related to watch aside from the 2024 tankathon

[@quannarula7046]

If anything, I don’t think people talk enough about how the 2021 NBA Playoffs should have an asterisk as well due to the extremely short off-season, weird scheduling, and inconsistent COVID policies based on state lines. The Lakers, Heat, and Celtics all lost in the first round after making the conference championships (with the short off-season penalizing teams who went deeper in the 2020 playoffs) and the Suns and the Bucks have both yet to make a conference finals since. The other two conference finals teams (Clippers and Hawks) have also done nothing to show that 2021 wasn’t just a fluke. To me, this is evidence that the 2021 playoffs were just a lot less legitimate than the 2020 playoffs.

[@SuperIronDan]

The only opinion that matter on this subject (like almost every other subject) it's from all the player from all the teams that were there and everyone I saw said that this was their hardest playoff to deal with, but people love to discredit Lebron so here we are.

[@YunisRajab]

Then you think if the Heat won we wouldn't be saying the same thing? Fans weren't counting the chip regardless who won it. It just helps to dismiss criticism as Lebron/Lakers hate

[@SuperIronDan]

@@YunisRajab If the Heat had won Jimmy would have been praise as the one to lead the Heat the pinnacle and is legacy would have been validated (rightfully so)

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

Hardest I think to endure, but I think hardest to compete in is probably pushing it for me. I can’t see how it’s harder than LeBron facing the 2018 Warriors, or Dirk facing the 2011 Heat, or the Cavs facing the 2007 Spurs, or the Nets facing the Lakers, etc.

[@SuperIronDan]

@@Jonathan-A.C. You are right this is what I meant

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@SuperIronDan Ook 👍

[@ScottR251]

Was the playoff Harden jab really necessary, he averaged 29.4 on 66% True Shooting that series

[@masonmiller8899]

Get that bag Clayton we love to see it, highest quality content on NBA KZbin

[@Notben10-s3p]

The bubble was some of the best basketball I've ever watched.

[@willemdaho3]

2023 Finals should’ve been the indication that the 2020 bubble wasn’t a fluke. Also the whole “nobody could focus because it was the bubble” take is BS because everyone was put in the SAME situation. Just pure hoops. If TJ Warren can go off why couldn’t PG and Kawhi? People only say Mickey Ring because its the Lakers, if it was Heat or Nuggets nobody’d care or it would’ve received 10x more hate for being the bubble, so there was never winning with this concept to begin with

[@vulcanraven9701]

LA got swept in 2023. The bubble was a fluke

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

No exactly. EXACTLY. Shoot, the Celtics and Heat ALONE also made the ECF the year before that, so it’s even more validating. In fact, the squad the Lakers got to the WCF again with was outright notably worse than in 2020

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

⁠@@vulcanraven9701 Doesn’t matter, they made it to the same WCF, and they even a worse team compared to the Nuggets better team. You’re just hating. In fact, every team of that Conference Finals made it to the Finals during or after 2020, and 3 won

[@jasonmoukala8909]

@@vulcanraven9701no it wasn’t.😂😂😂

[@tntcrewEJ]

Thanks for this vid clay. You always seem like the voice of reason on these debates

[@Anarchy96]

Some of the greatest hoops ever happened in that bubble. Loved hearing the sneakers squeak and the players call out actions and switches. I looked forward to each and every night of games.

[@MagusShade101]

I think you can come up with a reason to put an asterisk on almost any championship.

[@CiabanItReal]

What I've said about this championship and the time off. Every time got the same amount of time off from when the league shut down to when it started up. That doesn't mean everyone benefited equally. Older, more veteran teams like the lakers got more value from the extended rest before it restarted, and knew how to stay sharp during the shut down better than younger teams like the Grizz. No one had any control over that.

[@jlui21]

-- Agree. AD needed the extra rest b/c he was injury prone. And Lakers were older, esp w/ Lebron manning the ship. If i had to guess, if it was a regular season, AD would have gotten hurt and missed part of the playoffs. But post covid 2020, everyone played under the same circumstances, and the Lakers won it. That...gives Lebron some legitimacy.

[@luchogonzealaise3717]

And if I remember correctly, the lockdown wasn't the same in every state, some being looser in resctritions than others. And some players got the possibility to regroup and play together during the break while others stayed locked at home.

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

But that’s also not actually unfair. It’s just circumstance. You could, by the same logic, say that it gave younger teams more time to prep and actually improve it schemes and chemistry

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@jlui21 LeBron wasn’t even that old, especially for himself. It was more Dwight, Rondo, and Danny Green. But don’t get me wrong, they were the second oldest team in the league, and especially for their main roster spots Edit: I also think if they at least made the Finals again in 2021 instead of Bron getting injured and their team getting shipped out for a horrible trade idea, it would’ve seemed more valid

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@luchogonzealaise3717 Good point

[@deonlepharaoh]

Whatever obstacles are in front of you, if you overcome to win, it counts.

[@Herosennin]

Obviously it helped out. The Lakers duo was the strongest in the league with a team full of solid 3&D players and vets. Before the season, they were the big favorites and coming into the playoffs they were as well. Now add the fact that they now basically played a practice game and the fact that the Heat missed Adebayo and Dragic most the series(or not fit) and it still went 4-2 with two gamewinners of Davis deciding the series, I'd say it was to be expected. At least as a Lakers fan, I wasnt surprised at all. Even under normal circumstances I wouldve seen the Lakers as the big favorite let alone with them playing near practice games without fans in the stands and flashes of camera's in your eyes and a way better depth perception.

[@jlui21]

-- the biggest benefit in 2020? REST for AD. I think that was the key difference in Lebron winning -- b/c AD didn't have some huge injury.

[@cjvaye99]

dumb argument. so the Lakers got time to heal up and get healthy...so did every other team.

[@jlui21]

@@cjvaye99 -- AD is the argument (not the Lakers). Agree, every team has time to heal. The crux, for me, is certain players actually need rest: famously PG, Kawhi, AD, etc. From 2018-2023, AD was built like glass except last year (2024) where he's played the most games ever.

[@K.R.20]

If the Heat don't lose Dragic in game 1 they win that series.

[@G-TV_TheOneManArmy]

Damn I remember your 1st or earliest videos came out around that time too 😂 I've been a loyal subscriber for a minute

[@ThePenitentSquirrel]

To quote Reverend Lovejoy short answer, "yes" with an "if." Long answer, "no" with a "but." (edit) I do think the Lakers' performance post-Bubble is probably one of the biggest factors in the Asterisk-Championship. Let's be honest: The dropoff has been absolutely tremendous from Ring to Play-in team (not forgetting that a year removed from the championship, they didn't even make the playoffs).

[@vroomvroom6325]

Weakest title in sports

[@Nedfive]

8:00 Damn right I wanna know what you think 😂 but seriously, I think your opinion is highly valued by myself as well as many others. You do alot of research and explain yourself so well and at the end of the day, you know that its your opinion and I appreciate that. But I appreciate the great content and cant wait for more videos ❤

[@Knightmare0259]

I never got the issue with the bubble championship. The players all spoke on how challenging it was to restart the season and go into isolation. Also, the Lakers had a higher seed. That means they would be at home most of the Finals.

[@michaelbietsch2864]

it definitely counts. However, it should be acknowledged that two guys who have largely had injury issues did benefit greatly from the extra rest AND that AD, while a good midrange shooter for a big, has never shot close to what he did in the bubble both before or after. His career high outside of the bubble is 43%, in the bubble, he was at 50. That is an outlier, and I think it's fair to acknowledge the lack of a crowd to get in his head played a big part

[@hittheboof1084]

Does the Raptors ring have an asterisk cuz Kawhi hasn't played that well or been that healthy since winning? He made the point in the video that everyone was on the most even playing field you could possibly imagine. No travel, no home court advantage, no refs being influenced by the crowd. AD shot well during the playoffs that year but its not like he had some kind of homing chip implanted in his eye. Everyone he played against had the same exact opportunity as him, he just reacted better than anyone else.

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

Bron only had an injury like that in his career after going to 8 straight Finals and carrying tf out of team in the last Finals series. AD if anybody had injury issues, but Bron was good even before the Bubble portion of it happened. If anything, it was definitely the other players that it affected like Dwight and Rondo. Also notable to mention, that version of him was probably the best of him, period, and he was surrounded by a prime Bron as well as multiple solid guards and especially Rondo to help him score easier and better. Importantly though, even if it did everything you said and beyond that, everyone else benefited equally, including players with older teams

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@hittheboof1084 Exactly. Does it matter that the Warriors mostly came off of 4 previous Finals (except KD, who still came off 2+7 game WCF before that)? No, it doesn’t

[@goodjoejoe]

Kawhi and PG also benefited greatly from the extra rest and they choked anyway.

[@Jonathan-A.C.]

@@goodjoejoe Exactly. Everybody was talking about Clippers vs Lakers and how cool that would be (although obviously not seeing it IN Los Angeles), but the Clippers fucking sucked. PG especially didn’t do well

[@andrewchaikin4478]

Thanks Clayton 👍👍👍

[@DuranmanX]

1994 was one of the hardest won. The Rockets willed victory against some of the toughest teams of the era like Spurs, Knicks and Magic

[@jobebryant]

It doesn’t count….no home court advantage and played in front of virtual fans with fake noises 😂

[@Vibrant133]

You could do this exact same thing with 2021, which in its totality was a much weirder season than 2020 was. Sure the NBA Playoffs were weird in 2020, but the whole 2021 season was weird, with no fans, and protocols, injuries, covid exemptions, and a ludicrous amount of injury to contenders. Nuggets, Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Nets, literally 5 contenders marred by injury.

[@threehotdogs]

it’s a tiny bit unfair to flame the clippers as a whole when doc rivers solely decided to play montrezl harrell against jokic for 7 games in a row. they could’ve even survived paul george’s performance

[@itstaemonson]

If the bubble rings doesn’t count then we have to go back and put asterisk on other championships as well. 1999 lock out season, 87 or was it 88 when Isaiah got hurt. 2019 gsw got hurt, 2015 Kyrie and K-Love got hurt, 2006 “rigged”, 2002 rigged wcf, 94 and 95 No Jordan etc…

[@cameronno6039]

Does it count? Yes. Is there an asterisk? Yes.

[@nwash0080110]

“They lost because they were losers” 💀💀💀

[@Jimbob-io2sz]

it does count cuz every team went through the same conditions and had to deal with it

[@graysonflows]

vsauce jump scare gettin me in the mood for the halloween season 😂

[@imonangeltime4253]

A 4 month break between the end of the season and the start of The Preseason Tournament by Disney means that no, a bubble chip is not a NBA Championship. It didn't happen in the same season that the NBA tries to claim that it does lol

[@crammothy]

It counts. It was weird and different, but it still counts.

[@cameronrooney1]

Hey 2020 wasn’t all bad, that’s year I found your channel!

[@cagan9893]

i'm a boston fan since i've started watching basketball. as a boston fan, i can easily say a championship is a championship. it doesn't matter if it is hard or not. everybody competes under equal circumstances, just like 99' spurs and 11' mavs championships which were both played in the lockout years. it doesn't matter, now they do the same thing with celtics' championship because they think it was an easy playoff road. man, who cares if it was? celtics were the best team in the league. every championship has a chance factor in it but only one team is lucky enough to win it all every year.

[@cracknigr6065]

Exactly that. People just forget all objectivity when ttrying to defend something they like, or even worse, trying to put something down they don't like. I am happy that there's a couple level-headed fans out there like you (apparently :D ) are. Cheers

[@MrEOM41]

Does the entire 2020 year count 😅?

[@onebigadvocado6376]

Absolutely it does. We all know the one reason some people don't want it to count

[@PredatorBunny]

The team that had secured home court throughout the entire playoffs won. Best team going into the bubble & the best team coming out. Don’t know why that so often gets ignored (I do actually, it’s because Bron), but the best team won.

[@DanielS-gv5nj]

The 2020 championship surely deserves an asterisk. But not because of the bubble. The circumstances were the same for everyone and making the best of that isolated, yet super professional, environment is something we can expect from pro athletes. For me it's deserves an asterisk because the injury prone defensive anchor and the aging superstar who has to do it all on offense profited like no other from the three month break prior to the bubble. Had they won anyway? Maybe, the team was pretty great. But that break played in their favor and that's the asterisk.

[@chickenuzumaki1771]

I find it crazy that Kobe glazers say it doesn’t count just to diminish Bron they would literally rather see this team lose with Bron just to say Kobe is better

[@pranavmanie1479]

great video, and I fully agree (not even a Lakers fan). let's also not forget that a few months before the bubble, Kobe and Gianna passed away. the Lakers HAD to win for them, there was no other way.

[@catherinelynnfraser2001]

It counts…but it deserves an asterisk. It was strange and unusual and difficult and the only thing it highlighted was how good the Lakers were in a shorter season. They won the midseason tournament last year as well.

[@T65XJ]

Of course it counts. NBA teams competed on a level playing field. And this is from the biggest Jordan Fan. For us to say it doesn’t count would mean we are stooping to Nick Wright’s level.

[@m4dm3th0d]

A weird year, but yes - it should count

[@PrettyboyAshtun]

i miss that bubble era lowkey

[@alexisleyva3656]

Before the lakers won I didn’t hear a single person call this a fake ring or Mickey Mouse ring its only bc ppl hate on Lebron 😂

[@kingjunkyview]

As a massive Kobe fan. And a proud LeBron hater I agree!

[@Voltigern.]

It counts a chanpionship is a championship after all. That said not all championship are measured equally. Just like some people thinks Dirk's ring weight more than Durant's 2 rings.

[@full6330name]

I watched the games. They played HARD just like in regular playoffs. It counts without a shadow off a doubt.

[@theobithorianalliance-from1868]

If it was anyone else that won the championship people wouldn’t be saying it so it does count.

[@troym3606]

Babe wake up Clayton posted 😍😍

[@boesantos2974]

since 2020 they've just kept building their team incorrectly(could've resigned kcp and caruso). it all started with the russ trade and the dominos have been falling. surround bron/ad with wings who can guard/shoot that's the formula

[@sandoncrowder7839]

The 2020 championship has the same feeling as Embiids MVP to me, it feels like it went to the wrong team.

[@Ballinbmac]

The 2021 season is the real COVID season

[@JoeySoul]

Everyone had the exact same situation. Travel did not interfere, differences in courts did not play a part, no team had to deal with hotel issues, every team played with the exact same situation yet because the Lakers won, people hate. I do think this title does not matter as much as others. I also don't agree that 2023 means the Heat weren't a fluke, they just happened to be a fluke twice.

[@petermoss208]

8 out of every 10 years a franchise loses their entire season due to one of their max contract players getting injured. this isn’t the 90’s or 2000’s. no one can finish a season and by the time they get to the playoffs no one can last. and yes this is a NEW THING specifically for this generation because they don’t take care of themselves off the court. if there weren’t max contract players missing the playoffs every year i’d say yes, count the bubble. but it’s the exact opposite. the bubble is not based on reality because in reality most of those star players wouldn’t be healthy enough to get through a playoff run. they didn’t have to endure a season of wear and tear. and that DOES matter. it’s what separates the men from the boys in todays game. being responsible. injuries are self caused, not accidents. i saw the tournament as. “who’s the best player in the league”. but i never took it seriously as a championship.

[@KamrenMCOC]

The season should never have continued. They shouldve just canceled season until next season. I mean we were in a WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC

[@awesomereviews1561]

It counts but not all championships are equals. It’s of low value as far as championships go, but it’s has a lot more value than no rings.

[@markjackson6431]

NBA Bubble was like March Madness, does that mean March Madness doesn’t count?

[@jaceeedition18]

Thank You Clayton!

[@StoicManJustin]

BRUH, I THOUGHT YOU HAD SOMEHOW CONVICED STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN TO TALK ABOUT BUBBLE BASKETBALL! Yes, that had to be in all caps. lol

[@diegodelcid2235]

Yes it does. The Lakers were elite before the shutdown, every team got to play/live under the same conditions and the bubble wasn't even in LA. I remember the whole world clamoring for live stuff to come back so we could forget the whole virus thing for at least a couple hours a day, so I don't get why people talk like it doen't count.

[@lancehenry1936]

If the NY Knicks, Chicago Bulls, or any first time champion (Memphis, Minnesota, Brooklyn, LA Clippers, etc.) won, this wouldn’t even be a debate. Yes it counts. Just like I don’t give a second thought to the Spurs 99 title. They won it fair and square in 99. Lakers won fair and square in 20.

[@Splackavellie85]

Lets not pretend that the 1998 ring wasn’t given to the Bulls by the refs in Game 6. They definitely would have lost Game 7 without Scottie.

[@SuperIronDan]

If the Heat had won we would have the opposite debate

[@h2owl205]

The only reason this is a discussion is because LA, and more specifically LeBron won. Had virtually anyone else who that year it would be almost universally looked at as 100% legit

[@Protagonix]

It absolutely counts everyone has the same chance and there was no true home court advantage it was by far the most fair finals ever.

[@qqpit1]

6:30 well, yes, but only because *certain people* have been trying to downplay *certain other players'* championships for so long to push LeBron as the GOAT. If you want to say this one counts just as much as any other, great, I just wish people would apply it consistently.

[@1vaultdweller]

Tell that to Lebron haters who never ever admit anything positive about Lebron... including his family. They arent the victims here. They are to be adressed as the problem at every turn

[@qqpit1]

@@1vaultdweller thank you for proving my point

[@1vaultdweller]

@@qqpit1 Delusional much? Your argument was about "downplay certain other players", which I have obviously not done. Duh

[@teflonjohn4018]

I remember every fan wanting basketball back. I also remember hearing EVERY player that participated mentioned how much of an even playing field it was for everyone. If LeBron had lost people would have called that the greatest finals ever, but he won, so it's the fakest chip ever. GTFOH

[@andrewcook1246]

I love hearing Kobe fans make excuses for millionaires being too scared to catch a cold or live in a grueling 5 star hotel for a couple of weeks.

[@fantasyEXX]

The only championship ever won with every game won on the road. If anything it was the hardest championship to win

[@gstacks814]

A nba championship won in an empty gym with no road games doesn't count.

[@jonathansykes4986]

of course it counts. also i guess people are ignoring that the Lakers were the 1 seed in the West when the league shut down. Also if we're going to count the titles from the pre-magic/pre-bird NBA when at least 3 out of the top 10 players were in the ABA and the titles from when there was 14-10-8 teams in the league... yeah definitely counting this one.

[@rnr6940]

“The Clippers lost because they are losers” Well said. Of course it counts. Thanks for the video

[@narrow3601]

On the opposite side of the Lakers spectrum lie the Miami Heat, who have received all the praise in the world for just making that finals, not even winning it. How come their run counts but the Lakers who won doesn't?

[@rezaiyaz1439]

Despite my feelings about lebron...i can't deny that if any other team won in the bubble I'd still count it so it'd be hypocritical not to count this one.

[@ddp5406]

Everyone was on a equal playing field..which makes it the toughest championship to win Lakers were punished and lost home court advantage to the bubble

[@marcuspowell2510]

Love the video but you have to know what we want now. “Top 10 NBA Finals” By entertainment, heroics, career defining… However you what to define it. ❤