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via Imago

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Opinions on the worth of LeBron James‘ fourth NBA championship ring are far from unanimous. The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 NBA championship within the NBA bubble, a bio-secure facility established in reaction to the COVID-19 epidemic. Many people, however, regarded the win as a spectacular accomplishment and were happy for James to secure his fourth ring.

But others, including one of his former teammates, have expressed concerns about the circumstances of it.

Philadelphia 76ers star guard talks about James’ bubble ring

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The NBA took the unprecedented decision to stage the 2020 playoffs in a bio-secure bubble. They hosted them at a Disney resort outside Orlando, Florida, in the thick of the pandemic. Spectators were not permitted, and all teams competed in an empty gym, removing the customary home-court advantage. Because of the lack of an electrifying audience experience, some analysts and fans viewed the 2020 championship as a watered-down version of the NBA playoffs.

Patrick Beverley, a member of the LA Clippers on the bubble, recently spoke with GQ about LeBron James’ 2020 title. He even opened up about the peculiar circumstances of it. While Beverley admitted the championship “counts,” he was eager to bring out the bubble environment’s unusual features. He explained that playing without a crowd and the regular postseason stress produced a unique set of circumstances.

Beverley stated, “It counts. It does count. But, when you’re playing in an environment where you’re not going against any part of, like, crowd. So, for me saying the bubble ring doesn’t count, I think it’s part ignorant. But, at the same time, the bubble didn’t give you all the normal conditions that you would have on facing other teams. And I’ll just leave that at that.”

Read More: ?This M*f***r Got Ice On.. Dunking?: Patrick Beverley Dissects on LeBron James? Commitment to the Lakers?

However, some might argue that these opinions are because Beverley’s Clippers suffered a humiliating loss against the Nuggets in the playoffs.

The 2020 playoffs match between the Nuggets & the Clippers

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The Denver Nuggets bucked the odds in Game 5 of the 2020 NBA Bubble playoffs, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers. The Nuggets rallied from a 15-point deficit in the second half, thanks in large part to veteran Paul Millsap’s leadership.?Millsap’s toughness and a well-timed skirmish with Marcus Morris set the foundation for Denver’s amazing recovery. The Nuggets rallied from a 61-46 deficit because of?Millsap’s inspired effort in the third quarter, when he scored 14 of his 17 points.

via Reuters

The Nuggets’ tenacity has been a repeating theme in the playoffs, as this is their fourth elimination-game victory of the season. They earlier defeated the Utah Jazz after coming back from a 3-1 deficit.?While the Clippers thought they had the series under control, Denver’s unwavering effort demonstrated their tenacity. The contest included clutch shots from Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr., who made the game-winning 3-pointer.

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However, Patrick Beverley’s take on LeBron James’ fourth championship ring serves as a reminder of the peculiar circumstances surrounding its acquisition. While the title is clearly a spectacular feat, the debate about its worth will almost certainly continue as a topic of discussion. In the end, it’s a monument to the unprecedented struggles and adaptations that players, especially LeBron James, had to make during one of the NBA’s most unusual seasons.

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