Game schedule

Due to the corona pandemic, all matches are played in an isolated bubble at Disney World in Florida, without an audience and with a few journalists on site.

Regular tests are performed on all players and leaders during their stay in Orlando.

Match one:

Lakers-Heat, Thursday 1 October 03.00 (Swedish time)

Lakers-Heat, Saturday 3 October 03.00

Heat-Lakers, Monday 5 October 01.30

Heat-Lakers, Wednesday 7 October 03.00

Lakers-Heat, Saturday 10 October 03.00

Heat-Lakers, Monday 12 October 01.30

Lakers-Heat, Wednesday 14 October 03.00

An arena in the NBA's bubble in Disney World, Florida.

Photo: TT

The road to the final

Los Angeles Lakers

Premier League

52-19.

Finals

Round of 16: 4-1 in games against the Portland Trail Blazers

Quarterfinals: 4-1 in games against Houston Rockets

Semifinals: 4-1 in games against Denver Nuggets

Miami Heat

44-29.

Finals

Round of 16: 4-0 in games against Indiana Pacers

Quarterfinals: 4-1 games against Milwaukee Bucks

Semifinals: 4-2 in games against Boston Celtics

Comment:

When the season ended prematurely, the Lakers led the Western Conference while Miami finished fifth in the Eastern.

In terms of the playoffs, Miami has had a tougher road and "overperformed" by, in turn, beating the fourth, first and third in the east.

The Lakers, who were one of the big favorites already before the season, have beaten eight, four and three in the west.

In the round of 16 against Portland, they got help from the fact that the big star Damian Lillard injured his knee.

CLIP: Here Davis decides with the last shot of the match (September 21)

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Lakers decided - with two seconds left Photo: TT

Mutual meetings this season

November 8:

Lakers beat Heat 95-80

Lakers beat Heat 113-110.

Comment:

You should probably not put too much emphasis on the season's two fights, but one detail is interesting.

In both games, the Lakers have made a winning move in the third period and won that period by over ten points.

This is a pattern that you can see in Miami over a long period of time, they are often very good in the first half and then lose in the second.

The Heat have lost 18 games this season, regular season and playoffs, where they had the lead with ten or more points.

It's most of all teams.

One of the times was against the Lakers who were down by 14 points.

CLIP: Here Butler decides the wild NBA drama - with zero seconds left (September 3)

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Jimmy Butler decides the second quarterfinal against Milwaukee - with zero seconds left on the clock.

Photo: Bildbyrån

The law and the stars

If you were to rank the top ten players in the match series, LA will undoubtedly have number one and two in LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

But the question is whether Miami does not have the next five or six names on such a list.

The question about the Lakers is whether the players behind "The Big Two" are good enough in a series with the best of seven games.

Jimmy Butler is one of the top two-way players in the NBA and the biggest name in Miami.

They may lack a clear superstar, but compensate with breadth and variety.

They have a handful of players who can flash and contribute over 20 points.

The young guard with Tyler Herro (20 years), Bam Adebayo (23) and Duncan Robinson (26) has played with great confidence in the playoffs, but the question is how they react to the challenge of facing a star-studded Lakers in the final.

LeBron has reached the age of 35 and the hairline is higher today than when he peaked during the golden years in Miami 2012-2013, but does not make the mistake of counting out "King James".

In the final semifinal against Denver, he showed championship rates with 38 points, 16 rebounds and ten assists.

Miami is not a team that can be intimidated, but when LeBron puts in that gear, he is a nightmare for all teams.

CLIP: LeBron James Shot LA Lakers to NBA Finals (September 27)

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Los Angeles Lakers.

Photo: Bildbyrån

Final routine

The Lakers and Heat are two teams that are familiar with finals, but have not been there for a while.

The Lakers play their first final since 2010 and the last time Miami fought for the title was in 2014, when led by the super trio with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

LeBron James makes his tenth (!) Final series in his career and the ninth in the last ten years.

In comparison, only three of all

in the entire NBA have made more final series.

He has three NBA titles in the past, two with Miami (2012, 2013) and one with Cleveland (2016).

At this stage of his career, James plays for his legacy so trust that he wants to win the title with a third club.

There is no lack of a final routine in Miami either.

Andre Iguodala, for example, makes his sixth straight NBA final (the first five with Golden State) and 40-year-old Udonis Haslem has become champion with Miami three times before (2006, 2012, 2013).

Miami also has a fantastic coach in Erik Spoelstra who, among other things, led the club to four straight finals between 2011 and 2014.

Kobe Bryant's death

Basketball icon Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January.

His sudden and tragic death shocked the United States and has marked the entire NBA season.

Not least for the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant's old club, who said they "play for Kobe."

CLIP: Here Lakers pay tribute to Kobe Bryant (February 1)

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A tribute video to Kobe Bryant was played before the match.

Photo: Ringo HW Chiu / AP / TT

Political positions

NBA players, and in particular LeBron James, have been described as a power factor in the US presidential election this fall.

Among other things, the players chose to boycott games in the middle of the ongoing playoffs, as a protest against police violence against blacks in the United States.

Something that President Donald Trump criticized.

When they resumed play after three days, the league took several measures to promote social justice, including polling stations in several arenas and the NBA promised to push for gender equality work in the community.

Players also have different messages and phrases written on their vests and shoes.

CLIP: NBA matches postponed after boycott (August 27)

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The Milwaukee Bucks boycotted game five of the NBA Finals.

Photo: Bildbyrån

CLIP: The stars' manifestation in the restart (July 31)

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Several messages against social injustice appeared when the NBA restarted.

Photo: Bildbyrån / SVT

Curious

• The Lakers and Heat write history together.

This is the first NBA Finals ever where both teams missed the playoffs the year before.

• Guard Dion Waiters is eligible to receive a championship ring regardless of which team wins the title.

This is because the Waiters, who now play in LA, started the season in Miami.

• LeBron James has a frosty relationship with his old club Miami.

After four straight finals, and two titles, he left in the summer of 2014. Chairman Pat Riley then went insane and thought that LeBron "threw away a dynasty".

James has indicated in interviews that he was let down by Riley who is said to have said "you are making the biggest mistake of your career" to the star.

When LeBron then won the title with Cleveland in 2016, Riley sent an SMS to congratulate - LeBron never responded.

Miami's Dwyane Wade and Lebron James during a playoff match in 2013. Stock Photography.

Photo: TT