Zach Lowe Defends Lakers’ 2020 Championship: “It’s A Real Title, Stop Disparaging It”

The last time the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title, they overcame both a feisty Miami Heat squad and the distinct circumstances of the 2020 Orlando "bubble." Because of this singular situation, fans have questioned the validity of this championship win, the 17th in the history of the storied franchise.

For NBA insider Zach Lowe, the criticism isn't valid at all. Speaking on a recent episode of his podcast "The Lowe Post," Lowe rebuked fans for discrediting the Lakers' 2020 championship for no other reason than displeasure towards LeBron James and the purple and gold squad.

"If any other team and any other superstar had won that title, there would be none of this crap," the ESPN analyst argued.

Lowe, who began his full-time coverage of the NBA in 2010, pointed out that the conditions faced by the Lakers were the same encountered by the other teams that entered the "bubble" five years ago.

"Every team went there under the same circumstances, every team, same challenges, same circumstances, same hotels, same travel circumstances. One team won," he recalled. "And yet we continue to hear this."

Lowe took particular aim at Daryl Morey, the Philadelphia 76ers' president of basketball operations, for voicing out the opinion that the Lakers' 2020 title came with the caveat of an "asterisk."

"He says the champion will forever be marked by an asterisk. All of this has to stop," Lowe insisted.

To the Lakers' credit, they withstood the psychological toll of the "bubble" as they pulled off a gentleman's sweep to wrap up each of their first three series. Their playoff opponents included Damian Lillard's Portland Trail Blazers, a Houston Rockets squad led by James Harden and Damian Lillard, and a Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets team.

In the Finals, James and his running mate Anthony Davis ran into the formidable Heat squad coached by Erik Spoelstra. Jimmy Butler led the charge for Miami, along with an up-and-coming Bam Adebayo and an arsenal of shooters that included Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.

Though the Lakers had a chance to close out the series in Game 5, a Danny Green miss from beyond the arc meant that the Heat would be extending the series. In Game 6, James (28 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists) sealed the deal en route to bagging his fourth Finals MVP.

Though the hard work by LBJ and his teammates speaks for itself, some naysayers continue to doubt the validity of their accomplishment that year. As far as Lowe is concerned, however, the naysaying has no merit.