NBA season 2019-20 review: Best game-changing moments from the Orlando bubble

2019-20 NBA season just might have been most challenging season in league's history. Hit by Kobe Bryant's tragic and untimely death on January 26, league mourned for months. In March, COVID-19 pandemic forced league to go in a hiatus, resuming at NBA bubble in Walt Disney World. Los Angeles Lakers won ir 17th NBA title after 10 years – concluding NBA 2019-20 campaign.

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NBA best moments for 2019-20 season 

NBA 2019-20 season started with a terrific Lakers-LA Clippers game, setting mood for remaining season. With Milwaukee Bucks and Lakers leading ir respective conference leaderboards, season progressed at a different pace – with Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson all missing. Though Curry started season, his broken hand ended his campaign four games into season. 

Christmas saw bottom-of--table Golden State Warriors beat Houston Rockets, and Clippers once again beat Lakers. year ended with Toronto Raptors, who recreated Kawhi Leonard's epic 2019 Eastern Conference semi-finals Game 7 winning shot. next year, however, began on a sour te, with former NBA commissioner David Stern passing away at 77 on January 1.

rest of season followed, with COVID-19, Black Lives Matter movement and Bryant's death overshadowing season – which ended in October. 

Zion Williamson and his debut lives up to hype

New Orleans Pelicans might have lost game 113-106 to Denver Nuggets, but ir 2020 NBA Draft . 1 mand to leave his mark. Williamson delivered an electric 22-point performance, which included his three-minute 17-point run. His debut – which was delayed months due to his back injury – made him only player in league to shoot four or more threes in a debut without missing. 

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A few days later, on January 26, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven ors passed away in a helicopter crash. NBA world grieved, holding his memorial at Staples Center in February to hour his legacy. 2020 All-Star game was dedicated to Bryant and Gigi, both teams donning ir jersey numbers.

league edged closer to playoffs, only to go on hiatus from March 11 – triggered by Rudy Gobert's positive diagosis. league remained on-hiatus for months, resuming on July 30. Black Lives Matter had taken over team ps, with players advocating equality and justice. NBA bubble in Orlando completed regular season with 22 teams, while only Miami Heat and LA Lakers remained at end. 

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NBA bubble

1. Devin Booker and 8-0 Phoenix Suns

While everyone expected for Damian Lillard to explode and push for playoff spot, one expected for Suns to go on an undefeated run at bubble. Led by Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton, Suns finished ir time in bubble with an 8-0 record. Though team failed to make postseason, Booker's performance was applauded, viewing 24-year-old as a leader who can help Suns aim for a title. 

2. Dame Time

Winning Bubble MVP, Damian Lillard dominated his time in bubble. Portland Trail Blazers guard averd 37.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 9.6 assists in bubble, securing team's play-in spot after a 6-2 record and play-in tournament against Memphis Grizzlies. This includes his 61-point career-high game against Dallas Mavericks, joining Wilt Chamberlain as only players to have three or more 60-point games during one campaign. 

3. Denver Nuggets beat Clippers, overcome 3-1 deficit

LA Clippers choked ir chances of ir first Western Conference Final appearence, convincing fans of a Clippers curse. Nuggets, led by Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, had ir second 4-3 series win of playoffs, heading on to meet Lakers for Conference Finals. Paul George-Kawhi Leonard duo failed to live up to fan's expectations, leading to an immense backlash. 

4. Or moments that defined NBA's bubble 

Milwaukee Bucks decide to abandon ir game post-Jacob Blake's shooting

Bucks, in one gutsy move, postponed games after Blake's shooting in Wisconsin. ir decision triggered a wave, as most teams decided to sit out ir games. While league ultimately decided to continue ir season, players used platform to voice ir opinions, leaving intended dent. 

Luka Doncic's game-winner

Luka Doncic – who was questionable for Game 4 – scored 43 points, 17 rebounds and 13 assists against Clippers. Mavericks won game, which Doncic ended with his terrific step-back three-pointer just as clock times out. Mavs were down 21 points that game, which Doncic turned around. 

5. LeBron James, Lakers win it all

2019-20 season came full circle, with James delivering on his promise of winning Lakers ir 17th franchise title. James, who averd 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists during series, won his fourth NBA title, and his fourth NBA Finals MVP. James' performance and title once again brought up NBA GOAT debate, with people agreeing with King James' dominance in league. 

Following Bryant's death, James had promised to carry on his legacy. Lakers were relentless during finals, winning series 4-2 against Miami Heat – James' former team, who had reached Finals as underdogs, rising from ir . 5 spot on Eastern Conference table. 

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NBA 2020-21 season will begin on December 22.

(Im credits: LA Lakers Instagram)