Who’s Left in the Sports Genre? : The Final Countdown to the NBA Finals

It is no surprise this NBA season has had its share of difficulties. To begin the year, one of the most notable deaths of 2020 occurred with the passing of the iconic Kobe Bryant. This devastated the basketball community all the way from toddlers to retired Hall of Fame basketball stars and everyone in between. Bryant was an influence to all. His sudden death shocked everybody and people mourned for his loss. His former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, are dedicating their season to him. They are currently holding a 2-0 game lead over the Denver Nuggets, hoping for a berth into the NBA Finals. 

The Denver Nuggets, a local crowd favorite, are looking for a comeback to overtake the Lakers and play in their first ever NBA Finals. They have bonded and played as a team, rather than build a superteam like that of the Lakers. This makes the team an “underdog” with potential. Denver is the closest major sports city near Nebraska, which is another reason it is a crowd favorite. Denver is looking to erase their 0-2 deficit and clinch the top spot in the Western Conference. 

On the other side of the nation, the Eastern Conference Finals are close to declaring a victor. The Miami Heat are battling against the Boston Celtics heading into game four. Miami is barely holding onto a 2-1 series lead. The Miami Heat have struggled to make it to the Finals ever since LeBron James left. However, this year they have a decent shot at playing a redemption game against LeBron in the Finals. The Boston Celtics will not go down without a fight. Already notching one win against the Heat, the Celtics are looking toward closing the gap and overtaking the competition. The Finals are almost here. Who will be crowned the victor?

Joel Shetler is a Junior

Science Ed Major from

Ruckersville, Virginia