Charles Barkley recently appeared on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz.” While on the show, he emphasized that the Lakers and Heat trips to the Finals last year weren’t legitimate.
He clearly stated that he thinks last year’s playoffs, and most importantly the finals, don’t count. He said,
“That bubble basketball. It was a bunch of bubble gangsters. That don’t count. Bubble gangsters don’t count.” “I’m not counting the bubble.”
Charles Barkley
This isn’t just Charles’ opinion. Many people have questioned the bubble and whether it was a legitimate title or not. With the Heat and Lakers struggling this year, these criticisms have only grown louder.
The Heat and Lakers met in the finals last year in the bubble. The Lakers won the matchup 4-2, claiming their franchise’s 17th title. Their long stay in the bubble also resulted in an extremely short offseason. This could be one reason for their struggles this year.
This comes after the Heat and Lakers both made first-round exits in the playoffs this year. The Lakers struggled mightily with injuries all year, losing LeBron James and Anthony Davis for major portions of the season. The Heat didn’t have the same injury issues, but they never looked the same as they did in the bubble.
The Lakers faced the Suns in the first round this year and lost the series 4-2. The Heat were swept by the Bucks this year on the other side of the bracket.
