ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2020 NBA Finals are set. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers will face off for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
LeBron James led the Lakers to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2010 by defeating the Denver Nuggets in five games. The Heat meanwhile defeated the Boston Celtics in six games for its first Eastern Conference title since LeBron’s days in Miami.
The NBA Finals will start Wednesday in Orlando at ESPN’s World Wide of Sports. The NBA set up a bubble in Orlando when the season resumed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Channel 2 will be your home for EVERY GAME of the 2019 NBA Finals. Here is the complete schedule of games.
- Game 1, Wednesday Sept. 30 at 9 p.m. -- FINAL SCORE: Lakers - 116 Heat - 98
- Game 2, Friday Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. -- FINAL SCORE: Lakers - 114 Heat - 114
- Game 3, Sunday Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. FINAL SCORE: Lakers - 104 Heat - 115
- Game 4, Tuesday Oct. 6 at 9 p.m.
- Game 5, Friday Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. (if necessary)
- Game 6, Sunday Oct. 11 at 7:30 p.m. (if necessary)
- Game 7, Tuesday Oct. 13 at 9 p.m.
Notable names from Georgia will be competing for the NBA championship. Miami forward Jae Crowder grew up in Carroll County and started at Villa Rica as the football team’s quarterback and basketball team’s point guard.
The Lakers have three players with local ties.
Dwight Howard grew up in Atlanta and became a star at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, where he led the school to 2004 state title. Howard won several national awards: Gatorade National Player of the Year, McDonald’s National High School Player of the Year, Naismith Prep Player of the Year and the Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year. Howard return home to play a season with the Hawks.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the state’s top high school basketball player out of Greenville, Georgia. Caldwell-Pope landed at the University of Georgia and played two seasons with the Dawgs before he left for the NBA Draft. The Pistons took Caldwell-Pope with the No. 8 pick in the draft.
Alpharetta’s Devontae Cacok signed a two-way contract with the Lakers and made his NBA debut during the regular season last month.
GAME NOTES
- The 2020 NBA Finals are the first to feature two franchises that missed the playoffs the previous season.
- It’s the first finals matchup between the clubs. The Lakers are looking for a record-tying 17th title. The Heat are seeking their fourth in the last 15 seasons.
- James is seeking his fourth NBA championship and title with a third different team. He won two titles with Miami in 2012 and 2013 before he returned to his hometown to win 2016 title with Cleveland.
Cox Media Group
