James, Herro see popularity rise in the NBA playoffs
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. โ LeBron Jamesโ popularity, even in his 17th season, cannot be argued. Herro, according to the NBA, saw the biggest increase in followers added โ 41% โ among all players during the conference finals. Herro became the first player born in the 2000s to play in the NBA Finals when he checked in during the first quarter of Game 1. FAMOUS FANSFormer President Barack Obama was among those in the โvirtualโ crowd of fans for Game 1 of the NBA Finals. A slew of players with NBA championships also were on the big screens, including Shaquille OโNeal and Dwyane Wade.
The Finals are set: LeBron, Lakers will meet Butler, Heat
Get ready for the NBA Finals โ a title series like none other, to end a season like none other. The Heat won the Eastern Conference title Sunday night, finishing off Boston a day after the Lakers won the Western Conference crown. So, for the first time โ well, excluding the leagueโs inaugural season โ two franchises that missed the playoffs the previous season will meet in the NBA Finals. โWe know why I came here,โ said Lakers All-Star forward Anthony Davis, whose first finals trip comes in his first L.A. season. The last Lakersโ championship was in 2010, when Bryant got his fifth and last title.
Wade expresses his gratitude at jersey retirement cremony
Former Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade reacts during a ceremony for his jersey retirement at halftime as the Heat host the Cleveland Cavaliers in an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in Miami. โI could have gone on for an hour,โ Wade said following the ceremony at halftime of the Heat's 124-105 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. โAt that moment I felt your love,โ Wade told the crowd. โKobe said the most important thing is to try to inspire others so they can be great in whatever they choose to do,โ Wade told the crowd. โI hope I've inspired all of you.โWade played 14 1/2 of his 16 NBA seasons with the Heat.