5 Greatest NBA team performances since play has resumed from the COVID-19 break
The NBA is full of unique storylines every year, and despite last season's ups and downs, the 2020 NBA Playoffs were no exception. The San Antonio Spurs failed to make the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 1997. The LA Lakers showed the most consistency throughout the year, which saw LeBron James and Anthony Davis lead team their team to its first NBA title in a decade.
The NBA also successfully held its first play-in tournament. That said, let's take a look at some of the best team performances in the 2020 NBA Playoffs.
No. 5 - The Toronto Raptors finishing 2nd in the East
The Toronto Raptors created history in the 2018-19 season as they won their first-ever NBA championship. However, they suffered a setback in that same offseason, losing Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green without getting any compensation in return. Nearly all NBA experts expected them to make it into the NBA playoffs. But as Toronto's mantra goes, if you don't have a superstar – create one, and that's precisely what they did.
Pascal Siakam, who averaged 17 points a game during their championship run, increased his average to 23 and became an All-Star starter. Fred VanVleet went up from 11 to 17 points, and Kyle Lowry went up from 14 to 19. As a result, the Raptors went 53-19 in the regular season and swept the Nets in the NBA playoffs before falling short to the Celtics in seven games. Nick Nurse won coach of the year. They've been full of surprises in 2020, and you'll find nobody underestimating the Toronto Raptors going ahead.
No. 4 - The Phoenix Suns go 8-0 in the bubble
The Phoenix Suns look like legitimate contenders this season, adding Chris Paul into the mix, but their story last year was quite different. Last year, the Phoenix Suns were invited to the bubble as a mere formality. The only way they could even have a chance of going to the playoffs was for them to win all of their games and have other teams lose.
However, they didn't let any of that deter them. Devin Booker was particularly impressive, averaging 30.5 points, six assists and five rebounds, and made it to the NBA All-Bubble First Team. Coach Monty Williams won the Coach of the Bubble award, too.