10 Most Memorable NBA Moments Of 2020

2020 is coming to a close and there are several moments in the National Basketball Association (NBA) to recall.

There are plenty to mention and recall from the world of NBA basketball, memories that will be remembered for a long time.

Here are the memorable NBA moments from the 2019-20 season which will forever be etched in the annals of the league moving forward.

10. Death of Kobe Bryant

2020 was supposed to be a promising year although there was no telling how the coronavirus would respond. Before it did, there was the shocking death of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

The 41-year-old died along with his daughter in a helicopter crash that most had a hard time believing. Tributes poured and the memorial saw the gathering of past teammates, opponents, and NBA legends who paid their final respects to the “Black Mamba.”

9. Howard returns to Los Angeles Lakers

Dwight Howard was not exactly the ideal player that Lakers Nation wanted to have on board. But with the "Purple and Gold" losing a key player in DeMarcus Cousins to injury, the 6-foot-11 center got a second chance in Hollywood.

Howard responded well and ended up winning his first NBA title at 35. Unfortunately, that reunion has been cut with the many-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year moving to the Philadelphia 76ers.

8. Carmelo Anthony’s new lease on life

Carmelo Anthony refused to call it a career and believed he still had plenty left in the tank. The Portland Trail Blazers gave him a shot and the investment proved worth it.

Anthony gave the Blazers a big boost but was unfortunately not enough to catapult Portland deeper into the playoffs. Regardless, the 36-year-old proved that he can still play with the younger talent in the NBA.

7. COVID-19 grounds NBA games

It would only be a matter of time before something would spoil the 2019-20 NBA season. Most heard about the coronavirus but were surprised it reached US waters by March.

Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz was the first to test positive for COVID-19 and the season was forced to a grinding halt.

6. George Floyd Incident, Black Lives matter

George Floyd made headlines after he was brutally attacked by police in May. The brutal arrest led to his death, and several NBA stars made a stand on racial discrimination.

Most players added some strong messages at the back of their shirts since the incident. Among those who stood up against police brutality include Jaylen Brown, Malcolm Brogdon, Enes Kanter, and of course, LeBron James.

5. Chris Paul proves age is only a number

Most thought that Chris Paul was on his last leg in the NBA. Derailed by injuries the past years, the 35-year-old had an incredible showing with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

OKC was believed to be in rebuild mode, but "CP3" made a difference. Just when most counted them out, the Thunder made the surprise of making it to the playoffs despite a rag-tag crew.

4. Nuggets clawing back from 1-3 deficit against Clippers

The Denver Nuggets were among the dark horses in the NBA playoffs. When the Los Angeles Clippers took a commanding 3-1 series lead, pundits felt it was too much to overcome.

But thanks to the efforts of Jamal Murray, Nikola Jokic and the rest of the crew, Denver did the unthinkable. They managed to string up three-straight wins and foil an all-Los Angeles Western Conference Final.

3. Miami Heat making it to NBA Finals

The 2019-20 season was a year of surprises. One team that most never saw making it deep is the Miami Heat. With only Jimmy Butler being the familiar name, the allegedly rebuilding South Beach quintet ambushed teams that stood in the way.

It turned out that the Butler injection was worth it, blending in well with young stars such as Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo. Reaching the NBA Finals was a huge statement that teams don’t need expensive talent to reach the last dance.

2. Danny Green’s botched game-winner in Game 5 of the NBA Finals

The NBA has seen a lot of game-winners in the finals, especially if one considers the Los Angeles Lakers.

Robert Horry is best known for hitting daggers and Danny Green had that chance in Game 5.

Unfortunately, he was unable to sink an open three-pointer that would have given the Lakers the NBA title outright. Regardless, they still had a 3-2 edge and wrapped it up in Game 6.

1. Lakers win 17th NBA title

It was a long wait, but the drought finally ended. The Lakers needed six games to fend off a pesky Miami Heat five despite owning a more than formidable roster.

It needed some extra push for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to seal the deal. There were a lot of unsung heroes that helped too like Rajon Rondo and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Regardless, it was the Lakers' first NBA title since 2010. They are looking to repeat as champions this 2020-21 season, and odds favor them following a busy and productive offseason.