The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday evening to claim the 2020 NBA Championship.
Following the win, Lakers fans took to the streets of LA to celebrate the occasion.
Needless to say, things got crazy very quickly. Police vehicles got attacked, fireworks were set off — nothing seemed off limits.
Lakers fans trashing police cars pic.twitter.com/Koi9Rk5jvr
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) October 12, 2020
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN LA?! 💀💀pic.twitter.com/inzsOPbFco
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 12, 2020
Kobe chants in downtown LA
(🎥 @AO619 ) pic.twitter.com/2X4OJd1UxT
— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) October 12, 2020
Lakers fan celebrating in a life-sized bubble. 💀💀💀 pic.twitter.com/pRsQWfidOa
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 12, 2020
Outside of Staples Center. Police are directing fans to stay on the sidewalk: https://t.co/OeCnE0pNql pic.twitter.com/5pysM9mRRn
— L.A. Times Sports (@latimessports) October 12, 2020
“KOBE. KOBE. KOBE.”
STAPLES Center is the place to be rn. pic.twitter.com/BCRHxMHgDy
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 12, 2020
Staples Center @USATODAY @usatodaysports pic.twitter.com/4oO115ycNK
— Harrison (@Harrisonhill__) October 12, 2020
The scene outside Staples Center 🤯 #NBAFinals
(via @SLAMonline) pic.twitter.com/GQmxpi0bD8
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 12, 2020
Los Angeles is taking to the streets outside of Staples Center after the the Lakers win championship No. 17. pic.twitter.com/w25dbE76hZ
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) October 12, 2020
There’s no end to the line of people celebrating outside STAPLES. 🎉 pic.twitter.com/RyTctMDydT
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 12, 2020
The scene outside of Staples Center right now. Be safe. pic.twitter.com/NBHH1exGT3
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) October 12, 2020
I’m right across the street from the Staples Center and they are going crazy!!!!! #Lakeshow #NBAChampions pic.twitter.com/SI2UTgJ6tN
— Petty Slimane (@LilAioli) October 12, 2020
It’s a mf SCENE outside the STAPLES Center. pic.twitter.com/5mavKWgJE5
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 12, 2020
#ForKobe View at the Staples Center pic.twitter.com/6SPBS1beb2
— The Cruz Show (@TheCruzShow) October 12, 2020
Fans celebrate the Lakers winning the NBA Championship in front of Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles despite city official warnings regarding large gatherings. @USATODAY @usatodaysports pic.twitter.com/QPl2gtr16b
— Harrison (@Harrisonhill__) October 12, 2020
Staples center lit af! #dtla #lakerswin pic.twitter.com/o01FxEqEyt
— JLH (@the__jlh) October 12, 2020
LA is lit rn.
My favorite person celebrating outside Staples Cebter in DTLA is the person who showed up in a bubble.
via the Snapchat heat map pic.twitter.com/TD9bAyyEno
— brandon wenerd (@brandonwenerd) October 12, 2020
WATCH LIVE: Fans have gathered near Staples Center to celebrate the #Lakers winning the franchise’s 17th title. https://t.co/1bStk5gjdh pic.twitter.com/jUuUCE4azw
— NBC Los Angeles (@NBCLA) October 12, 2020
Sky5 was over the Staples Center as fans gathered to celebrate the Lakers’ first NBA championship in a decadehttps://t.co/YQOEyZToJk pic.twitter.com/BqBycZrihl
— KTLA (@KTLA) October 12, 2020
Staples Center is going insane #NBAChamps #LakersNation pic.twitter.com/1W9Klk8jbH
— Shajed Ahmed (@shajeezzy) October 12, 2020
how it started how it’s going
(staples center edition) pic.twitter.com/AdURVFUWq6— . (@LUN4888) October 12, 2020
Growing crowd near Staples Center chants “Kobe” @NBCLA pic.twitter.com/P2MAjFxSVl
— Darsha Philips (@DarshaPhilips) October 12, 2020
STAPLES CENTER IS LIT!!! pic.twitter.com/e50iTgnJSO
— Abu (@Abubakerrr1) October 12, 2020
The irony here should not be lost on anyone.
Lakers players are currently forced to celebrate their championship victory within a bubble environment in Orlando, Florida, due to COVID-19.
In case you’re wondering why Bronny is trending. https://t.co/RHyy4cNDpU
— Game 7 (@game7__) October 12, 2020
Meanwhile, Lakers fans are out in the streets, in close proximity, going nuts. Regardless of how you feel about COVID or the bubble, something is off there.
Related: Fans Turn On Tyler Herro After Heat’s Game 6 Collapse
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
