🏀 Rivalries, 🧢 Rookies, and 🔥 Redemption: 1990 in the Rewritten NBA 🕹️
In 1988, the Boston Celtics entered as back-to-back champions, chasing a coveted three-peat. Once again, they reached the NBA Finals, and once again, their opponent was the rising Dallas Mavericks.
But this time, it was Charles Barkley and the Mavericks who got the last laugh. Barkley and John Stockton claimed their first NBA titles, and they’ve been riding that momentum ever since.
Now, the Mavericks enter the new decade as back-to-back champions themselves. Can they accomplish what the Celtics could not? Or will the league crown a new champion?
As always, the journey begins with the NBA Draft — and in 1989, player movement once again reshaped the league's landscape. It all started at the top, where the first overall pick belonged to the Detroit Pistons.
As we all know, Pervis Ellison went No. 1. The question: Can he help Detroit return to the playoffs after missing them for the first time in our timeline?
Some fates, however, stayed true. J.R. Reid was still drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, now in just their second year. He steps in as their starting center.
Glenn Rice found a starting role with the Golden State Warriors, but it wasn't enough. The team finished with the worst record all-time in this universe, managing just 8 wins.
Meanwhile, Tim Hardaway became a Boston Celtic, thanks to the fallout from an injury-riddled season. Larry Bird missed all but six games, and the Celtics limped into the playoffs as the 6th seed, only to fall in the first round.
Last year, the Atlanta Hawks finished atop the East for the first time. This year, another team rises from the ashes to claim the No. 1 seed: the New York Knicks. At 54–28, it marks the first time in our history that the Knicks finish at the top of the conference.
Right behind them are the defending Eastern Conference champion Atlanta Hawks (49–33), grabbing the No. 2 seed. But the true second-best team by record? That would be the Boston Celtics, who also finished 54–28, but lost out on the top spot due to a tiebreaker held by the Knicks.
The addition of Tim Hardaway to a core featuring former MVP Larry Bird (who’s back from injury), Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish has made Boston one of the most dangerous threats in the East, with three explosive offensive weapons ready to go.
At No. 4, the Cleveland Cavaliers (49–33) return to the postseason after reaching their first Conference Finals last year. However, they lost key contributor Ron Harper in the offseason to the Clippers — a move that may haunt them this time around.
The final four playoff spots in the East go to the Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Bullets, and New Jersey Nets.
The Bulls, who shocked the 2-seed Knicks last year, return hungry to make an even deeper run — despite their lower seed.
The Washington Bullets continue to be the model of consistency, now making the playoffs every year in this six-season timeline. Even after losing Alvin Robertson to Milwaukee, they remain strong behind All-Star Darrell Walker, Bernard King, and Horace Grant.
The Bucks, despite parting ways with longtime star Terry Cummings, stayed competitive with the addition of Robertson and strong team defense.
Rounding out the East are the New Jersey Nets, now led by Sam Bowie and an emerging Reggie Miller, who’s beginning to show flashes of greatness.
Notably absent from the playoff picture are two real-life 1990 postseason teams: the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons. In this alternate history, the Pacers (17–65) finished with the worst record in the East.
Why the collapse? They never drafted Chuck Person (now starring for the Jazz) or Rik Smits (also with Utah). Without those franchise cornerstones, Indiana lacked the star power to compete and found themselves stuck at the bottom of the standings.
Meanwhile, the Pistons miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Isiah Thomas returned to All-Star form this season, but with limited help — Bill Laimbeer remains serviceable, though no longer dominant — the Pistons couldn’t recapture the spark they once had. In this timeline, the “Bad Boys” era never truly materialized, and Detroit remains a shadow of what they once promised to be.
Out West, the defending champion Dallas Mavericks (59–23) once again secured the top record, making it their fourth straight year as the No. 1 seed.
Right behind them, the Los Angeles Clippers (55–27) emerged as the second seed — a massive leap for the franchise. The addition of Ron Harper proved to be a game-changer, joining forces with fellow All-Star Gary Grant. Meanwhile, Benoit Benjamin and Charles Smith each had breakout seasons, giving the Clippers a legitimate shot at dethroning the champs.
Coming in at third are the San Antonio Spurs (56–26), locking in the No. 3 seed for the second consecutive season. Last year, they were stunned in the first round by the sixth-seeded Rockets and league MVP Hakeem Olajuwon.
Karl Malone is still chasing his first career playoff series win. And just like the Celtics in the East, these Spurs — despite holding the third seed — actually had the second-best record in the West.
The Phoenix Suns (53–29) round out the top four, finishing fourth for the second straight year. Powered by their All-Star duo of Kevin Johnson and Tom Chambers, the Suns remain a steady playoff force in this alternate NBA.
The rest of the Western Conference playoff field includes the Utah Jazz, Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and Sacramento Kings. The Kings, despite a better record than last season, drop to the eighth seed — a testament to how stacked the West has become. What sets Sacramento apart? A balanced starting five with no All-Stars, but solid contributions across the board.
Let’s now head over to the Eastern Conference Playoffs, where the No. 1 seed New York Knicks faced off against the No. 8 seed New Jersey Nets.
The Knicks were still trying to advance past the first round, while the Nets were a playoff-tested team — though they missed the postseason last year. This revamped Nets squad, featuring a blend of youth and veteran savvy, gave the Knicks all they could handle.
But in the end, the All-Star frontcourt duo of Roy Tarpley and Patrick Ewing proved too much, leading New York to a 3–2 series win.
The 2–7 matchup featured the defending Eastern Conference champs, the Atlanta Hawks, against the Washington Bullets (39–43) — one of the most consistent playoff teams in this timeline.
With former All-Star Alvin Robertson now in Milwaukee, the Bullets turned to Darrell Walker, who delivered an All-Star season of his own. He was supported by Bernard King and Horace Grant, but it wasn’t enough to stop Dominique Wilkins and the East’s dominant frontcourt pairing of Brad Daugherty and Moses Malone.
The Bullets forced a deciding Game 5, but Atlanta took care of business at home, advancing to the next round.
In the 3–6 matchup, the Boston Celtics entered looking poised for another championship run. First in their way were the Milwaukee Bucks (43–39) — a team still finding its identity after losing longtime star Terry Cummings.
The Bucks had hoped that their 1986 draft pick, John “Hot Plate” Williams, would step into Cummings’ role. To his credit, Williams became an All-Star this season.
But the Celtics had something even greater: the original Big 3 — Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish — plus a new weapon in rookie Tim Hardaway.
Milwaukee managed to take Game 3, but that was their only bright spot. The Celtics, led by their two-time MVP Larry Bird, proved too much. With Hardaway igniting the backcourt, Boston closed the series 3–1 and advanced.
That left the most intriguing series of the first round: the 4–5 matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls were coming off an upset win over the Knicks in last year’s playoffs and now faced a Cavs team that looked even stronger.
Cleveland, led by first-time All-Star Mark Price, along with Larry Nance and Hot Rod Williams, appeared to be the favorites on paper. But these Bulls weren’t reading the script — they pulled off the upset again, winning the series 3–1.
Compared to real life, the Bulls and Knicks advancing mirrors the actual 1990 postseason. But in this alternate timeline, the Celtics remain contenders, not a first-round casualty as they were in reality. And the Atlanta Hawks, who didn’t even make the playoffs in the real 1990 bracket, are continuing a legitimate conference power run.
Meanwhile, traditional contenders like the Pistons and Sixers are nowhere to be found. That’s what happens when Charles Barkley never lands in Philly — instead, he’s already a two-time NBA champion in Dallas.
Out West, the playoffs opened with a familiar result — another first-round sweep for the defending champion Dallas Mavericks. It marks their fifth straight first-round advancement, as they continue to look like the class of the league.
Despite a solid season from the Sacramento Kings (45–37), they were no match for the firepower and poise of the Dallas Mavericks. The championship duo of Charles Barkley and John Stockton once again led the charge, supported by a deep veteran cast.
Derek Harper brought his steady, playoff-tested leadership, while Reggie Lewis added scoring punch on the wing. With all cylinders firing, the Mavericks cruised through the opening round, keeping their 3 peat title hopes fully alive.
The 2–7 matchup in the West featured a battle between a rising power and a former MVP still fighting for help. The Los Angeles Clippers, stacked with young talent, faced the Houston Rockets (46–36) — a team still anchored by two-time MVP Hakeem Olajuwon.
Olajuwon turned in another dominant individual season, but the lack of consistent support around him meant the Rockets barely cracked the postseason in a brutally deep conference.
Despite Hakeem’s brilliance, the Clippers’ balanced attack — led by All-Stars Ron Harper and Gary Grant, plus Charles Smith and Benoit Benjamin, both of whom played at near All-Star levels — proved overwhelming. Houston pushed the series to a decisive Game 5, but ultimately, L.A. advanced, and Olajuwon was left watching another round from home.
The 3–6 series between the San Antonio Spurs and Portland Trail Blazers was a true playoff classic. On one side, Karl Malone, still chasing his elusive first playoff series win.
On the other, Clyde Drexler and the Blazers — a team with three straight Conference Finals appearances under their belt, full of postseason savvy and ambition.
The Blazers forced a decisive Game 5, and in that pressure-packed finale, it all came down to one thing: who knew how to win. Despite home-court advantage, Karl Malone once again couldn’t get it done. The Blazers’ playoff experience shined through, and Portland stunned the Spurs on the road to take the series.
Finally, the 4–5 matchup featured the Phoenix Suns, led by Kevin Johnson, against a team that hadn’t made the playoffs since Year 1 (1985) — the Utah Jazz.
This marked the Suns’ second straight year as a 4-seed, and their fourth postseason appearance as a top seed. But this Jazz team was no longer built around Mark Eaton and defense — rookie phenom David Robinson had arrived and taken the reins.
Still, the young Jazz squad wasn’t quite ready for the playoff spotlight. The veteran Suns used their experience and cohesion to take the series in four games (3–1). Robinson had a monster Game 3 performance in Utah’s lone win, a sign of what’s to come — but this year belonged to Phoenix.
In comparison to real life, only the Suns and Blazers advanced in both timelines. Back in reality, the Lakers and Spurs both moved on in the 1990 playoffs.
But in this alternate universe? The Spurs were eliminated by the Blazers, and the Lakers missed the playoffs altogether. Despite a decent year, they finished ninth in the West at 40–42, just outside the cut in this stacked conference.
🔥 1990 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Rivalries Reignited
The Eastern Conference Semifinals opened with a rematch of last year’s shocking first-round series: the New York Knicks vs. the Chicago Bulls. Back then, the 7th-seeded Bulls upset the 2-seed Knicks in four games (3–1).
Now the Knicks were the #1 seed, finally breaking through to the second round and riding high after dispatching the Nets. But these Bulls had grown up fast.
Game 1 in New York? Bulls steal it. Scottie Pippen and the Bulls punched first, grabbing home-court advantage from the jump. Game 2 saw the Knicks respond with a dominant blowout — a show of force from Patrick Ewing and Roy Tarpley, reminding everyone why they finished atop the East.
But the momentum didn’t stay in Manhattan. Back home in Chicago, the Bulls rode the energy of their crowd to take Games 3 and 4, putting the top seed on the ropes.
The Knicks staved off elimination in Game 5, feeding off the Garden faithful to force a return trip to the Windy City. But Game 6 belonged to the Bulls. With poise, power, and passion, Pippen and company did it again — another massive upset — advancing to their first ever Conference Finals.
🍀 On the other side: Celtics vs. Hawks — A Familiar Clash
The second semifinal was another familiar battle — a rematch of the 1988 Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks.
That year, Boston survived in seven games to reach the Finals. And this year? History repeated itself.
The Celtics, despite being the 3-seed, held home-court advantage thanks to their superior record — and they used it wisely. The series went the distance again, a back-and-forth chess match between seasoned stars and rising powerhouses.
Larry Bird returned to form. Kevin McHale and Robert Parish brought the muscle, but the real X-factor? Rookie Tim Hardaway, who was fearless in his first deep playoff run. His speed and playmaking proved invaluable against the bruising front line of Dominique Wilkins, Brad Daugherty, and Moses Malone.
In Game 7, Boston leaned on its championship DNA, pulling away in the second half to clinch their fifth Conference Finals appearance in this timeline
🔥 Western Conference Semifinals: Familiar Faces, New Contenders
Out West, things kicked off with a rematch of last year’s 1-4 showdown — the defending champion Dallas Mavericks vs. the Phoenix Suns. A year ago, the Mavs took the series 4–2. This year, the Suns wanted revenge.
This marked Phoenix’s fourth straight trip to the Conference Semifinals, but they had yet to break through. Kevin Johnson and Tom Chambers had seen enough heartbreak — and they were determined not to go out in the second round again.
But they faced a monster: Dallas, a two-time defending champion, looking to make history by becoming the first team to 3-peat in this Jordan-less timeline. With a core of Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Derek Harper, and Reggie Lewis, they had the tools. They just needed to execute.
And they did — barely.
Unlike the six-game result last season, this one went the full seven. But in Game 7, with the Dallas crowd behind them, the Mavericks' championship pedigree came through. Barkley and Stockton delivered once again, and Dallas punched their ticket to a fifth straight Conference Final.
👊 Clippers vs. Blazers — New Faces Break Through
The other semifinal featured two battle-tested squads. The Portland Trail Blazers, who had been to three straight Conference Finals, weren’t going down without a fight. They forced a Game 7 with all the poise of a team that had been there before.
But the Los Angeles Clippers, led by their duo of All-Stars Ron Harper and Gary Grant, were ready to make their move. In Game 7, with their home fans rocking the arena, they delivered.
For the first time in four years, the Western Conference Finals would not feature both Dallas and Portland. The Mavericks held up their end of the dynasty — but this time, it’s the Clippers, not the Blazers, joining them on the big stage.
🔁 Alternate History Check-In
In real life, the 1990 Conference Finalists were the Bulls, Pistons, Suns, and Blazers.
But in Re↠Written Rings, it’s a different set:
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The Bulls do make it — just like they did in real life — but without Jordan.
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The Celtics are back, fueled by Larry Bird’s resurgence and rookie Tim Hardaway’s breakout.
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And out West? The defending champion Mavericks stay dominant, while the Clippers break through for their first-ever trip to the Conference Finals.
📌 Noteworthy:
In real life, the 1990 Bulls made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance with Michael Jordan. In our world, Pippen and Chris Mullin lead them there without him — a testament to how deep and talented this version of the Bulls has become.
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🏆 Eastern Conference Finals: Celtics Show Bulls What Greatness Looks Like
In the Eastern Conference Finals, the veteran Boston Celtics faced off against a young, hungry contender — the Chicago Bulls, making their first-ever appearance this deep in the playoffs.
The Celtics, now back in the Conference Finals for the fifth time in six years, leaned on their playoff scars and seasoned leadership. With the series sitting at 3–2 in Boston’s favor, they had a chance to close it out — but had to do it on the road in front of a raucous Chicago crowd.
Larry Bird, the former MVP and the soul of this Celtics team, knew what was needed. Scottie Pippen tried to rise to the challenge, doing everything he could to slow Bird down, but experience trumped energy on this night.
The Bulls' inexperience began to show. Chris Mullin and Pippen were talented, no doubt. But with the pressure cranked up and their season hanging in the balance, their shots stopped falling.
Meanwhile, Boston smelled blood. They came out surgical, taking control early and never letting go. The game was essentially over by halftime, and the Celtics closed the door with ruthless precision.
Final score? A blowout.
Final message? The Celtics aren’t done.
🔒 Boston advances to the NBA Finals once again — their fifth trip in six years, and a shot at one more ring in the Bird era.
🚨 Up Next: The West
Meanwhile, out West, the defending champion Dallas Mavericks were still chasing history. They’d already reached an unprecedented fifth straight Conference Finals. Now, standing between them and another Finals appearance: the Los Angeles Clippers, making their first-ever trip to this stage.
One team chasing a dynasty.
The other chasing legitimacy.
Who would rise?
🔥 Western Conference Finals: Mavericks Punch Ticket to a Historic Showdown
Just like the Celtics in the East, Charles Barkley and the Mavericks found themselves headed to enemy territory up 3–2. With a trip to their fourth straight NBA Finals on the line, the defending champs knew exactly what had to be done.
And they didn’t flinch.
The Clippers, making their first-ever appearance in the Western Conference Finals, had the talent — but lacked the composure. With the lights the brightest they had ever been for this franchise, the moment proved too big.
Barkley and Stockton, battle-tested and hungry for history, seized the opportunity. The Mavs silenced the LA crowd, clinched the series on the road, and booked their spot in NBA Finals III: Barkley vs. Bird.
🏆 1990 NBA Finals: The Rubber Match — Celtics vs. Mavericks III
In the real 1990 NBA Finals, fans witnessed the Pistons vs. Blazers.
But in our universe?
It’s Boston vs. Dallas — Part 3.
These are the two defining teams of this alternate era. Each entered the Finals with two titles over the past five years (Boston in ’86 and ’87; Dallas in ’88 and ’89). The Lakers, back in Year 1 (’85), hold the only other championship of the timeline.
Now, one of these franchises would step ahead with ring number three — and, for the Mavericks, a chance to make history as the first team to ever three-peat.
🏠 Games 1 & 2: Split in Dallas
The Mavericks took Game 1 behind a vintage Barkley performance, but Boston stole Game 2, swinging momentum back east.
🏡 Games 3–5: Celtics Take Control in Boston
Back in the Garden, Larry Bird and the Celtics showed why they’ve been here before. They won Games 3 and 5, dropping Game 4 in between, and headed back to Dallas with a 3–2 series lead — just one win away from reclaiming their throne.
🧠 Game 6: Stockton’s Masterclass
With everything on the line, it was John Stockton who rose to the occasion. Facing elimination, he put on a clinic — dishing, defending, directing traffic, and hitting timely shots.
Stockton orchestrated the offense like a conductor leading a symphony, keeping Boston guessing all night. Dallas fed off his energy, and with help from Barkley and the clutch play of their supporting cast, the Mavericks forced Game 7 — on their home floor
His efforts carried the team to Game 7—but it would be Barkley who rose to the moment, delivering 29 points, 20 rebounds, and claiming his second Finals MVP.
The Mavericks have done it.
They’ve three-peated.
A full decade before Shaq and Kobe's Lakers would do it in reality—and nearly 30 years after Bill Russell’s Celtics last pulled it off—the Mavericks have etched their names into NBA immortality.
The Celtics of the ‘60s won eight straight.
Could this Dallas dynasty even come close?
As the 1991 season approaches, the question looms large:
Will the Mavericks make it four in a row, or will a new champion rise to claim the crown?
Who will rise in Season 7?
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