👑 Shattered Thrones and New Kings: The 1993 NBA Shake-Up 🏀

 

Up until now, this alternate league has been dominated by just two franchises: the Boston Celtics, who won three championships (1986, ’87, ’91), and the Dallas Mavericks, who claimed four titles in five years, including a historic three-peat (1988–1990).

Although Boston’s last title came in ’91, they remained a force—finishing as the #3 seed last year. Meanwhile, Charles Barkley and John Stockton were at the height of their powers, leading Dallas to another title.

But 1993 would change everything.

This season saw the retirement of a franchise icon, while another superstar changed jerseys. Before we dive into those dramatic moves, we begin where every NBA evolution starts—the NBA Draft.

And the 1992 NBA Draft was loaded.

The top prize? Shaquille O’Neal. He stayed in Florida—but not with the Orlando Magic. Instead, Shaq took his talents to Miami, years before his real-life South Beach arrival.

At #2, Alonzo Mourning headed west, landing with the LA Lakers. The Lakers hadn't made the playoffs since 1989, which happened to be Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s final season.

  

Even more surprising, picks 1 through 11 all cracked their team’s starting lineups. Every lottery pick made an impact. What a draft!

With new faces, new teams, and old dynasties on shaky ground, the 1992–93 season promised to be anything but predictable.

We start in the Eastern Conference, and for the second year in a row, the Celtics do not finish at the top. In fact, they miss the playoffs for the first time in our history.

The reason? Former MVP Larry Bird retired at the end of the ’92 season. With only Tim Hardaway leading the way, the Celtics suffer their worst finish yet — 10th in the East.

The Atlanta Hawks (57–25) finish atop the conference, something they’ve done before — back in 1989, the last time Bird missed an entire season.

But the #2 seed is the biggest shock of all.

Shaquille O’Neal, in his rookie year, lifts the Miami Heat (50–32) to their first-ever top-2 finish — and their playoff debut.

The Heat are loaded with size, featuring what might be the best frontcourt in the East. Shaq dominates from the jump, while Rony Seikaly continues his steady All-Star-caliber production.

At #3, the Milwaukee Bucks (52–30) actually hold the second-best record in the East. Rookie Tom Gugliotta is a major reason why, bringing instant impact, while Eric Murdock enjoys a breakout season of his own.

Rounding out the top four are the Chicago Bulls (50–32). They’re the defending Eastern Conference champs, and with their trio of All-Stars — Chris Mullin, Scottie Pippen, and Larry Johnson — they look poised to finish what they started.

Seeds 5 through 8 are filled with familiar names and new storylines. The #5 Philadelphia 76ers are still searching for their first-ever playoff series win, sitting at an 0–5 postseason record in our universe. 

The #6 Detroit Pistons are back for a second straight appearance after missing the playoffs entirely from 1989 through 1991. The #7 New York Knicks return to the mix after a brief absence last season. 

And at #8, the Washington Bullets continue their incredible consistency — making their ninth consecutive playoff appearance. That’s right, the Bullets have never missed the postseason in our alternate universe.

Now in Year 9 of this Jordan-less timeline, the Eastern Conference landscape looks wildly different from real life. Only three teams mirror the actual 1993 playoff field: Chicago, New York, and Atlanta. But even those franchises are telling very different stories in this reimagined NBA world.

Over in the Western Conference, the story at the top finally changes. For six straight seasons, the Dallas Mavericks were the undisputed kings of the West, dominating from 1987 through 1992. But in 1993, a new franchise steps up to claim the #1 seed…

The Sacramento Kings (51–31) claim the top seed in the West, led by their dynamic young core of Danny Manning and Shawn Kemp. Both earned All-Star nods this season and are poised to make serious postseason noise. It’s the franchise’s first time finishing atop the conference—marking a major turning point for this once-overlooked team.

At #2 are the Minnesota Timberwolves (45–37), though they only posted the fourth-best overall record in the West. Thanks to 1993’s league rules—where division winners automatically earn top-2 seeds—the Wolves leap up the standings. 

This team captured hearts two seasons ago with a Cinderella playoff run that saw them stun the 3x champion Dallas Mavericks on their way to the NBA Finals. 

After missing the playoffs entirely last year, they’ve rebounded in a big way, becoming the first team to win the Midwest Division besides the Mavericks since the Houston Rockets in 1986.

The #3 seed belongs to the always-dangerous Portland Trail Blazers (48–34). Anchored by perennial All-Star Clyde Drexler, this balanced and experienced squad is hungry to finally break through to the NBA Finals. They’ve been close before—this could be their year.

Sliding into the #4 spot are the Phoenix Suns (46–36), who have made a massive leap by acquiring former MVP and 4x champion Charles Barkley. 

Before Barkley’s arrival, Phoenix hadn’t made the playoffs since 1990. Now, with his leadership and postseason pedigree, they’re suddenly a serious threat in the Western bracket.

Seeds 5 through 8 round out with the LA Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, and finally, the Utah Jazz.

The Lakers return to the playoffs after a three-season absence. During that time, they’ve retooled their roster with major additions, including rising star Gary Payton and rookie big man Alonzo Mourning. The combination of youth and upside has breathed new life into the franchise.

The Golden State Warriors make their second consecutive playoff appearance, powered by 2x All-Star Dikembe Mutombo. Alongside him, both Billy Owens and Glen Rice have shown clear growth, giving this team one of the most versatile cores in the conference.

Then come the Dallas Mavericks, last year’s champions, who have taken a noticeable step back. The departure of Charles Barkley has left a huge void, and the decline of veterans John Stockton and Derek Harper has further exposed the cracks. While Reggie Lewis continues to develop, he hasn’t yet reached All-Star status—and this team no longer looks invincible.

Finally, the Utah Jazz sneak in as the eighth seed. Led by former 2x MVP David Robinson, the Jazz remain a tough out. Robinson previously carried Utah to back-to-back Conference Semifinal appearances—can he do it again?

Of the eight teams that qualified in the West, four also made the real-life 1993 postseason: the Blazers, Suns, Jazz, and Lakers. But as with the East, the stories and faces behind the seeds are entirely unique in this alternate universe.   

 

Wow — what a difference two players can make. With Larry Bird retired and Charles Barkley now in Phoenix, the entire NBA landscape has been shaken up.

We start in the East, where the #1 seed Atlanta Hawks faced off against the #8 seed Washington Bullets. This wasn’t your typical 1 vs. 8 matchup. 

The Hawks had made an NBA Finals appearance in this timeline, while the Bullets hadn’t missed the playoffs yet, showing a consistency rare in this alternate universe.

Game 1 went to the Hawks, fueled by a raucous home crowd and dominant play. But the Bullets weren’t ready to roll over; behind a powerful performance from Horace Grant, they pulled off a stunning upset in Game 2. It seemed to awaken a sleeping giant, though, because the Hawks took full control back in Washington, securing both road victories to close out the series.

The 2–7 matchup between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat was equally compelling. The Knicks came out swinging, stealing Game 1 in Miami thanks to a stellar effort from John Starks. But Shaquille O’Neal quickly answered in Game 2, delivering a dominant 32-point, 15-rebound performance to even the series.

Game 3 in New York became a back-and-forth battle, with the spotlight shifting to rookie LaPhonso Ellis, not Shaq. Ellis exploded for 10 fourth-quarter points, while O’Neal fouled out, pushing the Knicks within one win of a major upset. 

In Game 4, Patrick Ewing reminded everyone who still ruled the East. The 1985 #1 pick dominated on both ends of the floor, while O’Neal once again found himself in foul trouble. The Knicks closed the series with a commanding 15-point win in front of a fired-up Madison Square Garden.

Next up was the 3–6 series, a clash between two franchises with rich playoff histories. The Bucks and the Pistons both had memorable runs in the ‘80s — the Bucks reached the Conference Finals in ’87, while the Pistons made multiple Conference Semifinals appearances in ’85 and ’87. 

Although those Bucks teams were long gone, the Pistons still had Isiah Thomas, who was playing at a high level. The 6th-seeded Pistons pushed the Bucks to a decisive Game 5, where veteran Thomas led his team to a crucial road victory, clinching the series.

Finally, the 4–5 matchup pitted the defending Eastern Conference champions, the Chicago Bulls, against a rising new generation in Philadelphia. 

The Sixers were making their third straight playoff appearance after missing the postseason for three consecutive years. Since our alternate timeline began in 1985, the Sixers had yet to win a playoff series — but could 1993 be the year they broke through? 

After dropping the first two games in Chicago, Philly rallied to take Game 3 back at home. Unfortunately for the Sixers, that was their high-water mark. 

The Bulls responded with a strong Game 4 win, continuing their march toward the ultimate goal. Led by Pippen, Chicago had one thing on their minds: lifting the championship trophy at season’s end.

 

If you thought the 1 vs. 8 matchup in the East was intense, the Western Conference brought even more drama. Former MVP David Robinson faced off against a new powerhouse—the Sacramento Kings. 

The young Kings, fresh off their first-ever second-round appearance last year as a 2 seed, squared off against Robinson’s Jazz, who had reached the second round two years running.

The series was tightly contested, stretching to a decisive Game 5. In that crucial game, the Kings’ rising stars Danny Manning and Shawn Kemp stepped up, showcasing why they were All-Stars and sealing the victory for Sacramento.

Meanwhile, the 2 vs. 7 matchup featured the Minnesota Timberwolves returning after a Cinderella run two years ago, missing the playoffs last season, but now back as the 2 seed. 

Their opponents were the 7 seed Dallas Mavericks, who had dominated the West until this year. Though Charles Barkley was gone, the Mavericks still featured John Stockton, Derek Harper, and Reggie Lewis—the defending champions who knew exactly how to win.

Stockton no longer had Barkley by his side, but together with Harper and Lewis, they pushed the Wolves to a deciding Game 5. The Mavericks were determined to avenge their stunning upset loss two years prior to these same Wolves in Dallas. 

While Minnesota remained a strong team, they weren’t quite as formidable as during their Cinderella run in ‘91. In the end, the defending champs got their revenge with a hard-fought road victory.

Next up was the #3 Portland Trail Blazers facing the #6 Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were making back-to-back playoff appearances, while the Blazers had just been to the Conference Finals last year for the fourth time. 

This series was pure intensity, with both teams defending home court and splitting the first four games. It all came down to a decisive Game 5, where Clyde Drexler put on a spectacular performance with 29 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds, leading Portland to a hard-fought 6-point victory and punching their ticket to the second round.

Meanwhile, the #4 Phoenix Suns squared off against the #5 Los Angeles Lakers in what felt more like a clash of titans than a typical first-round matchup. 

The Suns boasted four-time champion Charles Barkley, while the Lakers featured a promising young core with Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning. 

Both teams had been absent from the playoffs for a while — Phoenix last appeared in 1990 and the Lakers not since 1989. Despite a gritty effort from the new-look Lakers who forced a decisive Game 5, Barkley and the Suns ultimately had enough to close out the series.

Now onto the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where the #1 seeded Atlanta Hawks faced the #4 seeded Chicago Bulls — the only other two Eastern teams besides the Celtics to have made the Finals recently. 

There was plenty of history here, as the Bulls had beaten the Hawks in a Game 7 in last year’s Conference Finals, but that game was in Chicago. This time, the decisive Game 7 would be played in Atlanta, adding another layer of drama to the matchup.

The Bulls forced a Game 7, and yes—it was in Atlanta. But the change in venue didn’t change the result. The trio of Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin, and Larry Johnson rose to the occasion once again, carrying the Bulls across the finish line with a clutch road victory. Chicago advanced to the Conference Finals for the second straight year, proving their 1992 run was no fluke.

On the other side of the bracket, fans were treated to a rare #6 vs. #7 matchup, with two franchises desperate to break through and reach their first-ever Conference Finals in this timeline. 

One of them was guaranteed to get there. The series was tight from the start—Detroit and New York split the opening two games in Motown, then did the same in Madison Square Garden, setting up an epic Game 5 in Detroit. 

Isiah Thomas, still a steadying veteran force, turned back the clock with a masterful performance, guiding the Pistons to a pivotal win and a 3–2 series lead.

But Patrick Ewing wasn’t going down quietly. In Game 6, the former #1 pick delivered a massive 28-point, 14-rebound effort, dragging the Knicks to a 5-point victory and forcing a winner-take-all Game 7. 

That final game belonged to Joe Dumars. Long respected for his consistency, Dumars rose to the moment, dropping 24 points and dishing 7 assists, pushing the Pistons into their first-ever Conference Finals of this alternate timeline.

Meanwhile, over in the West, Charles Barkley found himself in unfamiliar territory—facing the top seed in the Conference for the first time since 1986. 

Back then, it was his Mavericks against the #1 Houston Rockets in the Conference Finals. This time, he was leading the Phoenix Suns against the upstart #1 seed Sacramento Kings.

The Kings were talented, no doubt—boasting a young All-Star duo of Danny Manning and Shawn Kemp—but they lacked the playoff scars of those '86 Rockets. Barkley knew what it meant to climb the mountain, and this series would test whether Sacramento was ready for that same journey.

Back in 1986, Charles Barkley was just a second-year player—raw, talented, but still inexperienced. This time around, the roles were reversed. Now it was Barkley who had the playoff miles, and the #1 seed Sacramento Kings who lacked that battle-tested edge.

With the series tied 2–2, Barkley delivered one of the signature performances of his career in Game 5. On the road, the former MVP dropped 40 points, willing the Suns to a critical win and refusing to let his team fall behind. 

Back in Phoenix for Game 6, he got some much-needed support from Kevin Johnson, and together they closed out the series. Just like that, Charles Barkley was back in the Conference Finals—but this time, as a Phoenix Sun.

On the other side of the bracket, fans witnessed a rare #3 vs. #7 showdown. The Portland Trail Blazers, the #3 seed, were gunning for their fifth trip to the Conference Finals. Standing in their way? The defending champion Dallas Mavericks.

While Dallas still wore the crown, they no longer looked like champions. Losing Barkley in the offseason had clearly taken a toll, as the team stumbled to the 7th seed. 

Still, with John Stockton, Derek Harper, and Reggie Lewis, the Mavs showed they hadn’t forgotten how to fight—knocking off the Wolves in the first round.

But Portland had history—and motivation—on their side. They’d fallen to Dallas four times in the Conference Finals, and Clyde Drexler’s Blazers were out for revenge. 

Dallas managed to steal Game 3 at home, but that was all the Blazers would give them. Up 3–1 and back in their own building for Game 5, Portland slammed the door shut, eliminating the champs and punching their ticket back to the West Finals.

The Eastern Conference Finals delivered a clash of compelling narratives: the defending East champion Chicago Bulls, led by Scottie Pippen, versus a Detroit Pistons squad making their first-ever appearance at this stage in our alternate timeline.

Much like their earlier playoff battles, this series was a grind — physical, tense, and fiercely contested. Every game came down to the wire, and fittingly, the series went the distance. Game 7 in Chicago brought one final dose of drama.

With the game tied in the closing moments, Joe Dumars knocked down a clutch jumper to give the Pistons a 1-point lead. The Bulls had one last possession to respond. But Isiah Thomas, the savvy veteran chasing history, read the play perfectly and intercepted a lazy pass, immediately drawing a foul.

It should’ve been the moment that sealed it.

But Isiah missed the first free throw. He hit the second, giving Detroit a slim 2-point edge with just 10 seconds to go. The Bulls scrambled. B.J. Armstrong, trapped near half court, fired a desperate pass to Pippen, stationed beyond the top of the arc — well outside his comfort zone. With no time to think, Pippen rose up and let it fly.

Bang.

The shot dropped at the buzzer — and it was a three. Just like that, the Bulls snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. A miracle shot from Scottie Pippen sealed a 1-point win and sent Chicago to the NBA Finals for the second time in this Jordan-less world. The crowd exploded. The Pistons were left in disbelief.

Out West, the battle was every bit as intense. The Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers pushed each other to the edge in a hard-fought Game 7 showdown in Portland. 

These two franchises had last met in the playoffs back in 1988 — a Game 7 that also went the Blazers’ way. Familiar names like Kevin Johnson, Clyde Drexler, and Terry Porter remained, but much had changed.

Trailing by three in the closing seconds, Rod Strickland drove into the lane and, with defenders collapsing, kicked it out to a wide-open Drexler behind the arc. With just two seconds left, Drexler calmly drilled the shot, tying the game and igniting the home crowd.

In overtime, Portland rode that momentum. They dominated the extra period, outlasting the Suns and ending Charles Barkley’s season in heartbreaking fashion. Leaving the Mavericks had hurt Dallas — but in the end, it hurt Barkley just as much. Neither would be returning to the Finals.

And so, the NBA Finals were set — a clash between two franchises still chasing their first title in our alternate timeline. For the first time since Year 1, someone other than the Celtics or Mavericks would raise the trophy.

On one side stood Clyde Drexler, the perennial All-Star and leader of the Trail Blazers, finally making his first Finals appearance in this universe. On the other side were the Chicago Bulls — the #4 seed, but battle-tested, with three All-Stars in Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin, and Larry Johnson. 

It was their second consecutive trip to the Finals, and despite their lower seed, they held homecourt advantage thanks to a better regular-season record than Portland.

Chicago came out firing, jumping to a 2–0 series lead behind the brilliance of Scottie Pippen and the explosive rise of Larry Johnson. The young forward was quickly proving himself on the biggest stage, overwhelming the Blazers early. 

But Portland wasn’t done yet. Game 3 on their home floor saw them rally, fueled by their crowd and a sense of urgency, clawing their way back into the series.

Game 4 was the true turning point. With a chance to even the series or fall into a deep hole, the Blazers came out strong — but it was Johnson who took over. Delivering a monstrous 29-point, 15-rebound performance, he led the Bulls to a tight 104–101 win, pushing the series to 3–1.

Backs against the wall in Game 5, Portland refused to fold. Jerome Kersey rose to the moment, matching Johnson’s intensity with 25 points and 10 rebounds, keeping the dream alive and sending the series back to Chicago.

But in Game 6, the Bulls made sure there would be no comeback. Pippen delivered across the board with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Johnson once again dominated in the paint. The Bulls closed out the series at home, capturing their first championship in this Jordan-less timeline.

In the real 1993 season, the Bulls completed a three-peat with Michael Jordan defeating Charles Barkley’s Suns. But in this alternate universe, they finally got over the hump without MJ — thanks to shrewd drafting and a new core built around Pippen, Mullin, and Johnson.

Now, with Season 10 on the horizon, questions loom. Can Pippen and Johnson repeat? Will a new contender rise? One thing is certain — a decade into this reimagined NBA, the entire landscape has shifted. And it all started with the 3rd pick in the 1984 draft.