Power Shifts and Playoff Thrills: Inside the 2000–01 NBA 🔥

The echoes of last season were still fresh when the league tipped off its seventeenth campaign in this rewritten NBA universe. Dallas had done the impossible—again. Behind the steady hand of John Stockton, the Mavericks claimed a sixth championship, becoming back-to-back champions for the second time in franchise history. 

Stockton’s sixth ring tied him with former teammate Charles Barkley for the most in this timeline, a testament to longevity and brilliance. Dallas now owned six of the league’s sixteen banners in this universe, three more than the proud Boston Celtics. 

But whispers filled every locker room: could the Mavericks, missing longtime star Grant Hill, three-peat again? Or was the era of Stockton finally nearing its close?

The summer’s draft offered little immediate salvation to the league’s strugglers. Seattle celebrated when they landed Kenyon Martin at number one, Toronto added high-flying Darius Miles at three, and Chicago grabbed sharpshooter Mike Miller at five. All three rookies would start, but none could lift their new teams out of lottery misery. The balance of power remained firmly in veteran hands as the season began.

Eastern Conference Review: Pacers’ Leap and Sixers’ Revenge Tour

In the East, few stories shone brighter than the Indiana Pacers. Just a year earlier, they had slipped into the playoffs as an eight seed and stunned the league with an improbable run to the Eastern Conference Finals. 

This year, improvement arrived in waves. Jalen Rose refined his all-around game, Lamar Odom blossomed into an all-star, and the addition of Jermaine O’Neal transformed into gold—O’Neal earned his first all-star nod. Indiana stormed to a league-best 63–19 record, playing like a team possessed.

Philadelphia, meanwhile, nursed fresh scars. A year ago, they were the top seed only to be ambushed by Indiana’s youthful exuberance. Determined to erase the memory, Kevin Garnett doubled down on his relentless energy, and the front office gave him backup in the form of veteran shot-blocker Dikembe Mutombo. 

Mutombo’s fingerprints were still visible on Atlanta’s Finals run in 1998, and now he brought toughness and wisdom to Philly’s frontline. The Sixers’ 61–21 record showed their hunger was more than talk.

Atlanta once again slid into the third slot at 56–26, now Elton Brand’s team after Mutombo’s departure. Andre Miller stepped in at point guard, but questions about interior defense lingered. 

The Knicks claimed the fourth seed at 54–28—Patrick Ewing was gone, leaving Allen Iverson as the undisputed face of the franchise. Iverson had already carried New York to two Finals appearances, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas was an unproven partner in the paint. 

The fifth-seed Magic rebounded from last year’s playoff absence by adding Tracy McGrady, while Toronto’s best season ever—51–31—was fueled by Vince Carter’s ascent and steady veteran leadership from Mark Jackson and Antonio Davis. 

Milwaukee and Miami rounded out the bracket at 46–36 apiece, the Bucks diminished without Dale Davis and the Heat leaning on aging stars Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning, buttressed by newcomers Anthony Mason and Eddie Jones.

The Hornets and Nets disappeared from the playoff picture. Charlotte’s collapse was swift after losing both Mason and Jones, and New Jersey’s decline was hastened by Keith Van Horn’s regression. 

Western Conference Review: Shaq’s MVP Lakers and Stockton’s Last Ride?

On the opposite coast, intrigue centered on Los Angeles. For the first time in the Shaquille O’Neal era, the Lakers captured the top seed at 55–27. Shaq claimed league MVP honors again, but the weight of expectations was heavy after last year’s embarrassing first-round exit to Utah’s twin towers. 

With Kobe Bryant still years away from entering this alternate league, the Lakers had to prove they could win without another superstar perimeter scorer.

The Mavericks lurked just behind at 54–28. Defending champions or not, their roster looked thinner without Grant Hill. Stockton remained the cerebral floor general, Dirk Nowitzki was growing into a star, and Juwan Howard added size and scoring, but critics wondered if the magic was gone. 

The Rockets (53–29) were a study in transition: Hakeem Olajuwon, the last link to their late-90s titles, was graying, while Steve Francis and Paul Pierce signaled a bright future.

Golden State dipped to 48–34 but climbed the seeding ladder thanks to Phoenix’s collapse. With Mookie Blaylock steering the offense and Antawn Jamison and Larry Hughes providing scoring, the Warriors still smelled dangerous. 

Vancouver celebrated its best season ever at 47–35—Antoine Walker and Shawn Marion were blossoming into legitimate all-stars. Utah, led by Tim Duncan and David Robinson, settled for sixth at 45–37 after last year’s WCF surprise. 

Sacramento remained perpetually mid-pack at seventh (40–42) behind Chris Webber’s heroics, and Portland—39–43 were revitalized by Rasheed Wallace—snuck back into the playoffs for the first time since 1995. 

The Nuggets’ and Suns’ absences told their own tales: Ron Mercer and Maurice Taylor’s departures crippled Denver, and Penny Hardaway’s injury derailed Phoenix’s hopes.

Eastern Playoffs: Mutombo’s Block, Snow’s Layup

The first round opened predictably enough. Indiana dispatched Miami in four games, dropping only Game 3. The Knicks and Magic slugged through a classic 4–5 series—each home team held serve.  

In Game 5 Iverson’s fearless drives electrified Madison Square Garden, sending New York through. Philadelphia crushed Milwaukee 3–1, and Atlanta survived Toronto’s spirited challenge in five, thanks to Elton Brand’s steady post play.

The semifinals delivered more fireworks. Indiana dismantled the Knicks 4–1, rendering Iverson helpless against a three-all-star onslaught. The Sixers and Hawks split the first four games, but Philadelphia’s 30-point blowout in Game 5 broke Atlanta’s spirit. By Game 6, Garnett was bullying Brand on the block, and Philly closed them out.

That set the stage for a blood-and-bricks rematch: Sixers vs. Pacers. This was the rematch fans craved.  No doubt it went 7 games, and every possession in Game 7 was a war. 

Indiana clung to a one-point lead with thirty seconds left and the ball. Philadelphia chose not to foul, trusting Mutombo’s presence. As Jermaine O’Neal spun toward the rim, Mutombo swatted the shot like a volleyball spike. 

The ball ricocheted forward—Mutombo lunged, hurled an outlet pass the length of the court, and Eric Snow streaked under the basket. His layup with 2.7 seconds remaining silenced Indiana’s faithful and avenged last year’s heartbreak. Philadelphia was heading to the Finals for the first time since 1983.

Western Playoffs: Blazers’ Giant-Killing Run

If the East offered drama, the West delivered shock. The Lakers opened against the eighth-seeded Trail Blazers, a team stocked with savvy veterans like Scottie Pippen and gritty forwards Dale Davis and Rasheed Wallace. 

After cruising to a 2–0 lead, Los Angeles grew complacent. Portland stole Game 3 with balanced scoring, then Game 4 when Pippen turned back the clock, dominating on both ends. Game 5 became a nightmare for the Lakers. Protecting a two-point lead in the final seconds, they doubled Pippen, leaving Bonzi Wells alone in the corner. Wells rose, released, and buried the buzzer-beating three. The building went silent. Shaq and the Lakers were gone again in Round 1.

Golden State and Vancouver waged a gritty 4–5 battle that also went five games. Jamison and Hughes pushed the Warriors, and it all came down to Game 5.  

That is where Walker and Marion erupted for 30-plus points apiece in Game 5, stunning Oakland and delivering the Grizzlies their first playoff series win. 

Dallas dispatched Sacramento in four games, their championship mettle shining through. Houston and Utah reprised their rivalry, trading body blows until Game 5 in Houston, where the Rockets’ young guns fed off the crowd and closed out the Jazz.

The semifinals saw two Cinderella stories collide: the fifth-seed Grizzlies and eighth-seed Blazers. Portland, battle-hardened, took Game 1 in Vancouver behind Pippen’s leadership. 

Vancouver evened the series, then the teams split the next two. In Game 5, with twenty seconds left and Portland clinging to a two-point lead, Walker tried to feed Marion down low. 

Pippen, reading the play like an open book, jumped the passing lane for a steal. Fouled immediately, he calmly sank both free throws. The Blazers were headed to Game 6 up 3-2.  Back home they but together a complete game and surprisingly were headed back to the WCF for the first time since the Clyde Drexler era in 1993.

On the other side, Dallas and Houston pushed their series to seven. Stockton’s poise and Dirk’s shooting steadied the Mavericks, who trailed late in Game 7. But a 10–2 closing run—capped by Stockton’s patented mid-range jumper—sent the champs through. 

The WCF opened with whispers of history: could an eight seed reach the Finals? Portland gave their best punch, splitting the first four games, but Dallas’ execution proved too precise. After a Game 5 win, Finley’s twelve fourth-quarter points in Game 6 buried the Blazers’ dream and propelled the Mavericks to their third Finals in three years.

The Finals: Garnett’s Coronation

The championship series was a collision of storylines. Dallas had never won a title without home court, while Philadelphia hadn’t even sniffed the Finals since Dr. J’s glory days. 

In Game 1, Stockton’s veteran savvy stole a win in Philly, sending shockwaves through the Wells Fargo Center. Garnett responded ferociously in Game 2, bullying Nowitzki inside and roaring after every dunk.

Back in Dallas, Mutombo turned Game 3 on its head. With seconds left and the Mavericks down one, Finley drove the lane only to be met by Mutombo’s outstretched arm. The rejection preserved Philly’s road win. Dallas rallied in Game 4, Stockton orchestrating a beautiful pick-and-roll clinic with Dirk to knot the series at 2–2.

Game 5 in Dallas became Garnett’s magnum opus. Thirty-five points, fifteen rebounds, and an untamed fire that Dallas could not match put the Sixers on the brink. 

The city, starved for a title, crackled with anticipation for Game 6. Garnett fed off the energy, pouring in thirty points and grabbing ten rebounds. Mutombo chipped in twenty-two points and four blocks, swatting away the Mavericks’ hopes as the final buzzer sounded. Confetti rained down. For the first time in this reimagined timeline, the Sixers were champions again.

Kevin Garnett’s celebration was pure catharsis. In reality, he would wait until 2008 and the aid of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy. 

Here, in 2001, he needed only a veteran anchor in Mutombo and a relentless supporting cast. The Sixers’ drought since 1983 was over. Across the country, fans in Los Angeles fumed—without Kobe Bryant’s future heroics, the Lakers had stumbled through consecutive first-round defeats. Dallas, for all Stockton’s heroics, finally seemed mortal. The league felt wide open again.

Looking Ahead: A New Era Dawns

As the confetti settled, the questions came fast. Could Philadelphia build a dynasty around Garnett? Would Dallas reload for one more run, or was Stockton’s window closing? 

Could Shaq finally find playoff redemption, or was Los Angeles cursed until fresh blood arrived? And perhaps most tantalizing: with Kobe Bryant due to arrive in 2004 and Michael Jordan scheduled to debut in 2005 in this alternate reality, how long would the current balance of power last?

Seventeen seasons into this reimagined NBA, the storylines have never been richer. A league once dominated by Barkley and Stockton’s Mavericks, and then Stockton and Hill's Mavericks now has a new monarch in Garnett’s Sixers. 

But history in this universe has proven fickle. Heroes rise, legends fall, and dynasties crumble in an instant. As the eighteenth season looms, every franchise knows the script is still being written—and the next twist could redefine everything once again.