If the 1984–85 season proved the NBA could survive without Michael Jordan, 1985–86 proved it could no longer be controlled.
The league had lost its center of gravity. No Jordan in Chicago. No Hakeem in Houston. No Alvin Robertson in San Antonio. Instead, the NBA was spinning through alternate realities, each tugging at the future in a different direction.
The butterfly effects were everywhere. Hakeem Olajuwon wasn’t in Houston — he was with the Clippers, dragging a once-laughable franchise into relevance.
Alvin Robertson was still terrorizing the West — as he had turned the Kings into a playoff team. The Spurs had patched themselves together with Michael Cage. And the Bulls, who missed out on Jordan, were staring at another rebuild… until the lottery changed everything.
1985 introduced the NBA Draft Lottery — and chaos followed. Seven teams. Equal odds. No protection. When the envelopes opened, Chicago hit the jackpot.
Patrick Ewing, the franchise center meant to rescue New York, was sent instead to the league’s most broken team. The Knicks fell to fourth. No Ewing. No savior. Just decline.
Houston got Karl Malone. Dallas grabbed Wayman Tisdale. New York settled for Joe Dumars. And suddenly, the balance of power shifted again. Chicago was reborn. Houston was dangerous. And Madison Square Garden went dark.
By the All-Star break, the league no longer looked familiar. Boston, under K.C. Jones, once again ruled the East, even with injuries and a reshuffled backcourt.
Detroit stayed right on their heels. Philadelphia remained a powerhouse despite Dr. J’s injury, with Charles Barkley and Gerald Wilkins filling the void. Milwaukee lurked with a healthy Sidney Moncrief.
Then came the shock: the Chicago Bulls were fifth. Patrick Ewing didn’t just meet expectations — he redefined the franchise. With Jerome Kersey slashing and Ewing owning the paint, Chicago went from irrelevance to threat in a single season. In a universe without Jordan, Ewing became Chicago’s new axis.
New York, meanwhile, collapsed. Even a trade for Dennis Johnson couldn’t save them. The Knicks finished dead last. The team that was supposed to get Ewing instead got erased.
Out West, the Lakers still ruled. Magic Johnson controlled the conference. Utah followed close behind. Dallas surged with Otis Thorpe and Benoit Benjamin.
Portland stayed steady. Golden State made noise. Houston returned to the playoffs behind Karl Malone. And the Clippers, powered by Hakeem Olajuwon and rookie Terry Porter, refused to go away.
Even the strongholds were cracking. San Antonio missed the playoffs. Phoenix faded. The Kings fell from last year’s semifinalist to the bottom of the standings. The NBA was devouring its own history.
The All-Star Game revealed what this universe had become. John Stockton emerged. Barkley dominated in Philadelphia. Hakeem terrorized the West. Karl Malone arrived as a rookie star. This was no longer Bird and Magic’s league — it was a battlefield.
And yet, the MVP still belonged to Magic Johnson. Three straight MVPs, but zero championships in that time. Dominique Wilkins averaged 33 and 9.
Moses Malone posted 30 and 15. Magic wasn’t even top ten in scoring — but he orchestrated everything. The voters sided with control over domination. And that made Magic more desperate than ever.
By season’s end, the standings locked into fate. Boston finished first at 66–16. Detroit and Philadelphia followed. Chicago held fifth, years ahead of schedule.
In the West, the Lakers sat on top. Dallas surged to second. Utah slipped to third. Portland, Houston, and the Clippers filled out the field. With Robertson and the Kings sneaking into 8th.
Sixteen teams survived the chaos. And buried beneath it all, one truth refused to die: No matter how wild this universe became… It was still drifting back toward Bird and Magic.
The 1986 playoffs are officially underway here at Rewritten Rings, and if you thought the regular season was wild, just wait until you see the first round unfold.
The drama kicked off immediately with the Nets facing the Sixers, a matchup that promised fireworks. Last year, the Nets pushed the defending champion Celtics to six games, while the Sixers fell agonizingly short in overtime of a Game 7 against the same team.
Both squads came into this series battle-tested, but Philly quickly showed why they were a favorite, with Charles Barkley delivering a dominant double-double night and Dr. J lighting up the court.
The Nets fought valiantly, with Otis Birdsong scoring 28 in a hard-fought Game 2, but the Sixers closed out the series 3-1, signaling that their championship ambitions were far from over.
Meanwhile, a historic story was brewing in Chicago. The Bulls, making the playoffs for the first time in this universe, were led by rookie sensation Patrick Ewing, and the team immediately made their mark.
Facing a Bucks team hungry for revenge after last year’s sweep, Chicago dominated. Ewing’s 38 points and 10 rebounds in the closeout game cemented his place in Bulls history, accomplishing something not even rookie Michael Jordan could achieve: advancing past the first round with the team’s future firmly in his hands.
The Bulls’ emphatic victories in Games 1 and 2, including a 30-point blowout on the road, set the tone for what would be an unforgettable rookie campaign.
As for the Bucks they had no excuses this year. Their star guard Sidney Moncrief was healthy and they still got swept. Yes, in this world Terry Cummings or Ricky Pierce never come to Milwaukee, but to get swept two years in a row as the favorite is inexcusable.
Out west, the Dallas Mavericks made a statement, sweeping the Warriors with a combination of firepower and youth. Rookie stars Wayman Tisdale and Benoit Benjamin were already showing they belonged, grabbing rebounds, blocking shots, and contributing on both ends of the floor.
Aguire led the charge with a 50-point explosion in the closeout game, while Benjamin’s four-block performance and Tisdale’s 16 rebounds in Game 1 underscored that Dallas was ready to challenge the established powers of the West.
At the same time, the Lakers, led by the indomitable Magic Johnson, also swept their first-round opponents, proving why he was the MVP. Magic’s triple-doubles in every game, along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s consistent dominance, left the Kings reeling and reinforced the Lakers’ status as championship contenders.
Meanwhile for second year guard Alvin Robertson his season once again ended in a sweep at the hands of the Lakers. Last year they lost in the semis in a 4 game sweep.
Other first-round matchups produced both excitement and chaos. The Pacers pulled off a stunning upset, taking down the Pistons 3-1, led by rookie Chris Mullin’s scoring burst and Clark Kellogg’s dominant inside presence.
Even the Jazz, who had swept the Clippers last year, were tested, with Terry Cummings and Hakeem Olajuwon putting up huge numbers, but falling short in the series.
For Hakeem he would have made it to the Finals as one part of Houston's Twin Towers, but here as a Clipper, he is falling in the first round for the second year in a row.
Similarly, the Blazers overcame the Rockets, with Clyde Drexler and Karl Malone putting on a show, and the Celtics survived the Cavaliers, using a balanced attack featuring Parish, Bird, and McHale to dispatch Cleveland in four games, including a 40-point blowout in Game 3.
By the end of the first round, it was clear that the 1986 playoffs were a mix of rookies making history, veterans asserting dominance, and a few shocking upsets that would reshape the path to the Finals.
With the Bulls, Mavericks, Lakers, Celtics, and Sixers advancing, the stage was set for an unforgettable second round, full of storylines, rivalries, and the tantalizing possibility of a new dynasty emerging.
The 1986 Conference Semifinals were a chaotic, electrifying mess of upsets, clutch shots, and historic performances. In a world without Michael Jordan, the NBA landscape was wide open — and the young stars of tomorrow were ready to announce themselves.
First up, the Dallas Mavericks went toe-to-toe with the defending Western Conference champions Utah Jazz. What made this series unforgettable? The Mavericks started two rookies in their lineup: Wayman Tisdale and Benoit Benjamin, alongside Otis Thorpe, another freshman phenom.
After splitting the first two games in Dallas, the series came down to a showdown in Utah, where the Mavericks delivered a statement. Game six ended 126-109 in Dallas’ favor, completing the stunning upset of last year’s conference champions.
Benjamin dominated with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while Tisdale and Thorpe powered the young Mavericks to victory without their injured leader, Mark Aguirre. For the Jazz, John Drew and Adrian Dantley fought valiantly, but it wasn’t enough — the torch was being passed to a new generation.
Meanwhile, the Portland Trailblazers were on the brink of elimination against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. Down 3-0 earlier in the series, Portland refused to go quietly.
They took game 4, and in a stunning performance on the road, they pulled off a 28-point blowout victory in LA, in game 5 led by Clyde Drexler’s 21 points and 8 rebounds and Fat Lever’s 20 points and 12 assists.
Despite their heroics, the Lakers’ experience and talent were hard to beat. Magic Johnson’s triple-double, along with James Worthy and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, eventually closed out the Blazers in Game six, sending Los Angeles to their third straight Western Conference Finals.
Over in the East, the Boston Celtics faced the surprising Chicago Bulls, led by rookie Patrick Ewing. In a world without Jordan, Ewing achieved something a rookie Jordan hadn't done with the Bulls before: advancing to the conference semifinals.
But facing Larry Bird, Robert Parish, and Kevin McHale, the Bulls were up against an immovable force. The Celtics took Game five 118-108, clinching their third straight trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. Ewing impressed, but it was Bird and Parish who carried Boston.
The Philadelphia 76ers squared off with the Indiana Pacers in a hard-fought series that came down to the wire. Moses Malone and Charles Barkley led the charge, with Malone putting up 24 points and 16 rebounds and Barkley contributing 22 points and 19 boards in the clincher. Julius Erving added 21, helping the Sixers close the series 4-2 and secure a rematch with the Celtics.
For the Pacers, rookie Chris Mullin and Clark Kellogg showed flashes of brilliance, but experience and star power ultimately tipped the scales toward Philadelphia.
Final Four Set:
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Dallas Mavericks
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Los Angeles Lakers
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Boston Celtics
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Philadelphia 76ers
The stage was set for a rematch of youth vs. legends, rookies vs. champions. With the Mavericks upsetting the Jazz and the Sixers returning to face the Celtics, the 1986 Conference Finals promised to be one of the most unpredictable chapters in NBA history — and the next generation of stars was ready to shine.
The 1986 Conference Finals were everything fans dreamed of — a clash of legends, a proving ground for rookies, and a stage for redemption. In the East, the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers faced off in a rematch of last year’s seven-game thriller. Meanwhile, out West, the Dallas Mavericks confronted the powerhouse Los Angeles Lakers, even as they were missing their star Mark Aguirre.
The Mavericks were faced with a 3–0 deficit, and many assumed the Lakers would sweep. But Derek Harper, Rolando Blackman, Wayman Tisdale, and Benoit Benjamin refused to bow down.
In Game 4, the Mavericks stunned the Lakers with a gritty 108–99 victory in Dallas. Blackman exploded for 33 points and 6 rebounds, Tisdale contributed 20 and 7, and Benjamin added 10, 7, and 3 blocks. Even Magic Johnson’s 31 points and 11 assists couldn’t stop the Mavericks’ rookie-fueled uprising.
Game 5 back in Los Angeles, however, showed the Lakers’ experience. Despite Blackman’s 28 points and Tisdale’s 20, the Lakers won comfortably.
Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the way with another masterclass, reminding the league why Los Angeles had been in the Conference Finals every year since our alternate timeline began. The Lakers closed the series 4–1, proving that while rookies could fight, veterans would ultimately prevail.
In the real life 1986 West Finals the Twin Towers in Houston eliminated the Lakers, but in this universe there isn't Twin Towers in Houston as Olajuwon is on the other LA team. So Magic and company have an easier road to the Finals.
Meanwhile, the East was a rollercoaster. The Sixers struck first with a 10-point road win, powered by Barkley’s 20 points and 14 rebounds and Dr. J’s 18 points.
But Boston’s resilience shone through. Larry Bird, battling foul trouble, scored 27 points in Game 2 as the Celtics crushed Philadelphia by 25. Game 3 went down to a six-point Celtics win, only for the Sixers to respond in Game 4 with a thrilling one-point victory.
The tug-of-war continued. In Game 5, the Celtics eked out a five-point win, despite Moses Malone’s 36 points and 14 rebounds for Philadelphia. The Sixers forced a decisive Game 7 with a dominant performance in Game 6 — Barkley with 26 and 7, Malone 21 and 15, Dr. J 18 with 3 steals.
But Game 7 was all Boston. The Celtics exploded to a 40-point lead in the fourth quarter, leaving no doubt about their supremacy. Larry Bird (27 points, 5 assists), Robert Parish (25 and 10), and Kevin McHale guided Boston to victory, while Barkley’s 35 points and 18 rebounds in the loss underscored Philadelphia’s heroic effort. Malone and Dr. J were limited by injury, playing only 4 and 16 minutes respectively, a cruel twist that sealed the Sixers’ fate.
With this win, the Celtics advanced to their third straight Finals in our three-year alternate history, aiming to be the first to three-peat since Bill Russell-era Celtics’ 8-peat. Michael Jordan’s Bulls would achieve the first three-peat since the 60's Celtics in real life in the 90's. Could Bird's Celtics get there sooner in this universe?
The bracket is clear: a legendary Finals showdown awaits. The Celtics, masters of the East, versus the Lakers, seasoned veterans with Magic Johnson chasing redemption.
The rookies of Dallas fought valiantly, the Sixers nearly toppled Boston, but now it’s the ultimate battle — old guard versus old guard, hero versus hero.
For three straight years in this rewritten universe, one truth had haunted the NBA. The Boston Celtics always won, and the Los Angeles Lakers always came up short.
Larry Bird’s Celtics were two-time defending champions, while Magic Johnson had been league MVP all three seasons yet had zero rings to show for it. In real history, Magic beat the Celtics in 1985. In this world, that moment never came — the Jazz got the upset in the West Finals.
The 1986 NBA Finals were not just another Celtics–Lakers showdown. They were a referendum on power in a league without Michael Jordan. Could Magic finally defeat Bird when it mattered most, or would Boston complete a three-peat and cement themselves as the unquestioned dynasty of the decade?
Game 1 in Boston immediately felt different. The Lakers attacked early, pushing the tempo and letting Magic control every possession. Even as the Celtics surged late behind Bird, Parish, and McHale, Magic answered every run with precision.
A slick pass inside, calm free throws, and a dagger from Byron Scott sealed a shocking 119–112 Lakers win. Magic finished with 27 points and 12 assists, while Worthy and Kareem delivered key support. For the first time in this universe, the Lakers had stolen a Finals game in Boston — and suddenly, the curse looked vulnerable.
Game 2 was worse for Boston. The Celtics never found rhythm, while Magic turned the game into a clinic, posting 22 points, 15 assists, and 7 rebounds.
Kareem dominated the paint with 18 and 15, and James Worthy cut through the defense again and again. The Celtics’ leading scorer was Larry Bird with just 14 points, a stunning sight in a Finals game. The Lakers won 102–94, taking a commanding 2–0 lead back to Los Angeles.
Game 3 turned the series into a nightmare for Boston. By the fourth quarter, the Lakers were up thirty, and the dynasty looked helpless. Magic recorded a triple-double, Worthy and Scott ran wild, and Kareem controlled everything inside.
The final score — 120–81 — was one of the most lopsided Finals games ever. The Celtics, once unbeatable, were now on the brink of a humiliating sweep.
Game 4 offered no redemption. Boston tried to summon pride and history, but Los Angeles never let them breathe. The lead ballooned past twenty, and as the final seconds ticked away, it was clear: the Lakers had finally done it. 123–93. A four-game sweep. Two years after being embarrassed by Boston, the Lakers had returned the favor on the biggest stage.
For the first time in this universe, Magic Johnson was an NBA Champion. He didn’t just win — he dominated. League MVP. Finals MVP. Champion.
His Finals line of 23 points, 13 assists, and 7 rebounds per game told the story of total control. Kareem added 31 and 13 in the clincher, Byron Scott dropped 28, and Worthy delivered on both ends, but this series belonged to Magic.
In real NBA history, Bird won in 1984 and 1986, while Magic won in 1985. In this rewritten world, the balance remains the same — only the timeline changes. Bird still wins two. Magic still wins one. But in this universe, 1986 belongs to Magic Johnson, the year he finally conquered the Celtics.
The Celtics’ quest for a three-peat died on the hardwood. The Lakers reclaimed their place on top of the league. And with Len Bias entering the NBA in 1986–87, a new era is about to begin.
The NBA has never been more unpredictable — and Re↠Written Rings is just getting started. For me seeing Bias in an NBA jersey will be wild, can't wait to see how 2k simulates his career. Stay tuned!
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