The Road to a Dynasty?
The Celtics broke up the original Big 3 in this universe to see if they could get Larry Bird a fourth championship. The biggest move was trading away Kevin McHale for the #1 pick in the 1989 draft, which ultimately became Shawn Kemp.
In his rookie season, Kemp helped Bird get back to the Finals, but it was Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Terry Cummings and the Lakers, who brought home the trophy.
The Celtics wouldn't return to the Finals during Bird's playing career, even though he lasted through the 1997 season in this world and got to play alongside Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen, all of whom were drafted by Boston after the Celtics traded up to get them. That run also included a trade that eventually sent Kemp out of Boston.
It would take another three years after Bird's retirement for the Celtics to finally make it back to the Finals. Boston traded up to get the 5th pick in the 1998 draft, selecting Paul Pierce, and with Webber and a young Big 3 of Garnett, Allen, and Pierce, the Celtics finally brought home the championship. It came 15 years after their previous title and eight years before Boston's Big 3 would do it in real life.
Now the question was whether the Celtics could keep Webber and their young stars together long enough to build a dynasty in Boston. As always, we start the offseason with retirements, and the biggest name to call it a career was James Worthy, who played his final season in Boston and finished it by winning his third championship.
Big Game James retired as a nine-time All-Star, had his number retired by the Lakers, and joined the Hall of Fame. Clark Kellogg, whose real-life career was cut short by injury, had a much different story in our universe. He played 17 seasons, won a championship with the 1999 Raptors, and finished his career as a three-time All-Star.
Clyde Drexler also had a much different career in our timeline. He left Portland in the mid-1980s to join John Stockton in Washington, and together they brought two championships to the city.
Drexler would have his number retired by Washington rather than Portland and finished his career as a 10-time All-Star. Despite the impressive résumé, he would not be joining Worthy in the Hall of Fame, at least not yet.
Armen Gilliam won three championships in our universe, two with Orlando and one with Boston, despite never winning a title during his 13-season real-life career.
Even that wasn't enough to match Greg "Cadillac" Anderson, who won four championships after playing alongside Drexler in Washington and later Gilliam in Orlando. There were plenty of other notable retirements, but these players had some of the most impressive résumés.
With the legends of the past beginning to leave the league, it was time for the next generation to enter. We moved on to the draft lottery, where the Indiana Pacers had the best chance of landing the top pick.
A franchise that hadn't seen the playoffs in six years desperately needed something to go its way. Unfortunately for Indiana, they would have to settle for the #3 pick, as the Rockets landed #1 and the Jazz #2.
As in real life, Kenyon Martin went first overall, but in our world he headed to Houston instead of New Jersey. The top two picks actually matched reality, with Stromile Swift going #2 to Utah. In real life, Swift was also selected second overall, although the Grizzlies were the team making the pick.
The third pick is where things really changed. The Pacers selected Hedo Turkoglu, who didn't hear his name called until #16 in reality. Jamal Crawford went #4 to Phoenix, while Philadelphia traded the fifth pick to Atlanta for Terry Mills and Antonio Davis. The Hawks used that selection on Joel Przybilla, rounding out our top five picks.
Next came free agency, and one of the biggest names on the move was Shawn Kemp, who headed to Atlanta. Kemp has never missed the playoffs in his entire career, but now he was joining a Hawks team that missed them last year. Could he get Atlanta back into the postseason?
Marcus Camby also changed teams, leaving Rasheed Wallace and the Grizzlies for a struggling franchise in Charlotte. Christian Laettner headed to Denver after spending most of his career in Charlotte, while Kerry Kittles signed with Philadelphia as the Sixers continued building around Keith Van Horn. Khalid Reeves left a starting role in Denver to become a backup to Chauncey Billups in Chicago.
Dana Barros signed with Washington, where the Wizards hoped he could help Scottie Pippen get back to the playoffs. In Seattle, the Sonics may have finally found Tim Hardaway's replacement, signing Rod Strickland.
Toni Kukoc was tired of losing in Indiana and signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves, last year's Western Conference runner-up. Shareef Abdur-Rahim joined the Rockets, giving rookie Kenyon Martin another talented teammate, while Ben Wallace left the Western Conference champions for Seattle as the Sonics looked to get back into the playoffs.
Before the season began, there were a few trades to report. The Celtics sent Kenny Smith to the Clippers for Chris Gatling, while Baron Davis headed to Philadelphia in exchange for Shawn Bradley and a draft pick. In other notable moves, Dikembe Mutombo returned to the Nets, the team that originally drafted him, while Horace Grant headed to Houston.
The offseason had officially come to an end. The Celtics entered the new season as defending champions with Webber, Garnett, Allen, and Pierce leading the way, while teams across the league had made moves of their own in hopes of knocking Boston off the throne.
The pieces were in place, but now came the real question: was Boston at the beginning of another dynasty, or would the rest of the league have something to say about it?
13 Years Later
As the season got underway, the league continued to see plenty of movement. Mark Jackson, who finally found a contender with the Lakers the previous season, was sent to Atlanta for Cris Crawford. Neither player would stay put for long.
Crawford was later traded to Dallas for Wally Szczerbiak, while Jackson joined Crawford in Dallas eventually being dealt for Chuck Person, who returned to the franchise that originally drafted him.
Oliver Miller headed to New Jersey in a deal that sent Kevin Johnson and a draft pick to the Magic. With the Blazers' backcourt already crowded, Jason Williams was sent to Cleveland.
Other notable moves included Bruce Bowen heading to Indiana and Derrick Coleman joining San Antonio. Rex Chapman was another player on the move twice, first going to Toronto before being traded to Philadelphia for Antonio Davis.
One of the biggest trades of the season sent Tim Hardaway to New York, while Eric Murdock returned to Indiana. The deal also sent Bonzi Wells to the Pacers and Kurt Thomas to the Knicks. Meanwhile, Rod Strickland's time in Seattle was brief, as the Sonics traded him to Atlanta for Eric Williams.
Injuries would also have a major impact on the season. Former Rookie of the Year Antonio McDyess was expected to miss four to six months for the Raptors, while Chauncey Billups was sidelined for two to four months in Chicago.
Luckily for the Bulls, they had signed Khalid Reeves during the offseason. Dallas lost Bryant Stith for the season, while Seattle's Chris Mills and Cleveland's Jason Williams both suffered injuries that kept them out for six to eight weeks.
Even the defending champions weren't immune, as Chris Webber missed four to six weeks for Boston. Mark Jackson also missed two to four weeks after arriving in Dallas.
Some of the year's moves suddenly became much more important once injuries hit. Chris Gatling stepped into a bigger role for Boston while Webber was out, while Eric Williams helped fill the void left by Mills in Seattle. In Dallas, Cris Crawford provided valuable depth after Stith's season-ending injury. Also Davis tried to fill the void left by McDyess.
By the halfway point of the season, there were already some major surprises in both conferences. In the East, the Sixers and Bulls had emerged as unexpected playoff contenders.
Philadelphia hadn't made the postseason since 1994, yet they were sitting in fourth place. Chicago, which had also missed the playoffs the previous season, was holding down seventh.
The biggest surprise in the West was sitting all the way up at #3. The Utah Jazz hadn't made the playoffs since 1992, but with Jason Kidd and Vince Carter beginning to gel, they had suddenly become one of the conference's elite teams.
The Blazers and Nuggets were also in the playoff picture, sitting sixth and seventh respectively. Portland hadn't reached the postseason since Isiah Thomas' final season with the team in 1998, while Denver hadn't been there since 1993.
When the regular season came to an end, we had a new MVP, but once again, the award stayed in Boston. For the third consecutive year, the MVP wore Celtics green, as Kevin Garnett captured the award after averaging 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. The #1 overall pick also took home some hardware, as Kenyon Martin was named Rookie of the Year after averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds.
Then came one of the biggest historical developments of the entire season. For the first time in 13 years, the Celtics and Lakers finished on top of their respective conferences.
Boston, the defending champion, dominated the league with a franchise-best 69 wins and the best record in the NBA. Out West, the Lakers finished first with 51 wins, but that record was tied for fourth overall with a team that might surprise you.
The East behind Boston was incredibly competitive. The Bucks and Nets both finished with 53 wins, while Philadelphia claimed the fourth seed with 51. After six long years, the Sixers' playoff drought was finally over.
The bottom half of the Eastern bracket was just as interesting. Shaq's Magic, who had been two-time champions not long ago, now had to face the new power in Philadelphia.
The Bulls finished sixth, meaning that somewhere between Chicago and New Jersey, a long playoff drought was guaranteed to end. The Nets hadn't advanced past the first round since 1996, while the Bulls drought goes all the way back to 1988.
Without Shawn Kemp, Reggie Miller and the Pistons fell to the seventh seed, setting up a first-round matchup with last year's Eastern Conference runner-up, Penny Hardaway and the Bucks.
That left the New York Knicks at #8, exactly where they had finished the previous season. Last year, New York was part of what may have been the greatest playoff series ever, taking the defending champion Raptors to the limit. Now they had another defending champion waiting for them: the Boston Celtics. Could the Knicks somehow produce the same magic again?
Out West, we would not get a third consecutive Lakers-Mavericks playoff matchup. Dallas finished one game behind Los Angeles in second place, giving the franchise its best finish in seven years. In fact, 1994 was the last time the Lakers had finished first in the conference.
The Jazz officially ended their drought, winning 49 games and earning the third seed. For many of their players, including Kidd and Carter, this would be their first taste of playoff basketball. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves, who had finished second in the West each of the previous two seasons, slipped to fourth.
Minnesota's opponent would be Portland, a team that had spent the previous two seasons in the lottery. At sixth, we had the Suns, and there was an interesting piece of history following them into the playoffs.
The last time Phoenix entered the postseason as a sixth seed, they went all the way to the Finals in 1999. Could another Cinderella run be coming? Their first-round opponent certainly wouldn't have much playoff experience.
The Spurs finished seventh, one spot higher than last season, and would face the Gary Payton-led Mavericks, who had advanced out of the first round in each of Payton's first two seasons with the franchise.
Finally, the Rockets grabbed the eighth seed. Houston had famously upset the Lakers as an eighth seed back in 1994, so could history repeat itself? These were obviously two very different franchises, but there was still an interesting connection: Alvin Robertson, who had been part of that Houston team, now wore the purple and gold of the Lakers.
For the teams that missed out, the droughts continued. Denver remained out of the playoffs, while the Grizzlies missed the postseason after making history the year before by winning the first playoff series in franchise history.
In the East, perhaps the biggest surprise of all was Allen Iverson missing the playoffs for the first time, just one season removed from helping the Raptors win a championship.
Scottie Pippen still couldn't get Washington back into the postseason, as the franchise continued waiting for its first playoff appearance since its days as the Bullets.
And then there was Shawn Kemp. After never missing the playoffs in his entire career, his move to Atlanta ended in disaster. Not only did Kemp miss the playoffs for the first time, but his Hawks finished dead last in the Eastern Conference.
The regular season had delivered plenty of surprises, but now the real story was about to begin. The Celtics were defending their championship, the Lakers were back on top, droughts were ending, and several teams were entering the postseason with something to prove. The 2001 playoffs were officially here.
Droughts on the Line
We start in the East and the 2-7 matchup between the Bucks and Pistons. Last year, the fourth-seeded Bucks made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Now they had moved up to second and were looking to go even further. The Pistons, meanwhile, had fallen from third to seventh after losing Shawn Kemp in free agency, leaving Reggie Miller and Detroit with a much tougher road back to the Conference Semis Finals.
After winning both games at home, Penny Hardaway and the Bucks were looking to finish the job in Detroit and bring out the brooms. The Pistons, however, weren't about to bow down.
With Detroit holding a four-point lead with under a minute to go after a Michael Smith three-pointer, it looked like the series was headed to a Game 4.
Then everything changed. Dee Brown hit a three to cut into the lead, and after the Bucks got a stop, they were off on the break. Penny Hardaway took over, hitting Detroit with a killer crossover before finishing at the rim to give Milwaukee the lead with only 18 seconds remaining.
The Pistons still weren't finished. David Wesley drilled a three, putting Detroit back in front by two with just 0.9 seconds left. Surely, we were going to Game 4, right?
The inbound went to Penny, and somehow he got the shot off. Hardaway buried the buzzer-beating three, ending not only the game but the entire series. Penny finished with 29 points and 11 assists, as the Bucks completed the sweep and moved on.
Next it's the 1-8 matchup, last year, the eighth-seeded Knicks and defending champion Raptors played one of the wildest series in league history, going the distance.
New York was the eighth seed again, but this time the defending champions weren't the Raptors. Instead, waiting for them were reigning MVP Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics.
Last year, the Knicks stole Game 1 in Toronto. This time, it was the Celtics who drew first blood, and Boston never looked back. The defending champions dominated the series, winning all three games relatively comfortably to complete the sweep.
Ray Allen led the way in the closeout with 23 points and three steals, sending Boston into the next round without having to break much of a sweat.
Next the 3-6 matchup between the Nets and Bulls, where both teams were playing for much more than a spot in the second round. The third-seeded Nets hadn't won a playoff series since 1996, back when Reggie Miller was still in New Jersey.
The Bulls' drought was even longer. You had to go all the way back to Patrick Ewing's third season to find the last time Chicago had won a series, which was way back in 1988.
After splitting the first two games in New Jersey, including an overtime victory by Chicago in Game 2, the Bulls returned home and took Game 3. They were now just one victory away from ending a 13-year playoff drought.
Game 4 was another tight battle, and with 2:17 remaining, a Sean Elliott basket gave Chicago the lead. Unfortunately for the Bulls, it would be the last time they would see the lead.
Donyell Marshall quickly put the Nets back in front, and with 39 seconds remaining, Hersey Hawkins hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to four. Chicago couldn't get any closer, and the Nets held on for a six-point victory to even the series.
Back in New Jersey for Game 5, there was no doubt about who wanted it more. The Nets took control early and never let go, finally ending their playoff drought with a dominant closeout victory.
Joe Smith finished with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, as New Jersey advanced to the second round. For the Bulls, the wait continues. Their drought had now reached 13 years and counting.
Finally in the East, we had another team trying to end a long drought, as the fourth-seeded Sixers returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1994. Philadelphia's last series victory had come even earlier, in 1992, when they made history by becoming the first eighth seed to knock off a top seed.
Now the Sixers had a chance to end both droughts at once, but standing in their way were Shaquille O'Neal and the Orlando Magic, a team with plenty of playoff experience. Not too long ago, Orlando had been a back-to-back champion, winning titles in 1996 and 1997 before Shawn Kemp and Grant Hill both left.
The series began with Orlando stealing Game 1 on the road, but Philadelphia quickly responded with a home victory in Game 2. The Sixers then went back to Orlando and came away with another win in Game 3, putting themselves just one victory away from ending their nine-year drought.
But the Magic weren't ready to go home. Shaq and Orlando responded with a victory in Game 4, forcing a winner-take-all Game 5 back in Philadelphia.
Game 5 delivered the first true photo finish of the series. The Magic were holding onto a two-point lead with 2:33 remaining when Baron Davis drilled a three-pointer to give Philadelphia a one-point lead with just 1:45 left, and suddenly the Sixers were on the verge of finally ending their drought.
Then the Big Diesel took over. Davis went cold, missing shot after shot, while Shaq scored six unanswered points to put Orlando back in control. The Magic closed the game on a devastating 9-0 run, turning a one-point deficit into an eight-point victory and sending Philadelphia home.
Shaquille O'Neal finished the closeout with a monster 40 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 steals, ending Philadelphia's comeback attempt and keeping their playoff drought alive. The Sixers had finally returned to the postseason, but their wait for another series victory would continue.
15-year series-win drought
In the West the Timberwolves had dropped to the fourth seed after finishing second in the conference in each of the previous two seasons. Their opponents, the Portland Trail Blazers, hadn't even played a playoff series during that same span.
Game 1 came down to the wire. Minnesota held a one-point lead with under two minutes to go, and after the two teams traded baskets, the game suddenly went cold.
Neither team could score during the final minute. With seven seconds remaining and still down by one, Portland had to foul. Sam Cassell made one of two free throws, giving the Blazers one last chance to tie or steal the game. They went to their veteran leader, Brad Daugherty, for the turnaround hook shot, but it rolled out. The Wolves survived and took Game 1.
Game 2 followed a similar script, with Minnesota holding a slim five-point lead down the stretch. Billy Owens hit a three-pointer to extend the advantage to eight, and Portland never got closer than six the rest of the way. The Wolves held on for a 10-point victory and took a commanding 2-0 lead.
After losing two close games in Minnesota, the Blazers returned home needing a response, but they could never get closer than the final score. The Wolves won 112-106, completing the sweep and advancing to the second round.
Alonzo Mourning finished with 38 points and 14 rebounds, as Minnesota moved on after another first-round sweep. For Patrick Ewing, the loss meant his own playoff drought continued as well.
Ewing was drafted by Chicago and spent the first 12 years of his career with the Bulls. 4 years ago he was traded away to Houston, then he signed with the Lakers, and now the Blazers. In these 4 years he hasn't missed the playoffs, but he hasn't advanced either meaning the 1988 drought, continues for him too.
Next we have the 2-7 matchup between the Mavericks and Spurs. Dallas was looking to reach the Conference Semifinals for the third straight year, while San Antonio hadn't been there in two seasons.
Unfortunately for the Spurs, they never had much of a chance. The Mavericks made quick work of their in-state rivals, sweeping the Battle for Texas and advancing once again. Dirk Nowitzki finished the closeout with 33 points and four blocks, sending Dallas into the second round.
Next we had the 1-8 matchup between the Lakers and Rockets, a series with plenty of history behind it. This was the seventh time these franchises had met in the playoffs in our timeline, but the first since 1994, when Ralph Sampson and the eighth-seeded Rockets shocked Magic Johnson and the top-seeded Lakers.
Both rosters had turned over considerably since that famous upset. Now the question was whether Mike Bibby and the Rockets could somehow repeat history.
The answer came quickly. For the first time in Tim Duncan's career, the Lakers took a 2-0 series lead after two convincing victories at home. The series moved to Houston for Game 3, but the result was the same.
Los Angeles completed the sweep, with Stephon Marbury finishing the closeout with 22 points and seven assists. The Lakers were finally heading back to the Conference Semifinals for the first time since Duncan's rookie season.
The 3-6 matchup was perhaps the most fascinating series in the West. On one side were the third-seeded Utah Jazz, featuring a Big 3 of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Peja Stojakovic, all of whom had been drafted by Utah and were making their playoff debuts.
The Jazz hadn't reached the postseason since 1992, and they hadn't won a playoff series since 1986, when Adrian Dantley was still the face of the franchise.
Standing across from them were the sixth-seeded Phoenix Suns, a team that had reached the Finals just two years earlier behind Kenny Anderson and Bison Dele. With that experience on Phoenix's side and so many Jazz players entering the playoffs for the first time, many believed the upset was coming.
After the Suns stole Game 1 on the road, those predictions only grew louder. Game 2 was another tight battle, with Phoenix holding a one-point lead and looking to head home with a 2-0 advantage.
With 2:22 remaining, however, the Jazz answered. Peja drilled a three-pointer, and after Ron Artest threw down a dunk on the other end, the game was tied. On the following possession, Vince Carter found Shawn Bradley on a pick-and-roll, giving Utah the lead.
The Suns weren't finished. Ron Artest hit a three-pointer with just 3.3 seconds remaining, putting Phoenix back in front. But 3.3 seconds was all Peja needed. The Jazz inbounded the ball, and Stojakovic answered with a three-pointer at the buzzer, giving Utah its first playoff victory in a decade.
Game 3 in Phoenix was another tight contest, with the Suns holding a four-point advantage with under three minutes remaining. That lead disappeared in just 40 seconds.
Jason Kidd hit a three, and then Carter threw an alley-oop to Robert Horry, as the Jazz took the lead. The run continued with Utah ultimately ripping off a 10-0 run before Phoenix could score again, and by then it was too late.
Now the Jazz had a chance to do something the franchise hadn't done since 1986: win a playoff series. Utah took control of Game 4 and never let go, closing out Phoenix with a nine-point victory. Vince Carter finished with 30 points and seven assists, as the Jazz finally ended their 15-year wait between playoff series victories.
The West Just Got Wild
We start in the East with the 2-3 matchup between the Bucks and Nets. These two teams had met in the first round the previous year, when Penny Hardaway and the Bucks swept New Jersey. Now the stakes were much higher, with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line.
Last year, Milwaukee needed just three wins to complete the sweep in the first round, which was still a best-of-five series. This time, after three games, it was once again Bucks 3, Nets 0, and Milwaukee had blown out New Jersey in every game. Nobody expected much different in Game 4.
For the first time in the series, the Nets managed to keep things close down the stretch. Milwaukee was holding just a three-point lead with a little over a minute remaining, but Dee Brown knocked down a three-pointer with 58 seconds to go, putting the game out of reach.
The Nets fell by eight, Penny Hardaway finishing with 24 points and 6 assists. Milwaukee completed another sweep and was heading back to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year.
Out West, Tim Duncan and the #1 Lakers were looking to reach their first Conference Finals together. The last time Los Angeles had made it that far was 1993. Standing in their way were Alonzo Mourning and the Timberwolves, who had reached the Western Conference Finals last year.
Game 1 came down to the wire, with both teams trading blows down the stretch. Then Mourning took over. He scored eight straight points for Minnesota, giving them a five-point lead, and the Wolves never looked back. They stole Game 1 on the road by six.
With all the momentum, Minnesota came right back and won Game 2. Suddenly, Duncan and the Lakers were heading to Minnesota down 0-2 and facing a massive uphill battle.
Game 3 was a fight, and Los Angeles desperately needed a victory. After an and-one by Stephon Marbury cut the deficit to four, the Lakers had a chance to make things interesting, but that was as close as they would get. Minnesota won by seven and put Los Angeles on the brink.
The Wolves didn't take their foot off the gas in the closeout. Minnesota dominated, winning by 17 points to complete the sweep. Billy Owens finished with 22 points and 9 rebounds, as the Timberwolves, like Milwaukee, were heading back to the Conference Finals for the second consecutive year.
For Duncan and the Lakers, the loss was especially painful. They were now 0-2 in the Conference Semifinals, with both appearances ending in sweeps. And this time as the #1 seed it stung more.
Back East, the defending champions found themselves in a rematch with Shaquille O'Neal and the Magic. The teams had met in the first round the previous season, when Boston won the series in four games on its way to the championship.
This time, the stakes were much higher. Could the Celtics reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the third straight year, or would Orlando return to the Conference Finals for the first time in three seasons?
Boston opened the series with a blowout victory, but Orlando responded in Game 2 with a 14-point road win. There was just one problem for the Magic: Shaq played only 10 minutes before suffering an injury that would keep him out for the rest of the series.
Without the Big Diesel, the Celtics took control. Boston blew out Orlando in both games in Florida, setting up a closeout opportunity back home. Nobody expected much from the Magic without their superstar, but somehow Orlando kept Game 5 close deep into the fourth quarter.
With 37 seconds remaining, Cutino Mobley found Brad Miller, Shaq's replacement, on the fast break for an and-one. Miller knocked down the free throw, tying the game.
Boston responded immediately. Ray Allen drilled a corner three-pointer, giving the Celtics the lead once again, and they never gave it back.
Boston knocked down its free throws down the stretch and escaped with a seven-point victory. Chris Webber finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists, as the defending champions survived and advanced to their third straight Eastern Conference Finals.
Finally, we had the third-seeded Utah Jazz, who were making their first appearance in the Conference Semifinals since 1986 and looking to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1985. Their opponents were the Gary Payton-led Mavericks, who been in the West Finals two years ago.
Jason Kidd and the Jazz wasted no time making their presence felt. Utah went into Dallas and stunned the Mavericks with a 23-point Game 1 victory. Dallas answered with a 21-point win in Game 2, then went back into Utah and stole Game 3, putting the Mavericks back in control of the series.
Dallas was looking to take a 3-1 lead in Game 4, but for the first time in the series, we had a true nail-biter. The Mavericks grabbed a four-point lead, but Peja Stojakovic took over, scoring Utah's next 12 points. No matter what Dallas threw at him, Peja kept answering.
Thanks to his heroics, the game went to overtime. In the extra period, Utah built a four-point lead before Gary Payton hit a three-pointer to cut it to one.
That would be as close as Dallas would get. Peja scored again with 51 seconds remaining to push the Jazz lead to five, and Utah held on to win, evening the series at two games apiece.
It was almost as if Game 4 never happened. Dallas returned home and dominated Game 5, putting itself one victory away from the Conference Finals.
In Game 6, the Jazz held a four-point lead with just 11 seconds remaining, seemingly on the verge of forcing a decisive Game 7. Then Victor Alexander hit a corner three-pointer for Dallas. Vince Carter made one of two free throws, leaving the Jazz ahead by two and giving the Mavericks one last chance to steal the game.
Dirk Nowitzki went to his turnaround step-back to tie it, and it was good. For the second time in the series, we were headed to overtime.
After Carter hit a three-pointer to give Utah a three-point lead in the extra period, Mark Jackson was fouled while attempting a three. With the season on the line and making his first appearance in the Conference Semifinals, the veteran calmly knocked down all three free throws to tie the game.
Carter responded with another three, and this time Dallas couldn't recover. The Jazz won by six, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7.
Utah took all of that momentum back to Dallas and completed the upset on the road, winning Game 7 by eight. Peja Stojakovic finished with 34 points and 5 rebounds, and the Jazz had done it.
After ending their long playoff drought in the first round, they had now knocked off Gary Payton and the Mavericks to reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 16 years.
The Conference Finals were set, and the landscape of the NBA had changed dramatically. The Lakers were gone. The Mavericks were gone. Shaq was injured.
Meanwhile, Boston was still standing, Milwaukee and Minnesota were returning to the Conference Finals, and the Cinderella story in Utah was becoming something much bigger. The question now was whether the Jazz's magical run could continue.
Experience vs. Destiny
It's the Conference Finals, and we start in the East with a rematch of last year's Eastern Conference Finals. The defending champion Celtics were looking to get back to the Finals, while the Milwaukee Bucks were looking for revenge.
Last year, Penny Hardaway and the Bucks finally made it back to the Eastern Conference Finals after a four-year wait, only to suffer the same fate they had experienced in 1996. That year, Shaquille O'Neal and the Magic knocked them out in five games. Four years later, they lost in five again, this time to Chris Webber and the Celtics.
Once again, Milwaukee found itself in trouble early. Just like the first two games of last year's series, the Bucks returned home down 0-2. Unlike Game 3 the previous year, when Milwaukee responded with a statement victory, it was Boston that delivered a crushing blow. The Celtics went into Milwaukee and won by double digits, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead.
Game 4 was the Bucks' final stand. With their season on the line, Milwaukee finally fought back and earned the victory, giving themselves a chance to bring the series back to Boston. Unfortunately for the Bucks, they couldn't carry that momentum onto the road. The Celtics closed them out with a nine-point victory, with Chris Webber finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Boston was heading back to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year. For Milwaukee, the frustration continued. The Bucks are now 0-3 in the Eastern Conference Finals in our timeline, and all three appearances have ended in five games.
Out West, we had the third-seeded Utah Jazz against the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Utah had home-court advantage, but Minnesota had something the Jazz couldn't match: experience.
The trio of Billy Owens, Larry Johnson, and Alonzo Mourning were making their third Western Conference Finals appearance together in five years and their second in a row. Meanwhile, Utah's Big 3 of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Peja Stojakovic were experiencing the playoffs for the first time.
Game 1 went to the inexperienced home team. Utah held a slim four-point lead with 2:40 remaining, but then the offense completely dried up. Over the next two and a half minutes, neither team could find a rhythm, with the only points coming from a Shawn Bradley basket that pushed the Jazz lead to six. That was enough, as Utah held on to take Game 1.
Game 2 would become something else entirely. It may have been the greatest game ever played in this sim.
Once again, the Jazz had a late lead with under three minutes remaining and were looking to take a commanding 2-0 advantage. But the Wolves weren't going away. Back-to-back baskets by Alonzo Mourning gave Minnesota a three-point lead, only for Vince Carter to find Peja Stojakovic for a three-pointer with under two minutes left to erase it.
Then the well went dry again. Neither team could score, and the game went to overtime.
In overtime we saw more of the same. Minnesota built another three-point lead, and once again Peja tied the game. Carter then found Bradley on the pick-and-roll, putting Utah up by two with a minute remaining.
The Wolves tied it on free throws from Chris Carr, but the Jazz answered again, with Carter driving to the basket for two with 24 seconds left.
Mourning tied the game once more, but Utah went right back to the deadly Carter-Bradley pick-and-roll. With one second remaining, it looked like the Jazz had finally won it. But out of the timeout, the ball went to Carr, who got his jumper off in time.
And it went in.
After one overtime, the game was still tied.
The second overtime somehow became even crazier. The Wolves built a five-point lead with just 1:35 remaining, and it looked like the game was finally slipping away from Utah.
But Carter found Bradley again under the basket, and with just 50 seconds left, Kevin Edwards, filling in for Jason Kidd after Kidd fouled out, found Peja for another three to tie the game.
Carr answered with a top-of-the-key three with 30 seconds remaining, putting Minnesota back in front. The Jazz responded once again with the Carter-Bradley connection. With 17 seconds left, Utah was forced to foul, and Sam Cassell knocked down both free throws, giving the Wolves a three-point lead.
This time, Carter found Peja in the corner.
Another three. Another tie.
Neither team was willing to lose, and after two overtimes, the game was still deadlocked. We were going to a third.
Finally, in the third overtime, Minnesota took control. The Wolves outlasted Utah and won an unbelievable 172-160, completing one of the wildest games in league history.
After surviving that marathon, the young Jazz simply couldn't recover. Minnesota returned home and dominated Game 3, then took Game 4 to grab a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Back in Utah for Game 5, the Jazz were facing elimination and trying to keep their magical season alive. They traded baskets with Minnesota throughout the final minutes of the game and held a two-point lead late when Jason Kidd found Peja for a three-pointer. Mourning responded with two straight baskets to cut the deficit to one with about a minute remaining.
Peja wasn't finished.
With 25 seconds on the clock, he knocked down another three, and despite Mourning scoring eight straight points for Minnesota, Utah held on to survive.
The Jazz had forced the series back to Minnesota, but the Wolves weren't interested in giving them another chance. Back in the North Star State, Minnesota dominated Game 6 and punched its ticket to the NBA Finals.
Larry Johnson finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists, as the Timberwolves advanced to the Finals for the second time in franchise history.
What a series. The young Jazz had shown the league just how much heart they had, but in the end, experience won out. Utah's incredible run had come to an end, while Minnesota was heading back to the Finals, where another championship opportunity awaited.
Back to Back?
The 2001 Finals was an intriguing matchup. On one side, you had the defending champion Celtics, looking to become the first team to repeat since 1997. On the other, you had the fourth-seeded Timberwolves, who had pulled off upsets in the previous two rounds to get here.
On paper, both the Lakers and Jazz series may have looked like upsets, but the Wolves were actually the more experienced team in both matchups.
Tim Duncan's Lakers were making only their second-ever Conference Semifinals appearance, while Jason Kidd's Jazz were experiencing the playoffs for the first time.
Minnesota's frontcourt of Billy Owens, Larry Johnson, and Alonzo Mourning had been together for years and had already reached the Finals together back in 1996. They had been here before, and they had no reason to believe they didn't belong.
Game 1 was close down the stretch, with Minnesota holding a slim lead. After Sam Cassell hit a three-pointer, the Wolves pushed their advantage to seven with two minutes remaining.
Manu Ginobili answered with a three of his own, cutting the lead to four with a minute left. Cassell responded with a layup, but Ginobili wasn't finished.
He came right back from the top of the key, cutting the deficit to three with 40 seconds remaining. Then Ginobili blew by Cassell for a layup, and suddenly the Wolves were only up one with 18 seconds to go.
Despite Ginobili scoring the Celtics' final eight points, Minnesota stayed composed at the free-throw line. The Wolves knocked down their chances and escaped Boston with a five-point Game 1 victory, stealing home court from the defending champions.
That loss appeared to wake a sleeping giant. Boston responded by blowing out Minnesota in both Games 2 and 3, putting the Celtics in complete control of the series. The Wolves entered Game 4 knowing they had to avoid falling behind 3-1.
Boston held a five-point lead late, and after Ray Allen and Alonzo Mourning traded baskets, the Celtics' advantage remained at five. Then Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce hit back-to-back buckets, pushing Boston's lead to nine and putting the Wolves on the brink.
After stealing Game 1, Minnesota returned to Boston facing elimination in Game 5. The Wolves had a five-point lead late and were trying to force a Game 6 back in Minnesota. Chris Webber and Alonzo Mourning traded baskets, and the Wolves maintained their five-point advantage.
Then Paul Pierce took over.
Pierce scored four straight points in-between a Wolves turnover and suddenly the Celtics were within striking distance. Mourning wasn't finished, though. With 48 seconds remaining, he connected on a baby hook to push the Minnesota lead back to three.
Then, with 30 seconds on the clock, Pierce found Ray Allen for a three-pointer, tying the game.
The Wolves had a chance to regain the lead, but Larry Johnson missed a layup on the other end, giving Boston one final opportunity with seven seconds remaining. On the very next possession, Manu Ginobili took it all the way to the basket and slammed it home, putting the Celtics in front.
Minnesota still had one last chance with 3.7 seconds on the clock. The ball found Billy Owens in the corner for the potential game-winner.
He missed.
The Celtics had done it.
Boston was back-to-back champions, capturing the franchise's record 18th championship, a milestone the real Celtics wouldn't reach until 2024. After winning the title the year before, Boston had now officially established itself as the league's new powerhouse.
For Chris Webber, the championship was even more meaningful. He finished the clinching game with 34 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists, earning his first-ever Finals MVP.
A player who never won a championship during his real-life career was now a two-time champion in this universe. Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce also had only one real-life championship each coming in 2008. Here, seven years earlier, they were already two-time champions.
For Minnesota, the ending was heartbreaking. After winning Game 1, the Wolves dropped four straight and suffered the dreaded gentleman's sweep.
Their veteran frontcourt of Owens, Johnson, and Mourning had now reached the Finals twice and gone home empty-handed both times. It took them five years to get back after their 1996 appearance, and now the question was whether they would ever get another chance.
For Boston, however, the question was much different. Could these Celtics become the first team in our timeline to three-peat? Five other teams had already tried and failed, including Larry Bird's Celtics of the mid-1980s.
The defending champions had conquered the league once again, but the next challenge was already waiting. Stay tuned for the next chapter, the 2001-02 season, as we get closer to the arrival of LeBron James, followed by Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.
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