Our first team page is dedicated to none other than the Boston Celtics. After making Larry Bird our first player profile, it only feels right that Boston becomes the first franchise we explore. Few teams have a richer history, and in the Rewritten Rings universe, the Celtics’ legacy takes a very different path.
Our timeline begins with the 1983-84 season. By this point, the Celtics had already built a legendary foundation, winning 14 championships, including one with Larry Bird in 1981.
The 1984 season is where reality and Rewritten Rings connect. In both timelines, Boston defeats Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
The difference is how it happens. In our universe, the Celtics complete a dominant four-game sweep, while in reality Boston needed six games to capture the championship.
From there, the timelines begin to separate.
Instead of a 1985 Finals rematch with the Lakers, the Celtics continue their dominance by winning back-to-back championships, defeating Adrian Dantley and the Utah Jazz.
The Lakers and Celtics would meet again in 1986, but this time Magic Johnson and Los Angeles would get revenge, sweeping Bird’s Celtics in the Finals.
In reality, the 1986 Celtics are considered one of the greatest teams ever assembled, defeating the Houston Rockets to win Boston’s 16th championship.
In the Rewritten Rings universe, Boston already reached that milestone a year earlier and had begun reshaping the roster, moving on from key pieces like Dennis Johnson.
The Celtics would not return to the Finals in 1987 like they did in reality. Instead, Charles Barkley, Julius Erving, and Moses Malone would defeat Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals before going on to win the championship over the Dallas Mavericks.
In reality, the 1987 Finals marked the end of the Celtics' championship era. After losing to the Lakers, Boston would not return to the Finals until 2008 with the arrival of Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen joining Paul Pierce.
The franchise also faced heartbreak as Larry Bird retired after the 1992 season and Reggie Lewis tragically passed away before the 1993-94 season.
The Celtics missed the playoffs that year for the first time since the season before Bird entered the league and would struggle through one of the toughest stretches in franchise history.
In the Rewritten Rings universe, the story is much different. Boston’s next Finals appearance would come at the end of the 1989-90 season, setting up another legendary battle between Bird and Magic.
However, these teams looked much different than their real-life counterparts. Terry Cummings joined the Lakers, while Kevin McHale was traded to Chicago for the No. 1 overall pick, which Boston used to select Shawn Kemp.
With Cummings and rookie Kemp, Magic and Bird, once again reached the top of the mountain. In the end it was the Lakers victorious. Cummings earned Finals MVP honors, giving Magic his second Finals victory over Bird.
The biggest difference in this universe is what happened afterward. Bird continued playing until the end of the 1997 season. Meanwhile, Boston remained aggressive, trading up in drafts to add future stars like Chris Webber, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen.
The draft selections continued with Paul Pierce in 1998, and his arrival helped the Celtics return to the Eastern Conference Finals that season. Boston came within one shot of reaching the NBA Finals, but Allen Iverson hit a buzzer-beater in Game 7 to send the Toronto Raptors through.
The following year, another familiar face returned to Boston. Kenny Smith, the Celtics' 1987 draft pick, came back via trade, and once again Boston found itself in the Eastern Conference Finals.
This time, there would be no Game 7 heroics needed from the opposition. Smith delivered when it mattered most, hitting key free throws as the Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in five games to return to the NBA Finals.
Waiting for them was the No. 1-seeded Golden State Warriors, led by five-time MVP Len Bias. Boston countered with the current two-time MVP Chris Webber, and in a battle between two of the league's premier teams, the Celtics prevailed.
With the victory, Boston captured its 17th NBA championship, doing so eight years before the Celtics would win their 17th championship in real life.
Kevin Garnett was named Finals MVP, adding another major accomplishment to the young core that had quickly turned Boston back into a championship contender.
With Pierce, Garnett, Webber, and the rest of this young Celtics team in place, the future looks incredibly bright in Boston. The question now is whether this championship is the beginning of another Celtics dynasty or simply the start of the next chapter in the franchise's rewritten history.
As we continue rewriting NBA history, this page will continue to evolve.
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