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.
The championships keep coming for Boston. The following season, Manu Ginobili cracks the starting lineup, giving the Celtics a lineup like no other. Every starter has been with the team for their entire career, creating a level of continuity rarely seen in the NBA.
That chemistry helps Boston finish with the best record in the league and cruise to back-to-back championships, losing just three games throughout the entire playoffs.
With another title secured, the Celtics raise Banner 18 — a milestone they reach 23 years earlier than they did in real life.
History Made: The Three-Peat & Banner 19
Boston’s reign didn't stop at back-to-back glory. Rolling through the 2001-02 season with an unbelievable 73-9 record, the Celtics put together another dominant playoff run to finish off the Utah Jazz in five games.
By securing their third consecutive Larry O'Brien Trophy, Boston accomplished something the real-life franchise has still never achieved: Hang Banner 19
With Banner 19 officially hanging from the TD Garden rafters, this core solidifies itself as the ultimate modern dynasty, setting an unmatched standard of success in the Rewritten Rings universe. Becoming the first to 3 peat.
The following season, the Celtics were able to keep their core starting lineup of Manu Ginobili, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Chris Webber together, and the results were historic. Boston finished the regular season 73-9 for the second consecutive year, matching their own record for the best regular season in Rewritten Rings history.
If you thought that was impressive, they bulldozed through the playoffs, losing just one game. With the league having expanded the first round to a best-of-seven series for the first time, the Celtics went 16-1 throughout the postseason on their way to a record 20th championship.
It was the first time in Rewritten Rings history that a team had won four consecutive championships. Even more remarkably, no team has accomplished the feat in real NBA history since Bill Russell's Celtics won eight straight championships in the 1960s. The Celtics had officially reached a level of dominance that had not been seen in the NBA for decades.
As we continue rewriting NBA history, this page will continue to evolve.
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