Our next player profile belongs to one of basketball's original superstars, Julius Erving. Since the Rewritten Rings timeline begins with the 1983-84 season, most of Dr. J's legendary career had already been written before our alternate history began.
Before entering the NBA, Erving spent five seasons in the ABA, where he became one of the faces of the league before its merger with the NBA. During that time, he established himself as one of basketball's most dominant players, winning two championships and earning a reputation as one of the most exciting players the sport had ever seen.
After the merger, Erving continued his championship pursuit in Philadelphia. Alongside Moses Malone, he helped lead the Sixers to an NBA championship in 1983, adding another title to his already incredible resume.
When our timeline begins, Philadelphia entered the season as the defending champions, with Erving still leading the way as one of the league's biggest stars.
The first season of the Rewritten Rings universe did not go according to plan for the defending champions. The sixth-seeded New York Knicks, led by Bernard King and Bill Cartwright, pulled off the upset against the third-seeded Sixers, defeating Philadelphia 3-1 and ending their title defense in the first round.
With Charles Barkley still joining the Sixers in this universe, Philadelphia remained a contender even as Erving entered the final years of his career. Instead of fading away, Dr. J continued competing against the next generation of NBA stars, giving fans one final glimpse of greatness.
In both 1985 and 1986, the Sixers pushed Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics to the limit. Philadelphia reached the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons, taking Boston to seven games each time. However, both runs ended with heartbreaking losses at the Boston Garden.
The Sixers entered the season determined to make one final championship run with Erving. After a dramatic semifinal series that ended with John Long hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer against John Stockton, Clyde Drexler, and the Washington Bullets, Philadelphia once again found themselves facing the Celtics.
This time, the result was different.
The top-seeded Sixers defeated Boston in five games, sending Julius Erving to the NBA Finals for the final time in his career.
Standing across from them were Mark Aguirre and the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks. Dallas quickly took control of the series, jumping out to a 3-1 lead and putting Philadelphia on the brink of elimination. But the veteran Sixers refused to let their season end.
Philadelphia won Game 5 on the road, then returned home for a crucial Game 6. With their season on the line, Erving delivered one final legendary performance, scoring 20 points and hitting a key basket late in the game to force a deciding Game 7 back in Dallas.
The Sixers made history.
Philadelphia dominated Game 7 in Texas, becoming the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. Nearly 30 years before LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers completed their historic comeback in 2016.
Following the championship celebration, Erving announced his retirement, ending his career the same way many legends dream of — as a champion.
Dr. J finished his NBA career in the Rewritten Rings universe as a two-time champion, a nine-time NBA All-Star, and the 1981 MVP. When combining his ABA and NBA accomplishments, Erving retired as a four-time champion, four-time MVP, and fifteen-time All-Star.
Although his time in the Rewritten Rings timeline was shorter than many other legends, Julius Erving left behind one of the greatest final chapters in basketball history. He entered this universe as a legend, battled through one final championship chase, and walked away as a champion.
Post a Comment