Is there a bigger what if moment in NBA history...

[Blackhawkswincup]

If Drexler doesn't get ring people would just group him in with Barkley , Malone , Stockton , Kemp , Payton , Ewing , etc who simply ran into Bulls dynasty

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Sacramento would have won in 2002 if the League/officials hadn't already decided they needed LA in it.

 

[Terry Yake]

Sacramento would have won in 2002 if the League/officials hadn't already decided they needed LA in it.

maybe if the kings had made their free throws, they would have won the series

you're not going to win a game by going 16-30 from the FT line, which the kings did in game 7 at home. not to mention that the kings were awarded 204 FT's the entire series compared to the lakers 185

 

[Voight]

Sacramento would have won in 2002 if the League/officials hadn't already decided they needed LA in it.

This conspiracy is so *** stupid. The Lakers had already won 2 in a row and had two of the top 5/10 players in the league, in their primes. Is a 3 peat great for marketing and revenue? Of course.

The same league had no issues with the Spurs beating the mighty/big market Knicks & Nets.

 

[Neutrinos]

I said the Jordan draft, but in hindsight, I'd say Len Bias is a bigger "what if?"

 

[dahrougem2]

Not the biggest, but definitely a huge "what if" is if McGrady stayed in Toronto.

I 100% believe the Raptors would have faced the Lakers in 2001 and 2002, provided both he and Carter were fully healthy, due to how weak the East was.

They wouldn't have won, but I think making the finals would have done wonders for that organization so early.

 

[Voight]

Not the biggest, but definitely a huge "what if" is if McGrady stayed in Toronto.

I 100% believe the Raptors would have faced the Lakers in 2001 and 2002, provided both he and Carter were fully healthy, due to how weak the East was.

They wouldn't have won, but I think making the finals would have done wonders for that organization so early.

East still had the Sixers and Nets in those days.

 

[bluesfan94]

The biggest what if is definitely what if the shot clock had never been invented.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

This conspiracy is so *** stupid. The Lakers had already won 2 in a row and had two of the top 5/10 players in the league, in their primes. Is a 3 peat great for marketing and revenue? Of course.

The same league had no issues with the Spurs beating the mighty/big market Knicks & Nets.

You cant be serious?

Even Laker fans acknowledge game 6 was a joke

Did you watch the game? The officiating was disgrace



So many terrible calls , no calls on Lakers and the disgraceful elbow to face uncalled on Kobe at end right in front of refs

 

[dahrougem2]

East still had the Sixers and Nets in those days.

The Sixers were nothing special. It would have been A.I vs Carter/McGrady and I think the Raptors win that. I also think the Raptors could have beaten the Nets. Neither team was special IMO.

 

[Voight]

The Sixers were nothing special. It would have been A.I vs Carter/McGrady and I think the Raptors win that. I also think the Raptors could have beaten the Nets. Neither team was special IMO.

A.I singlehandedly carried the Sixers to the finals and even won a game against the Shaq/Kobe Lakers. He very well could have beat the Raptors if he had a few of his monster games.

The Nets were pretty good in those days. You had peak J Kidd, prime Kenyon Martin 7 KVH. They also had good supporting pieces like Kerry Kittles & Richard Jefferson.

 

[Neutrinos]

What if Greg Oden had stayed healthy?

 

[dahrougem2]

A.I singlehandedly carried the Sixers to the finals and even won a game against the Shaq/Kobe Lakers. He very well could have beat the Raptors if he had a few of his monster games.

The Nets were pretty good in those days. You had peak J Kidd, prime Kenyon Martin 7 KVH. They also had good supporting pieces like Kerry Kittles & Richard Jefferson.

Understood about A.I., but that series would essentially be Iverson vs Carter/McGrady and I'll take my chances with two superstars vs one.

The Nets were a great team, but I think talent trumps all and those Raptors teams without McGrady were already on the verge of something great. I mean without TMac they took the Sixers to 7 games in 2001. I absolutely think with another superstar, one who averaged 27 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists with the Magic that season, that the Raptors would have went to the Finals. McGrady probably wouldn't have averaged those exact numbers but he would have elevated the Raptors.

 

[Power Man]

If political BS didn't prevent prime young healthy Sabonis to join Portland much sooner.
Jordan wouldn't have sniffed a ring

 

[Terry Yake]

If political BS didn't prevent prime young healthy Sabonis to join Portland much sooner.
Jordan wouldn't have sniffed a ring

this is a good one. sabonis was already breaking down by the time he came to portland

still doubt they would have beat the bulls in '92 but they would have for sure been a WC powerhouse for a while

 

[dahrougem2]

If political BS didn't prevent prime young healthy Sabonis to join Portland much sooner.
Jordan wouldn't have sniffed a ring

Sabonis was a phenomenal player but don't be ridiculous.

 

[Voight]

Sabonis was a phenomenal player but don't be ridiculous.

Yea... were talking about the GOAT here, I really doubt he fails to win even one title.

What if Greg Oden had stayed healthy?

Portland would have challenged the Lakers/Spurs/OKC/Mavs in the late 2000's, early 2010's with a big 3 of Oden-Roy-Aldridge. However its unlikely they end up with Lillard or McCollum, seeing as they would have been a playoff team when they wee drafted.

 

[Power Man]

Sabonis was a phenomenal player but don't be ridiculous.

That Blazers team plus a young healthy Sabonis?

Are you kidding me?
I'm not referring to the guy who finally joined the league in his 30s with banged up knees.

Young healthy Sabonis could run and dunk, add that to his skillset and you get a unstoppable player.

But what do I know, I must have forgotten to wear my Jordan colored glassrs

 

[Ivan13]

Given that the Blazers were too dumb to use a player who was far superior to Sabonis why pretend they would use him? Also, unstoppable? Give me a break, Radja and Divac got the better of him plenty of times.

 

[dahrougem2]

That Blazers team plus a young healthy Sabonis?

Are you kidding me?
I'm not referring to the guy who finally joined the league in his 30s with banged up knees.

Young healthy Sabonis could run and dunk, add that to his skillset and you get a unstoppable player.

But what do I know, I must have forgotten to wear my Jordan colored glassrs

Jordan coloured glasses? Seriously?

So if Sabonis joined the NBA, he would have 6 NBA Titles, 6 Finals MVP's, 5 NBA MVP's, etc.?

Give me a break. If anyone has the coloured glasses on, it's you with Sabonis.

It's not even about Sabonis, really. I acknowledge he was a wonderful player who very likely would be an all-time great had he come to the NBA as a youngster and played throughout until the end of his career. But to say that Jordan wouldn't have sniffed a title? Preposterous.

 

[Power Man]

Sabonis destroyed David Robinson in 88, he was that great, if he played with the 90-92 Blazers....
Daaaaaaaaamn

But he couldn't, because politics.

 

[klingsor]

Lots of good ideas but for me it was the adoption of the 3 point shot.

It took some time evolving but it's changed the game.

Personally, I'm not a fan but I'm an old fart.

 

[NJDevs26]

What if Greg Oden had stayed healthy?

Or go further back to another one-time Portland center Bill Walton. His career's definitely one of the big what-ifs in basketball history considering how dominant he was in '77 and the first part of '78 before getting all his foot problems. Portland did win a title in '77 but they could easily have won three in a row with how weak the league was in the late '70's.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I heard this on a podcast the other day, but a good what if that just happened this year...

What if Rondo doesn't get hurt in round 1? Do the Bulls beat the Celtics? If so, do they keep Butler/Wade? If Boston loses in the 1st rd, how does their offseason change? Does Hayward still want to come? Do they still give up what they did to get Kyrie?

Not an all timer, but interesting to think about.

 

[dahrougem2]

I heard this on a podcast the other day, but a good what if that just happened this year...

What if Rondo doesn't get hurt in round 1? Do the Bulls beat the Celtics? If so, do they keep Butler/Wade? If Boston loses in the 1st rd, how does their offseason change? Does Hayward still want to come? Do they still give up what they did to get Kyrie?

Not an all timer, but interesting to think about.

I was of the opinion that if Rondo was healthy, the Celtics were getting swept. I felt that way prior to the start of the series and was even more confident after the first two games until Rondo got hurt.

I think the Bulls would be disillusioned into going for it by being able to get to the 2nd round, but I think the Celtics still make the moves they made this summer. In fact, I think they'd be even more aggressive in making the moves due to bowing out in the 1st round.