The 2015-16 NBA season saw one of the best rookie classes in league history make a name for itself, though it also saw most of the usual suspects return to the top of the heap in the league standings. In the East, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook took the Cleveland Cavaliers to the #1 seed with 60 wins, making them the league's top team. They didn't have a lot of help, but combined to form one of the best scoring tandems in league history, with both averaging over 30 ppg. The Orlando Magic, energized by their trade to acquire Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin from Seattle, were the #2 team in the conference, barely beating out the defending champion 76ers, who took the 3 seed. James Harden was a force for the 76ers, though Dwight Howard struggled with injuries and regressed quite a bit. Rookie Bob Bing would help take the Celtics back to the playoffs, and speaking of rookies, Liu Fauzeng was the Rookie of the Year, carrying an otherwise awful Knicks team to the playoffs behind a 24.5 ppg rookie season. The young Chinese phenom was incredible, showing off both scoring and passing acumen and making an impact like few rookies ever have.
In the West, things were shaken up a bit more: the Dallas Mavericks rose to first place behind the outstanding play of Paul George, who was acquired in a blockbuster trade before the season. The Lakers, led mostly by Anthony Davis, also played extremely well, whereas teams like the Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves also rose to prominence in a conference that at times seemed like it was wide open. The Timberwolves proved to be quite the underdog story: a team without a true superstar, led by players such as Brook Lopez, Ish Smith, and Jonas Valančiūnas, scrapping together to win some close games despite a lot of losses. They went into the All Star break just out of the #8 playoff spot in the West, but gelled quite a bit before the end of the season. The St. Louis Arches, one season away from moving to Las Vegas, also did quite well as Giannis Antentokoumpo become a bona fide MVP candidate, leading the underdogs to a strong #5 seed.
Playoffs:
First Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers over (8) New York Knicks, 4 to 0
There was a lot of hype surrounding the "LeBron vs. Liu Fauzeng" matchup, and though the Knicks definitely put up a fight at times, and Fauzeng was impressive, they were no match for the dual scoring attack of LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, and the rest of the Knicks couldn't carry Fauzeng's load. Though both games at the Garden were relatively close, Cleveland swept this series easily.
(4) Chicago Bulls over (5) Detroit Pistons, 4 to 2
The Pistons played well behind the still cagey Carmelo and their rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis, who was quite good when he was healthy, and the Pistons gave Stephen Curry's Bulls a good fight in this series, though they just couldn't close the deal. Curry's shooting was too good, though the Bulls didn't have a lot to back him up (their own rookie, Thon Maker, was still extremely green and played only very little off the bench). The Bulls triumphed thanks to Curry's shooting and Carmelo's age catching up with him a bit, and would move on to face the Cavs.
(3) Philadelphia 76ers over (6) Indiana Pacers, 4 to 3
The hot shooting Pacers very nearly knocked off the defending champs in this series that went down to the last minute. Dwight Howard struggled, though James Harden was able to ice things up for his team with a crucial three point shot in the last minute of Game 7 that put Philly up by four and the game largely out of reach. The Thompson/Hayward combo had been potent for Indiana, but hadn't taken the team out of the second round, and despite almost knocking off the defending champs in this series, some within the organization were looking to shake things up by dealing one or both of their stars.
(2) Orlando Magic over (7) Boston Celtics, 4 to 1
The scrappy Celtics played tough at home, but Orlando showed why they're considered one of the best teams in the league, with Durant/Griffin hoping to do what previous tandems like Shaq/Penny and Nowitzki/Gasol couldn't. The Celtics' young team made some big plays, with Bob Bing in particular showing his shooting and rebounding prowess, but Griffin in particular was too good on the boards, scooping up tons of offensive rebounds in this series (including 13 in a frustrating Game 4 that saw the Celtics with a chance to tie the series up at two a piece but unable to deal with Griffin's 36 point, 24 rebound performance). The Magic would advance to the conference semifinals in a highly anticipated matchup with the 76ers.
Western Conference:
(1) Dallas Mavericks over (8) Golden State Warriors, 4 to 1
Kobe Bryant's final series would end mostly in disappointment, as his Warriors would be outmatched and defeated by Paul George and the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs played well all series long, and though the Warriors would win Game 4 (Kobe's final home game), they couldn't overcome the Mavs in Game 5, despite 53 points from Bryant in a 127-116 losing effort. The Mavericks looked extremely good against an inspired Warriors team, and would advance to round two.
(5) St. Louis Arches over (4) Los Angeles Clippers, 4 to 2
The talent-stacked Clippers, led by young Arvis Williams, couldn't overcome the Arches despite taking the first two games of the series. With their backs against the wall, St. Louis played incredibly well on their home court, energized by fans witnessing what they thought might be the team's last ever home games. Then, in Games 5 and 6, Giannis took over, guiding his team to a close Game 5 win on the road before routing the Clippers in Game 6 with 47 points. The Arches still had some fight in them, but would face a much stiffer test against the Mavericks.
(6) Minnesota Timberwolves over (3) Phoenix Suns, 4 to 3
The ragtag T-Wolves upset the Suns in a close seven game series, thanks to great play from Brook Lopez and Jonas Valančiūnas. The Suns, led by excellent rookie Jaylen Brown and white-hot scorer Kawhi Leonard (acquired in free agency from the Rockets, who had regressed significantly), showed a lot of the talent and skill that made them the #3 seed, but they couldn't overcome the Timberwolves, who played with heart and courage to take this one in seven.
(2) Los Angeles Lakers over (7) Seattle Supersonics, 4 to 3
It was definitely a rebuilding year for Seattle, who had Chris Paul and Karl-Anthony Towns, but not a whole lot else. Towns was excellent, finishing runner-up in the Rookie of the Year race, and Paul played great despite regressing a bit, but the Sonics could only manage the #7 seed. Despite that, they played the Lakers quite tough, wearing them down significantly, and it was only thanks to a gutsy performance from Anthony Davis in Game 7 that they were able to survive this series. The Lakers would move on to face the Timberwolves, who they hoped to dispatch a bit more easily.
Second Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers over (4) Chicago Bulls, 4 to 3
LeBron James was great in this series, but so was Stephen Curry, who played out of his mind and almost pulled off the huge upset. His three point totals for the seven games in the series: 10, 8, 17(!), 13, 17(!), 15, 12, indicate just how insanely well he played. He broke Michael Jordan's all time playoff record for scoring with 77 points in Game 5, which the Bulls won in overtime, 147-142, to take a 3-2 series lead. He then almost knocked off Cleveland in Game 6 with another ridiculous performance, scoring 68 points and putting his team ahead by three with just 7.2 seconds left, only for LeBron to make a driving dunk, steal the inbound pass, and make an assist to a wide open Westbrook at the free throw line for the game winning shot. This was one of the most insane playoff series in league history, though Game 7 was somewhat disappointing, ending with Cleveland winning 137-128 (it was close most of the way but didn't come down to the last minute).
(2) Orlando Magic over (3) Philadelphia 76ers, 4 to 0
In contrast with the thrilling Cavs/Bulls series, this series was a bit of a disappointment, though three of the games were fairly close. With Howard still dealing with lingering leg problems, the 76ers couldn't overcome Durant and Griffin, despite James Harden's best efforts. The defending champs were beaten with somewhat of a whimper, putting up a fight for most of the series but losing 114-108 in Game 4 to clinch elimination.
Western Conference:
(5) St. Louis Arches over (1) Dallas Mavericks, 4 to 3
Another crazy series, this one in the West, saw Giannis Antentokoumpo and Paul George dueling in seven tough, grueling games. It didn't have quite the fireworks of the Bulls/Cavs series, it was more of a defensive series that saw Paul George trying his best to contain Giannis while the two teams battled it out on the floor physically. There were numerous flagrants and technicals called in this series, two players on each team ended up getting injured for the remainder of the playoffs (including some key Arches role players), and it was a struggle all the way around. Mark Cuban even got a fine after Game 6 for criticizing the refs. The Arches would win Game 7 in somewhat of a rout, 101-77, after a demoralized Mavericks team just failed to perform well on their own home court, missing a ton of shots and ending up getting booed by their own fans in the fourth quarter.
(6) Minnesota Timberwolves over (2) Los Angeles Lakers, 4 to 2
More chaos in the West, as Minnesota knocks off the Lakers! This series saw a lot of sloppy play as well, most of it from the Lakers, with veteran Dwyane Wade making a few crucial mistakes down the stretch, especially in Games 4 and 6, while Minnesota's home crowd helped them to win all three of their home games in the series, taking a 3-1 series lead after the T-Wolves managed to steal Game 1. Minnesota played tough and hard all the way through, and their balanced team attack was too much for the Lakers to overcome, putting them in a winnable conference finals matchup with the Arches.
Conference Championships:
(2) Orlando Magic over (1) Cleveland Cavaliers, 4 to 3
This series, which many commentators considered to be the default NBA Finals, was tight and close all the way, with the Cavs and Magic trading games all series long. Cleveland took Game 1, Orlando took Games 2 and 3, then Cleveland took Game 4. The road team would win the last three games of the series, with Orlando winning a close 92-90 struggle in Game 5, and then Cleveland taking Game 6, 111-105. Game 7 would be back and forth all the way, neither team ever leading by more than eight, with Cleveland ahead through much of the first half, Orlando surging to a seven point lead in the third quarter, and Cleveland fighting back to take a 100-99 lead with 5:18 left in the fourth. It would essentially be LeBron vs. Durant the rest of the way, and Durant was just slightly better, edging out LeBron with some crucial shots and defensive stops that Cleveland just couldn't answer. In the end, the Magic would win, 115-111, and would advance to the NBA Finals to face a team that would be outmatched no matter who it was.
(6) Minnesota Timberwolves over (5) St. Louis Arches, 4 to 0
After all the sentimental hype surrounding the Arches' final season in St. Louis, and all the buzz surrounding Giannis, this series wouldn't be close at all. The Arches were banged up after their series with the Mavs, while Minnesota was mostly healthy and had a deep bench that helped them withstand Giannis' attempt to drag his Arches to the NBA Finals. Minnesota easily won the first two at home by double digits, and though the Arches made Game 3 sort of close, Game 4 was a blowout on the road, ending the Arches' time in St. Louis in spectacularly ignominious fashion. The St. Louis Arches would play next season as the Las Vegas Aces, while the Minnesota Timberwolves were headed to the NBA Finals for the first time ever.
2016 NBA Finals:
Orlando Magic over Minnesota Timberwolves, 4 to 0
It was thought that Minnesota might have a chance to win this series, due to being so well rested after the conference finals, while the Magic had played a grueling series against the Cavs. Instead, that grueling series just forged the Magic in fire, and the T-Wolves were totally outmatched, even at home. Durant played outstanding and easily won the Finals MVP, averaging 35 points and 13 rebounds and completely bullying players like Lopez and Valančiūnas. Blake Griffin chipped in as well, and Minnesota had no answer. It had been a fun ride for the team and its fans, but Cinderella's carriage turned into a pumpkin and burst into flames, while the Magic made the most out of the blockbuster trade that had given them their two All Star big men. The Magic had given up a lot to bring Durant and Griffin to Florida, but it had been worth it, at least for one season, and they'd be keeping their first rounder in 2016, the #30 pick overall.
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Speaking of picks, the 2016 NBA offseason and draft were somewhat muted compared to 2015. High school star Lonzo Ball looked to be the top prospect in the draft, beating out fellow high schoolers Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson, and Earl Phipps. Oklahoma's Buddy Hield also declared for the draft, after leading the NCAA in scoring. The Brooklyn Nets, a team that struggled with injuries in 2016 and missed the playoffs despite their stacked roster, lucked out and landed the #1 pick despite only having the 12th worst record in the league. They would take Ball, sending him to the glitz and glamour of New York City, while the NBA's worst team, the struggling Rockets, would select Josh Jackson, taking him over Fultz to pair him up with Damien Lillard in the hopes of forming a potent scoring combo. Markelle Fultz would surprisingly end up on the Indiana Pacers, who traded Klay Thompson to the Memphis Grizzlies straight up for the #3 pick rather than allowing Thompson to test free agency in 2017. The Pacers would keep hometown hero Gordon Hayward, hoping that they could anchor a young team around him. One notable player absent from the draft: Jayson Tatum, who decided to go to college and play for Duke after a strong appeal from Coach K. Tatum would end up becoming a four-year player at Duke, incredibly rare for someone of his talent level (though for good reason: Tatum would lead Duke to four straight titles, one for every single year he played there, and would enter the draft in 2020).
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The 2016 Summer Olympics in Johannesburg, South Africa was an exciting one for athletes and fans alike. It would be the first Olympic Games to be held in Africa and the first to be held in its host country's winter (the games took place in late August and early September). The South African authorities made a major push to modernize Johannesburg for the Games, building and updating dozens of facilities all around the city, and a few outside the city as well, with some events to be held in cities such as Cape Town. The Games, held 22 years after the end of apartheid, were a celebration of how far the country had come since then, and were also to be a celebration of the culture of South Africa. Nelson Mandela, who ITTL would survive until 2016, just long enough to witness his beloved country's first Summer Games, was present for the opening ceremony despite his frail health, receiving an enormous standing ovation from thousands of fans.
-Skateboarding returned to the Summer Games after its successful first appearance in 2012, and once again, Avril Lavigne was competing for her home country of Canada. At 31, she was definitely one of the older competitors in the women's half-pipe and freestyle events, but she still performed quite well, though she didn't win the gold: she ended up with a bronze medal in the half-pipe event, and this time, she wasn't sure if she'd be competing in a third Olympics, as she'd been injured twice in preparation for this competition. 20-year-old American skater Scott Shumpert dominated the men's competition, winning three gold medals, and was one of the major stars of the Games.
-In gymnastics (which plays out a lot differently from IOTL, since many stars such as Simone Biles have been butterflied away, leaving most of the major gymnastics stars of the 2016 and later Olympics as original TTL athletes), Nora Sendicott was the all-around gold medalist in the women's competition, also leading the American team to a gold medal as well. Sendicott, of course, was best known for being the person to expose the Larry Nassar scandal after attacking him back in 2010. Though 20 years old, Sendicott decided to forgo professional gymnastics for one more gold medal run in 2016, and won a narrow victory over fierce rivals from Russia and China. Sendicott would win three gold medals and would emerge as another major star (and would eventually end up dating skateboarding star Scott Shumpert after the conclusion of the Games, becoming one of the more intriguing celebrity romances of the next few years and into the 2020s).
-Reebok would make another attempt at a "Dan and Dave" campaign for the men's decathlon, when they would heavily promote track and field stars Ashton Eaton and Damian Warner against one another, though this campaign would also have a friendly "US vs. Canada" component to it as well, with Eaton being from America and Warner being from Canada. This campaign would be much more successful than the 1992 campaign was, with Eaton and Warner both finishing 1 and 2 respectively in one of the most competitive decathlon events ever (and would make the decathlon one of the most watched events of the Games in both countries).
-Golf made its return to the 2016 Games, as IOTL, but without the fear of the Zika virus as in OTL's games, most of the top golfers in the world, including Jordan Speith and Tiger Woods, competed in the event. Woods and Speith both did quite well, finishing 4th and 5th respectively but it was 21-year-old Chen Yengfang from China who ended up taking the gold medal. Stacy Lewis from the United States would win the gold medal in the women's event.
-China also won the men's basketball gold medal, in an upset victory over the United States in the gold medal game. Liu Fauzeng proved to be the star, helping to beat a men's team that was somewhat depleted due to LeBron James and Kevin Durant both declining to compete, wanting to focus on the upcoming NBA season. China would win 87-85 in a close but not really controversial finish: the Chinese team just played better, with Fauzeng scoring 40 points in the gold medal game. Brazil would win the bronze medal, knocking off Croatia in another tight contest.
-The vuvuzelas came out, despite attempts from the IOC to prevent their use as much as possible. They were quite audible in the soccer tournaments particularly, especially thanks to host nation South Africa making a deep run in the men's tournament, all the way to the semifinals, where they would lose to France. Brazil would defeat France in the gold medal game in men's soccer, with South Africa losing the bronze medal game to Germany. In women's soccer, the United States would defeat China in the gold medal game.
-Overall, China ended up taking the most overall medals, both in terms of golds (39 to the United States' 37) and overall (116 to the United States' 111) showing the continued rise of China on the world athletic stage. Host nation South Africa would finish quite high up in the medal count with 25 medals overall, including seven golds.
-The 2016 Summer Olympics in Johannesburg were quite successful. South Africa did spend a lot of money upgrading and building facilities for the games, but avoided the expenditures becoming an economic burden by making good use of the facilities in future athletic events, hosting many pan-African sporting competitions over the next 20 years using the new facilities, and also building interest in soccer and rugby in the country. The games did very well in the television ratings, creating a lot of brand new stars and a lot of memorable moments. The 2020 Summer Olympics would see a surprise return to Barcelona, Spain, which beat out Paris, New York, and Rio for the right to host its second Summer Olympics in 30 years. Officials cited Spain's surging growth in the past decade as well as the extremely successful 1992 games as factors in the return to the city.
