What if the NBA Reset back to the 1997-98 Season?

Should the Grizzlies re-locate and where to?

  • Buffalo, New York (Yes, they should re-locate)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    4
  • Poll closed .
What If?

What if Jordan didn't win a 6th Ring?
What if Kobe left the Lakers?
What if KD went to Portland?
What if Derrick Rose never tore his ACL?
What if Melo went to Detroit?
What if CP3 went to the Lakers?
What if the Timberwolves drafted Curry?
What if Tim Duncan signed in Orlando?
What if James Harden stayed in OKC?

What if everything changed, we reset the NBA to the 1997-98 Season. What would happen? Join me on this 22 year journey and see how much the NBA changes. This will be a NBA 2K21 simulation. Let's do this
 
1997-98 NBA Season

Eastern Conference Standings:
New York Knicks 68-14
Chicago Bulls 60-22
Miami Heat 52-30
Milwaukee Bucks 51-31
Boston Celtics 49-33
Atlanta Hawks 46-36
Detroit Pistons 41-41
Washington Wizards 41-41

Western Conference Standings:
Los Angeles Lakers 61-21
Utah Jazz 56-26
Los Angeles Clippers 51-31
San Antonio Spurs 50-32
Portland Trail Blazers 48-34
Seattle SuperSonics 48-34
Sacramento Kings 44-38
Phoenix Suns 44-38

The big story in the New York Knicks, who have a very impressive 68 win season led by Patrick Ewing. But other than that, not much. Lakers have 61 wins, Nets and magic hire new coaches, Clyde Drexler is traded to Orlando for Bo Outlaw, Mark Price and Derek Harper are traded to Toronto for Alvin Williams

MVP: Karl Malone (Jazz)
ROY: Tim Duncan (Spurs)
6MOY: Toni Kukoc (Bulls)
DPOY: Shaquille O' Neal (Lakers)
MIP: Alan Henderson (Hawks)
 
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1998 NBA Playoffs

Knicks 3-0 Wizards
Bucks 3-2 Celtics
Heat 3-0 Hawks
Bulls 3-0 Pistons

Lakers 3-1 Suns
Spurs 2-3 Trail Blazers
Clippers 3-0 SuperSonics
Jazz 2-3 Kings

Knicks 3-4 Bucks
Bulls 4-3 Heat

Lakers 4-2 Trail Blazers
Clippers 4-3 Kings


1998 Eastern Conference Finals: Chicago Bulls v.s. Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1: Bulls win 110-104
The Bulls take game 1, but Ron Harper will be out for most of the series.

Game 2: Bulls win 115-93
Another easy game for the Bulls to win

Game 3: Bucks win 121-113 (OT)

This game went into OT, but they ultimately fall behind, a needed win at Home

Game 4: Bucks win 113-98
A very needed win. Now we will have a tiebreaker in Chicago

Game 5: Bulls win 102-96
Bulls take 3-2 series lead, Jordan has 27 and Pippen with 25

Game 6: Bucks win 127-119
Bucks win Game 6 at home. Game 7 in Chicago

Game 7: Bucks win 129-108
The Bulls lose! Milwaukee will be going to the Finals for the first time in 24 years

1998 Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers v.s. Los Angeles Clippers

Game 1: Clippers win 102-99
A very close game but the Clippers, led by Lorenzen Wright's 27 point, 6 rebound, 5 assist performance

Game 2: Clippers win 111-103
Another needed win, behind Rodney Rogers career-high 36 points

Game 3: Clippers win 106-104
A very close game but Rick Fox gets a offensive turnover in the last seconds, and the Clippers win.

Game 4: Lakers win 129-95
A very needed win, as the Clippers could have swept, Game 5 in Laker country

Game 5: Lakers win 94-93
A nail bitter as Nick Van Exel hits a free throw to win the game.

Game 6: Clippers win 106-93
Clippers win, advance on to there very first NBA Finals
 

Attachments

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NBA Finals: Milwaukee Bucks v.s. Los Angeles Clippers

Game 1: Bucks win 103-97
A close game throughout, the Bucks behind 2nd Year Star Ray Allen, with 32 points (12/32 being 3 point shots), and 4th Year Star Glenn Robinson, who had 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 12 assists.


Game 2: Bucks win 113-107
Another needed win for Milwaukee but Ray Allen suffers a twisted right knee, so that is bad. Bucks are up 2-0 as we go back to L.A.

Game 3: Clippers win 114-113
A very close game with Eric Piatkowski hitting a game winner. Bucks up 2-1

Game 4: Bucks win 93-92
Another very close game, as Michael Curry hits the game winning free-throw. Bucks up 3-1, chance to end the series at home

Bucks win 113-98

And so, with the return of Ray Allen, the Milwaukee Bucks win there 2nd NBA Championship, there first in 27 years.

1998 NBA Champions: Milwaukee Bucks (II)
Finals MVP: Terrell Brandon
 
1998 NBA Changes/Draft Lottery

Herb Williams, Xavier McDaniel, Sam Perkins, Magic Johnson (who attempted a comeback, was released by the Lakers, then never played again), Otis Thorpe, Buck Williams, Alton Lister, and Dominique Wilkins retire
Magic (and Probably Dominique) are to be inducted into the HOF in 2004
The Raptors move into the Air Canada Centre
HOF Class of 1998- Larry Bird, Jody Conradt, Alex Hannum, Marques Haynes, Aleksandar Nikolić, Arnie Risen, Lenny Wilkens, and Paul Silas.


Welcome to the coverage of the 1998 NBA Draft Lottery! We know go to the Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik

The 14th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Charlotte Hornets

The 13th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Philadelphia 76'ers

The 12th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Minnesota Timberwolves

The 11th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The New Jersey Nets

Everything going to plan so far

The 10th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Cleveland Cavaliers

That means the Mavericks have moved into the Top 4

The 9th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Indiana Pacers

The 8th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Toronto Raptors

The 7th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Denver Nuggets

The 6th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Golden State Warriors

The 5th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Denver Nuggets (via Houston)

So the Nuggets will have the 7th and 5th Picks, due to a trade with Houston

The 4th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Vancouver Grizzlies

The 3th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft will belong to: The Orlando Magic

The NBA will be expanding with the edition of the New Orleans Blues in the 1998-99 Season. Them, and the Dallas Mavericks will have a coin flip for the 1st Pick.

New Orleans will get to choose the side. They choose Tails. And it is..... Heads. The Dallas Mavericks will have the First Pick, followed by the New Orleans Blues
 
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Notes(As a big NBA fan)
Denver building around LaFrentz, Vince and whoever they get in 99(Andre Miller?) would be fun.
Dirk with Reggie Miller would be crazy good. How are you going to defend that?
Paul Pierce could go to Minnesota and play his whole career with Garnett.
This draft is probably the only really exciting one until 03.
 
NBA Armageddon with this season over, I forget if it was a strike or lockout since I wasn't a huge follower of it but... the jokes will come flying Clippers winning the conference Finals violated laws of physics and caused all sorts of strange stuff.

Now, where was this in the er reign of their previous owner, Donald Sterling? Was Elgin Baylor still around? If so, and Sterling gets really bad with how he treats Baylor and others, we could have the issues blow up over a decade earlier. So, you should have something about that in here.

After all, this is force people to actually care about the Clippers or at least noticed them. One reason he might have gone on for so long is that the Lakers cast such a huge shadow he could be ignored.
 
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Notes(As a big NBA fan)
Denver building around LaFrentz, Vince and whoever they get in 99(Andre Miller?) would be fun.
Dirk with Reggie Miller would be crazy good. How are you going to defend that?
Paul Pierce could go to Minnesota and play his whole career with Garnett.
This draft is probably the only really exciting one until 03.

As much as i would like the Pierce, and Dirk scenarios, the chances of Paul Pierce going 12th is unlikley. Although, he did go 10th in OTL, so maybe
The Denver scenario would be cool.
2002 might be cool because of Yao and A'mare but yeah you're right
 
NBA Armageddon with this season over, I forget if it was a strike or lockout since I wasn't a huge follower of it but... the jokes will come flying Clippers winning the conference Finals violated laws of physics and caused all sorts of strange stuff.

Now, where was this in the er reign of their previous owner, Donald Sterling? Was Elgin Baylor still around? If so, and Sterling gets really bad with how he treats Baylor and others, we could have the issues blow up over a decade earlier. So, you should have something about that in here.

After all, this is force people to actually care about the Clippers or at least noticed them. One reason he might have gone on for so long is that the Lakers cast such a huge shadow he could be ignored.
It was a lockout
Elgin was with the Clippers as a Executive. In public, Sterling doesn't really mention anything about Baylor, but the tension is definitely there behind the scenes. So probably around the time Elgin resigns from the Clippers will this scandal become huge.
Also I don't decide any of the stuff that happens in this simulation. Trust me I thought the Clippers winning the Conference Finals (especially over a prime Shaq and young Kobe) was ridiculous
 
It was a lockout
Elgin was with the Clippers as a Executive. In public, Sterling doesn't really mention anything about Baylor, but the tension is definitely there behind the scenes. So probably around the time Elgin resigns from the Clippers will this scandal become huge.
Also I don't decide any of the stuff that happens in this simulation. Trust me I thought the Clippers winning the Conference Finals (especially over a prime Shaq and young Kobe) was ridiculous

Thanks. Perhaps it could be argued it was a case of everyone banding together out of a combined animosity against Sterling.
 
Hey guys. Quick Update:

I will be posting the 98 Draft/Free Agency, 98-99 Season, 99 Playoffs/Finals, and 99 Offseason/Draft Lottery by the end of the week. I won't usually be posting on the weekends. Thank you all for patience.
 
1998 NBA Draft
General Motors Place, Vancouver, Canada

Welcome to First Round coverage of the 1998 NBA Draft on TNT. Let's not waste any time and go to Commissioner David Stern with the first pick

With the 1st Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Antawn Jamison, Power Foward from Xavier (Ohio)

With the 2nd Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Blues select Paul Pierce, Small Foward from Kansas

With the 3rd Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Bryant Lawson, Small Foward from Baylor

With the 4th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Vancouver Grizzlies select Dell Warren, Point Guard from New Mexico

With the 5th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets select Vince Carter, Shooting Guard from North Carolina

With the 6th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Mike Bibby, Point Guard from Arizona

With the 7th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets select Dirk Nowitzki, Power Foward from Germany

With the 8th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select Chris Hawkins, Point Guard from Mississippi

With the 9th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers select Antonis Alexandris, Point Guard from Greece

With the 10th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Guy Outlaw, Shooting Guard from Penn State

With the 11th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets select Philip Foster, Shooting Guard from Seattle University

With the 12th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Mitchell Stevenson, Shooting Guard from Nevada

With the 13th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76'ers select Victor Richardson, Point Guard from Boise State (6th Straight Guard Drafted)

With the 14th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets select Alton McNeal, Power Foward from Duke

With the 15th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Milos Dabanovic, Power Foward from Lithuania

With the 16th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Tommy O'Connor, Center from Illinois (First Center drafted)

With the 17th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Ramon Lopez, Center from Puerto Rico

With the 18th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select Marshall Reynolds, Shooting Guard from Michigan

With the 19th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Damian Humphries, Point Guard from Evansville

With the 20th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Seattle SuperSonics select Raef LaFrentz, Center from Kansas

With the 21st Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Portland Trail Blazers select Bernie Lane, Small Foward from West Virginia

With the 22nd Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Jason Williams, Point Guard from Florida

With the 23rd Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select Jackson Williams, Point Guard from Iowa State

With the 24th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select Raymond Greene, Point Guard from Evansville

With the 25th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Robert Henry, Shooting Guard from Houston

With the 26th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select Larry Hughes, Shooting Guard from St. Louis

With the 27th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Cuttino Mobley, Shooting Guard from Rhode Island

With the 28th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Benjamin Mercer, Small Foward from San Francisco

With the 29th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select Will Pierce, Small Foward from Central Florida

With the 30th Pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Bonzi Wells, Small Foward from Ball State

And that concludes our first round coverage of the 1998 NBA Draft. Good luck to all players and teams next season!


1998 NBA Free Agency

Michael Finley DAL-LAC
Steve Smith ATL-MIA
Glen Rice CHA-CHA
Grant Hill DET-DAL
Reggie Miller IND-NOB
Glenn Robinson MIL-HOU
Keith Van Horn NJN-NOB
Kevin Garnett MIN-MIL
Juwan Howard WAS-ATL
Shareef Abdur-Rahim VAN-SAC
Isaiah Rider POR-ATL
Stephon Marbury MIN-LAL
Steve Nash PHO-CHA
Tracy McGrady TOR-HOU
Muggsy Bogues GSW-MIN

And finally.... the breakup of the Bulls:
Bill Wennington CHI-MIA
Steve Kerr CHI-LAL
Luc Longley CHI-IND
Ron Harper CHI-MIL
Dennis Rodman CHI-SAC
Scottie Pippen CHI-TOR
Michael Jordan CHI-SAS
 
1998-99 NBA Season

Awards
MVP: Alonzo Mourning (Heat)
ROY: Antawn Jamison (Mavericks)
6MOY: Chris Mills (Mavericks)
DPOY: Alonzo Mourning (Heat)
MIP: Kobe Bryant (Lakers)
All-NBA First Team:
Allen Iverson
Jerry Stackhouse
Tim Duncan
Karl Malone
Alonzo Mourning

Eastern Conference Standings:
Boston Celtics 57-25
New York Knicks 56-26
Miami Heat 56-26
Milwaukee Bucks 53-29
Atlanta Hawks 51-31
Orlando Magic 47-35
Washington Wizards 43-39
Philadelphia 76'ers 42-40

Western Conference Standings:
Los Angeles Lakers 62-20
San Antonio Spurs 60-22
Utah Jazz 56-26
Sacramento Kings 54-28
Dallas Mavericks 52-30
Denver Nuggets 48-34
Golden State Warriors 48-34
Portland Trail Blazers 47-35

The Big Story in the East is the Boston Celtics, led by 2nd Year player Chauncey Billups. Other than that not much happens. Knicks, Heat, Bucks, and Hawks also race to 50+ wins. Dell Curry is traded to Portland, Kevin Willis is traded to Orlando, Pistons hire a new coach, and Alonzo Mourning wins MVP, DPOY, and the newest award, the Eastern Conference Player of the Year (ECPY).

The Big Story in the west is the San Antonio Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Michael Jordan. Also the Dallas Mavericks (led by ROY Antawn Jamison, and 6th Man of the Year Chris Mills), and the Los Angeles Lakers (led by MIP Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O'Neal). Also notable shout out to the expansion New Orleans Blues who came 10th in the West, led by Western Conference Player of the Year (WCPY) Keith Van Horn, Reggie Miller, and rookie Paul Pierce.
 
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1999 NBA Playoffs

Celtics 0-3 76'ers
Bucks 3-1 Hawks
Heat 3-2 Magic
Knicks 3-2 Wizards

Lakers 3-0 Trail Blazers
Kings 3-0 Mavericks
Jazz 3-0 Nuggets
Spurs 3-1 Warriors

Bucks 4-0 76'ers
Knicks 4-3 Heat

Lakers 4-3 Kings
Spurs 4-0 Jazz

Eastern Conference Finals: Milwaukee Bucks v.s. New York Knicks

Game 1: Knicks win 113-109
A very close game, but Kevin Garnett and Terrell Brandon will be out for the series.

Game 2: Knicks win 110-96
Another easy win, as the Knicks are up 2-0 as we head back to Milwaukee

Game 3: Bucks win 117-105
A needed win for the Bucks at home as KG drops 31 points and gets 17 rebounds

Game 4: Bucks win 109-103
Another needed win for the Bucks as Ray Allen drops 37 points (21 being 3's). Game 5 will be in NY

Game 5: Bucks win 112-87
A very important win for the Bucks behind Kevin Garnett's first ever playoffs triple double. The Bucks are up 3-2 as we go back to Milwaukee for game 6

Game 6: Bucks win 111-98
And so the Bucks win and advance on to the Conference Finals for the 2nd Year in a row

Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers v.s. San Antonio Spurs

Game 1: Lakers win 110-89
The Lakers take a easy game 1, even though Stephon Marbury and Robert Horry will be out for the rest of the season

Game 2: Lakers win 115-113
A very close game as Shaq hits a close shot to win the game. Lakers up 2-0 as we head back to San Antonio

Game 3: Lakers win 126-98
A needed win for the Lakers, as they now have a chance to sweep and make the Finals

Game 4: Lakers win 125-113
The Lakers win and end the series, in what could be Jordan's last game, he had 32 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block


1999 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers v.s. Milwaukee Bucks

Game 1: Lakers win 130-107
Shaq scores 35 in a win for the Lakers at home

Game 2: Lakers win 138-97

A blowout for the Lakers, as Kobe scores 41

Game 3: Bucks win 88-80
Bucks win a needed Game 3 at home

Game 4: Lakers win 104-97
A very needed game for the Lakers away. Game 5 is in Los Angles, with a chance to win

Lakers win 114-113
A very close win as Eddie Jones got a steal to win the series

1999 NBA Champion: Los Angeles Lakers (12th Title)
Finals MVP: Shaquille O'Neal
 
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I would be more interested in the thread if it was more realistic. For example why would Minnesota not match the restricted offer for KG? Or why are all the draft picks in a seemingly random order besides superstars going early?
 
I would be more interested in the thread if it was more realistic. For example why would Minnesota not match the restricted offer for KG? Or why are all the draft picks in a seemingly random order besides superstars going early?
Well i'll try to make it more realistic next time, but im experimenting with different ideas.
 
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