If you had to narrow it down to one what-if per franchise, which one makes the cut?

I’ll give examples using the team I support (the Celtics):

Injuries - KG’s injury in 2009. The Celtics had a scorching start to the season, but lost in 7 to the Magic. KG’s absence let Dwight loose on the boards, & the next year when they did make the finals the Big Ticket had clearly lost a step.

Deaths - Len Bias in 1986. Red Auerbach had drafted a potentially transcendent player to back-up the greatest frontcourt in the history of professional basketball. Instead, a cocaine overdose killed him hours after being drafted No. 2.

Draft Picks - Kedrick Brown in 2001. Know who the Celtics had wanted to draft? Tony Parker. Unfortunately then-GM Chris Wallace was overruled by Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach.

Suspensions - Ime Udoka in 2022. Just months after taking the Celtics to the NBA finals, the former Spurs assistant was suspended for inappopriate relations with a female employee.

Made/missed shots - Artest’s 3-pointer in 2010. I will always believe we’d have stolen that game if Ron Artest Metta World Peace doesn’t drive that dagger through our hearts.

  • lialialia20BEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    what ifs are painful for the Bulls: MJ retiring and D.Rose injuries being the biggest

    for other teams i think a big what if is the Spurs keeping Kawhi but a less talked about one is paying the 3m clause to bring Scola to the NBA in 2002. the Spurs had Malik Rose, Horry, Massenburg, Nesterovic, Sean Marks, Matt Bonner, Oberto, McDyess, Nazr Mohammed and other big guys trying to fit with TD and none of them did a great job besides Horry for some short stints during the playoffs.

    Scola did well as soon as he entered the league and already started all games in his second year. by the third year he was averaging 16.2pts 8.6reb and 2.1ast in a contending team proving he could pair up with dominant big men. meanwhile SA never had a big men to pair up with TD like he did in the late 90s with Robison that came even close to Scola’s level of production. the closest one might be Splitter in the 12-13 season where he posted 10.3pts 6.4reb 1.6ast

    i think the Spurs win at least one more title with Scola in those years, a title for 3m seems a pretty good deal.