What player's legacy improves or declines if you reverse a key game of their career

[coastalmarker99]

For example, Ewing wins game 7 of the 1994 finals, or Kobe loses game 7 of the 2010 finals while shooting 6 out of 24 from the field. Or Wilt wins game 7 of the 1970 finals or the 1969 finals.

Here is another case of a player legacy improving massively if the outcome of a critical game changes. Isiah from the bad boys game 6 of the 1988 finals wins the finals MVP and title as the underdog on a sprained ankle against show time after scoring 26 points in a quarter.



Shaq 2000 wcf game 7 if the Lakers lose then they end up blowing a 3 1 lead to Portland. And maybe as a result of that Kobe and Shaq are broken up before 2004 meaning no three-peat and maybe the kings as a result of this happening win the title in 2002.


Kareem 1974 game 7 with a win then Kareem has seven rings and three finals MVPs along with 6 MVPs and has a far stronger goat case as a result.


Bird 1984 finals game 7 with a loss Bird ends up being 0 and 3 against Magic in the finals and ends his career with only two rings and one finals MVP.


Hakeem game seven against the suns in 1995 or game seven against new york.

[STATUTORY]

Lebron without the Ray Allen bailout and the Draymond league suspension stimulus is looking at a 1/9 finals record

[coastalmarker99]

Lebron without the Ray Allen bailout and the Draymond league suspension stimulus is looking at a 1/9 finals record

Lebron, in that case, Is out of the top ten of all time or at the very least can only be ranked as high as 8 to 10 all-time with one ring and one finals MVP along with his four MVPs as it removes his greatest achievement which was winning in 2016.

[SouBeachTalents]

Almost any elimination game past the first round significantly changes a players legacy. The biggest ones I can think of

Shaq 2000 WCF Game 7
Duncan 2005 Finals Game 7
Magic & Bird 1984 Finals Game 7
Magic & Isiah 1988 Finals Games 6-7
Hakeem & Ewing 1994 Finals Game 7
Kobe 2010 Finals Game 7
LeBron has a shit ton which I'm sure don't need to be specified

[FromDowntown]

MJ w/o Pippen?

1-9 for 15 years? Yikes

MJ drops from a top 12 to top 300 player all time

[RRR3]

I’d like to know what would have happened if LeBron won the following games. What I think would happen is in parentheses.

•Game 7 Vs. Detroit 2006 (probably lose to Heat)
•Game 7 Vs Boston 2008 (likely lose to Lakers team was ass besides LeBron)
•Game 6 Vs Orlando 2009 (Good chance at winning game 7 and beating the Lakers this time if his role players play ok. Peak Bron)
•Game 6 Vs Dallas 2011 (probably would have found a way to blow it the way he was playing let’s be honest)
•Game 1 vs. Spurs 2014 (if the Heat were up 2-0 who knows what happens? Very likely still lose tho)
•Game 4 Vs. Warriors 2015 (Up 3-1 I think LeBron takes it)
•Game 3 Vs. Warriors 2017 (Could have been a close series)
•Game 1 Vs. Warriors 2018 (He would have taken it to 6 games IMO which would have been truly incredible)

[Roundball_Rock]

2018 WCF Game 7 is the biggest one in recent years. The reputations of Harden, Paul completely change (with the knock being their PO record) if they win that one, which de facto decided the title.

[DMAVS41]

2018 WCF Game 7 is the biggest one in recent years. The reputations of Harden, Paul completely change (with the knock being their PO record) if they win that one, which de facto decided the title.

Harden for sure, but I don't see how the Rockets winning that game helps Paul. He didn't play.

I guess if he comes back in the finals and plays a big role or something, but that single game wasn't doing anything for Paul.

[Gohan]

2003 hornets vs sixers game 1 the greatest game of all time. Iverson would be changed forever

[imdaman99]

Westbrook game 4 of the 2012 Finals. He carried them and then commits a dumb foul at the end. If they win that, he gets the series back to OKC and I think they win in 7 and he's a legend and Kevin Durant does not leave and ruin basketball.

[SouBeachTalents]

2016 WCF Game 6 deserves mention, changed not only league history but the entire trajectory of the league for years to come

[Gohan]

Westbrook game 4 of the 2012 Finals. He carried them and then commits a dumb foul at the end. If they win that, he gets the series back to OKC and I think they win in 7 and he's a legend and Kevin Durant does not leave and ruin basketball.

Kevin didn’t ruin basketball lebron did it just didn’t work out as good as they thought

[tpols]

I can't believe 2016 game 7 hasn't been mentioned.

If Kyrie misses the GW and Curry can J on Kevin Love they'd be talked about as the greatest team of all time, instead of the worst choke of all time.

Or if Harrison Barnes could've shot 25% instead of 20%.

[Roundball_Rock]

Harden for sure, but I don't see how the Rockets winning that game helps Paul. He didn't play.

I guess if he comes back in the finals and plays a big role or something, but that single game wasn't doing anything for Paul.

Not the game itself but the big knock on Paul is his lack of playoff success and that argument would be hard to make if he won a championship, even as a #2. If they got to the finals and somehow lost then that wouldn't be much different than his current situation (unless he beasted in the finals) since the Rockets generally are viewed as the second best team of 18' anyway, just were in the same conference as the best team.

[SouBeachTalents]

I can't believe 2016 game 7 hasn't been mentioned.

If Kyrie misses the GW and Curry can J on Kevin Love they'd be talked about as the greatest team of all time, instead of the worst choke of all time.

Or if Harrison Barnes could've shot 25% instead of 20%.
Historically that was arguably the most significant game of the modern era, so much was at stake for both teams

[Roundball_Rock]

Historically that was arguably the most significant game of the modern era, so much was at stake for both teams

I think it is because KD ultimately won chips, Curry and co. won before and after, etc. The only player who potentially lost a chip directly due to that outcome is Westbrook. As far as a "butterfly effect" impact goes, yeah that is way up there, along with LeBron losing Game 5 on the ECSF in 10' and the role that played in the advent of the "player movement" era. But as far as that year, if KD has 3 rings instead of 2 or loses in the finals versus the WCF that doesn't change much for him. If Curry's team chokes in the WCF it isn't substantially different than doing the same in the finals (worse, but the memorable thing is the choke as a 73 win team, not the series it happened in).

[hold this L]

I can't believe 2016 game 7 hasn't been mentioned.

If Kyrie misses the GW and Curry can J on Kevin Love they'd be talked about as the greatest team of all time, instead of the worst choke of all time.

Or if Harrison Barnes could've shot 25% instead of 20%.

Yeah, it's this. 2016 was huge, that series still plagues Curry for example regardless of his achievements afterwards.

[DMAVS41]

Not the game itself but the big knock on Paul is his lack of playoff success and that argument would be hard to make if he won a championship, even as a #2. If they got to the finals and somehow lost then that wouldn't be much different than his current situation (unless he beasted in the finals) since the Rockets generally are viewed as the second best team of 18' anyway, just were in the same conference as the best team.

Oh yea, for sure.

But he'd have to actually play. He isn't getting rid of that knock if his team wins while he's hurt.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Rasheed game 7 VS LA

He's seen as capable of leading a team to a title and would've gotten the massive bulk of credit for Pistons success too

[Roundball_Rock]

Oh yea, for sure.

But he'd have to actually play. He isn't getting rid of that knock if his team wins while he's hurt.

True. You would think they couldn't win a finals with Paul not playing well but given how weak the 18' Cavs were compared to the Warriors or Rockets, as long as Harden played well the Rockets should have been able to win.

[pandiani17]

Of the mentioned, the Knicks-Rockets of the 1994 is one of the biggest ones, Ewing's legacy could be totally different and even Starks would be much more renowned and appreciated nowadays. The Blazers-Lakers conference finals of 2000 is also a big one, especially because I think the Lakers would make major changes in the summer, like trading Kobe. I haven't read the Sacramento Kings-Lakers game 7 of 2002, Webber could be in the greatest PF of all-time conversation if they won the series and then the ring. I would like to read some games from the 60s,70s and 80s. For example, game 7 of the 88 finals. If Pistons win that ring, they would threepeat. How would Isiah Thomas and co. be perceived?

[Vragrant]

Lebron without the Ray Allen bailout and the Draymond league suspension stimulus is looking at a 1/9 finals record

"suspension stimulus":oldlol:

Also I'd add game 7 of 2012 ECF. If Heat lose that game against Boston, there were rumours of Riley breaking up the team. Who knows if or when Lebron wins a title if that were to happen

[Axe]

If the 2016 thunder won in game 7 of the wcf instead of the overhyped 73-9 warriors team. That would be the best because kd wouldn't have left if that was the case.