If the outcome of one finals was reversed, which one would change history the most

[coastalmarker99]

In terms of our current perceptions of teams/eras/players, but also how much the course of events might have changed if the series went the other way...

First ones that occur to me


1962 Baylor wins a title and as a result the Lakers due to finally overcoming Boston in the finals win some of those very close finals they lost in the 1960s.




1993: Chuck wins a title, MJ doesn't try to play baseball

1995 Shaq and Penny win a title and as a result Shaq stays with the Magic.

1998 - Stockton and Malone finally win a ring, MJ goes 5-1 in the Finals. Maybe MJ doesn't go for a second retirement,


2000- Reggie wins a title and as a result of that Kobe and Shaq break up earlier before 2004.


2004: Kobe has 6 titles, Malone and Payton get rings, maybe Shaq stays in LA


2007: Media narrative for Lebron completely changes, maybe he stays in Cleveland and some FA's move there to play with him


2008. Kobe has two three-peats. the big 3 Celtics never get a ring.


2011 - Heat three-peat and Wade finishes his career with 4 finals MVP's and 4 rings while Dirk retires with zero rings.


2012 The Okc big three stay together and LeBron gets roasted for another year for not being able to get a ring and Bosh gets traded or Spo gets fired.

[coastalmarker99]

2012 is the most interesting one to think about for me personally.


How does Lebron and the Heat front office react to coming up short in back to back finals?



Are both Wade and Bosh traded for someone such as Dwight in the 2012 offseason?



Does OKC become the team of the 2010s instead of the Warriors if they keep Harden after winning the 2012 title?



As the Warriors would have been going up against in 2015 and 2016 A big three of Harden Westbrook and Durant all of whom would have been in their primes.

[coastalmarker99]

If the Heat win in 2014 to complete a three peat does LeBron still go home?

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Kobe winning in 08 - I don't think this does much because 00-02 would still be known as shaqs rings. It could make Kobe as a clear top 5 on more people's list like a magic Johnson I guess? Still not goat level like Jordan or as good as kawhi


90s stars and 2000s stars losing to Jordan and shaq/Kobe -

Barkley/Malone legacy massively improve and are in the top 20 goats like Dirk. However, Reggie Miller with a ring is still only like a Paul pierce level player at best.


Shaq staying in Orlando - his legacy actually drops because he would be stuck with no co star from 99-2004 and probably. His legacy in the 90s wasn't anything special, he had one memorable year in 95 and couldn't even win a finals game.

- Dirk losing in 2011 he would drop down all the way from top 20 to top 40 range where the other chokers like Malone and Ewing and Chris Paul are at.

[LAL]

Ray Allen's shot/Duncan's miss & Kyrie's shot.

[Axe]

@Gohan go tell them what could have happened in 01.

Anyway, 2010 could have belonged to the celtics and it would be a huge boost to doc's legacy for avoiding a blown series lead in the finals.

[Gohan]

If iverson won in 01 hes Easily a top 3 player of all time, EASILY

[000]

2016 Finals G3. Stephen Curry erupts for 49 instead of the 19 he actually scored. Series ends in a decisive 4-0 Warriors sweep. Curry averages 29 while his sidekick averages 15/3/2 on 40% fg, solidifying his top 10 spot. Lebron commits suicide. Kyrie goes to live as a hermit in the Rocky Mountains. Kevin Love continues being Kevin Love.

[pandiani17]

Actually, I think most of them would change the narrative a lot. You can see that in OP's examples.