[(OC] What if the NBA eliminated the last-place franchise after each season?
Unlike a normal NBA standings table, every season is recalculated using only games played between franchises that were still alive at the beginning of that season.
For example, after Denver is eliminated in Year One, every future game against Denver is removed from the standings. This process is repeated after every elimination.
Because surviving teams sometimes play different numbers of counted games, teams are ranked by winning percentage rather than total wins.
The elimination tiebreakers are:
Franchise relocations and name changes count as the same franchise. The Vancouver Grizzlies become Memphis, Seattle becomes Oklahoma City, New Jersey becomes Brooklyn and the original Charlotte Hornets become the New Orleans Pelicans.
Idea came from this: https://np.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/9g6ss9/oc_what_if_the_nba_eliminated_the_lastplace/
The experiment begins with all 29 existing franchises.
The Denver Nuggets go 11–71 against the other active teams. Since every franchise is still active, this is simply their real record.
Denver is permanently eliminated.
The real Finals remain intact, and the Bulls defeat the Jazz.
Eliminated: Denver Nuggets — 11–71
Games against Denver no longer count.
The Vancouver Grizzlies finish 7–39 against the remaining franchises. Their real record was 8–42, meaning Denver accounted for one of Vancouver’s eight victories.
Vancouver is permanently eliminated before it can move to Memphis.
The Spurs defeat the Knicks in the Finals.
Eliminated: Vancouver Grizzlies — 7–39
The Los Angeles Clippers go 13–61 in games against surviving teams.
Donald Sterling is forced to stop owning an NBA franchise fourteen years early.
The Lakers defeat the Pacers in the Finals.
Eliminated: Los Angeles Clippers — 13–61
The post-Jordan Chicago Bulls finish 14–62 against active franchises.
The dynasty did not merely end. The franchise itself lasted three additional seasons and then disappeared.
The Lakers defeat the 76ers in the Finals.
Eliminated: Chicago Bulls — 14–62
The Golden State Warriors go 12–56.
Golden State is permanently removed. There will be no Steph Curry dynasty, no 73–9 season, no Kevin Durant decision, etc.
The Lakers defeat the Nets to complete their three-peat.
Eliminated: Golden State Warriors — 12–56
The Cleveland Cavaliers go 12–58 against surviving franchises.
Cleveland disappears several months before drafting LeBron James. Akron’s most famous teenager is now somebody else’s problem.
The Spurs defeat the Nets in the Finals.
Eliminated: Cleveland Cavaliers — 12–58
The Orlando Magic finish 17–50.
Orlando is permanently removed. Dwight Howard never becomes a member of the Magic either.
The Pistons defeat the Lakers in the Finals.
Eliminated: Orlando Magic — 17–50
The NBA adds the expansion Charlotte Bobcats, temporarily increasing the league from 22 surviving franchises to 23.
The Atlanta Hawks go 12–50 against those teams.
Atlanta is permanently eliminated.
The Spurs defeat the Pistons in the Finals.
Eliminated: Atlanta Hawks — 12–50
The Portland Trail Blazers finish 15–45.
Portland disappears one year before beginning the process that eventually leads to choosing Greg Oden over Kevin Durant. Maybe that’s a good thing, and their owner can’t move them away 20 years from then.
The Heat defeat the Mavericks in the Finals.
Eliminated: Portland Trail Blazers — 15–45
The Boston Celtics go 17–41 against the other surviving franchises.
Boston is permanently eliminated one season before winning 66 games and the championship.
Kevin Garnett is presumably informed that anything is possible except playing for the Celtics, because they no longer exist.
Cleveland was the real Eastern Conference champion but was deleted four years earlier. Detroit reached the conference finals, making it the replacement.
The Spurs defeat the Pistons.
Eliminated: Boston Celtics — 17–41
This is where the entire timeline turns.
The Miami Heat and Seattle SuperSonics both go 12–42 against surviving franchises.
They split their two games:
Their head-to-head record is tied 1–1, so the aggregate score decides it:
By one point, the Seattle SuperSonics are eliminated. Up 7 with 25 seconds left, Ricky Davis makes a 3 point play after running down the clock to save his franchise from elimination, in the end, this gets them a huge amount of championships and Finals appearances, Ricky Buckets is Miami’s hero!
Seattle never moves to Oklahoma City. The Thunder never exist. Miami survives and will spend the next two decades making Seattle regret that one additional missed free throw.
Boston was the real champion but was eliminated the previous season. Los Angeles was the real runner-up, while Detroit went furthest among the surviving Eastern teams.
The Lakers defeat the Pistons.
Eliminated: Seattle SuperSonics — 12–42
The Sacramento Kings go 8–42 against surviving teams.
Sacramento is permanently eliminated. The franchise avoids its future 16-year playoff drought by replacing it with an infinite playoff drought.
Orlando was the real Eastern champion but no longer exists. Miami went 3–4 in the first round, giving it the best surviving Eastern postseason result.
The Lakers defeat the Heat.
Eliminated: Sacramento Kings — 8–42
The New Jersey Nets finish 7–44.
The Nets are permanently removed. Brooklyn never gets a team, the disastrous Boston trade never happens.
Boston was again the real Eastern champion but were deleted. Milwaukee took Atlanta to seven games and had the best postseason among surviving Eastern franchises.
The Lakers defeat the Bucks.
Eliminated: New Jersey Nets — 7–44
The Toronto Raptors go 10–37 against active teams.
Toronto is permanently eliminated. Canada’s entire NBA experiment ends with Andrea Bargnani rather than Kawhi Leonard, which feels unnecessarily cruel.
The real Finals remain possible.
The Mavericks defeat the Heat.
Eliminated: Toronto Raptors — 10–37
The expansion Charlotte Bobcats finish 3–32.
Charlotte is permanently eliminated after seven seasons. The Hornets name never returns to the city.
The real Western champion was Oklahoma City, but the Seattle franchise was eliminated in 2008. San Antonio reached the Western Conference finals and automatically replaces it.
The Heat defeat the Spurs.
Eliminated: Charlotte Bobcats — 3–32
The New Orleans Hornets go 11–30.
New Orleans is permanently eliminated just before becoming the Pelicans. The Pelicans therefore never technically exist.
The real Finals remain intact.
The Heat defeat the Spurs.
Eliminated: New Orleans Hornets — 11–30
The Milwaukee Bucks finish 8–28.
Milwaukee is permanently eliminated during Giannis Antetokounmpo’s rookie season.
The real Finals remain unchanged.
The Spurs defeat the Heat.
Eliminated: Milwaukee Bucks — 8–28
The New York Knicks go 7–26.
The Knicks are permanently eliminated.
Both real finalists have already disappeared: Golden State was removed in 2002 and Cleveland in 2003.
Houston reached the Western Conference finals. Washington reached the Eastern Conference semifinals and had the deepest run among surviving Eastern teams.
The Rockets defeat the Wizards.
James Harden wins his first alternate-universe championship.
Eliminated: New York Knicks — 7–26
The Philadelphia 76ers finish 4–24.
The Process ends with the team being processed out of the NBA.
Golden State and Cleveland are gone again. Miami and San Antonio both reached the second round.
The 67-15 spurs triumph.
The Spurs defeat the Heat.
Eliminated: Philadelphia 76ers — 4–24
The Los Angeles Lakers go 8–23 against the ten other franchises.
The Lakers are permanently eliminated one year before LeBron’s final Cleveland season and two years before their Anthony Davis trade.
Golden State and Cleveland were the real finalists but were eliminated long ago. San Antonio reached the Western Conference finals, while Washington reached the second round.
The Spurs defeat the Wizards.
Eliminated: Los Angeles Lakers — 8–23
Entering 2017–18, the surviving franchises are:
The Dallas Mavericks go 6–20 against the other nine teams.
Dallas is permanently eliminated immediately before drafting Luka Dončić.
Houston reached the Western Conference finals. Indiana went 3–4 against Cleveland and had the best surviving Eastern postseason.
The Rockets defeat the Pacers.
Eliminated: Dallas Mavericks — 6–20
The Phoenix Suns finish 3–19.
Phoenix is permanently eliminated one season after drafting Deandre Ayton instead of Luka.
Toronto won the real championship but was eliminated in 2011. Golden State was eliminated in 2002.
Houston reached the second round. Indiana and Detroit were both swept in the first round, but Indiana’s superior real regular-season record wins the final tiebreak.
The Rockets defeat the Pacers for the second consecutive year.
Eliminated: Phoenix Suns — 3–19
The Bubble season produces a surprisingly respectable last-place team.
The Washington Wizards finish 6–11 against the seven other survivors.
Washington is permanently eliminated.
The Lakers won the real championship but were eliminated in 2017. Houston reached the second round and becomes the Western representative.
Miami’s real Finals run remains valid.
The Heat defeat the Rockets.
Eliminated: Washington Wizards — 6–11
Seven teams remain.
The Detroit Pistons finish 2–12.
Detroit is permanently eliminated.
The real finalists were Milwaukee and Phoenix, but both have been erased. Utah reached the second round, while Miami was swept in the first round.
The Jazz defeat the Heat.
Utah wins its first championship in franchise history.
Eliminated: Detroit Pistons — 2–12
The Houston Rockets go 2–13 against the other five franchises.
Three years after winning consecutive alternate championships, Houston is permanently eliminated.
Golden State and Boston were the real finalists, but neither exists. Miami reached the Eastern Conference finals. Utah lost in the first round.
The Heat defeat the Jazz.
Eliminated: Houston Rockets — 2–13
Five franchises remain:
The Indiana Pacers finish 2–8.
Indiana is permanently eliminated two years before its real-world Finals appearance.
Denver won the real championship but was the first franchise eliminated from this universe. Miami was the real runner-up and remains alive.
Minnesota lost in the first round but was the only surviving Western playoff team.
The Heat defeat the Timberwolves.
Eliminated: Indiana Pacers — 2–8
Four teams remain.
Their records against one another are:
The San Antonio Spurs are permanently eliminated during Victor Wembanyama’s rookie season.
Boston won the real championship but disappeared in 2007. Dallas was the real runner-up but disappeared in 2018.
Minnesota reached the Western Conference finals, while Miami lost in the first round.
The Timberwolves defeat the Heat.
Minnesota wins its first championship.
Eliminated: San Antonio Spurs — 2–7
Three teams remain:
Their records against one another are:
Utah’s two wins are not enough because its .333 winning percentage is worse than Miami’s .500.
The Utah Jazz are permanently eliminated.
Oklahoma City won the real championship, but the Seattle franchise disappeared in 2008. Indiana was the real runner-up but disappeared in 2023.
Minnesota reached the Western Conference finals. Miami was swept in the first round.
The Timberwolves defeat the Heat for a second consecutive championship.
Eliminated: Utah Jazz — 2–4
Two franchises remain:
They play twice.
Minnesota 125, Miami 115
The Timberwolves take the lead in the final season series.
Minnesota 122, Miami 94
Minnesota completes the sweep.
Final standings:
| Team | Record | Point differential |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2–0 | +38 |
| Miami Heat | 0–2 | −38 |
Miami is permanently eliminated.
The Knicks won the real championship, but they were removed in 2015. San Antonio was the real runner-up, but it was removed in 2024.
Minnesota reached the Western Conference semifinals, while Miami missed the playoffs. Minnesota therefore also wins the automatic replacement championship.
Eliminated: Miami Heat — 0–2
THE MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES ARE THE SURVIVOR
The Minnesota Timberwolves are the last remaining NBA franchise.
They finish the experiment by winning three consecutive alternate championships and then permanently deleting their final opponent.
| Franchise | Championships |
|---|---|
| San Antonio Spurs | 7 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 6 |
| Miami Heat | 6 |
| Houston Rockets | 3 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 3 |
| Chicago Bulls | 1 |
| Detroit Pistons | 1 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 1 |
| Utah Jazz | 1 |
The most important game in this universe was apparently a November 2007 Heat–SuperSonics game watched by approximately eleven people.
Miami turned survival by one aggregate point into 6 championships and fourteen Finals appearances.