Over the next five-plus weeks, I am going to simulate a total of 576 games between 63 of the last 65 NBA champions as well as the nine ABA champions. It's a lot of information to pore through, though I'm not going to try keeping stats again this time since it's just too much. Tracking game results, however, is doable.
A couple weeks or so ago I unveiled the official tournament field of these 72 teams and their combined schedules. After going through this grueling gauntlet, only 32 are going to remain.
To minimize workload on a given day for me, our fictional arena staff, and the players themselves, I'm splitting each of the 18 rounds of the double round robin group play in half, so four of the eight groups will play their scheduled games or receive their scheduled byes each day. This schedule was randomly generated, so there will be some back-to-backs scheduled here; it was unavoidable. With two byes sprinkled in for each team, combined with built in off days as a result of those back to backs, it shouldn't be bad. Each team will play 16 games over the course of the next 36 days, which from a little research is a fairly standard regular season workload.
To kick off the tournament, Groups A, C, E, and H will open their schedules. The remainder will tip off tomorrow. To find these results, I am going to try to work with each team's roster to get the best possible lineups out on the floor, while also making sure to manage minutes to not exhaust anyone, especially with back to backs factoring into the schedule. All simulations are provided by WhatIfSports.com. Good luck to our competing teams, and let the NBA/ABA Tournament of Champions begin!
Group C
'08 Boston Celtics 99, @ '05 San Antonio Spurs 91
The Spurs blew a 10 point fourth quarter lead, but actually led late until Ray Allen hit a game-tying three with 1:49 to play. Tony Parker hit a jumper shortly afterward to retake the lead, but then Boston scored the final ten points of the game to grab the win in the first game of the tournament. Paul Pierce had 27 points to lead the Celtics, Kevin Garnett added 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Ray Allen chipped in 15 points. Tony Parker led all scorers with 29 points for the Spurs, while Tim Duncan's 21 point, 17 rebound night came in a losing effort.
'81 Boston Celtics 115, @ '99 San Antonio Spurs 94
The Celtics shot a blistering 55.8 percent from the floor and led almost wire to wire in a dominating performance. Larry Bird had a triple-double of 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists to lead Boston, Rick Robey poured in 18 points off the bench, and Kevin McHale came off the bench to add 16 more. Tim Duncan had 19 points and 13 rebounds to pace the Spurs, David Robinson chipped in 16 and seven, and Avery Johnson finished with 10 points, the only other Spur in double figures.
The Colonels pulled off what can likely be considered an upset, with Louie Dampier hitting the go-ahead jumper with 48 seconds to go. The Lakers also missed 12 free throws for the game, costing themselves an opportunity to start the tournament on the right foot. Artis Gilmore proved up to the Tournament of Champions challenge with 18 points and 19 rebounds, Bird Averitt had 21 points, and Wil Jones added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Kentucky. Shaquille O'Neal had a game-high 28 points to go with 14 rebounds for the Lakers, Glen Rice added 18 points, but missed a three at the buzzer, and Kobe Bryant had an excellent all around game of 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
@ '56 Philadelphia Warriors 122, '68 Pittsburgh Pipers 116
We got a barnburner in a
Group H
I had a feeling this one was going to get ugly from the get-go. The Heat held New York to just 33.3 percent shooting and used a 26-12 second quarter edge to turn this one into a laugher. LeBron James was magnificent with 34 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, Chris Bosh added 16 points, and Mario Chalmers and Ray Allen each added 11 points for Miami. Dave DeBusschere led the Knicks with 16 points and eight rebounds, Earl Monroe added 15 points, but most startling was the combination of Walt Frazier and Willis Reed combining for just 11 points and 14 rebounds.
@ '10 Los Angeles Lakers 104, '94 Houston Rockets 85
The Lakers used a 13-2 run to help build a 33-15 lead after one quarter and never looked back in their opener, forcing 18 turnovers while committing only seven. Kobe Bryant had 27 points to lead all scorers, Andrew Bynum added 16 points, and Lamar Odom had a great game off the bench with 15 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles. Otis Thorpe had 18 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Rockets, Hakeem Olajuwon added 18 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists, Mario Elie chipped in 14 points off the bench.
@ '57 Boston Celtics 119, '71 Milwaukee Bucks 117
This one is a stunner. Boston led by 10 after three quarters but had to survive a furious fourth quarter rally. Milwaukee cut the lead to one multiple times, but couldn't get over the hump, with Kareem's last gasp runner with six seconds left hitting off the front of the rim. He had 28 points and 12 rebounds but committed seven turnovers in the loss. Oscar Robertson added 21 points, five rebounds and eight assists, while Greg Smith finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Bucks. Bill Russell had 21 points and 21 rebounds, including crucial back to back offensive putbacks late in the fourth quarter to help keep Boston in front. Tommy Heinsohn added 23 points and nine rebounds, and Bob Cousy finished with 15 points, 11 assists, and four steals.
@ '03 San Antonio Spurs 115, '80 Los Angeles Lakers 94
The Spurs hit seven of 14 threes, which likely accounts for most of the difference in this game along with control of the glass and taking care of the ball. Tim Duncan had 21 points to lead San Antonio, and got 20 points and seven assists from Tony Parker to back him up, while David Robinson was effective in limited action with 10 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Kareem had 15 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five blocks to pace the Lakers, Jamaal Wilkes added 14 points, and Magic Johnson had 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists off the bench.
Group E
'92 Chicago Bulls 98, @ '77 Portland Trail Blazers 97
Michael Jordan nearly wore goat horns in this one with two late turnovers as the Bulls nearly let a seven point lead with two and a half minutes slip away, but Maurice Lucas missed a turnaround with just two seconds left, and Bill Cartwright pulled down the rebound to run out the clock. It was a quiet day for MJ, relatively speaking, as he managed just 18 points, but had eight rebounds and eight assists. Scottie Pippen picked up some slack with a triple-double of 12 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists, while Horace Grant added 17 points and 14 rebounds. Maurice Lucas had 24 points and eight rebounds for the Blazers, while Bill Walton finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks.
@ '69 Boston Celtics 118, '61 Boston Celtics 111
Our first paradox game saw the older Celtics hold the younger Celtics to just 32.8 percent shooting, but the '69 team struggled at the line, though it didn't cost them the game. Bailey Howell had 25 points and 10 rebounds to pace '69 Boston, while '69 Bill Russell had 13 points, 22 rebounds, four blocks, and four steals in the win. Tommy Heinsohn had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead the '61 team, while '61 Russell finished with 11 points and 26 rebounds.
'82 Los Angeles Lakers 123, @ '53 Minneapolis Lakers 93
The '53 Lakers' reward for winning their first four games in Tournament of Champions history and sneaking into Group Play is a 30 point beatdown by Showtime, which forced 22 turnovers and shot 56.2 percent from the floor. LA jumped out to a 36-20 lead after one quarter and never looked back. Kareem led the way with 29 points, Michael Cooper chipped in 18, and Norm Nixon finished with 14 points and eight assists. James Pollard led Minneapolis with 18 points, George Mikan had 17, and Vern Mikkelsen had the lone double-double for his team with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Last year's top Elimination Stage seed picked up where they left off: draining threes and kicking butt. The Warriors led 37-21 after one quarter, partially thanks to a 13-33 day from beyond the arc as well as making more free throws (26) than Boston attempted (21). Steph Curry had 31 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, Klay Thompson added 30 points, and Draymond Green had 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Bill Russell led the Celtics with 21 points and 17 rebounds, Bill Sharman added 14 points, and Maurice King had an improbably 17 point day off the bench thanks to a 5-7 day from beyond the arc.
Group A
Kenny Smith's dunk midway through the fourth quarter capped a Houston comeback from down five to start the quarter, and they held off the Celtics late, with a Hakeem Olajuwon split of a pair of free throws turning out to be the key difference. He finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks, but Clyde Drexler had a monster game with 30 points and 12 rebounds, and Otis Thorpe chipped in 15 points and 14 rebounds. Dave Cowens had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Celtics, John Havlicek added 17 points, and Jo Jo White chipped in 16.
@ '91 Chicago Bulls 100, '06 Miami Heat 85
This matchup looks familiar, only this time the result flipped. Chicago shot 53.9 percent from the floor while holding Miami to just 40.5 percent with the Bulls pulling away late. Michael Jordan had 25 points to lead the way for the Bulls, while Scottie Pippen added 15 points and 11 rebounds. No other Bull hit double figures, but everyone else scored between three and eight points. Shaquille O'Neal took advantage of the matchup to the tune of 23 points and nine rebounds, while Dwyane Wade scored 19 points, but turned the ball over eight times.
@ '14 San Antonio Spurs 102, '70 Indiana Pacers 84
The Spurs held Indy to just 36.3 percent shooting and shot nearly 50 percent themselves en route to an opening win. San Antonio trailed by as many as 11 early in the third quarter, but used a 16-2 run to turn the tide and take control of the game. Tim Duncan was limited by foul trouble, but had 11 points, seven rebounds and six blocks to help control the game. Manu Ginobili had 16 points, while Tony Parker had 12 points and nine assists. It spoiled a 26 point, 25 rebound, four block, four steal night for Mel Daniels, while John Barnhill added 13 points for the Pacers.
'83 Philadelphia 76ers 111, @ '72 Los Angeles Lakers 107
Philly shot 52.8 percent from the floor, and got Clint Richardson to hit the go-ahead basket with 4:32 left, and the Sixers didn't trail from there on out. Moses Malone led the way with 25 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Sixers, Andrew Toney had 25 points, and Julius Erving added 19 points and nine rebounds. Gail Goodrich led the Lakers with 19 points, while Wilt Chamberlain added 12 points and 16 rebounds and Jerry West chipped in 12 points and 10 assists.
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