1980s Lakers and Celtics Swap Conferences

[Baller 24]

Let's say from Bird and Magic's rookie year and on the two teams (Lakers and Celtics) switched conferences. Meaning Magic's Lakers would be in the eastern conference, while Bird's Celtics would be in the western conference. What would be the likely outcome of each team in terms of success about a decade later (1990)?

Would that change the legacy of Bird and Magic in terms of accomplishments overall?

[Mean_Streets]

Lakers would have had a much harder road to the finals. They would have had to go up against very good teams like the Bucks, Sixers, & Pistons every year. I say the Lakers would have reached the Finals in '80, '82, '84, '85, '86, '87, & '88. While the Celtics would have made the finals every year from 1980-1988.

That means we would have seen the Celtics vs Lakers in the Finals 7 times in the Finals as oppose to 3.

[JordansBulls]

Let's say from Bird and Magic's rookie year and on the two teams (Lakers and Celtics) switched conferences. Meaning Magic's Lakers would be in the eastern conference, while Bird's Celtics would be in the western conference. What would be the likely outcome of each team in terms of success about a decade later (1990)?

Would that change the legacy of Bird and Magic in terms of accomplishments overall?

Celtics get to the finals a little bit more than they did, but they still lose a few series out west. Celtics managed to lose in '80, '82, '83, '88 with HCA.

[shawngoat23]

The Celtics go to the Finals every year from 1981 to 1988, barring an upset like Rockets over Lakers in 1986. Unfortunately for the Rockets, the 1986 Celtic team was probably the greatest of all time, so that's not happening.

The Lakers aren't getting stopped in 1985 or 1987. Anything else is fair game though, and I assume that if they weren't able to make the Finals in the West in a given year, they wouldn't be able to make it in the tougher Eastern Conference. They lost to the Rockets in 1986, so I would expect the Bucks or Sixers to take them out that year. They probably win in 1980, but it's no sure thing. In 1982, they'd face the Bullets, Sixers, and Celtics, a more dangerous slate than the Suns, Spurs, and Sixers, so that might swing the other way. In 1988, rather than facing the Spurs, Jazz, Mavericks, and Pistons (who they beat by 3 in seven games), they'd face a tougher slate of the Knicks, Bulls, Pistons, and Celtics, I think that's very likely to swing the other way.

But hey, that's why the play the games, and that's how great players cement legacies for themselves.

[TMACFORMVP]

I agree with shawn, the Celtics would be in the finals nearly every year barring any major upset. And the Lakers experience slightly less success.