NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Horns Up)

Last time on The New Millennium, lower teams in the Western Conference added talent, as the Pelicans drafted Andre Igoudala and the Spurs got a steal in Dwight Howard. With the likes of Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony already in the conference, will anyone be able to challenge the Lakers?





Western Conference

1. Denver Nuggets(47-35)
2. Houston Rockets(46-36)
3. Golden State Warriors(44-38)
4. Phoenix Suns(43-39)
5. Portland Trail Blazers(43-39)
6. Los Angeles Lakers(43-39)
7. Minnesota Timberwolves(41-41)
8. Utah Jazz(41-41)
9. Dallas Mavericks(40-42)
10. San Antonio Spurs(37-45)
11. New Orleans Pelicans(36-46)
12. Vancouver Grizzlies(35-47)
13. Seattle SuperSonics(33-49)
14. Los Angeles Clippers(29-53)
15. Sacramento Kings(27-55)


The West was wide open this year, with the top six teams only separated by four games. This lead to Denver claiming the top spot, and the Lakers and their struggling bench had their worst year thus far. One of the biggest stories of the year was the incredible performance of Carmelo Anthony(26.7 ppg, 8 rpg, 4.1 apg), who led the Warriors to the playoffs and became the youngest MVP in NBA history. The Timberwolves just snuck into the playoffs, mainly thanks to new addition Darius Miles, whilst the eight-seeded Jazz were led by another new star, Brett Moran(23 ppg, 1st time All-Star). The Spurs improved slightly with new rookie Dwight Howard, and the Pelicans continued their ascent up the standings. The Clippers disappointed big time, only winning eight games on the road, and the Kings somehow lost fourteen in a row to end the season as the worst team in basketball.




Eastern Conference

1. Chicago Bulls(62-20)
2. Milwaukee Bucks(52-30)
3. New Jersey Nets(49-33)
4. Toronto Raptors(49-33)
5. Atlanta Hawks(47-35)
6. Indiana Pacers(46-36)
7. Philadelphia 76ers(44-38)
8. Detroit Pistons(42-40)
9. New York Knicks(41-41)
10. Orlando Magic(39-43)
11. Washington Wizards(39-43)
12. Boston Celtics(38-44)
13. Cleveland Cavaliers(35-47)
14. Charlotte Hornets(33-49)
15. Miami Heat(29-53)


The Bulls dominated this year, shutting teams down with their aggressive and tenacious defense. The Bucks massively improved with new rookie Luol Deng, and LeBron was able to lead his Hawks to the playoffs for the first time in this alternate reality. The 76ers struggled after their Finals loss, slipping to seventh, whilst the Pistons just snuck into the playoffs, narrowly edging out the Knicks and their quality young guard Colin Braun(22.8 ppg, 5.7 apg). The Magic missed out on the playoffs, as Grant Hill has massively regressed the past few years, and the Cavaliers were the victim of the tough Central division. Rounding out the East are the Heat, who do have a good young star in Julio McDaniels(18.3 ppg), but lack quality at most positions.




Awards

MVP: Carmelo Anthony, Golden State Warriors
Rookie of the Year: Anton Kozlov, Toronto Raptors
Sixth Man: Jamal Mashburn, Charlotte Hornets
Defensive Player: LeBron James, Atlanta Hawks
Most Improved: Ulf Nojowitz, Philadelphia 76ers
Coach of the Year: Scott Skiles, Chicago Bulls



With the Lakers no longer a heavy favorite, can a new power emerge in the West? Do the Bulls, lacking any true star, have what it takes to win their first championship since 1998? Find out next time on The New Millennium!

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(The Alamo)

Last time on The New Millennium, the Los Angles Lakers were once again crowned NBA Champions, winning their second title in this alternate reality. Now, the offseason is upon us, and changes are coming.




Player Retirements

Those biding farewell to the NBA this year included Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, Reggie Miller, Rod Strickland, Mark Jackson, Sean Elliott, Danny Manning, Tim Hardaway, Gary Payton, Larry Johnson and Toni Kukoc. Pippen was the only player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.


Draft Lottery

Finally, after three years, the New Orleans Pelicans have won the lottery, earning the first pick in the draft. The Hawks will pick second, followed by the Spurs, Timberwolves and the Pistons round out the top five.


2004 NBA Draft

1. SG Andre Igoudala, New Orleans Pelicans
2. PG Devin Harris, Atlanta Hawks
3. C Dwight Howard, San Antonio Spurs(Henry's Note- I have no clue how Dwight fell this far. What a steal for San Antonio)
4. PG Brook Perry, Minnesota Timberwolves(generated player)
5. PG Jameer Nelson, Detroit Pistons
6. SF Gary Seymour, New York Knicks(generated player)
7. PF Josh Smith, Golden State Warriors
8. C Al Jefferson, Washington Wizards
9. PG Joseph Marion, Sacramento Kings(generated player)
10. SG Patrick Joseph, Vancouver Grizzlies(generated player)
11. SG J.R. Smith, Charlotte Hornets
12. SG Kevin Martin, Los Angeles Clippers
13. SF Luol Deng, Milwaukee Bucks
14. PF Willie Lewis, Boston Celtics(generated player)
15. PF Kelvin Beasley, Dallas Mavericks(generated player)
18. SF Trevor Ariza, Utah Jazz
19. C Emeka Okafor, Orlando Magic
21. PG Shaun Livingston, Portland Trail Blazers
40. SG Tony Allen, Sacramento Kings


Free Agency

A list of every player rated 80 overall or higher that switched teams in free agency:


SG Doug Christie, Utah Jazz, 2 years, 35 million dollars
SG Allan Houston, Houston Rockets(lol), 3 years, 65 million dollars
PG Brevin Knight, Golden State Warriors, 3 years, 52 million dollars
SG Raja Bell, Indiana Pacers, 3 years, 31 million dollars
C Mark Madsen, Phoenix Suns, 3 years, 18 million dollars
SF Al Harrington, Seattle SuperSonics, 3 years, 38 million dollars
C Vlade Divac, Utah Jazz, 1 year, 11 million dollars
PF Malik Rose, Utah Jazz, 2 years, 18 million dollars
SG Fred Hoiberg, San Antonio Spurs, 2 years, 16 million dollars


Way Too Early Predictions

NBA.com has a major west coast bias this year, with the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Grizzlies and Suns predicted to be the top five next year. The Spurs are projected to rebound, and the Pelicans and Timberwolves are in the top fifteen, as are the Hornets. The Bucks and Celtics are projected to the worst in the NBA next year, which could be good news for Boston at least, as potential franchise savior Chris Paul awaits in the draft pool.

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Downer Ending)

Last time on The New Millennium, Kobe Bryant began to establish himself as the best player of this generation, winning the MVP and leading the Lakers to the best record in the league. Who will claim the ultimate prize in the 2004 NBA Playoffs? It's time to find out.




First Round

Out west, the Lakers had no problems, beating Dallas by double digits in all three games of their sweep. Portland shut down the young Suns in another sweep, Utah used their experience to oust the Rockets and Denver narrowly survived in a rematch with Seattle. In the east, the 76ers got the job done, sweeping the Bulls to get their first playoff series win in this alternate reality. Yao Ming give Alonzo Mourning and the Heat plenty of issues, but Miami won in four, whilst former champs Orlando used some playoff magic to overturn a 2-0 deficit to eliminate the Nets in five. Toronto easily took out a lackluster Pacers squad to set up another match-up with the Magic in the second round.


Second Round

The 76ers kept rolling, losing only one game to the Heat. The Raptors and Magic pushed each other to the limit in their rubber match, going all the way to seven games. In Game 7, Vince Carter dropped 44 and Grant Hill missed all seven of his shots to pit the Raptors against the 76ers. Portland gave the Lakers all they could handle, overturning a 3-0 deficit before Shaq took charge in Game 7 to oust the feisty Trail Blazers. Joining LA would be the Jazz, who got a major upset over the Nuggets in yet another seven game battle.


Conference Finals

Toronto's dreams of their first championship were dashed quickly, as Philadelphia took them out in a swift five games. Young Richie Jackson, who had put together a great playoff run already, helped the Jazz push the Lakers all the way to their limit again. But in Game 7, Shaq and Kobe came to play, combining for 46 points and earning another shot at a title.


NBA Finals

In Game 1, Allen Iverson struggled, and the Shaq and Kobe duo were dominant, this time going for 57. Game 2 was a blowout, as Iverson put up 25 but had no help, whilst veteran Kevin Ollie had nice minutes off the bench and the Lakers cruised to a 28 point win.

Game 3 was a very close affair, and it was LA's three point shooting that was the difference, with Kobe nailing the winning three with seconds on the clock. In Game 4, with Kobe fouled out, Ollie couldn't handle AI, who went off for 41 points. But it was all for naught, as Ollie and Derek Fisher got the job done, and the Lakers lifted another world championship.

NBA Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant(24.8 ppg, 5 apg, .565 FG%)




Kobe continues to cement his legacy as one of the best to ever do it, winning both the regular season and Finals MVPs. For Philadelphia, after three years of disappointment and heartbreak, they finally put together a playoff run only to get demolished in the end, another tough end to the year. With Allen Iverson now turning 30 years old, how much more time do the 76ers have? Next time on The New Millennium, big names test the market and new stars enter the league.

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Fresh Beef)

Last time on The New Millennium, Atlanta got their franchise player in LeBron James, the Warriors brought back Antwan Jamison and drafted Carmelo Anthony, the Clippers added Dwayne Wade to their young core and AI got help in Philly in the form of Andre Miller. How will all of these moves effect the 2003-2004 season?





Eastern Conference

1. Philadelphia 76ers(54-28)
2. Toronto Raptors(51-31)
3. New Jersey Nets(48-34)
4. Miami Heat(48-34)
5. Cleveland Cavaliers(47-35)
6. Orlando Magic(46-36)
7. Indiana Pacers(46-36)
8. Chicago Bulls(43-39)
9. Boston Celtics(41-41)
10. Milwaukee Bucks(40-42)
11. Charlotte Hornets(38-44)
12. Washington Wizards(36-46)
13. New York Knicks(32-50)
14. Detroit Pistons(29-53)
15. Atlanta Hawks(17-65)


We start in the East this year, where most of the familiar faces are back for another run. The most surprising team to make it where the Miami Heat, who have a lacking roster overall but got a career year from Alonzo Mourning(16.1 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 3 blkpg). A surprising name to miss out where the Bucks, who were trying to re-sign Ray Allen all year, and were forced to free up cap space by trading big man Tim Thomas to Indiana. LeBron was the Rookie of the Year, but failed to get the Hawks out of the cellar.




Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers(57-25)
2. Denver Nuggets(52-30)
3. Houston Rockets(51-31)
4. Portland Trail Blazers(46-36)
5. Phoenix Suns(46-36)
6. Utah Jazz(45-37)
7. Seattle SuperSonics(41-41)
8. Dallas Mavericks(41-41)
9. Los Angeles Clippers(39-43)
10. Sacramento Kings(37-45)
11. Vancouver Grizzlies(37-45)
12. San Antonio Spurs(36-46)
13. Golden State Warriors(36-46)
14. New Orleans Pelicans(25-57)
15. Minnesota Timberwolves(25-57)


All Hail the Black Mamba. Kobe Bryant is the true face of the Lakers, winning his first MVP and leading the team to the best record in the NBA, as Shaq continues to regress. The Rockets had a great year, and the Suns finally made the playoffs, thanks to Jason Kidd and young Amar'e Stoudemire. Aging teams in Utah and Seattle held off the young newcomers, including the Clippers, who just can't fulfill their massive potential. And hey, the Pelicans are no longer the worst team in the west! Despite another great year from Kevin Garnett, the Timberwolves fell to rock bottom, and will desperately need help in the Draft.




Awards

(Henry's Note- I got the Rookie of the Year working, so that award will now be counted)


MVP: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Atlanta Hawks
Sixth Man: Donyell Marshall, Utah Jazz
Defensive Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
Most Improved: Edmund Cooper, Charlotte Hornets
Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers


With the addition of Andre Miller, the 76ers are once again atop the Eastern Conference. Can they finally win a playoff series on their fourth attempt? Can Kobe cement his legacy with his third ring? Can the Nuggets defend their championship? Find out next time on The New Millennium!

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Chosen One)

Last time on The New Millennium, the Denver Nuggets joined the Orlando Magic as first time NBA Champions, defeating the seemingly unstoppable Indiana Pacers. But now, the offseason is upon us, and brings with it an incredible draft class with some of the most promising rookies ever.




Player Retirements

The retirements this year included Kevin Willis, Charles Oakley, Dell Curry, Avery Johnson, Hersey Hawkins, Mitch Richmond, Ron Harper, David Robinson, Dan Majerle, Vernon Maxwell, John Starks, Dikembe Mutombo, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Arvydas Sabonis. Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame, as well as Karl Malone, which is odd considering he hasn't retired.


Draft Lottery

I'm beginning to think there's a conspiracy against the Pelicans, as for the third year in a row, in spite of being the worst team in basketball, they didn't win the lottery. Instead, the Hawks will pick first, the Warriors jumped up to second, the Clippers won big, jumping to third, and the Pelicans fell to fourth, with the Knicks selecting fifth.


2003 NBA Draft


1. SF LeBron James, Atlanta Hawks
2. SF Carmelo Anthony, Golden State Warriors
3. SG Dwyane Wade, Los Angeles Clippers
4. PF David West, New Orleans Pelicans
5. PF Nick Collison, New York Knicks
6. SG Lenny Park, Chicago Bulls(generated player)
7. SF Toni Petrovic, San Antonio Spurs(generated player)
8. PG Bob Gatling, Detroit Pistons(generated player)
9. SF Bert Felder, Boston Celtics(generated player)
10. SF Chase Hanson, Houston Rockets(generated player)
11. PG Jalen Kelly, Utah Jazz(generated player)
12. SG Daryl Berry, Phoenix Suns(generated player)
13. PG Luke Ridnour, Charlotte Hornets
14. SG Jake Potter, Miami Heat(generated player)
15. PF Brian Cook, Dallas Mavericks
24. C Darko Milicic, Toronto Raptors
42. SG Kyle Korver, Dallas Mavericks
43. PF Luke Walton, Phoenix Suns
48. C Kendrick Perkins, Seattle SuperSonics
49. C Zaza Pachulia, Philadelphia 76ers


Free Agency

A list of every player rated 80 overall or higher that switched teams in free agency:


PG Andre Miller, Philadelphia 76ers, 3 years, 76 million dollars
PF Antwan Jamison, Golden State Warriors, 2 years, 49 million dollars
SG Kerry Kittles, Boston Celtics, 3 years, 40 million dollars
PG Kevin Ollie, Los Angeles Lakers, 3 years, 29 million dollars


Andre Miller ditches Cleveland to join AI in Philly, finally providing some help for the embattled superstar. Antwan Jamison returns to Oakland to join new rookie Carmelo Anthony, and Boston and LA sign back-up guards. Overall, a much less impactful class than last year, but still interesting.


Way Too Early Predictions

NBA.com has doubled down on the City of Angels, once again predicting the Clippers and Lakers to lead the league. They have the Suns in third, as Amar'e Stoudemire is progressing nicely. The Spurs are predicted to bounce back, and the Hawks are in the top ten with LeBron. The Cavaliers are in the bottom ten and have a serious gap at point guard, while the Bucks and SuperSonics are strangely in the bottom two.

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Cold as Ice)

Last time on The New Millennium, the Indiana Pacers came from out of nowhere to emerge as the best team in the NBA, and Kevin Garnett won his first MVP. Who will claim the ultimate prize? It's time to find out.




First Round

In the West, the Lakers and Nuggets breezed through in sweeps, and the Grizzlies got pummeled by Kevin Garnett and Dikembe Mutombo. and Seattle got a big series from Shammond Williams to take out Portland. Out East, Allen Iverson couldn't do enough to beat the Pacers, and the Bucks and Nets had no problems against the Cavaliers and Wizards. In the much hyped rematch between the Raptors and Magic, Terry Wesley was the hero for Toronto, helping oust the reigning champs.


Second Round

The Pacers continued to have no problems, sweeping Vince Carter and the Raptors. In a tight seven game battle, the young Nets took out the Bucks, with Jason Richardson posting a triple double in Game 5. Out West, Marc Jackson played huge for the SuperSonics, holding Shaq in check as Seattle won in 5. In a great battle between top big men Antonio McDyess and Kevin Garnett, Denver took out Minnesota, as former second round pick Phil Doyle scored 32 in the decisive Game 6.


Conference Finals

Who can stop the Indiana Pacers? Certainly not the Nets, who went down in another sweep, with Reggie Miller turning back the clock in Game 4 with 19 points. Indiana has now lost only one game all playoffs, against the 76ers in the first round when AI dropped 46. In the West, the SuperSonics pushed the Nuggets to their limits, all the way to seven games. In Game 7, McDyess was a menace, blocking shot after shot to send Denver to the Finals.


NBA Finals

The Nuggets would steal Game 1 in Indiana, as young Shane Battier missed only one shot on his way to 20 points. Jalen Rose restored order in Game 2, dropping 30 to tie the series.

Game 3 went to the Pacers, as Antwan Jamison out-dueled McDyess this time in a narrow five point win. But Denver's big man responded in Game 4, scoring 24 and getting an extra 19 points from Nick Van Exel in a blowout.

McDyess and Jamison went to war again in Game 5, but McDyess was too much to handle, dropping 30 in a narrow win, stealing another game in Indiana.

In a very defensive Game 6, McDyess finally struggled, but Van Exel stepped up, dropping 25 crucial points. A late turnover by Jalen Rose sealed the Pacers' fate, as the Denver Nuggets lifted their first championship in front of their loyal fans.

NBA Finals MVP: Nick Van Exel(16.3 ppg, 11 apg)


In this alternate reality, the Nuggets will never draft Carmelo Anthony, but got a hell of a trade-off, winning their first championship. Just like last year, The New Millennium has given a franchise it's first ring, and we're still just getting started. Up next, big names test the market and new stars enter the league as the offseason is upon us.

NBA 2k19: The New Millennium(Setting the Pace)

Last time on The New Millennium, Cleveland was the biggest winner, drafting Yao Ming with the first pick and signing Paul Pierce in free agency. Chauncey Billups joined a stacked Clippers team hungry to make the playoffs, whilst Dirk Nowitzki left Dallas to head to the nation's capital. How will all of these moves effect the 2002-2003 season?




Western Conference

(Henry's Note- I've decided to use a different look for these season recaps, now showing every team and their record. Hopefully you like this more)


1. Los Angeles Lakers(55-27)
2. Denver Nuggets(53-29)
3. Vancouver Grizzlies(50-32)
4. Portland Trail Blazers(47-35)
5. Seattle SuperSonics(45-37)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves(43-39)
7. Sacramento Kings(41-41)
8. Dallas Mavericks(41-41)
9. Utah Jazz(41-41)
10. Phoenix Suns(41-41)
11. Houston Rockets(39-43)
12. Los Angeles Clippers(35-47)
13. San Antonio Spurs(33-49)
14. Golden State Warriors(24-58)
15. New Orleans Pelicans(13-69)


Taking a look through these standings, I want to address that logjam between seventh and tenth place. The reason the Kings and Mavericks made the playoffs is down to Utah's poor record in their division, and the Suns' poor record in conference games. New MVP Kevin Garnett dragged a very poor Timberwolves team into the playoffs, but Pau Gasol could not do the same for his disappointing Clippers squad. The Mavericks somehow made it in despite losing Dirk, as Joe Johnson stepped up, and the Lakers returned to the top with new addition Carlos Boozer.




Eastern Conference


1. Indiana Pacers(58-24)
2. New Jersey Nets(50-32)
3. Milwaukee Bucks(49-33)
4. Toronto Raptors(47-35)
5. Orlando Magic(47-35)
6. Washington Wizards(45-37)
7. Cleveland Cavaliers(45-37)
8. Philadelphia 76ers(45-37)
9. Miami Heat(44-38)
10. Charlotte Hornets(42-40)
11. Boston Celtics(38-44)
12. Detroit Pistons(38-44)
13. Chicago Bulls(33-49)
14. New York Knicks(27-55)
15. Atlanta Hawks(21-61)


Wow, just look at the Pacers go! After missing the playoffs in two consecutive years, they signed Antwan Jamison at the start of the season, and got a big year from rookie Justin Galloway to cruise to the best record in the league. For the second year in a row, we'll see the Raptors and Magic meet up in the first round, as Vince Carter seeks revenge. Dirk and Paul Pierce led their new teams to the playoffs, and Allen Iverson did just enough to sneak Philly in for their third shot at winning in the first round. Boston hurt their chances at a high pick with a surprisingly good year, as Antoine Walker scored almost 20 points a game, and the Knicks, just two years removed from a NBA Finals appearance, fell off a cliff.




Awards

MVP: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
Sixth Man: Fred Hoiberg, Houston Rockets
Defensive Player: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
Most Improved: Joe Johnson, Dallas Mavericks
Coach of the Year: Isiah Thomas, Indiana Pacers


Could we be heading for a rematch of the 2000 NBA Finals, with the Lakers and Pacers as the top team in their conference? Can Orlando retain their title? Can the 76ers finally win a playoff series? Find out next time on The New Millennium!