NBA Throwback Sim Results: 10 – 1

Divisions: Southeast | Atlantic | Central | Southwest | Northwest | Pacific

Rankings: 30 – 21 | 20 – 11

NBA Throwback Improvements

Once the simulations had been ran, we needed to figure out a method for comparing the improvement of each team. One thing we looked at heavily was the difference in regular season wins between the current roster and with their “new” player in the rotation. Next, we looked at how often they made the playoffs, won the championship, and appeared in each round in between. Finally, we took into consideration the individual accolades accumulated by the NBA Throwback player such as All NBA teams, MVPs, and Finals MVPs. Based on all three levels of improvement, we’ve ranked each NBA Throwback player’s added value to their team.

NBA Throwback Ranked

10. Phoenix Suns: Shawn Marion

With players like Charles Barkley and Steve Nash available in this player pool, throwing Marion in the mix may not have been a popular decision. However, he we are in the Top 10 of most value added. The Suns already averaged the most assists in the league, have a young and growing All Star rebounder, and one of the most unstoppable scorers in the lead. What they lack is defense, leadership, depth, and experience. Marion provided most of that in his five runs with the current Phoenix squad. The Suns averaged more than 14 wins per game more with Marion on hand than without. The current roster made it to the playoffs once in 20 tries, while Marion led his team to two Conference Finals in five tries. His four All-Defense Appearances are just icing on the cake; Marion turned this team into a legitimate threat.

9. Washington Wizards: Elvin Hayes

The Wizards are one of the few teams benefited by their returning injured players as much as their NBA Throwback player. This team basically acquired John Wall and Hayes. This duo was able to lead their team all the way to a Finals appearance after the current squad only made the playoffs 35% of the time. Hayes made the All-NBA 3^rd Team all five years with the new look Wizards, and they won an amazing 15 more games per season with Hayes in the fold.

8. Cleveland Cavaliers: Mark Price

Price is an often overlooked All Star in NBA history, but he proved his worth in this experiment. Without Price on hand, the Cavs only won 38 games per season and only made it as far as the second round of the playoffs one time. The newly acquired Price took Cleveland all the way to the Finals in only five tries. The Cavs point guard was able to take his team’s current roster further than Michael Jordan could take the current Bulls. Let that sink in. Price also found himself on four All-NBA 1^st Teams and one All-NBA 2^nd Team. As unexpected as this one may be, Price landed his squad firmly in the Top 10 of this experiment.

7. San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan

The Spurs struggled heavily with their current roster, only make the playoffs three times in 20 sims. Only once did they reach the Conference Finals, and that was as far as they made it. Once Duncan was in the fold, they made it all the way to the Finals, winning their only appearance and giving Duncan another Finals MVP. Duncan also piled up five straight 2^nd Team All-NBA honors along with three 2^nd team All-Defensive honors. Maybe most impressive of all, Duncan led the Spurs to an average of 12.9 more wins per season than the current roster achieved.

6. Portland Trailblazers: Clyde Drexler

Portland provided another easy decision. Bill Walton was the only true competition, but the fit wasn’t there with the bounce back of Hassan Whiteside and Jusuf Nurkic returning from injury for this simulation. Drexler jumped right into action winning two MVPs, five All-NBA honors, and leading his team to upwards of 16 additional wins per season. While the current Blazers missed the playoffs 20% of the time, Drexler found himself in the Finals at the exact same rate of 20%. He won the Finals MVP award for the lone title in five runs, cementing his place on this NBA Throwback list.

5. Orlando Magic: Penny Hardaway

After managing less than 36 wins per season with their current roster, Penny Hardaway led the current Orlando squad to an elite 54 win average in five attempts. That’s an 18 win per season difference. Although Penny was unable to lead the Magic to their first championship, he was able to get them to the playoffs all five years after only making it five times in 20 tries with the current team. He also led the team to two conference finals, something the current roster never achieved on their own. Penny made an All-NBA Team four out of five years: once on the 1^st team, twice on the 2^nd team, and once on the 3^rd team. The Magic may not have become an elite contender, but Penny helped them as much as any of their NBA Throwback players could have.

4. Los Angeles Clippers: Bob McAdoo

Already a clear title favorite, the Clippers filled their biggest weakness: a powerhouse big man. Throughout the regular simulations, the Clippers made the playoffs every single season. They advanced to the finals 12 times and won six championships, more than any other team throughout the simulation. The addition of McAdoo made this team next to unstoppable. In five attempts, they advanced to the Finals every single season, only losing the championships once. They increased their average season wins by 14, breaking 70 wins three times in five tries. They even broke the regular season record with 75 wins in a season.

McAdoo racked up several accolades during the sims, including three MVPs, three Finals MVPs, and three 1^st Team All-NBA honors, along with two additional 2^nd Team All-NBA honors. This team was already a powerhouse, but McAdoo took them to a next-to-unstoppable level.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett

D’Angelo Russell taking his pick of Kevin Garnett rolling to the hoop and Karl-Anthony Towns popping out to the top of the key? This is a trio any coach would kill for. Without Garnett available, the Timberwolves didn’t make the postseason once with 32.5 wins per season in a brutal Western Conference. When Garnett was added to the rotation, not only did the team never miss the playoffs, they never missed the second round. In only five tries, KG led his team to two Finals Appearances and went 1-1, earning Minnesota their first title. The Big Ticket made an All-NBA Team and an All-Defensive team in each of his five seasons. The only knock on his NBA Throwback resume was D’Lo winning Finals MVP in their lone championship.

2. Golden State Warriors: Wilt Chamberlain

This was my pick to be the best team in the simulation, and I wasn’t far off. A healthy Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson teaming up with Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget the most statistically dominant player of all time in Wilt. Chamberlain led this Warriors team to a ridiculous 18.7 more wins per season than the current roster achieved. They never missed the Western Conference Finals and only missed out on the Finals one time in five runs.

Once they made it to the biggest stage, the Warriors didn’t lose. They went a perfect 4/4 on championships. Wilt managed to win two regular season MVPs and one Finals MVP. He was also named to four All-NBA Teams and three All-Defensive Teams. It’s not hard to imagine why this Super Team landed so high on this list, but Wilt wasn’t as dominant as #1 on our list.

1. Miami Heat: Alonzo Mourning

Perhaps the most surprising placement on this list, Mourning took the current Heat squad to unimaginable heights. The team averaged an astounding 19.2 more wins per season with Mourning in the lineup than without. During the current roster sims, the Heat made the playoffs 18 out of 20 times, but never made it out of the first round. Not once. With Mourning in the fold, Miami made the Finals 4/5 times, winning two championships in their four appearances. Mourning finished his five runs winning all five MVPs, five All-NBA 1^st Teams, five All-Defensive 2^nd teams, and two Finals MVPs. Mourning turned a fringe threat into a nearly unbeatable powerhouse by himself. He earned his place at the top of this list.