The Year After

A look at the "year after" from NBA teams after losing an all-time NBA great in their prime:

• Bill Russell
• Final year with Celtics - Wins a ring. 
• First year without him - Miss playoffs with 34-48 record.
• Wilt Chamberlain
• Final year with Warriors - Lost in NBA finals
• First year without  him - Miss playoffs with 17-63 record.
• Final year with 76ers - Lost 7 game series in Conference Finals to Bill Russell
• First year without him - First round playoff exit losing 4-1.
• Final year with Lakers - Lost in NBA finals.
• First year without him - First round playoff exit losing 4-1.
• Magic Johnson
• Final year with Lakers - Lost in NBA finals
• First year without him - First round playoff exit losing 3-1.
• Michael Jordan
• Final year with Bulls (before coming back)- Won a ring.
• First year without him - Bulls were one questionable call away from moving on to the Conference Finals.
• Shaquille O'Neal
• Final year with Lakers - Lost in NBA finals
• First year without him - Miss playoffs with 34-48 record.
• LeBron James
• Final year with Cavaliers (before coming back) - Lost 6 game series in second round.
• First year without him - Miss playoffs with 19-63 record 
• Final year with Heat - Lost in NBA finals.
• First year without him - Miss playoffs with 37-45 record

PS - Some names I didn't include because they were far past their prime when they left their teams, so it would be an unfair comparison to see their "final year" compared to the "year after" (Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, etc....)

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Before seasons mixed with after seasons