What is a good sports debate without a few “What ifs?”

The Jump asked that very question this week as Paul Pierce and Brian Windhorst joined host Rachel Nichols to re-write history.

First, what if the Celtics stayed healthy and not only won the 2008 Finals but repeated in 2009 and/or bested the Lakers again in 2010. How would that have changed Kobe’s legacy? According to Paul, the paradigm shift in Kobe’s legacy would’ve been monumental.

“I think we would have questioned could Kobe be the best player on a championship team,” Paul said. “We know he played with the most dominant player, but that was the question, could he win without Shaq? And that’s what he wanted to prove to himself.”

Nichols then flipped the script on Paul and instead took away Boston’s 2008 championship win over the Lakers, giving Kobe and the Lakers a second three-peat to match Michael Jordan with six championships. How would that have changed Kobe’s legacy?

“That three-year stretch…he was the best player in the league even though he only won one MVP during that time,” Paul said. “If he had beat us in 08, we’d be having GOAT discussions about him. But we got in the way I guess.”

It’s always fun to take a look back and re-write history. Watch below.