Man I really wish Oklahoma City was in the playoffs. It just looks like so much fun.
But since we’re not, who will you be rooting for? Everybody’s got that backup team that they’d like to see win if your team can’t. I would have said Portland until Jason Quick informed me that “OKC blows”. But you know what? I like Kobe. I don’t know why, but I just do. So I wouldn’t mind seeing the Lakers win. I would say the Jazz because I love Jerry Sloan and I’d love to see him get a title, but come on, they’ve got no shot. Also, for some reason I’ve always liked Mark Cuban, so the Mavs making a run would be all right with me. This year’s playoffs should be awesome and even though my team’s not involved, I’m still excited to watch. So who’s wagon are you jumping on?
(Also, Hardwood Paroxysm is hosting the TrueHoop Network Playoff Smackdown. My first round picks are in so click there if you want to know the correct picks. Because you know, I’m never wrong. Except in my March Madness pool where I finished fourth. Darn you Louisville.)
If it weren't for WGN I'd have never seen any NBA games growing up. But since the Bulls were on basic cable every other night, I watched about 4 or 5 full seasons of the Bulls. MJ and Pippen had me hooked on the NBA. I'm not sure I even knew other teams existed.
Same reason tons of people in Oklahoma are NY/Boston/LA fans. Those teams, for whatever sport, were the only ones we ever saw.
I hated MJ, remember the 96 finals??
@Bluestreak
During LA's threepeat the best player on the planet was a Laker, his name was Shaq! 3 finals mvp's say he was the head honcho. So to redo the count according to your logic: Shaq 3, Kobe 0.
@ Royce. I grew up watching the bulls too. I was one of the rare ones who, although I admired his talent and everything MJ brought to a ball game, I still rooted against him with everything in my being. I just always tend to root for the underdog (whoever I perceive that to be) if I don't have a particular affection for a team (i.e. if the Thunder were ever favorites to win it all). I find the Lakers to be like the Yankee's of basketball... so I just can't cheer for them!
@okcnba
Haha. See I don't have a lot of history hating the Lakers. When I was a kid they weren't all that great - it was all Bulls and how could you hate MJ? Then they got good with Shaq and Kobe and I didn't like them, but now it's all Kobe's team and I don't know, there's just something about him I like.
Though I'm really digging Derrick Rose right now. Man, he's good.
Shaq won three rings with the best player on the planet. Another ring with the third best player on the planet. So to redo your count. This will be Mambas first ring by himself, while Shaq has been unable to do it as the head honcho.
Not really, Shaq won Mamba's first three rings, so this would make 1 for Mamba, 4 for Shaq.
The Mamba is catching up in rings with Shaq this year...
Upon hearing of your Laker love I can no longer ethically, morally, or spiritually support this blog. Good luck in the future, and may God have mercy no us all. ;)
For some reason, I have a bit of a block rooting for the Hornets. While I love David West, CP3 and Byron Scott, it would just hurt to watch them celebrate a title while knowing that they very easily could have been doing it here. I want them to win, but at the same time, I feel like it would be bummer if they did.
I like Kobe too, and also don't know why. I hate Shaq and rooted against the Lakers back at the beginning of the decade, but now I want Kobe to get a ring. I don't know anything about the Nuggets outside of Melo, but I picked Syracuse in the 2003 tournament and he won me a couple hundred bucks, so I'll never say anything bad about him. Realistically, it's hard to imagine the finals being anything other than Lakers/Cavs, but I will be rooting for the Hornets.
Hate the FAKErs worse than anything. Any team that beats them makes me happy. Kobe is a punk.
I'm an Oregonian so I go with Portland. What's not to like about that team? I'll actually get to watch them now since they won't do blackouts on the playoffs.
When it's all said and done though, I'm thinking Cleveland.
Can't stand Kobe - he is a fake as you can get . . .
i'd like to see the cavs win. lebron's a great player, all he needs is a ring, he'll get his mvp's later on if not this year.
la la land.....
lakers/cavs
lake show in 6
gonna be sick
@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Best moment in Sasha Vujacic history... when Skip 2 my Lou did him up at the end of the Lakers-Rockets game last year. I loved it because I'm with you on disliking him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z_F9Zzyi6U&feature=related
I am rooting for Rockets because I am a Chinese; Piston because I am in Michigan. I am also rooting for Celtics for Ray Gun.
and I hope somehow someway somebody pulls an upset and take Cavs down before Final. I really HATE LBJ because of his character. I hate how he travels and pretent like it's crab dribble. I hate how he got away with so many calls (both ends of the floor). I hate how he told a fan in HK to F-off. The fan only wanted a autograph. I hate everything about him.
I seriously hope with Lakers Magic being competetive for a few years, Portland and many other team up rising, LBJ will never get a title in his career. I know it's pretty damn impossible, but please not this year.
I feel the same way about the Nuggets. Something about them just seems so nasty.
Can't stand Kobe. Phil Jackson is annoying. LOATHE Sasha Vujacic. Derrick Fisher is okay. Pau Gasol is cool. Jordan Farmar is cool.
The Nuggets are full of guys I find thuggish and distasteful. Mello, Nene, Martin. I do like Chris Anderson and JR Smith and Chauncey.
I like Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. As much as I like to watch Ginobli, I hate how he flops. Pop is the kind of guy I'd like to punch in the face for his ornery disposition and smart mouth. I dislike the attitude that Bowen always had when being so defensive about his unethical defense. Same for Robert Horry, who I always liked until he clocked Steve Nash.
Portland, I like that team up and down. They have a eye roller for a newspaper reporter, but I don't care about him.
I like how the Rockets have assembled their team. I can't stand Tracy McGrady, so if the Rockets win, I want them to do it with him on the bench. That really is what I'm hoping for.
I think Cuban made his bed with the whole Jason Kidd trade, and it would suit me just fine to watch him have to sleep in it. Also, his attitude with Avery sucked, and his overall involvement in the game itself bugs me. He takes losses personally, which it's cool to see a fan get to own a team and so on, but not when he's all drama and throwing a fit.
I like the Hornets. I love Chris Paul. I'd like to see them do well. Also, they're going broke, so a playoff run might help out.
I like Jerry Sloan. I like Derron Williams. I like their role players like CJ Miles and Paul Milsap and Ronnie Brewer and AK47. They play more on the rough side than the finesse side, but I'm okay with that. Now that Karl Malone is out, I'd be fine if they win.
I don't watch the eastern conference enough to have a favorite.
eh i'm the opposite on Kobe. Not saying he's not a great player but just don't like him.
@dork
I want the same Finals but the opposite way around. Again, I have no idea why, but I'm drawn to Kobe. I just love his killer instinct.
To be honest... I want a Lakers vs Cavs Final with the cavs comming out on top. :)