If you’re like the average sports fan, any leagues' playoffs are a confusing time for you. As more teams fall throughout the postseason, you find yourself not really caring about many of the matchups. Either your team has already been eliminated from the chase for this year’s championship, or you couldn’t care less about who wins. In case you find yourself in this position, I’m about to tell you exactly who you should be rooting on for the rest of this year’s NBA playoffs.
That being said, we can already remove the two title favorites, the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers, from my “who you should root for” rankings because, let’s be honest, hopping on one of the best teams’ bandwagon is one of the most annoying things you can do as a sports fan. With that in mind, a look at the remaining two teams makes it clear which team you should support moving forward.
The San Antonio Spurs would be a great choice for anyone to support if they enjoy sports being played at an unathletic and fundamental rhythm. In addition to their slow pace, they aren’t much fun to watch. They’ve won five of the last 18 championships, and I feel like it’s more fun to watch someone different win every now and then. On the bright side, they do have the NBA’s best and (in his own way) most entertaining coach, Gregg Popovich.
Their best player, Kawhi Leonard, just went down with a seemingly serious ankle injury because of what’s being referred to around the league as a “cheap play.” Losing Leonard makes the Spurs a huge underdog against the Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, which adds reason to root for the Spurs. If you enjoy rhythmic basketball and uncomfortably short end-of-the-quarter coach interviews, the Spurs are the way to go.
The Boston Celtics are a long-term investment pick. If you’re only looking for a quick fix because your team is out of the playoffs for the year, the Celtics could still be your team. The Celtics just finished winning a huge game seven against the very pesky Washington Wizards. The Wizards have one of the best back courts in the entire NBA, and they matched up very well against Celtics star Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas measures in at a mere 5’9,” which is reason enough to root for him. He’s 4-to-5 inches shorter than the average player at his position, yet he has still managed to play at an all-star level this season. He’ll spearhead a David vs. Goliath level matchup against Lebron James and the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Finally, the Celtics have the best remaining UF alumnus on their team. Al Horford was part of the Gators group that won back-to-back collegiate titles in 2006 and 2007, making him a UF legend. The NBA championship has so far alluded Horford, but this could be the year he makes his first NBA Finals. Stocked with Thomas, Horford and a plethora of role players who know how to step up in big moments, the Celtics are my “who you should root for” favorite.
Derik Gillingham is a guest columnist for the Alligator. He is a UF alumnus who graduated with a degree in sport management.
