Quick Update - Playoff Rooting Index

Sorry for the recent lack of posts, everyone. Things have been pretty busy this last week, but look for another List of Greatness post Sunday or Monday. Possibly Saturday if I get lucky, but don't get your hopes up. Also, the Lakers absolute sucktitude recently has gotten me into kind of a funk basketball-wise. I mean, I knew it was coming, I just hoped it wouldn't be until next year. (I'm a Lakers fan, if you were wondering. You can blame a combination of Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, the Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, and my father if you're wondering why I root for the Lakers. I should probably explain that fully in a later post.) If you're wondering who I'm hoping wins this thing, besides "anyone but Miami," if the Lakers don't win, here's the list:



1. Lakers - obviously
2. Grizzlies - I always pull for the underdogs if I don't have a rooting interest, and no dogs are more under than these guys
3. Mavericks - I've always kind of had a soft spot for Dirk (despite him demolishing Los Angeles right now... German bastard...), and I'd really like to see him take home a title while he's still "the man" in Dallas. Especially after the way he got bent over a barrel in the 2006 Finals. And if it helps Jason Kidd get one, too, all the better.
4. Bulls - I'm not really a fan of Noah (I kind of hate him actually) and I'm pretty ambivalent towards Boozer, but I love Rose. I love the way he plays, how hard he works, everything. Well, not everything. I don't like his "I'm 15 and I'm going to try to grow a mustache" look he's insisting on trying to pull off. But other than that, awesome dude. I also always root for Kyle Korver, since he went to school in my home state of Nebraska. Yes, he went to Creighton, not my alma mater, but I don't get a lot of chances to root for Nebraska alums in the NBA. (Eric Piatkowski, Mikki Moore, and Tyronne Lue ringing any bells for anyone?) So, I'm going to count it.
5. Hawks - I really don't care about the Hawks. It's the quintessential "meh" team. They just do nothing for me.
6. Thunder - I dunno why, but I just can't get behind them. I like Durant. A lot. He's an amazing player. On basically any random team, I'm sure I'd root for him. But I think it's just the way everything I read or hear about the Thunder is some journalist or analyst who just can't wait to give Sam Presti a reacharound and is anxiously waiting for someone to bring some kneepads so he can finish the job off right. Yeah, it's a good team. He made smart moves. I get it. He got lucky, too. Can we move on already? Or at least wait until they win something? (I'd also be way more inclined to root for this team if it was the Sonics. The way that whole thing went down just still leaves an unbelievably sour taste in my mouth.)
7. Celtics - Yes, "The Decision" bumped the Celtics from the "always last" spot on my rooting list. That just feels wrong. Thanks for that, LeBron.