What NBA team is your guilty pleasure, and why?

RetractableRoof

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Maybe not guilty pleasure, but after your favorite team is there another team that you enjoy watching more than others? Maybe it's style of play, maybe it is simply one player, maybe it is team defense, maybe it's the alternate jerseys...

One from the past and one from today please.

Mine:
For a long time it was San Antonio for me. I love to watch passing, love to watch team basketball, love to see a team be more than a sum of it's parts. When they took down Lebron and the Heat in the finals, I was just giddy. A thread here on SoSH containing arguments about that Heat team being the best ever was put to bed by the Spurs in a heart beat.

Probably in the captain obvious category, but I do enjoy the passing, the surgical precision of the current Warriors team when playing well (how could anyone not?). Watching Curry do his shooting thing, even warm up, with a child like exuberance is just a thing to behold. I don't get to watch a lot of their games due to time differences, but when I do, it is fun.

Who am I missing out on?

Edit: people are mentioning them so links to a favorite YouTube clip/link seems like a good thing.
 
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Myt1

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The Heat. I liked Wade a lot as a college player (and I hate college sports), and an old roommate is from Miami, so we went a couple of times when I was in town.

Plus, fighting the Knicks is fun.
 

Kliq

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It's changed over the years. As a kid I really liked the Ray Allen-led Supersonics, and I really liked the Warriors when they had Jason Richardson; the We Believe team was amazing for middle school Kliq.

Today it's OKC. Westbrook is my favorite non-Celtic player and the team right now is so athletic and plays so hard; it's not always the prettiest game but it's a lot of fun to watch.
 

The Social Chair

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As a kid I loved the Barkley Suns and then the 96-97 Iverson Sixers.

The Nuggets and Mavericks now (would be the Kings if we didn't have their pick).
 

slamminsammya

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I really liked those Nuggets teams with JR Smith, Carmelo, Birdman, Nene, old Billuos. They gave the Lakers a good series back in 2008 if I recall correctly. And the immortal Linas Kleiza!
 

Beomoose

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As a kid I was way into the Barkley suns for a bit. I really pulled for Miller's Pacers for awhile, call that the Bird effect. If Seattle ever gets their stolen team back, in whatever form, I'm gonna be pulling for them to at least be decent and will be mighty pleased whenever they beat OKC.
 
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mauf

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Watched a lot of the 95-96 Bulls because my girlfriend had WGN, and there weren’t 2 or 3 games per night on cable back then like there are now. That was Jordan at his absolute pinnacle — he had developed that Bird-like sixth sense he didn’t have earlier in his career, but hadn’t lost half a step yet, plus he was hungrier than usual during the regular season after two years off.

The NBA 2K series has reminded me of some other teams I might otherwise have forgotten, and has allowed me to introduce those teams to my son. The early 90s Blazers were a lot of fun. Jerome Kersey would be a beast in today’s NBA. The Stockton-Malone Jazz were also fun; too bad those two never had much of a supporting cast. It’s hard to believe a contender gave major minutes to a guy like Mark Eaton — the game has certainly changed.

Today. it’s either the Warriors or the Thunder, for the reasons @RetractableRoof and @Kliq have already stated. Gun to my head, I guess I’d pick the Dubs — like those Bulls 20+ years ago, you know you’re watching history.
 

god loves the sox

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Love the Nuggets in the 80’s with high powered offense. Issel, English & Kiki V all ready to shoot as soon as they crossed half court.
 

lovegtm

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I started getting into basketball right when the Rockets started their run. I couldn't get enough of Dream, and that 2nd championship run is still one of my favorite sports memories.
 

bigq

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I started getting into basketball right when the Rockets started their run. I couldn't get enough of Dream, and that 2nd championship run is still one of my favorite sports memories.
Rockets for me as well. Olajuwon in the post was damn near impossible to stop for a time and his low post moves were so athletic. He and McHale were my favorite post players of all time. And the way he schooled a young Shaq in the finals was a joy to watch. He even drilled a three in the clinching game against the Magic - a shot he rarely attempted.

Today I’ll go with the Trail Blazers. Their back court is pretty dynamic and exciting to watch.
 
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lovegtm

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Do people actually like Westbrook? He seems pretty unlikable to me - hunting for triple-doubles, taking lots of bad long-range shots when he's not a good outside shooter, etc.

I guess my guilty pleasure is the Hawks, because I'm guilty of having been raised in a baaaad sports city.
I remember the days as a kid when the Braves were the Evil Empire to me haha
 
I remember the days as a kid when the Braves were the Evil Empire to me haha
Not to derail the thread or anything, but the Braves were the Buffalo Bills except for the one year they won the World Series - when I was on my year abroad studying in Scotland and wasn't able to watch a single pitch of the postseason.

(And the Braves being good doesn't negate my point about Atlanta's status as a sports city.)
 

Devizier

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Cleveland. Everyone shits on ‘em. Have forever. And for the past five years they have been the closest thing to a local team for me.
 

AMS25

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Do people actually like Westbrook? He seems pretty unlikable to me - hunting for triple-doubles, taking lots of bad long-range shots when he's not a good outside shooter, etc.
In OK, we will always love Russell. When Durant walked out, he chose to stay. Because he chose to stay, he was here to recruit Paul George and help keep the team competitive. Yep, he's shooting poorly this year but he leads the league in assists and has upped his defense and increased his steals. No one plays harder than him, night in or night out.

Plus, Russell makes no excuses, despite the fact that he's got his hands full at home. He's the father of three kids under four (son and twin daughters) and is more of a hands-on parent than most NBA players. As the mom of twins who can remember the early years, I'm surprised he has the energy that he does.
 

lovegtm

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Not to derail the thread or anything, but the Braves were the Buffalo Bills except for the one year they won the World Series - when I was on my year abroad studying in Scotland and wasn't able to watch a single pitch of the postseason.

(And the Braves being good doesn't negate my point about Atlanta's status as a sports city.)
Nope, doesn't negate it at all, and I feel bad for you. It's just a funny memory.
 

Buck Showalter

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Loved the Pacers with Reggie Miller.

The way he got under the skin of the New York Crowd was epic.

Now - I have a soft spot for The Nets. I like the coach (a friend of mine knows him very well) and I think they play with tons of energy and fun.
 

benhogan

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Being based on the West Coast, the late games interest me. The young Kings, much to our detriment, seem like they are playoff bound. Golden State is entertaining with their shock and awe at any moment. Denver is on the move up and their fans are way into their games. Plus any team playing Bron/Lakers I'm a fan of, watching James Worthy's sad face after a Laker loss in post-game fills my Celtic heart with joy... BUT I'm really interested in what Luca and the Mavs do. Cuban has made his feelings for AAU basketball known, adding Porzingas, while shipping out DSJ/Barnes/Matthews/DJ only intensifies his International club. They have Kleber, who has played well and I could see them getting Theis in the offseason. Right or wrong, Cuban and Carlisle are taking a stand here, so the Mavs fascinate me.

The Western Conference feels like some sort of mad experiment, every team has to do something outrageous to rope in the Warriors. Its fun to watch being a Celtics fan and so that's my guilty NBA pleasure.
 

Kliq

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Do people actually like Westbrook? He seems pretty unlikable to me - hunting for triple-doubles, taking lots of bad long-range shots when he's not a good outside shooter, etc.

I guess my guilty pleasure is the Hawks, because I'm guilty of having been raised in a baaaad sports city.
I mean don't get me started on people's lack of appreciation for Westbrook. I'm not weird for liking him, you guys are weird for not liking him.
 

luckiestman

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The Mavs (Nash/Dirk) vs the Weber Kings were my favorite non Cs games to watch
 

HomeRunBaker

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My guilty pleasure has always been watching LeBron's teams. I was mesmerized when I first watched him as a HS sophomore and took my viewing talents to each of his stops ever since. As far as teams, the White Chocolate/Divac/Webber passing clinics in Sacramento were something to behold.
 

cheech13

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Do people actually like Westbrook? He seems pretty unlikable to me - hunting for triple-doubles, taking lots of bad long-range shots when he's not a good outside shooter, etc.

I guess my guilty pleasure is the Hawks, because I'm guilty of having been raised in a baaaad sports city.
No, you aren't alone. Westbrook is, without a doubt, my least favorite player in the league to watch. He is to me what Harden is to the rest of the board. Athletic for sure, but just an ugly, forceful brand of basketball that I don't appreciate.

I've had a lot of guilty pleasure teams over the years. Most recently it was probably the Lebron Cavs. Everyone slagged that team because Lebron is kind of annoying and Cleveland is a sad sack franchise, but that was a really good and fun team for the first three years and they're going to be largely forgotten because they ran into the Warriors buzz saw at its absolute peak.
 

the moops

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Westbrook and Harden are two must see players for me. I get that people don't like it, but to me, it is incredible the separation and shots they can get off against anyone.
 

lovegtm

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My guilty pleasure has always been watching LeBron's teams. I was mesmerized when I first watched him as a HS sophomore and took my viewing talents to each of his stops ever since. As far as teams, the White Chocolate/Divac/Webber passing clinics in Sacramento were something to behold.
Those Kings highlights are still amazing to watch on YouTube. We've never seen anything like it, and I don't think I appreciated them enough while they were happening.
 

sox311

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I loved Nick Van Exel. Still do.

I also am in the Kings fanclub, Peja, C.Webb, Vlade, and B.Jax. I also liked following the Fab Five players and other big college names from that era like.

One more, Tyson Chandler. I love watching his tip out offensive "rebounds" always kept the ball alive. I want the Cs to have a player like that so bad. Robert Williams did it during a game a month or so ago and my heart skipped beat.
 

SemperFidelisSox

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The Calipari UMASS final four team was kind of my introduction to college basketball, and Marcus Camby was my favorite player. Really liked watching the Raptors when they drafted him and even bought a jersey. Then the McGrady/Carter era that followed was fun.
 

Dahabenzapple2

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Maybe the only non-Celtics team I really cheered for was the Lebron-Kyrie team that beat the Warriors

Nothing worse than the new age bandwagon "DUBS" fans

Fuck the "DUBS" with a fork and a knife
 

cheech13

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Maybe the only non-Celtics team I really cheered for was the Lebron-Kyrie team that beat the Warriors

Nothing worse than the new age bandwagon "DUBS" fans

Fuck the "DUBS" with a fork and a knife
Oh absolutely. I grew up in Northern California and I don't remember ever encountering a Warriors fan in all my years there. Now I go back to visit and the area is awash in blue and yellow and Curry jerseys. By contrast it was all Kings purple in the early 2000s and Lakers yellow in the intervening years. Area residents seem to claim whatever California-based team is good at the time.
 

Marbleheader

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The Knicks. I love watching New York teams screw up. For a while, it was fun watching the Nets be horrible while tracking the picks.
 

wade boggs chicken dinner

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Run TMC for my favorite non-Celtics team and Shawn Kemp highlights as my favorite non-Celtic. See mixtape below...
[/QUOTES]
I was in Seattle in 1992 and the city hadn’t figured out how good that Sonics team was and I could walk over to the arena and pick upa center court ticket about 20 rows for 1/2 price on game day. That was one hell of a team to watch.
 

jmcc5400

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Three from the past that haven't been mentioned:

1. The Nash Suns. Loved watching Nash probe defenses and distribute. One of my all time favorite players.

2. The Grit 'n' Grind Grizzlies. Soft spot for Clownshoes, Gasol's passing, Conley's professionalism.

3. Larry Brown's Clippers (late 1991-1993). Ron Harper, Danny Manning, Doc Rivers and the first "success" the franchise had in Southern California in the horrible, horrible Sports Arena. Fun team to watch.
 

reggiecleveland

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Now that they are good, I want them to lose, but I like the Raptors to be better than the Leafs. I love when the Raptors are in the playoffs and the Leafs are not. Also the impact of the Raptors on Canadian basketball has been massive.

As for group I liked, the entire Hakeem era Rockets were great because they often beat the Lakers.
 

Dahabenzapple2

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Although I was never that irritated when they lost - which they always did as we know (except possibly the loss with the Charles Smith miss), I liked the Ewing Knicks. I liked Big East basketball in it's heyday and so I cheered for all those guys as pros - especially the one guy who never made it - Pearl Washington.
 

reggiecleveland

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Although I was never that irritated when they lost - which they always did as we know (except possibly the loss with the Charles Smith miss), I liked the Ewing Knicks. I liked Big East basketball in it's heyday and so I cheered for all those guys as pros - especially the one guy who never made it - Pearl Washington.
I blocked John Starks once,
 

CPT Neuron

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Spurs - they got good, really good when I was in residency in SA, and I've followed them ever since. Pop is brilliant, and I have always believed that they embody the concept of the whole being greater than the sum of its' parts, and I really appreciate that.
 

uncannymanny

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No one seems to have said the Blazers. They haven’t been good for a while but they have die hard fans and Portland really just has them. I don’t even come close to really caring but at some point I’m going to be psyched to root for them when it falls into place for them.
 

luckiestman

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No one seems to have said the Blazers. They haven’t been good for a while but they have die hard fans and Portland really just has them. I don’t even come close to really caring but at some point I’m going to be psyched to root for them when it falls into place for them.

I love Lillard (fave non C) but enjoyed them more as a team when they also had Aldridge.
 

cheech13

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No one seems to have said the Blazers. They haven’t been good for a while but they have die hard fans and Portland really just has them. I don’t even come close to really caring but at some point I’m going to be psyched to root for them when it falls into place for them.
They've made the playoffs eight of the last ten seasons (including five straight), winning 50+ four times in the process. They've been the exact opposite of "not good."
 

Sam Ray Not

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Oh absolutely. I grew up in Northern California and I don't remember ever encountering a Warriors fan in all my years there. Now I go back to visit and the area is awash in blue and yellow and Curry jerseys. By contrast it was all Kings purple in the early 2000s and Lakers yellow in the intervening years. Area residents seem to claim whatever California-based team is good at the time.
Of course I gotta chime in here to note that the Warriors have always had a passionate, devoted fanbase that filled the Coliseum even in the darkest days when they were missing the playoffs 17 times in 18 years. And from Rick Barry through Bernard King through Run TMC through Nellie/Webber/Sprewell through We Believe, their tragi-comic history has always featured fun, colorful, compelling players and personalities.

It was this, plus the cheap tix and electric atmosphere at the Coliseum, plus (pre-internetz) listening to Greg Papa call their games nightly while "studying," plus the shared antipathy with Celtics fans for all things Lakers, that allowed the young Sam Ray to transition so easily into Warrior fandom when he moved to Berkeley in Fall of '85. (After all, those guys directly or indirectly gave the Celtics Bird, Parish AND McHale...)

Fwiw, I'd bet a lot that that a vanishingly small minority of real Warrior fans ever donned the purple-and-gold as you imply. To the extent that those turncoats exist, they were almost certainly MFL fans from birth. The Kings are a totally different story, of course — those early 2000s teams were extremely easy for a Warriors fan to like, not only by virtue of their Northern California proximity and opposition to the Lakers but also due to the presence of departed prodigal son Webber and their selfless, proto-Kerrian brand of basketball. They're one of my top answers to the question posed in this thread, and I didn't even feel that guilty about it.

I mean, I'm sure it's hella different in the Bay Area now, as with any long-suffering team that suddenly struck gold. Band-wagoners happen with all great teams — viz. "pink hat" Sox fans filling up Fenway and every Boston sports bar starting in 2004, or the number of Brady/Gronk jerseys you see on kids now compared to the number of Steve Grogan and Russ Francis jerseys you saw back in the day.

Anyway, on topic: early 2000s Kings; Jordan Bulls; that Mutombo Nuggets team that shocked the Sonics; KJ and Barkley Suns; Threetles Celtics; and from when I was a super-wee tyke, those cool red-white-and-blue Elvin Hayes Bullets and the Rick Barry Golden State Warriors ("where is this magical 'Golden State' and how do I get there?" the young Sam Ray used to muse to himself in frigid Cambridge/Somerville winters...)
 
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edoug

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The 80's Nuggets were really fun to watch. Particularly the early part of the decade.