2024 NBA Playoff “Rootability” Rankings

Photo by Tim Nwachukwu from Getty Images

People like having something to root for.

Maybe it’s your favorite team. Maybe it’s something you bet on. Maybe it’s purely hatred of another team.

But you may not know the sport well, or maybe you just don’t feel anything towards the playoff teams and you want a rooting interest.

Don’t worry. I’m here to help.

With the NBA playoffs beginning tonight with the play in games, I’m here to give you the definitive, fully neutral list, of who to root for this upcoming postseason.

Let’s begin.

20. Boston Celtics

First of all, it’s always not that interesting when one team runs away with the title, and the Celtics were the best team this year.

Second of all, Boston.

We don’t need them having any more success in sports.

19. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors are just two years removed from their last championship, and another one this year will give Steph Curry his 5th, and will respark an entire offseason of debates with people wondering if he’s a better all time player than LeBron James.

We don’t need that.

18. Los Angeles Lakers

A Lakers title would give us an entire offseason of LeBron vs Jordan content, which we already have far too much of, it’ll be another title when they already have 17, and I wouldn’t love a clear cut sign that coaching doesn’t matter in the NBA and you just need two superstars.

Call me a nerd, but I like coaching!

17. Philadelphia 76ers

On the one hand, it’s been a long while since the Sixers have won a title.

On the other hand, Philadelphians are only slightly less obnoxious than Bostonians.

16. New York Knicks

The same thing as above, except New Yorkers are slightly less obnoxious than Philadelphians.

You really just want to avoid the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic region winning a championship.

15. Chicago Bulls

Chicago fans love to proclaim how painful it is in Chicago sports, as if the city doesn’t have one of the best NBA dynasties ever and the Blackhawks weren’t the premier dynasty just 10 years ago.

Not to mention, both baseball teams have won a title this century.

Spare me the nonsense just because the Bears haven’t been good and the Cubs didn’t win for a while.

Y’all are more than fine in the Windy City.

14. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder (if you ignore Sonics history) haven’t won an NBA title, so it’d be nice to see them win their first.

The problem is, they haven’t taken their lumps as others have, and I don’t love watching their brand of basketball.

Hey, watchability matters!

13. Denver Nuggets

Sure, they just won the championship last year.

But it was their first ever, so it’s not like they’re a premier dynasty in the sport.

It also doesn’t hurt that their star player is a big European man who really doesn’t care about basketball and just wants to ride horses.

We can all relate to finding your day job taxing.

12. New Orleans Pelicans

While seeing Zion find playoff success after the year he’s had would be cool, the Pelicans (or Hornets) just recently became a franchise.

Y’all can wait your turn. There are others waiting.

11. Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland is what Chicago thinks it is.

Bad football franchise, a baseball team who hasn’t won in forever, but the LeBron dynasty has less titles than the Jordan dynasty and no hockey to fall back on.

But they do have a premier playoff performer in Donovan Mitchell who is must see TV come playoff time, and a passionate city who will go rabid for a Cavs run that does not include LeBron James.

Should be a lot of fun.

10. Indiana Pacers

I don’t know if you watched any of the in-season tournament games, but if you did, you know that Indianapolis went absolutely bonkers for the run the Pacers went on.

It can be an absolutely rabid atmosphere to watch.

9. Orlando Magic

Lots and lots of talented players have come and gone from Orlando without much to show for it.

But now, with an influx of young talent, the Magic can begin the new era of possible title contention with a deep run this season.

8. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clips can exercise a looooot of demons this playoff run.

James Harden and Paul George can break their playoff dud moniker, while bringing the first ever championship to the “little brother” of Los Angeles.

If you have to root for an LA team (and aren’t a LeBron superfan), you have to root for the Clippers.

7. Dallas Mavericks

The NBA, more than other sports, needs their stars to get rings.

Luka Doncic is such a star that hasn’t gotten one yet, but is getting closer.

It also doesn’t hurt that they’re playing the best basketball in the league right now, and Doncic and fellow star Kyrie Irving are offensive juggernauts.

Their games will be high scoring and a blast to watch.

6. Milwaukee Bucks

Usually, a team who recently won a title is going to be low on my list, and the Bucks did win the NBA title in 2021.

But that was without Damian Lillard on the team and with Doc Rivers as the coach.

Dame is one of the most clutch players in the league, especially in the playoffs, and Doc needs to overcome his own personal playoff failures.

It’d be a cathartic win.

5. Miami Heat

Remember earlier when I said that I love good coaching?

Well, the Heat have that and then some with Erik Spoelstra, and a superstar in Jimmy Butler who puts everything he has into his playoff performances, yet doesn’t have anything to show for it yet.

It’s hard to root against the Heat.

4. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks finished the year 10 games under .500.

They were actively bad.

Who WOULDN’T root for them to win the title?

It’d be one of the most surprising wins ever, and also completely hilarious.

3. Phoenix Suns

An historic franchise, lots of legendary players, but no titles to show for it, with three excellent players trying to bring the first one to town.

Denver got their first last year. Now it’s time for Phoenix.

2. Minnesota Timberwolves

And then, we have Minnesota, who is also missing an NBA title.

Much like they’re missing a Stanley Cup.

Or a Super Bowl.

The Twins do have two World Series titles, though. So that’s nice.

Regardless, Minnesota is a starved but incredibly passionate sports city, and they have a perfectly built squad, with a mind blowing guard in Anthony Edwards and two solid big men in Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.

The only reason they aren’t first, is that Rudy Gobert isn’t really likeable.

Apparently rubbing your hands all over peoples microphones as the COVID pandemic is starting, and then IMMEDIATELY testing positive for COVID and getting the season shut down, isn’t a smart thing to do.

Go figure.

1. Sacramento Kings

The Kings are the perfect team to root for.

Are you a hardcore NBA fan? Enjoy the rabid crowd with excellent shooters who can completely take over a game.

Do you not like the NBA at all because you think it’s too flashy and not enough about the team? Enjoy one of the most well coached teams in basketball with enough depth to remind you of what the game “used to be like.”

Add in that the Kings haven’t won an NBA title since 1951, which does not count in my book because they were the Rochester Royals at the time, and you have it all.

The best team to root for in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.