NBA: Ranking Each Team’s Fun Factor For The Average Fan

Watching an NBA game is a beautiful thing if you’ve got a HoopsHabit (open 24/7!) like a lot of us do. However, if you’re a casual fan, you need something more. You’re not going to marvel at the terrific defensive rotations of the Indiana Pacers. You’re not going to stare in awe at the crippling execution of the San Antonio Spurs. You need excitement, athleticism and star power.

That’s not to say an 85-84 nail biter can’t be fun to watch, but generally, we’re going to need some more fireworks. Our ranking isn’t based on the standings or projected win totals. It’s simply based on the average basketball fan enjoying watching the team.

Without further ado, in 140 characters or less, we’re starting at the bottom with…

30. Philadelphia 76ers – It’s that not watching Evan Turner lead an actual NBA team isn’t fun, it’s…actually that’s exactly what it is. No stars, no hope.

29. Utah Jazz – If it weren’t for the Trey Burke injury, they might be interesting to NBA fanatics but they’re going to be horrid and they have no identity. Pass.

28. Charlotte Bobcats – I’m a Kemba Walker fan but after that, the next most interesting thing to watch is the mascot. That’s not a recipe for ticket sales.

Serviceable scorer, yes. A draw as a player? Nah. (NBA.com photo)

27. Milwaukee Bucks – Put together a bunch of spare parts in one of the least exciting cities in the NBA and put O.J. Mayo out front. Sounds like yawn.

26. Sacramento Kings – What used to be an NBA hotbed has been replaced by Boogie. DeMarcus Cousins is a draw, if only to see how he’ll explode next.

25. Phoenix Suns – Eric Bledsoe and company will score, but it will be like watching the AND1 Mixtape Tour. Lots of slop with a few fun highlights mixed in.

24. Orlando Magic – Is Victor Oladipo a national draw? No way, but he does stand out on the court amongst his peers. Fun to watch? Let’s say it will get more fun in time.

23. Atlanta Hawks – The highlight factory, minus the guy who was responsible for most of the highlights. The home crowds are sparse and their star isn’t personable.

22. Memphis Grizzlies – Loyal fans and a quality product is great, but the grit-n-grind style is less than pleasing to the eye. If only they had an athletic wing…

21. Indiana Pacers – Terrific team defense with a potential budding star landed them No. 23 in road attendance. Fun for hoops nerds, boring for casual fans.

20. Toronto Raptors – I imagine Drake will bring some fun to the arena. Kyle Lowry, Rudy Gay and Jonas Valanciunas can do the rest. We’re getting warmer…

19. Boston Celtics – In Boston, you have to go for the atmosphere. On the road, it’s a pass. Rajon Rondo is terrific but the rest are blah and they’re rebuilding.

Could be Dirk’s last stand. See him while you can. (Flickr.com photo by Keith Allison)

18. Dallas Mavericks – Dirk Nowitzki‘s last stand combined with Monta Ellis and a pass-first point in Jose Calderon? Sounds like a bit of fun for everyone.

17. San Antonio Spurs – Beautiful basketball for the experienced eye. A coaches’ clinic every night. Why would the casual fan care about that?

16. Denver Nuggets – Uptempo style and a lot more action than most teams. Doesn’t translate to the postseason, but Ty Lawson is fun to watch in transition.

15. New Orleans Pelicans – This team needs multi-ball mode. Anthony Davis is going to take the next step and the backcourt might be top-5 most exciting.

14. Detroit Pistons – Want swagger? Brandon Jennings has it. Highlights? Josh Smith. Interior presence? Andre Drummond. Should be a fun year if they can gel.

13. Cleveland Cavaliers – Kyrie Irving in isolation is like a dream sequence. He looks like he can’t get to the basket, you blink, then the scoreboard lights up. Awesome in person.

12. Portland Trail Blazers – A fearless leader with the tools to carry a team for stretches means Damian Lillard is becoming must-see TV.

11. Minnesota Timberwolves – Casual fans love fancy and they love to relate to their stars. Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love fit the bill and provide a lot of fun moments.

10. Washington Wizards – Perhaps the fastest player in the league who can electrify a crowd on the fast break. John Wall is ready for the national spotlight.

9. Chicago Bulls – Vociferous Chicago fans defend Derrick Rose for good reason. He’s arguably the most talented PG in the league, surrounded by hard workers.

8. Los Angeles Lakers – The Kobe Bryant rule is in effect here. He drew massive crowd reactions in China from jogging on the sidelines. Big charisma that you can’t look away from.

7. New York Knicks – You don’t want to miss Carmelo Anthony take over the game and score 15 down the stretch. Top-5 one-on-one player with all the moves.

The best 1-2 combo in the NBA? When healthy, it’s tough to count them out. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com

6. Los Angeles Clippers – It remains to be seen if Doc Rivers changes “Lob City” around, but for my money, it doesn’t get much better than Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder – Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant form one of the most lethal combinations in all of basketball. Get to a playoff game in OKC if you can.

4. Brooklyn Nets – You want stars? You got it. Want multi-talented players at every position? Got it. When Deron Williams is on, he’s terrific. And, who doesn’t want to watch Kevin Garnett play?

3. Houston Rockets – A fast pace, one of the best young scorers in the league in James Harden, a beast in the middle with Dwight Howard and an international sensation in Jeremy Lin. A top draw around the league.

2. Golden State Warriors – Stephen Curry and company play a fun brand of basketball. They’ve got a certain swagger and confidence that oozes and infects the crowd. Oracle Arena is the place to be.

1. Miami Heat – Say all you want about the Miami faithful, but the Heat as a team are the most fun in the league. LeBron James is a giant among dwarves, Dwyane Wade is silky smooth and I want proof that Chris Bosh isn’t extinct.

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