Who should Spurs fans root for now?

The Spurs season is over, but the NBA playoffs are only a quarter through. As a basketball fan, I can’t pretend that there is not a lot of great basketball still to be played. And I can’t watch games without rooting for one team (or against the other). For me, it makes games more enjoyable.

For instance, after the Spurs’ awful Game 5 against Denver, I switched over to watch the end of the Blazers — Thunder game. You know which one. Because I lived in Oregon as a kid, I have always had a fond spot for the Blazers, and I generally root against the Thunder. So when Damian Lillard made that 37-footer, it helped soothe my angst over the Spurs game.

So who is there to root for now that we can’t root for our favorite team in the world? I will list what I see as the pluses and minuses of each remaining team — and then we can have a poll! Starting with the Eastern Conference, here goes:

Milwaukee Bucks:

Reasons to root for them: Coach Bud. Giannis. Ex-Spur Pau Gasol. Mid-market team good enough to win it all.

Reasons to root against them: If you are lactose-intolerant, too much cheese in Wisconsin.

Toronto Raptors:

Reasons to root for them: Canadians are very nice people. Ex-Spurs Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.

Reasons to root against them: Ex-Spur Kawhi Leonard.

Philadelphia 76ers:

Reasons to root for them: Most of my (Philadelphia) college buddies are 76er fans. Ex-Spur Coach Brown. Boban.

Reasons to root against them: We don’t want to reward, or encourage, the blatant tanking they call the Process. Even though it worked.

Boston Celtics:

Reasons to root for them: Likable coach. Ex-Spur Aron “the Big Banger” Baynes.

Reasons to root against them: Their best player thinks the Earth is flat. And as an ex-Laker fan, I still don’t like the color green.

Golden State Warriors:

Reasons to root for them: Best passing team in the league. Ex-Spur Coach Kerr. Steph Curry still has to show his ID to buy a beer.

Reasons to root against them: No one roots for the Death Star. Draymond Green.

Denver Nuggets:

Reasons to root for them: Jokic. They are well-coached and play hard. And if they win, Spurs have an argument that they are the second best team in the league.

Reasons to root against them: They just beat the Spurs too soon to root for them.

Portland Trail Blazers:

Reasons to root for them: Like San Antonio, a city with a single major sport team. Beautiful place. Their best two players, Dame and McCollum, are from mid-majors and went to school for four years.

Reasons to root against them: Too much rain.

Houston Rockets:

Reasons to root for them: Hmmm. Maybe because Houston is technically in Texas??

Reasons to root against them: Their offense. Their coach. Their players.