Yesterday, redditor kmhokies35 conducted a simple poll on r/nba, asking two basic questions: 1) Which state are you from?, and 2) Which NBA team do you hate the most? After 42,067 responses were tabulated, the poll determined that — and we hope you’re sitting down — everyone hates the Heat and Lakers!
We can understand the Lakers hatred, which runs so deep — and wide — that they’re the most-hated team in their own state (it helps when it’s the one thing Clippers, Warriors and Kings fans can agree on). Meanwhile, the lingering effects of the LeBron era actually pushed the Miami hatred past that of the Lakers. The obvious territorial results are Washington’s hatred of the Thunder (which has nothing to do with the players, mind you), Wisconsin’s hatred of the Chicago Bulls, Mississippi and Tennessee’s hatred of the Clippers (very likely due to a combination of the Chris Paul trade and chippy Clippers-Grizzlies playoff matchups), and, of course, Delaware’s hatred of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Just kidding. I have no idea why Delaware hates the Cavs.
As for the international results, recency bias explains Canada’s disdain for Brooklyn (the Nets ousted the Raptors in the playoffs this past spring), while Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter playing against the Miami Heat the past two Finals is the likely reason for South America’s choice. The Rockets trading Jeremy Lin killed all good will in Asia, and I have no explanation for Australia hating the Lakers, Europe hating Miami and Africa hating OKC. Especially Africa, because Serge Ibaka plays for the Thunder. That makes no sense to me. But, again, Delaware hates the Cavs, so who knows?
[Reddit]
