One look on social media or at the various online sports forums will tell you that specific sporting organizations aren’t always adored. Fans of other sides tend to despise particular teams, with many reasons shared by passionate sports lovers. This certainly applies to the NBA community.
It’s normal for fans not to be particularly warm to a specific franchise, with some sides consistently generating strong negative emotions from fanatical NBA supporters. These same fans might not back the team in question when mulling over the latest NBA playoff odds, while they won’t necessarily tune in for their games either. If they do, they’ll be hoping to witness a beautiful defeat as fans are virtually in tears and players are in despair.
Some NBA teams have more haters than others, that’s for sure. Ultimately, every fan has their view, but, in general, many teams, despite their odds of winning an NBA Final, are often disliked for the same reasons. Below is a look at some of the most disliked NBA teams and the potential reasons why fans aren’t too keen on them.
Celtics
A dominant force in the sport, the Bolton Celtics have achieved great success in the NBA. Naturally, when you’re at the top, your rivals can’t wait to see you fall. However, that hasn’t always been the case with the Celtics, as recent victories over the years highlight their dominance. However, their exit from today’s playoff picture will be celebrated by many NBA fans, given its rarity. But fans love to see a wounded behemoth, and while the Celtics will probably rise again, their domination over the years has meant fans want to see another team reign supreme instead.
Lakers
The LA Lakers are the most famous basketball franchise on the planet, with fans worldwide donning their jerseys and some of the sport’s most iconic players turning out for them over the years.
For rival fans, they’re therefore seen as an easy option for casual basketball fans to follow, with success almost guaranteed. Lakers’ name is known everywhere as a global brand due to its various triumphs and significant market presence. While some of it probably boils down to jealousy, most of the hatred towards the Lakers is due to the perceived entitlement of their fans. They think they should win it all.
Heat
While the Celtics and the Lakers probably have more haters than the rest, the Miami Heat aren’t too far behind them. Their perceived fair-weather fanbase is despised.
During the LeBron James era, fans particularly got on their back, although their dislike for them has waned a bit recently. Still, if you conducted a survey of NBA fans and asked them about the three teams they dislike the most, the Heat would probably crop up a bit.
Warriors
If you aren’t too bothered by the Heat, you may hate the Warriors. While the Golden State Warriors haven’t always succeeded, they’re still a dynasty, given their magical victories over the years. Fans love to see dynasties fall, especially when they’ve faltered during the playoffs and have been mocked as a result. Fans want to see new challengers emerging, meaning sides like the Warriors aren’t always the flavor of the month.
76ers
The 76ers certainly have many admirers, but they aren’t adored everywhere. Many fans find their vocal fanbase annoying, and their aggression winds up many rival supporters. They’re also deemed an overrated franchise by many other fans, primarily as they haven’t achieved anything of note for a while now.
