Being a Laker Fan

I am a Lakers fan, and it feels like almost everyone hates the Lakers. When I tell people that I am a Lakers fan, they often question if and how long I have lived in southern California or proceed to tell me that they hate the Lakers.

First of all, it is absurd to illegitimatize a fan for not being from or living near a team. This is the United States of America. You are absolutely free to be a fan of any team for whatever reason. Regional rivalries are there to promote interest in the NBA, and to be caught up too much in it is kind of like pledging an allegiance to Coke over Pepsi. The difference is in how people perceive them, but there’s very little difference in the products themselves.

This leads to my second point. I really don’t see why anyone who likes basketball could hate the Lakers as a basketball product. They play a beautiful and entertaining brand of basketball. The triangle offence they employ creates ball and player movement leading to good plays with high offensive efficiency rate (first in the league). They play a team defense based on a mix of fundamental one on one defense and more extreme brand of zone defense (though it is not as good as say the Spurs’ or the Rockets’). They really are truly a fun team to watch. I think it’s a better brand of basketball than the fast paced teams like the Suns, Knicks, or the Warriors. You have to at least appreciate a team like the Lakers if you like basketball.

I guess you can appreciate the Lakers and hate them at the same time. I appreciate the Celtics for the way they play, but I sure hate them. The Lakers will be waiting for them in the finals to spank them like a newborn baby.