For twenty consecutive years, Spurs fans did not need to decide which team to root for in the NBA playoffs. We can call those years “The Duncan Years” even though several of the playoff years occurred after the Great Tim Duncan retired. During those years, Pounding the Rock writers did not need to write a column like this one. But for the post Duncan Years, I have been writing this column.

I hope this is the last time I need to write about which team to cheer for in the playoffs because the Spurs are not participating. No, let’s say that slightly differently. I expect this to be the last season I will need to write about rooting for teams other than the Spurs in the playoffs.

Normally, I write this column prior to the start of the playoffs. This year, I am writing this after all the teams have played their first game. Why? Because for several of the series, I did not know which team I wanted to win. Because I am physically and spiritually incapable of watching basketball games without rooting for one team or the other, I could make my coin-flip choices by simply watching a few minutes of a game, and letting my heart decide.

This “game-time decision” was not necessary for some series. For instance, I know that I want the Nuggets to beat the Clippers — one of my favorite non-Spurs teams playing against one of my least favorite teams. And for other series, I simply don’t need to decide because the outcome is not in any real doubt. For instance, see OKC vs. Memphis. Halftime score of Game 1: OKC was up by 68-36. At one point, the Thunder had doubled the Grizzlies at 85-42 and wound up winning by 50. That game looked more like a 1 vs. 16 game in March Madness than a game between two professional teams in the same league.

With this framework in mind, let’s take a quick run through the eight first round series. Like the sun, we will start in the East and move West.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 8. Miami Heat

I have liked the Heat ever since they stopped being the Heatles, which ended with the Spurs dismantling the LeBron Big Three in the 2014 Finals. The Heat were able to convert unheralded players into key components like the Spurs of old, have been very well-coached and consistently out-performed expectations in the playoffs. Most prominently, Playoff Jimmy Butler led the 2020 Heat into the Finals in which the Heat gave the Lakers all they could handle. On the other hand, this year’s Cavs are a great story, surprising the NBA world by finishing as the Eastern Conference top seed over the defending champion Celtics. It would be good for the Cavs to win a crown and for the city to win a championship without LeBron on the team. Alas, my residual feelings for the Heat, even without Playoff Jimmy, have me rooting for them — but it likely won’t matter. In the second round, I assume I will be choosing between the Cavs and either the Bucks or Pacers.

4. Indiana Pacers vs. 5. Milwaukee Bucks

As with the Heat, I have residual good feelings for the Bucks because of the Giannis-led 2021 championship team. That team was coached by former Pomona College player and Spurs’ assistant Mike Budenholzer and featured all-time great teammate Jrue Holiday. While the latter two have departed, the Bucks still have Giannis, which is enough for me, especially if Damian Lillard comes back from his Wembanyama-like injury. That would also be encouraging for Victor’s own prognosis.

2. Boston Celtics vs. 7. Orlando Magic

While the Celtics have both Holiday and my favorite ex-Spur Derrick White, they are still the Celtics. Even though I am a reformed former Laker fan, it remains difficult to root for the Green. However, this series feels like it will go the same way as OKC-Memphis. The Celtics will probably win in 4 or 5 games, so no need to waste any of my precious rooting capital on this series.

3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Detroit Pistons

Maybe it is just a guy thing, but when I grew up we would root against our friend’s favorite teams so we could rag on that friend when his team lost — and to avoid the reverse when our friends’ team won. As time has gone by, I started rooting for my friends’ teams so my friends would be happy. Odd concept, I know I have several good friends who are big Knick fans, so I will root for their happiness over the great story that is this year’s Pistons. It also helps that the Knicks have all those Villanova guys. Also, Pistons fans are already happy with their season. But it still feels odd to root for a New York team — and I will still never root for the Yankees or Mets.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8. Memphis Grizzlies

Like a car accident on the road, nothing to see here. Just move along.

2. Houston Rockets vs. 7. Golden State Warriors

One of the easiest choices for me. I have mildly negative feelings for the Rockets, perhaps a residual of the Harden years, perhaps because they could be a roadblock in the Spurs’ future. And I have been a Warriors fan ever since I needed a second team — behind the Spurs — when the Lakers became impossible for me to like. While I rooted against the Death Star KD Warriors against the Raptors, once the W’s went back to being the gritty little Curry-led Warriors of old, they regained their status as my second favorite team.

3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 6. Minnesota Timberwolves

This series was the game-time decision that led to my introduction to this column. I don’t have strong feelings one way or the other about the T’Wolves, For decades I was a big Laker fan. I shared season tickets at the Forum for the Magic, Kareem, Worthy 1980’s Lakers and joyfully lived through the Kobe-Shaq and Kobe-Gasol runs. But the Lakers became unwatchable in the late Kobe years, and I have never rooted for a LeBron James team or Luka Doncic team (side note — Luka had 37 points and only 1 assist on Saturday). I turned on Game 1 on Saturday during the second quarter — and my heart chose the T’Wolves. Especially when Donte DiVecinzo (another ‘Nova guy) drilled that three-pointer at halftime. Apologies to my Laker friends.

4. Denver Nuggets vs. 5. Los Angeles Clippers

Another easy choice. My brother lives in Colorado and super-daughter went to University of Colorado and lived in Denver after college. The Nuggets also have Nikola Jokic, who (like Curry) all basketball fans must appreciate. (Anyone else notice how tan Joker has gotten since the sun came out in Denver?) It feels odd to be cheering for Russell Westbrook — as Spurs fans felt this year when Chris Paul was wearing Silver and Black. I have never liked the Nuggets’ opponent, the Clippers. In my April Fools’ post a few years back, Adam Silver re-named them the El Segundos because they will always be LA’s second team. Adding James Harden moved the needle even further away. Good to see “my” Nuggets beat the El Segundos in Saturday’s best game.

Those are my picks. I will be interested to see how my fellow Spurs fans feel about all of this.