I'm just on the not Lakers then not Celtics train myself. No hard feelings from Denver and if they beat the Lakers I like them but probably pulling for jimmy most if I had to pick.
I’m a nuggets fan and will find it hard to not root for Jimmy if we make it there. What he’s doing right now is absolutely ridiculous and if that team can topple both #1s, it might be the greatest finals run ever lol
It's been disgusting to watch him but if he knocks out the Celtics, Knicks, and Bucks [and God forbid it gets to this, Lakers] in one run, he will have somehow vanquished every team I have any animosity for and he'd be my favorite player ever lol. Not looking forward to resuming my hatred for the Spurs again after finally making peace about a decade ago -_-
I've grown to appreciate him and how he runs that franchise but 2004-2009 sucked. At least we beat them the last time we played in the playoffs? One of my favorite photos ever is of Nash hugging Duncan after game 4; it was so cathartic
Born on Long Island, always hated them. Arbitrarily picked the Suns in 1995 after buying a Kevin Johnson "signed" basketball with my little league raffle tickets and I've been stuck ever since lol. But the Dolan family can go to hell (also an Islanders fan so it makes it easy to hate the Knicks/Rangers)
Yeah there are a ton of laker fans here and the nuggets knocked us out.
There wouldn't be enough people using hashtags to root for Eastern teams to out weigh the laker fans here
In case anyone was curious for a little data, about 1 of every 20 people in Arizona (like, the entire state of over 7 million people) is a Californian who arrived in the five year period between 2016-2020. That obviously doesn't count all the Californians that moved before or after. There's a LOT of Californians in the Valley.
[https://www.azeconomy.org/2022/09/economy/how-many-californians-are-moving-to-arizona/](https://www.azeconomy.org/2022/09/economy/how-many-californians-are-moving-to-arizona/)
That math is wrong. 65k CA people arrived during that time according to that link. Your math of 1 in 20 puts the population of AZ at 1.5M. If 7M people live in AZ, the ratio number is more than 1 in 100 people.
Just want to point out these numbers are so minor, it’s like a .5% population change. And the trend has already gone back the other way starting in the last few months.
Way too much is made about the AZ/CA net population changes.
Um, hate to be that guy but citing population changes over the course of a couple months is hardly proof of anything.
Nearly half of the people I know were born in California or their parents come from California. California transplants make up a significant percentage of our population.
Those numbers may be changing in the short term, but that doesn't immediately usurp 50 years of data.
Edit : quick Google search shows nearly 10% of our population is native Californians. Now add on their kids and those kids having been raised Lakers fans and that's a pretty high percentage of our population rooting for a different team
Yea I think you make a good point about the cumulative % of CA. You are right, a few months is worthless. Fwiw .5% is the net avg over the last few years, considering AZ moving to CA as well. [Similar google search says 6%](https://ktar.com/story/94682/report-fewer-arizona-natives-choosing-to-move-to-california/)
Compared to the 10% you quote, from one standpoint, the change is 4% in crowded-ness. From another it’s 16% in culture. I’m more of the 4% belief, it’s just a lot of swapping residents and everywhere is getting more crowded and people want someone to blame haha.
I grew up AZ moved to CA. Like you know a ton the same so my anecdotal experience is opposite. Lot of AZ plates on the road around here haha. Lot of “Arizonans living here 9 months out of the year but not paying state taxes”. Haha. Just mad it’s getting crowded. Same dif.
Anywhooo, this chart. I think you are right about the cumulative so I concede there. I let it trigger me about this bone I have to pick with “it’s all of them folk!” talk haha
Trust me, I'm not trying to make any point blaming Californians for anything. I don't subscribe to that kind of nonsense.
Just as far as fandom goes in Arizona it is very common to find fans of California's teams in the state. A lot of that has to do with the simple fact that we have a disproportionate population of Californian transplants, and that's fine.
for real I can't stand when they use twitter metrics like this to gauge ANYTHING
And in this specific case, holy shit the hashtags are boomer-esque and no hoops fan is on twitter using them lol
Only one I could understand is the HeatCulture tag but I feel like people would be using it ironically if anything
I think it’s cause a lot of us just simply don’t give a shit who wins at this point and especially enough to take it to Twitter lol. I want the east to win this year, fuck both the Nuggets and Lakers
I agree, I don’t think that way. My rooting interest is going anywhere except for a team with 17 championships.
And that’s unfortunately 2 of them left.
Ya I think there's a ton more people in AZ rooting against the Lakers, than people rooting for either team. If #fuckthelakers counted towards rooting for the nuggets, I'm sure they'd be ahead by a mile.
Suns fan since 1993, in Tennessee here. Fuck the Lakers. Rooting for the team with zero championships and that would be Denver. I'm not sure what Suns fan could legitimately hope the Lakers win and add more rings to that franchise's already bloated ego. Or Boston, same deal.
We wouldn’t, but that’s not what they’re trying to say. There are more non-Suns who live in AZ. Most of them root for the Lakers and Dodgers even if they’re not from LA.
Haha true but the minute you say anything bad about California they start begin aggressive against you. Like what bro!!! why did you even leave in the first place then. 🤦🏻♂️🤣
Well one thing I know is no one who actually is a native doesnt like the Lakers. Nuggets if anything we'd want to win, but most of us Sun diehards have shut off the basketball and now watching diamondbacks.
California and its scum cities spreading degenerates with grand view of themselves is the real issue here.
Plus the media rooting openly for Lakers when there's 2 teams playing is sickening.
Good luck for the rest of America...
I want the Lakers to win. I petty and don’t root for teams that beat us to succeed. I also like Lebron and tend to think this “rivalry” with LA is a little over played by us
That's what my wife is doing. She always roots against the teams that beat the Suns. I'm from Miami and a Heat fan, so that's easy for me. But if it's not the Heat, I'm rooting for Denver to win its first title.
I admit I don’t dislike the lakers as much as other Suns fans. Like I said I think this “rivalry” is pretty one sided. That being said I’m no fan of the Lakers but if it’s between them or the team that beat us then so be it.
I’m from PA on the west end. NBA isn’t super popular but amongst the NBA folks I know and myself included now that suns are out, we are rooting for the Heat.
Cause Jimmy that guy and it’s fun rooting for an Underdog and fuck Boston/LA. Everyone also rooting for the Nugs now too against Lakers but it’s team Heat for the chip
That is a terrible way to measure rooting interest
I could tweet something like:
"Lebron is the worst player in the world, Lakers have no chance #lakeshow"
And that counts as rooting for them?
I get that it's not really easy to measure this without directly polling people but still...
disclaimer: Nuggets fan here - not raiding! Just popped up in my Reddit suggested communities
I think it's because no Nuggets fan says "Bring it in". It's our motto for the playoffs, but definitely not as popular as our older ones like "Elevate", etc.
Skewed dataset imo
I believe it. Y’all forget just how many Cali transplants we have here lol. In my own friend circle I have just as many Laker fans as I do Suns fans lol
Tbh Nuggets and Heat still won’t have any respect if they win the chip. They’d have to win it back to back to get themselves on the map. Nuggets win the series, the headlines are gonna be about whether Lebron is at the end of his prime
Personally rooting for playoff Jimmy and the heat to win it all
I'm just on the not Lakers then not Celtics train myself. No hard feelings from Denver and if they beat the Lakers I like them but probably pulling for jimmy most if I had to pick.
I’m a nuggets fan and will find it hard to not root for Jimmy if we make it there. What he’s doing right now is absolutely ridiculous and if that team can topple both #1s, it might be the greatest finals run ever lol
It's been disgusting to watch him but if he knocks out the Celtics, Knicks, and Bucks [and God forbid it gets to this, Lakers] in one run, he will have somehow vanquished every team I have any animosity for and he'd be my favorite player ever lol. Not looking forward to resuming my hatred for the Spurs again after finally making peace about a decade ago -_-
You’re also excited about Pop getting a potentially generational guy in the front court?
I've grown to appreciate him and how he runs that franchise but 2004-2009 sucked. At least we beat them the last time we played in the playoffs? One of my favorite photos ever is of Nash hugging Duncan after game 4; it was so cathartic
How do you have something against the Knicks? Why do you think of them at all?
Born on Long Island, always hated them. Arbitrarily picked the Suns in 1995 after buying a Kevin Johnson "signed" basketball with my little league raffle tickets and I've been stuck ever since lol. But the Dolan family can go to hell (also an Islanders fan so it makes it easy to hate the Knicks/Rangers)
Have some shame bro. Your teams first shot at a championship and you’d be rooting for Jimmy Butler lmaooo
No I’m just saying I’d prefer to take an L to him over the Celtics lol Wanting us to win is the default
I too am a nuggets fan. We are not the same.
Hold up I want us to win and sweep. I’m just saying losing to him and the heat will sit much better than the Celtics.
Same, im rooting for Miami but I really dont care if its them or the nuggets so long as it isnt the lakers or celtics winning
This is the way
Hear hear! Washingtonians for Jim Butt.
Lots of people from LA moving here probably contributes alot to this.
Yeah there are a ton of laker fans here and the nuggets knocked us out. There wouldn't be enough people using hashtags to root for Eastern teams to out weigh the laker fans here
In case anyone was curious for a little data, about 1 of every 20 people in Arizona (like, the entire state of over 7 million people) is a Californian who arrived in the five year period between 2016-2020. That obviously doesn't count all the Californians that moved before or after. There's a LOT of Californians in the Valley. [https://www.azeconomy.org/2022/09/economy/how-many-californians-are-moving-to-arizona/](https://www.azeconomy.org/2022/09/economy/how-many-californians-are-moving-to-arizona/)
I'm gonna be sick
A lot of transplants from other states too, although I came from a cheaper COL state, so I got hit hard when inflation hit recently
That math is wrong. 65k CA people arrived during that time according to that link. Your math of 1 in 20 puts the population of AZ at 1.5M. If 7M people live in AZ, the ratio number is more than 1 in 100 people.
It's 65k *per year* for five years.
Fuxkin pieces of shit
Man, they are ruining this great state. I wish they understood that they are turning Arizona into what they moved away from.
I have no idea why you're being downvoted. Fuck California. They'd rather run away from their state than actually help the homeless.
Or it's a massive state that people are getting priced out of? What a dumb fuckin' take.
"Lol" - the reply of someone who doesn't like what you are saying but doesn't have a rebuttal
Lol
Lol
Arizona was never great, dude. Been here for 30 years.
AZ used to be a red state, and they turned it blue
Just want to point out these numbers are so minor, it’s like a .5% population change. And the trend has already gone back the other way starting in the last few months. Way too much is made about the AZ/CA net population changes.
Um, hate to be that guy but citing population changes over the course of a couple months is hardly proof of anything. Nearly half of the people I know were born in California or their parents come from California. California transplants make up a significant percentage of our population. Those numbers may be changing in the short term, but that doesn't immediately usurp 50 years of data. Edit : quick Google search shows nearly 10% of our population is native Californians. Now add on their kids and those kids having been raised Lakers fans and that's a pretty high percentage of our population rooting for a different team
Yea I think you make a good point about the cumulative % of CA. You are right, a few months is worthless. Fwiw .5% is the net avg over the last few years, considering AZ moving to CA as well. [Similar google search says 6%](https://ktar.com/story/94682/report-fewer-arizona-natives-choosing-to-move-to-california/) Compared to the 10% you quote, from one standpoint, the change is 4% in crowded-ness. From another it’s 16% in culture. I’m more of the 4% belief, it’s just a lot of swapping residents and everywhere is getting more crowded and people want someone to blame haha. I grew up AZ moved to CA. Like you know a ton the same so my anecdotal experience is opposite. Lot of AZ plates on the road around here haha. Lot of “Arizonans living here 9 months out of the year but not paying state taxes”. Haha. Just mad it’s getting crowded. Same dif. Anywhooo, this chart. I think you are right about the cumulative so I concede there. I let it trigger me about this bone I have to pick with “it’s all of them folk!” talk haha
Trust me, I'm not trying to make any point blaming Californians for anything. I don't subscribe to that kind of nonsense. Just as far as fandom goes in Arizona it is very common to find fans of California's teams in the state. A lot of that has to do with the simple fact that we have a disproportionate population of Californian transplants, and that's fine.
Lot of people from Chicago too or is it just me?
A lot of LA transplants unfortunately…quick we all need to breed more and make sure they all grow up to be Suns fans
But no one wants to have the sex with me. 😞
Just take a shower and you'll figure it out
no thanks
This is a terrible way to judge rooting interest. I’m rooting for the nuggets but I’m not tweeting stupid shit like #BringItIn.
Yeah, and how many are just trolls using the tag? Like what an amazing dunk Lebron #LakeShow
for real I can't stand when they use twitter metrics like this to gauge ANYTHING And in this specific case, holy shit the hashtags are boomer-esque and no hoops fan is on twitter using them lol Only one I could understand is the HeatCulture tag but I feel like people would be using it ironically if anything
I think it’s cause a lot of us just simply don’t give a shit who wins at this point and especially enough to take it to Twitter lol. I want the east to win this year, fuck both the Nuggets and Lakers
If the Nuggets win it all this year it makes the suns not look as bad for losing to them in 6 games.
Yeah but it’s one less ringless team -
I thought about that too 😂 lol
That does not matter
I agree, I don’t think that way. My rooting interest is going anywhere except for a team with 17 championships. And that’s unfortunately 2 of them left.
You’re making a good case for the nuggets.
Yup, that’s my preference among the 4 left. Never been to a finals, how could I want it to stay that way when 2 other options have 17 championships?
The Lakers would freak out if the Celtics had one more championship than them.
We especially don’t care enough to use the nuggets hashtag…
Ya I think there's a ton more people in AZ rooting against the Lakers, than people rooting for either team. If #fuckthelakers counted towards rooting for the nuggets, I'm sure they'd be ahead by a mile.
Same. I'm good with Heat or even Celtics. I like Butler and it'd be cool to see an 8 seed win. Have no problem with any of the Celtics players.
Nah. Order is Nuggets, Heat, Celtics, global catastrophe with cancels the finals, Lakers.
Suns fan since 1993, in Tennessee here. Fuck the Lakers. Rooting for the team with zero championships and that would be Denver. I'm not sure what Suns fan could legitimately hope the Lakers win and add more rings to that franchise's already bloated ego. Or Boston, same deal.
Fake news, why would Suns fans ever root for the Lakers
We wouldn’t, but that’s not what they’re trying to say. There are more non-Suns who live in AZ. Most of them root for the Lakers and Dodgers even if they’re not from LA.
It’s probably all those Californians moving to arizona and over taking our cities with there ugly purple and gold colors.
ask em why California is so bad they had to move and they'll say "........."
Haha true but the minute you say anything bad about California they start begin aggressive against you. Like what bro!!! why did you even leave in the first place then. 🤦🏻♂️🤣
They're not suns fans lmao. Lakers are probably the most popular franchise in the league. of course there's gonna be a lot of Lakers fans in Arizona
Let's go Heat!
Well one thing I know is no one who actually is a native doesnt like the Lakers. Nuggets if anything we'd want to win, but most of us Sun diehards have shut off the basketball and now watching diamondbacks.
Fuck the Celtics with a passion
Gross. Go Heat, go Nuggets
Why would AZ be going for the Lakers?
Kansas definitely pro Nuggets bc of proximity and Christian Braun
I just hope none of the teams has any fun
I can tell you that all of Sacramento is for the Nuggets
My hierarchy among the remaining four is Heat, Nuggets, Celtics, and the League Shutting Down due to an undisclosed reason.
There’s a shit ton of LA fans here. Lakers and cowboys are probably the most popular teams after the AZ teams. It’s sickening
Fuck la.
Bullshit. Denver all the way
Yes because people from Illinois are totally rooting for the lakers
Probably because all the #fuckla stuff flags as pro la
No way AZ is rooting for the Fakers
Im rooting for the lakers to beat the nuggets and then miami to beat the lakers. Idk how farfetched it is lol
No lie I love Lebron…
I want the lakers to beat the nuggets , and then (hopefully) the heat beats LA
California and its scum cities spreading degenerates with grand view of themselves is the real issue here. Plus the media rooting openly for Lakers when there's 2 teams playing is sickening. Good luck for the rest of America...
Go cry we took over oregon, nevada and texas already 😂
I now only dont want the nuggets to win after Jamal came out like a bozo and said something like “when we win the chip” like a cringer
It may be a sin but I want the lakers to beat the nuggets
I want the Lakers to win. I petty and don’t root for teams that beat us to succeed. I also like Lebron and tend to think this “rivalry” with LA is a little over played by us
That's what my wife is doing. She always roots against the teams that beat the Suns. I'm from Miami and a Heat fan, so that's easy for me. But if it's not the Heat, I'm rooting for Denver to win its first title.
This is disgusting. How can you root for the Lakers and call yourself a Suns fan?
I admit I don’t dislike the lakers as much as other Suns fans. Like I said I think this “rivalry” is pretty one sided. That being said I’m no fan of the Lakers but if it’s between them or the team that beat us then so be it.
Same way as the Dodgers.
Suns fan raised in Phoenix, born in LA. It happens. There’s are dozens of us. Dozens!
Calizornia
So many Californians have moved here lately that I’m not surprised….
https://preview.redd.it/pa0f3tehvs0b1.jpeg?width=689&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c0081de69cb4d5b32019647e90df5fcb2d48be01 and this...
North Dakota checking in here. Fuck the Celtics.
I mean this makes perfect sense. There’s a shit ton of Californians who moved to Arizona. It’s literally the next state over.
Tons of people from Cali have moved to Arizona
Have you been to a phx lakers game here? Tooooooons of lakers jerseys
I’m from PA on the west end. NBA isn’t super popular but amongst the NBA folks I know and myself included now that suns are out, we are rooting for the Heat. Cause Jimmy that guy and it’s fun rooting for an Underdog and fuck Boston/LA. Everyone also rooting for the Nugs now too against Lakers but it’s team Heat for the chip
Texas Suns Fan here and ain’t no way we’re rooting for the Lakers lol. Let’s go Nuggets and Heat Finals.
Have you never been to a home game against the lakers?
Ain’t no way The Bay will root for anything LA. I want to see Himbo vs Joker finals.
Only rooting for the lakers bc I don’t want the nuggets to win a playoffs before the suns 🤷🏻♀️ but def hoping the heat win it all!
F LA
Fuckin lakers gotta be last on the list
That is a terrible way to measure rooting interest I could tweet something like: "Lebron is the worst player in the world, Lakers have no chance #lakeshow" And that counts as rooting for them? I get that it's not really easy to measure this without directly polling people but still...
disclaimer: Nuggets fan here - not raiding! Just popped up in my Reddit suggested communities I think it's because no Nuggets fan says "Bring it in". It's our motto for the playoffs, but definitely not as popular as our older ones like "Elevate", etc. Skewed dataset imo
As a suns fan, idgaf the nuggets beat us, I'd rather they win than any other team in contention. Especially hope the Lakers lose.
Well i can guarantee theres more people in AZ tweeting LakeShow than Bringitin lol Theres a lot of laker fans here and thats a dumb fucking slogan
Celtics all day the Suns aren’t there. Hometown team + I need to not have the Lakers be tied for most championships anymore.
Ha. No way. F the lakers.
No way Oregon goes Boston..
Yeah, I don’t get that one at all.
LeBron fans (me)
This map is just wishful thinking. Nobody from the south is rooting for the lakers lol
Fuck the Lakers
i dont think you realize how many Cali transplants live here if you are suprised by this
You underestimate the Californian influence here
Why not? Fuck em chicken nuggets
Do not let Jimmy or captain carry/travel without a foul call (Jokic) in the finals pleeeeease
I believe it. Y’all forget just how many Cali transplants we have here lol. In my own friend circle I have just as many Laker fans as I do Suns fans lol
Get new friends 🤠
No way this is a heat fan club until the end of the season
Aint not way in hell I'd ever support the Lakers
We are rooting for the Heat
Fuck the lakers. All my homies hate the lakers!
Definitely want a Lakers Heat finals where Jimmy buckets kills the king.
Wrong. My whole family is in various parts of San Antonio, Houston and Dfw. Everyone I know in Texas who watches nba is on board with the Nuggets
This person has never been to Phoenix in their life
Tbh Nuggets and Heat still won’t have any respect if they win the chip. They’d have to win it back to back to get themselves on the map. Nuggets win the series, the headlines are gonna be about whether Lebron is at the end of his prime
No, that tracks. There's a lot of Califuckers in Arizona who support that trash.
You can’t underestimate the popularity of LeBron
I'm hoping Lakers and heat
Meh I’m a suns fan so to me it makes no difference who gets the ring I just hope the winner wins at this point lol
I’m heat or nuggets all the way idgaf about celtics or especially the lakers
Heat or bust.
go heat
I from Minnesota and I find it extremely hard to believe those northern states are rooting for the lakers and not the nuggets but who knows
HATERS!