For the first time since 2001, the Pistons did not make the playoffs. You know that, though. You also know that despite Detroit not being represented in the playoffs, the playoffs must go on (tomorrow with the Bulls at Cavs leading things off at 3:30 PM EST). It's a damn travesty, I know.
If you're strictly a Pistons fan, and not a general NBA fan, your season of watching basketball is over. You can either turn your attention to your other sports' teams that are currently playing, read a good book, or catch up on Dancing with the Stars. However, I suspect most Pistons fans don't mind watching the NBA and will still follow the playoffs.
For many general NBA fans, for the first time in eight years, you might be going into the playoffs without the slightest clue to who you should delegate all your pent up fandom. For some, you'll get your twisty straws ready for riding on the Dyess/Blair or Billups/Afflalo/'Melo wagons. If you're Angelina Jolie, you'll adopt a few teams for the playoffs.
If you do need help deciding who to root for, though, look no further ... than here. The playoff teams' blogs here on SB Nation have put together their greatest arguments on why you should adopt their team for the 2010 NBA playoffs. It's worth checking out to help make your decision easier.
Me? I'm going with the Atlanta Hawks. It wasn't a tough sell because I'm currently living in Atlanta. I don't think the argument was the best of the 16, but the following sums it up**:
The NBA is a superstar league, and the Hawks do not have a superstar. So if you are looking to go anti-LeBron, Wade, Kobe, even Durant, the Hawks offer you the best non-superstar team to root for. Your welcome. [...]
[...] This is not the boring brilliance of a Detroit Pistons' championship defense or the mundane incredibleness of the Spurs' championship offense. The Hawks are pockets of the best basketball team you will see all year within restful periods of mediocrity. They can beat anyone, and in the regular season, they will lose to anyone. But come playoff time, it is their best shot. Effort truncates the frustrating inconsistencies of those first 82 games, and I will tell you it is pretty dang fun to watch.
**I don't think the Pistons' defense was "boring" by any means, but that's a whole other discussion, I guess.
So who's your 2010 playoff team? Do share.