Poll: Top rivalries in the league right now

[Smartacus]

The league is fairly strong right now with better parity than we've seen in some time. Doc Rivers recently commented about how it's healthy for the league that there are teams that are looking forward to playing eachother.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10029251-doc-rivers-says-rivalries-are-good-for-nba-ahead-of-nets-vs-76ers-showdown

What are the best rivalries in the league? if I missed any in the poll mention them in the comments and I'll try to update the poll ASAP.

[Celtics2021]

I'm curious as to why you put Hawks-Knicks up there.  Is there some weird Kevin Knox-Cam Reddish beef I missed?

[Moranis]

I don't think most of those games are actually rivalries. 

[tazzmaniac]

From a player perspective, I don't think there are any team rivalries anymore. 

[#1P4P]

Of the recent rivalries, it still has to have history (though recent), fervent fan bases, and major encounters. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry was one sided, but it was still a rivalry (competitive balance and give and take makes it more intriguing but it’s not a necessity for a rivalry). Players can take rivalries with them (CP3 and the Warriors; Kyrie and the Celtics).

Kyrie’s history (all the way to stepping on Lucky and comparing the fan base to a scorned girlfriend) amps the Celtics-Nets rivalry, but they lack the fervent fan base; for me, it’s a step below the Sixers. I dislike losing to those guys more than any other team in the league.

The Heat-Bucks rivalry is one of the best rivalries in the NBA today. They’ve faced and eliminated one another in back to back seasons, cherry picked key players, and talked trash to each other.

[#1P4P]

Of the recent rivalries, it still has to have history (though recent), fervent fan bases, and major encounters. The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry was one sided, but it was still a rivalry (competitive balance and give and take makes it more intriguing but it’s not a necessity for a rivalry). Players can take rivalries with them (CP3 and the Warriors; Kyrie and the Celtics).

Kyrie’s history (all the way to stepping on Lucky and comparing the fan base to a scorned girlfriend) amps the Celtics-Nets rivalry, but they lack the fervent fan base; for me, it’s a step below the Sixers. I dislike losing to those guys more than any other team in the league.

The Heat-Bucks rivalry is one of the best rivalries in the NBA today. They’ve faced and eliminated one another in back to back seasons, cherry picked key players, and talked trash to each other.

This Sixers-Nets rivalry will be great and amped if they face each other in the first round. They might vault to first soon.

[Smartacus]

I'm curious as to why you put Hawks-Knicks up there.  Is there some weird Kevin Knox-Cam Reddish beef I missed?

It cooled off but that playoff series with Trae Young they had last year brought more hype to MSG than most of the last decade combined.

I was mostly just trying to fill the list.

[Goldstar88]

I think the Nets and 76ers will have a rivalry for the next few years. Embiid and Simmons don’t like each other. Harden wanted out of Brooklyn due to Kyrie and his antics and you know KD isn’t happy about how that went down. Wish there were more rivalries, it’s good for the game.

[Smartacus]

I think that one thing that the poll results show is that closest things that we have to rivalries are all in the East.

When I first starting getting into basketball I heard all about how the East is the worse conference and lacks the talent of the West but when I would stay up to watch teams like Houston, Phoenix, Denver, and GS play they we're glorified stat padding track meets. It didn't even seem like the same game compared to how the KG Celtics played where every possession counted and a forced 24 second violation got more cheers than an alley oop.

I really feel like the cities around here breed a certain level of contempt for the other teams that bleeds out onto the court to the players. IMO West coast people are typically more laid back and the product on the court reflects that.

Would Giannis be taking shots at the bubble Heat if he played for a laid back city like Denver instead of cold hard Milwaukee? Who knows but all I can say is that the war brewing between the Celtics, Nets, and 76ers has more bad blood than we've seen in a long time and that doesn't even factor in the Heat, Bucks, and Chicago.

[Roy H.]

Lakers and Celtics. 

[Moranis]

I think that one thing that the poll results show is that closest things that we have to rivalries are all in the East.

When I first starting getting into basketball I heard all about how the East is the worse conference and lacks the talent of the West but when I would stay up to watch teams like Houston, Phoenix, Denver, and GS play they we're glorified stat padding track meets. It didn't even seem like the same game compared to how the KG Celtics played where every possession counted and a forced 24 second violation got more cheers than an alley oop.

I really feel like the cities around here breed a certain level of contempt for the other teams that bleeds out onto the court to the players. IMO West coast people are typically more laid back and the product on the court reflects that.

Would Giannis be taking shots at the bubble Heat if he played for a laid back city like Denver instead of cold hard Milwaukee? Who knows but all I can say is that the war brewing between the Celtics, Nets, and 76ers has more bad blood than we've seen in a long time and that doesn't even factor in the Heat, Bucks, and Chicago.

Or you are asking the fanbase of the Eastern most team in the league and thus they see the East far more than the West. 

[Smartacus]

I think that one thing that the poll results show is that closest things that we have to rivalries are all in the East.

When I first starting getting into basketball I heard all about how the East is the worse conference and lacks the talent of the West but when I would stay up to watch teams like Houston, Phoenix, Denver, and GS play they we're glorified stat padding track meets. It didn't even seem like the same game compared to how the KG Celtics played where every possession counted and a forced 24 second violation got more cheers than an alley oop.

I really feel like the cities around here breed a certain level of contempt for the other teams that bleeds out onto the court to the players. IMO West coast people are typically more laid back and the product on the court reflects that.

Would Giannis be taking shots at the bubble Heat if he played for a laid back city like Denver instead of cold hard Milwaukee? Who knows but all I can say is that the war brewing between the Celtics, Nets, and 76ers has more bad blood than we've seen in a long time and that doesn't even factor in the Heat, Bucks, and Chicago.

Or you are asking the fanbase of the Eastern most team in the league and thus they see the East far more than the West.

Fair point. I'm not sure that's all of it... but fair point.