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There are often conversations in the NBA as to which team or state has the most passionate fans. Every fanbase fights over the title and there are venues in the league that are extremely intimidating to play in, such as the New York Knicks' Madison Square Garden and the Boston Celtics' TD Garden.
An NBA franchise is often extremely important in its local community and state as a whole due to the wealth and power they have at their disposal. In this article, we will look at which states have the most representation within the league.
California (4 teams)
California has the most NBA teams of any state and some of its most successful ones, too. The LA Lakers are the headline franchise from the state having won their 17th championship title last year in the bubble. Prior to that, though, they had been on the sidelines over the last decade when their rivals up the coast, the Golden State Warriors, were winning titles.
With a trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green then subsequently adding Kevin Durant as well, the Warriors made five NBA Finals appearances in a row. They ended up creating one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history. They won three championships in that period and will be looking to put up a greater fight against the Lakers next season with Klay Thompson back from injury.
California's other two teams, with only one championship between them, are the LA Clippers and Sacramento Kings. The Clippers have only been in Los Angeles since 1984, after the franchise moved from San Diego and they currently share the Staples Center with their city rivals, the Lakers.
Last but not least are the Sacramento Kings who have seen ups and downs throughout their history. They won one championship back in 1951 (previously known as the Rochester Royals) against the Knicks. They have not made another Finals appearance since, twice losing in the Conference Finals in the last thirty years. The Kings haven't been to the playoffs since 2006.
Texas (3 teams)
With one team less than California, the state of Texas plays host to the Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs. Only the Mavericks are representing the state in this year's playoffs, but have gotten off to a stellar start in their series against the Clippers.
The San Antonio Spurs have been one of the NBA's most successful sides in the 21st century. Since becoming head coach in 1996, Gregg Poppovich has led the Spurs to five championships, including four titles in seven years between 1999-2005. They also made it to four Conference Finals and lost one other NBA Finals appearance in 2013.
The Houston Rockets have also been a mainstay in the playoffs, though more so over the last decade with future hall-of-famer James Harden at the helm. They made it to the Conference Finals twice, losing to the Golden State Warriors on both occasions. They also boasted the West's best record in 2018 with 65 wins and only 17 losses. In the 90s, the Rockets won back-to-back titles with Hakeem Olajuwon leading the side.
Rounding out the teams from Texas are the Dallas Mavericks, who only add to the state's success. Led by Dirk Nowitzki, the franchise won its only ring in 2011, having previously made it to the NBA Finals five seasons prior. Since the turn of the century, the Mavs have made it to the playoffs on 17 out of 21 opportunities. They are currently led by someone who the team hope will be the next Nowitzki - young Serbian Luka Doncic.
New York and Florida (2 teams)
Moving over to the Eastern Conference, we have two states in Florida and New York that both have two teams in the NBA. Their franchises are also among the most successful and well-known around the world.
First from Florida, we have the Miami Heat, who have had the most success in recent history, winning three titles across eight seasons between 2006-2013. In their back-to-back title runs, the Heat had one of the most-feared trios in the league's history in Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Last season in the bubble, Jimmy Butler led the Heat back to the Finals in what was a fairytale run, though they fell at the final hurdle to the Lakers.
Also in Florida are the Orlando Magic. The franchise has only been around since the 1989-90 season and has made the playoffs on 16 occasions. That being said, they have made the NBA Finals twice, losing both times and finished in the Eastern Conference's top-3 sides for three years in a row between 2007-2010.
New York currently has two teams in the NBA, with both earning home-court advantage in this year's playoffs. The Knicks are the state's best-known side and a world renowned side. They have endured a roller-coaster run of form over the decades since their last championship win in 1973. Coach Tom Thibodeau has helped transform the team this year and has their fanbase believing again as they return to the postseason for the first time since 2013.
Crossing the East River you arrive in Brooklyn where the Nets play - formally known as the New Jersey Nets. The franchise had its most success at the start of the century with two Finals series in a row, though they lost both. There has been a lot of excitement around the team this season, however, with James Harden, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving looking to blitz their opponents on offense.
There are 18 other teams in the NBA from all across America and the Toronto Raptors in Canada. Each represents its own state, with the most successful being the Boston Celtics from Massachusetts - with 17 championships. The Chicago Bulls, from the state of Illinois, won six titles while Michael Jordan dominated the league in the 90s.
