The 2016-17 NBA season began last week, and one way I will be tracking their progress is through the number of twitter followers their account has. It is not a very accurate metric for their talent level or current success but it can dictate how significant the teams are to fans. These numbers often reflect their star power, legacy, and a few other factors. I will do my best to see what the number of twitter followers means for the teams.

Numbers accurate as of October 26, 2016 7 pm Pacific Standard Time

600K and below range

30.Utah Jazz 517K

29.Minnesota Timberwolves 527K

T-27.Denver Nuggets and New Orleans Pelicans 528K

26.Sacramento Kings 529K

25.Milwaukee Bucks 532K

24.Washington Wizards 534K

T-22.Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons 590K

21.Charlotte Hornets 597K

Generally these teams are not heavy favorites to make the playoffs, albeit a few exceptions. The last time any of these teams were even slight contenders to win a championship was actually not so long ago, when the Rockets made it to the Western Conference finals in 2015 and lost to eventual champions Golden State Warriors. Many of these teams such as Utah Jazz, Sacramento Kings, and New Orleans Pelicans are considered to have smaller markets compared to some of their other Western Conference Counterparts. While the Nuggets are still figuring out life after Andre Iguodala left their team, the Minnesota Timberwolves feature a young lineup including Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach Lavine, and Andrew Wiggins that many think could be a strong core in a few more seasons. Watch out for players such as DeMarcus Cousins (Kings), Andre Drummond (Pistons), John Wall (Wizards), Anthony Davis (Pelicans), and Kemba Walker (Hornets) to earn their respective teams some upsets and be vital contributors to their playoff hopes.

600-750K range

20.Memphis Grizzlies 630K
19.Portland Trail Blazers 647K

18.Brooklyn Nets 684K

17.Atlanta Hawks 707K

16.Philadelphia 76ers 750K

There is little to no correlation between these two teams. You have two bad teams, two average team, and a potential dark horse. The 76ers are the epitome of a catch 22. Whenever they develop a decent player, that player jumps ship to another team. Maybe some of their comparatively large number of followers are due to people seeing how worse they may get. The Nets aren't quite as bad but their reliance on the semi reliable Brook Lopez and Jeremy Lin suggests they are in for a rough season. The Memphis Grizzlies and Atlanta Hawks have flown under the radar since the Grizzlies faced the Warriors in the 2015 playoffs and the Hawks had a lengthy winning run in the 2014-15 season. Although they are currently shadows of their former selves, they are not to be underestimated. Same definitely applies to the Blazers, who can hold their own against even the toughest West Conference Foes even without their once star player LaMarcus Aldridge (now with Spurs)

800K-1 million range

15.Indiana Pacers 801K

14.Los Angeles Clippers 993K

13.Dallas Mavericks 1 million

The one common thread between these teams are their modest yet hopefully expectations. They are solid teams that could, with a lot of development throughout the season, make some noise in the playoffs. They are definitely not safe bets to win though. Dallas’s Dirk Nowitzki continues to play at a high level despite his age, but may have a tough time getting to the playoffs. Pacers are in a similar spot but with Paul George back to his pre injury levels, who knows what they can accomplish. The Clippers are good enough to be a thorn on the side of tough teams but they are missing a few key components to be title contenders. Time in running out though for what was for a long time the inferior LA basketball team.

1.2 million range

T-11.Raptors 1.2 million
T-11.Rockets 1.2 million

For a long time people forgot that there was a Canadian team in the NBA, but now the Raptors are one of the strongest teams in the Eastern Conference. They see themselves as the biggest roadblocks for the Cavaliers, but there still seems to be a significant gap in quality between the two teams. The Houston Rockets are a glass cannon, which makes sense because that's an accurate description of their main man James Harden. All offense, no defense. They're an interesting team with a lot of personality, which helps explain their high amount of followers. Probably has something to do with the high population of the Toronto and Houston metropolitan areas as well.

1.4 million range

T-9.Magic 1.4 million

T-9.Thunder 1.4 million

The Thunder are no surprise to be in this range of Twitter followers. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have been some key faces of the NBA this decade. Durant’s decision to go to the Warriors did not seem to negatively affect the Thunder’s popularity. In fact it will definitely be a heated game when the Warriors and Thunder play this season. Orlando Magic being this high on the list is an enigma because they haven't been a great team either historically or recently. I did check and they did have a similar amount before the Orlando Shooting this summer. I think I have to chalk it up to having great fans.

1.5 million range

T-7.Knicks 1.5 million

T-7.Cavs 1.5 million

You would be forgiven for thinking the Cavs would be higher on the list especially after lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy this past season. But clearly they are one of the more well known teams in the NBA. I could go through a list of reasons, but most of them lead back to one man: Lebron James. The Knicks have been busy this offseason, acquiring the likes of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. Along with Carmelo Anthony and Kristian Porzingis, they are the darkest of horses to do well this season. It all depends on whether the whole becomes greater than the sum of these parts.

The top 6

6.Spurs 1.6 million

True to the Spurs spirit, they are widely respected but not the most popular team. They keep it low key and fundamental on and off the court, and it's a successful formula that lead them to 5 championships in my lifetime. At risk of sounding like a bandwagon, aside from the Warriors the Spurs have been the team I've enjoyed watching the most growing up. It did help that in 2007 they avenged the Warriors by beating the Jazz in the playoffs. This will be their first season without loyal legend Tim Duncan, so it will feel weird at first. But I think they will be just fine. And for the umpteenth season in a row the most consistent team in recent years will be title contenders.

5.Celtics 1.9 million

From Bill Russell to Larry Bird, the Celtics have a rich history of great players. Ever since the Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce
era came to an end, they have struggled. They have a new group of young players led by Isaiah Thomas that makes them a safe playoff bet. Definitely a team to watch.

4.Warriors 2.5 million

Two finals appearance and ending a 40 year title drought is great, but it’s safe to say Warriors lack the legacy compared to the other teams in the top 6. Because of that I’m a bit shocked Spurs and Celtics aren’t closer to Warriors in terms of followers. But anyway, I can only say so much to justify their position on the list without stating the obvious. To keep things short, they may only have one title to show for their success, but they are a force to be reckoned with. They play exciting and unselfish basketball. Their good guy reputation has been compromised with the controversial decision to acquire Kevin Durant, but it's a high risk high reward move and we will see if it pays off.

3.Bulls 2.9 million

Most NBA fans grew up either watching Michael Jordan on TV or getting to know his greatness retroactively through playoff/dream team highlights, documentaries, and the Space Jam Movie. The Bulls don't have as long of a successful history as Celtics or Lakers but when your team boasts the best player in the game’s history, that's a legacy that is hard to overlook. They may be a far cry from that dominant team but maybe they will be in for a solid season. It will be interesting to see how life after injury prone star Derrick Rose treats the Bulls.

2.Miami Heat 3.6 million

After 4 back to back finals appearances during Lebron James’s stay in the club, Heat fans have remained loyal to a team that on paper can give any team in the NBA problems. Yet another team that will have a brand new look without long time player Dwyane Wade, but rising stars Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside give Heat fans reasons to be optimistic.

1.Los Angeles Lakers 5.3 million

Say what you want about the Lakers. Whether it’s the Greater Los Angeles Area’s population or fans of their long list of star players, there is no denying that the Lakers are still one of the first basketball teams people think of. This past season the league and the team said goodbye to Kobe Bryant. Love him or hate him, he is a legend no doubt about it. He endured a few seasons of injuries and the team’s overall decline in power, but now Lakers fans look towards the new generation. It will take time for D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, and company to reach their potential. Either way, the Lakers represent what is a large theme for the league as a whole this season: changing of the guard.

What do you think about these stats? Did anything surprise you? Let me know by leaving a comment. I hope you found it interesting.