June 5, 2025 • 17 mins
Former Sonics announcer Kevin Calabro joins Dick Fain to dive deep into these NBA Finals starting tonight including the chances of the Pacers taking down Oklahoma City, plus NBA expansion news from Adam Silver today and the updated timeline for Seattle.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Pacers in Okay c to face the plunder Oklahoma City
ten point favorite in game number one, and to talk
about it at all things NBA. Our friend Kevin Collaboro
joins us, Casey, how are you.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Jick Fane. I'm doing great, man, beautiful day here in
the lovely Pacific.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Norm Absolutely is it good to hear your voice. And
you know, Casey, the last time we heard your voice
you turned into no stradamus.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
This was what was the date on this, Jackson? May eight,
May the eighth. I mean we're.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Talking about a freaking month ago when you said this.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I can see in Indiana Oklahoma City final.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Who got the NBA would hate that, But I don't.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Think Indiana be I'm saying it's Indiana and Oklahoma City,
oh playing for the hearts and minds of Middle America.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Buckle up, baby, buckle up baby. I hope you put it.
I hope you put a couple of shekels on it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Man. Well, apparently a lot of dick. Apparently a lot
of people are. I'm not a betting guy, but I
see Vegas five to one odds. You know the dogs,
Indiana dogs to Oklahoma City. That hasn't happened since four
when our good friend Chouncy Phillips and the Detroit Pistons
(01:20):
upset the Los Angeles Lakers. So a lot of money
riding on Indiana as an underog even though they're what
a nine and a half point dog tonight on the
road at Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Well, you mentioned in that cut you kind.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Of see the right. I'm not a Vegas No, you're
not a Vegas guy. I know you guys are.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I think the value, the value still I think is
on Indiana at five to one. That's where if I
had to place my money on one side of the other,
I'd probably go five to one Indiana. But you kind
of slid in there when you said Indiana Oakley. Okay,
see you kind of slid I don't think they're gonna win, though,
So now here we are a month later, are you
closer to believing they're gonna win.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Or further away from believing they're gonna win?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Now? I think Indiana will make it a compelling series,
But I can see my heart tells me it's a
five game. My head says, my head tells me it's
a five game. My heart says, give me a six game.
Because we need to see more basketball. This has been
such a great postseason. I think you'll agree. Yes, I
(02:23):
just I can't get enough of this, and I yeah,
I know it's a thunder, but I'm kind of over that.
And with the news that you guys just laid on
me today, I'm even getting more over that. So go Indiana.
I'm a Pacer guy. You know that I grew up
in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bob Nettelek, he was my guy, sixty
seven sixty eight. Roger Brown, the Rajah. Look him up
(02:45):
sports fans if you don't know who these two are,
the characters from the old Bobby Leonard days of the
Indiana Pacers in the transition from the ABA to the NBA.
But it's been great because you know, both these teams,
Dick have done it organically. It hasn't been going out
swinging for the fence's taking around of player and trying
to team them with two other superstars.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So you mentioned great Perry, you tease there the news
from Adam Silver that we read in the last segment
for people just tuning in. Adam Silver did say that
there's going to be an owner's meeting in July. Expansion
will be on the agenda, and what I thought was interesting,
he says, we have committees already talking about expansion. I
didn't realize. I thought the committees would be established in July.
(03:29):
So it sounds like it's even a little bit further
ahead than I thought. I mean, were you were you
encouraged by what you heard from the commissioner?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, how could you not be right? How could you
not be It's coming from the commissioner before Game one,
you know, talked about a variety of issues, I mean
a variety of issues, but this came up. And this
is great news, I think for people that have wanted
over the years to see NBA basketball come back to Seattle.
(04:00):
Twenty one years of history, a great legacy, a championship,
the great Hall of famers. They should have always been
part of the NBA. But now a real opportunity, the
first time since eight we've seen a real opportunity in
my opinion, And of course we've been led down the
path of course, the whole Sacramento situation and so forth.
(04:21):
But this really, this feels like it's coming directly from
the commissioner. It has the stamp of approval from the
Board of Governors, to go to a search and do
due diligence and have that done by the time Dick,
they get to the Summer League, which is coming up
in July, when the Board of Governors will reconvene. And well,
(04:43):
apparently Silver went so far as to say today, right,
that's the other big part of this news that's coming out,
and you guys are the first to tell me about it,
is that Silver is saying that they will then apparently
get into some real serious conversation in July about the process,
(05:03):
and we'll get a timetable at that point. So I
think everybody will wait expectantly to hear what they have
to say in July.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Can't wait for those meetings, no question about it.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
July is always fun for the NBA because it's right
when the beginning of free agency starts.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And then he got the.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Orders of meeting crazy.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Do you believe maybe do you think with the expansion
back to Seattle, we'll say impending, potentially impending?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Do you believe that the Thunder then would.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Sever all ties with Sonic history and just give Seattle
back their history and this Thunder say, hey, our history
began in two thousand and eight with year number one.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Do you think that will happen.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Dick, the way you've laid it out, that seems reasonable
to me. And I don't know if it'll happen, but
I think that's very reasonable, and I think there are
reasonable parties everywhere that's involved in this. Now. I think
the animus, I think the emotion has died down to
a point where we're all very practical people now, I think,
and I think the league would would find a pathway,
(06:05):
uh that would allow obviously Oklahoma City realize their own
history and the Sonics to then reconnect with their their
old history. You know, So that'd be that'd be great.
I just I just think it'd be so so welcome
obviously in this city, in this region, but also in
the NBA. Everybody talks about when are they coming back
(06:26):
to Seattle, Dick. You've heard, you heard and all the
assignments that you do in the w NBA, I'm sure
when are the Sonics coming back to Seattle? Right? You know?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So, Kevin Collaboro, they're great, Kevin Collaboro. And speaking of
my w NBA days that you helped me there, Kevin,
I remember giving you cassette tapes at Sonics games saying, Casey,
can you can you listen to this and tell me
how terrible it is? And you were great and helping
me out, no question about it. I'm sure you helped
a lot of people get their get their career started.
(06:55):
But do you mention the uh, you know, the lack
of bitterness that you feel anymore? And I think I
think a lot of people don't nearly have. I don't
nearly have the bitterness that I had seventeen years ago,
that's for sure. I mean, I can't stand watching Clayton
Bennett celebrate in the in the front row at that arena, certainly,
But you know, I don't hold bitterness for the Oklahoma
City fans, and I certainly like the players on the
(07:17):
Oklahoma City team. It's just hard for me to watch
them play in that jersey.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well, look at the sixty eight win team we're talking
about that you know, beat Memphis. They were down two
to one to a very good Denver team and ended
up winning by thirty two in game seven. You know,
an SDA just came to life. He averaged like thirty
five in that series. They crushed Minnesota, I mean a
(07:46):
thirty beat them by what thirty thirty two whatever it
was in game, in the in the wrap up of
the game, number one rated defense in the regular season
and better in the playoffs. You know, Edwards called him
puppets on a string, fifteen puppets on a string. And
when he says fifteen, he means that because they get
they are so deep. And that's that to me is
(08:09):
a I mean, you tell me it's about the point guard,
Dick and and if Haliburton is constantly saying Lou Dort,
Uh Caruso, Jalen Williams, Sga Case and Wallas, They've got
six guys that are six five six six and go
out there that are quick and can check him. And
(08:32):
I think that's a really it's going to be a
real issue for Indiana.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Have you talked to your old friend Rick Carlyle lately,
who's leading his team into battle tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I didn't mention lou Dort either. Who will open? Who
will open on it? Tyrus Celebert. I did reach out
to Rick Carlisle and wished him the best and congratulations
and he said thanks brother, and then he moved on.
So no, no real conversation, but I did, you know,
I want to let coach you know that I appreciate
what he's doing. I always seem when he comes into
Portland and where we're rullin Indiana, always talked to him.
(09:03):
He's such a terrific guy. Renaissance man, got his pilot's license.
He's now I think, looking to fly jets or something
like that. He plays jazz piano and Oscar Peterson is
his idol. Very deep guy, interesting, interesting guy. You know.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
The hope that I'm holding on to for the Pacers
is that, you know, we aren't so far away from
the Thunder being down nine in the fourth quarter of
Game number five against Denver, and they were about to
go down three to two in that series, and we
weren't far you know, from a game seven. You know,
do you think that was just a you know, a
tough matchup for OKC because of the jokicch factor, or
(09:41):
or do you think that maybe Rick can take something
from that series and use it to his vantage in
this series and we may be able to see, you know,
a situation in game number five in a two to
two series where the Pacers are up by nine.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I think it was the Jokic situation because the aforementioned
list of defenders. I talked about at six y five
or ill equipped out on the perimeter, which is where
he was orchestrating a lot of his offense, playmaking, shooting
threes and so forth. And they did not have the
bulk the size when he went into the mid block
(10:16):
and then he and Murray worked screen and roll. That
was a real issue for him. Indiana doesn't present that issue.
I mean, Miles Turner can shoot the three. He's not
a terrific post up guy, good shot blocker there. I
think their strength obviously is in Halliburton, and it's in
Pascal Siakam, and then just their depth and the speed
of play. They're tempos. They're as quick in points per
(10:37):
hunter possession in the NBA as there is. But Oklahoma City,
as we just mentioned, is an elead defensive team. But
they're a team that likes to gallop up and down two.
They can do that. That's what makes these guys so good.
It's not like they're just crushing you at half court.
They can defend you ninety four feet and they will
defend you with them. Even though Indiana pulls the ball out,
(11:00):
than that, the thunder will be back. There won't be
any cap. I mean, this is not the New York
Knicks we're talking about here, So this is just a
whole It's aish. Even with Rick Carlisle, as brilliant as
he is in you know, trying to establish yourself against
this this defensive Oklahoma City team, it's just been I mean,
(11:20):
I was looking at their their evolution dictated twenty two
to twenty three. They had forty wins that year. They
were fourteenth defensively. They go to fifty seven wins last year. Okay,
that's the seventeen win improvement. They lose to Dallas in
the second round, but they don't have Caruso and they
don't have Hartenstein. They had those two guys sixty eight
(11:41):
wins and they're sixteen and four right now in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
I mean, to me, that's the team that's an all timer.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Yeah, so we we got we got to swallow that.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
And I think there they're going to be a club
that's going to be there the next three four years.
Even with this salary cap and the tears in the
April and all that stuff. Sam Presty has proven to
be just one of the elite administrators in all of
professional sports. In the world, not just North America but
the world, and the championship I think would obviously confirm
(12:12):
that to everybody. What is evident. You know, he was
Executive of the Year obviously this year.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Yeah, and he's loaded with first round draft picks for
the next decade too, So they're they're not going anywhere,
that's for sure. Final a couple of minutes with you
with Kevin collabor here. You know, Jackson and I were
talking about the Small market Finals earlier, and I mentioned
that I thought, hey, you know, if the networks in
the NBA wanted to do themselves a service, then maybe
they would put Indiana on national TV more than nine
(12:37):
times this year. It wasn't like Indiana wasn't in the
East Finals last year. They were a good team with
an up and coming star. I mean case they put
the Celtics on twenty six times, the Lakers on twenty seven,
the Warriors on twenty four, and the Pacers on nine,
so it's like they could. But Jackson just said, hey,
they just want to put those stars on and they'll
whatever they get in the NBA Finals, they'll like, we'll
(12:59):
take because we want to make sure our eyeballs are
on Steph Curry and Lebron James and Jason Tatum and
the Joker all season long?
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
How do you do you think it affects the ratings much?
And do you think they go about it the right
way by not putting teams like the Pacers on the
rest of the year.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Oh boy, that's that's the beauty. I read an article
today about how put off the players were because they
weren't playing on Christmas both Oklahoma City and Indiana last
year or this year. And you know, so I think
the effect on players is the players notice that. Yeah,
so let's start there. The players know that, and they've
got a chip and that serves them well. As evidence.
(13:40):
We've seen that these two teams arriving where they are. Now,
that's part of it is their swagger. Hey, you know
we're flyover country. Big networks don't want us because we're
not Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles. I mean we
know that about that here in the Pacific Northwest. So
you know, nothing has changed, And I don't think I
think they're you know, they will be seen more next year.
I think because of who they are and because they
(14:02):
have young, demonstrable stars. I mean, Oklahoma City I think
is the second youngest team in the NBA behind the Blazers,
and people are getting to know them now. You know,
I mentioned that jumped from forty to fifty seven to
sixty eight. Well, that deserves them. That gives you cache
in the marketplace, and it puts you on national TV.
(14:24):
So we are going to see more of Oklahoma City.
And from a media standpoint, you can get a very
good meal in Oklahoma City. I mean, they've got great
steak restaurants there. The problem is, Dick, as you probably know,
you got to it's connecting territory. You got to connect
to a flight. You see where Indiana had to circle
and avoid tornadoes in Tulsa and set it out and
(14:49):
then and then circle back and heead to Oklahoma City.
But so it goes life on the planes.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
You know, Hey, you mentioned New York earlier. What do
you think that? Why do you think TIBs was fired
Game one?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
And the fact that Indiana beat him last Indiana beat
him last year, and I think he wore his guys out,
He didn't really develop his bench and then try to
go to his bench at certain times. And I you know,
the thing is I just think time had run its course.
It's about star players in this league, and Leon Rose
is of course, you know Synonymous would bring in brunts,
(15:26):
it in Brunton's dad, Karl, Anthony Towns and so forth,
so you know this was a Leon move. I don't
know who they're going to hire. I don't think it's
going to be Jay Wright. I don't think we're going
to have a Villainovo reunion. What about Mike Malone, I
don't and Mike Malone I think is you know, obviously
I like Taylor Jenkins, the guy that was at Memphis.
I think he's terrific. Yeah, I don't think Jeff van
(15:47):
Gundy because he was so close with Mike Tibodeau, and
I don't really know if he gets along with Dolan
or not. I tell you what, I would reach out
to Van Gundy if I were New York, but you
know who knows. I no idea what the relationship is there.
And yeah, from there, I really don't have any names
for you.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, well it'll be interesting to see, well, Casey, it
is always a pleasure. I every single time I watched
the Pacer game the last month, and they kept winning
and winning and winning I thought about your call on
May the eighth that the Pacers were gonna play the
Thunder in the NBA Finals, and you were indeed right.
But I hope you're not right about who's gonna win
the finals. But I think you will be right about
(16:29):
who's gonna win the finals. All right, have a great tell,
you know, go.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Ahead, just enjoy it. Enjoy this beautiful sunny Pacific Northwest.
And that news today from Adam Silver, that his big news.
That's great news for all his basketball fan chaer in
the Northwest. Love it.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Thanks you, Casey. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
All right, man, take care, Gret.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
You bet that's Kevin Collaboro, the Goat, no question about it.
Kevin Collaboro is the greatest best.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
We couldn't have dreamed for better timing to have the
Adam Silver.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah, thank you, Adam Silver. So we'll get you caught
up in the next segment and you can make of
whatever you want to make of what Adam Silver had
to say. Well, we'll read the comments again. Coming up next,
I'll give you my take on the series that starts
in about ten minutes.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Coming up Non ninety three point three KJFM
Pacers in Okay c to face the plunder Oklahoma City
ten point favorite in game number one, and to talk
about it at all things NBA. Our friend Kevin Collaboro
joins us, Casey, how are you.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Jick Fane. I'm doing great, man, beautiful day here in
the lovely Pacific.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Norm Absolutely is it good to hear your voice. And
you know, Casey, the last time we heard your voice
you turned into no stradamus.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
This was what was the date on this, Jackson? May eight,
May the eighth. I mean we're.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Talking about a freaking month ago when you said this.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I can see in Indiana Oklahoma City final.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Who got the NBA would hate that, But I don't.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Think Indiana be I'm saying it's Indiana and Oklahoma City,
oh playing for the hearts and minds of Middle America.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Buckle up, baby, buckle up baby. I hope you put it.
I hope you put a couple of shekels on it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Man. Well, apparently a lot of dick. Apparently a lot
of people are. I'm not a betting guy, but I
see Vegas five to one odds. You know the dogs,
Indiana dogs to Oklahoma City. That hasn't happened since four
when our good friend Chouncy Phillips and the Detroit Pistons
(01:20):
upset the Los Angeles Lakers. So a lot of money
riding on Indiana as an underog even though they're what
a nine and a half point dog tonight on the
road at Oklahoma City.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Well, you mentioned in that cut you kind.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Of see the right. I'm not a Vegas No, you're
not a Vegas guy. I know you guys are.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
I think the value, the value still I think is
on Indiana at five to one. That's where if I
had to place my money on one side of the other,
I'd probably go five to one Indiana. But you kind
of slid in there when you said Indiana Oakley. Okay,
see you kind of slid I don't think they're gonna win, though,
So now here we are a month later, are you
closer to believing they're gonna win.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Or further away from believing they're gonna win?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Now? I think Indiana will make it a compelling series,
But I can see my heart tells me it's a
five game. My head says, my head tells me it's
a five game. My heart says, give me a six game.
Because we need to see more basketball. This has been
such a great postseason. I think you'll agree. Yes, I
(02:23):
just I can't get enough of this, and I yeah,
I know it's a thunder, but I'm kind of over that.
And with the news that you guys just laid on
me today, I'm even getting more over that. So go Indiana.
I'm a Pacer guy. You know that I grew up
in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bob Nettelek, he was my guy, sixty
seven sixty eight. Roger Brown, the Rajah. Look him up
(02:45):
sports fans if you don't know who these two are,
the characters from the old Bobby Leonard days of the
Indiana Pacers in the transition from the ABA to the NBA.
But it's been great because you know, both these teams,
Dick have done it organically. It hasn't been going out
swinging for the fence's taking around of player and trying
to team them with two other superstars.
Speaker 1 (03:05):
So you mentioned great Perry, you tease there the news
from Adam Silver that we read in the last segment
for people just tuning in. Adam Silver did say that
there's going to be an owner's meeting in July. Expansion
will be on the agenda, and what I thought was interesting,
he says, we have committees already talking about expansion. I
didn't realize. I thought the committees would be established in July.
(03:29):
So it sounds like it's even a little bit further
ahead than I thought. I mean, were you were you
encouraged by what you heard from the commissioner?
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Well, how could you not be right? How could you
not be It's coming from the commissioner before Game one,
you know, talked about a variety of issues, I mean
a variety of issues, but this came up. And this
is great news, I think for people that have wanted
over the years to see NBA basketball come back to Seattle.
(04:00):
Twenty one years of history, a great legacy, a championship,
the great Hall of famers. They should have always been
part of the NBA. But now a real opportunity, the
first time since eight we've seen a real opportunity in
my opinion, And of course we've been led down the
path of course, the whole Sacramento situation and so forth.
(04:21):
But this really, this feels like it's coming directly from
the commissioner. It has the stamp of approval from the
Board of Governors, to go to a search and do
due diligence and have that done by the time Dick,
they get to the Summer League, which is coming up
in July, when the Board of Governors will reconvene. And well,
(04:43):
apparently Silver went so far as to say today, right,
that's the other big part of this news that's coming out,
and you guys are the first to tell me about it,
is that Silver is saying that they will then apparently
get into some real serious conversation in July about the process,
(05:03):
and we'll get a timetable at that point. So I
think everybody will wait expectantly to hear what they have
to say in July.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Can't wait for those meetings, no question about it.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
July is always fun for the NBA because it's right
when the beginning of free agency starts.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
And then he got the.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Orders of meeting crazy.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Do you believe maybe do you think with the expansion
back to Seattle, we'll say impending, potentially impending?
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Do you believe that the Thunder then would.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Sever all ties with Sonic history and just give Seattle
back their history and this Thunder say, hey, our history
began in two thousand and eight with year number one.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Do you think that will happen.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Dick, the way you've laid it out, that seems reasonable
to me. And I don't know if it'll happen, but
I think that's very reasonable, and I think there are
reasonable parties everywhere that's involved in this. Now. I think
the animus, I think the emotion has died down to
a point where we're all very practical people now, I think,
and I think the league would would find a pathway,
(06:05):
uh that would allow obviously Oklahoma City realize their own
history and the Sonics to then reconnect with their their
old history. You know, So that'd be that'd be great.
I just I just think it'd be so so welcome
obviously in this city, in this region, but also in
the NBA. Everybody talks about when are they coming back
(06:26):
to Seattle, Dick. You've heard, you heard and all the
assignments that you do in the w NBA, I'm sure
when are the Sonics coming back to Seattle? Right? You know?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
So, Kevin Collaboro, they're great, Kevin Collaboro. And speaking of
my w NBA days that you helped me there, Kevin,
I remember giving you cassette tapes at Sonics games saying, Casey,
can you can you listen to this and tell me
how terrible it is? And you were great and helping
me out, no question about it. I'm sure you helped
a lot of people get their get their career started.
(06:55):
But do you mention the uh, you know, the lack
of bitterness that you feel anymore? And I think I
think a lot of people don't nearly have. I don't
nearly have the bitterness that I had seventeen years ago,
that's for sure. I mean, I can't stand watching Clayton
Bennett celebrate in the in the front row at that arena, certainly,
But you know, I don't hold bitterness for the Oklahoma
City fans, and I certainly like the players on the
(07:17):
Oklahoma City team. It's just hard for me to watch
them play in that jersey.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Well, look at the sixty eight win team we're talking
about that you know, beat Memphis. They were down two
to one to a very good Denver team and ended
up winning by thirty two in game seven. You know,
an SDA just came to life. He averaged like thirty
five in that series. They crushed Minnesota, I mean a
(07:46):
thirty beat them by what thirty thirty two whatever it
was in game, in the in the wrap up of
the game, number one rated defense in the regular season
and better in the playoffs. You know, Edwards called him
puppets on a string, fifteen puppets on a string. And
when he says fifteen, he means that because they get
they are so deep. And that's that to me is
(08:09):
a I mean, you tell me it's about the point guard,
Dick and and if Haliburton is constantly saying Lou Dort,
Uh Caruso, Jalen Williams, Sga Case and Wallas, They've got
six guys that are six five six six and go
out there that are quick and can check him. And
(08:32):
I think that's a really it's going to be a
real issue for Indiana.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Have you talked to your old friend Rick Carlyle lately,
who's leading his team into battle tonight.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I didn't mention lou Dort either. Who will open? Who
will open on it? Tyrus Celebert. I did reach out
to Rick Carlisle and wished him the best and congratulations
and he said thanks brother, and then he moved on.
So no, no real conversation, but I did, you know,
I want to let coach you know that I appreciate
what he's doing. I always seem when he comes into
Portland and where we're rullin Indiana, always talked to him.
(09:03):
He's such a terrific guy. Renaissance man, got his pilot's license.
He's now I think, looking to fly jets or something
like that. He plays jazz piano and Oscar Peterson is
his idol. Very deep guy, interesting, interesting guy. You know.
Speaker 1 (09:17):
The hope that I'm holding on to for the Pacers
is that, you know, we aren't so far away from
the Thunder being down nine in the fourth quarter of
Game number five against Denver, and they were about to
go down three to two in that series, and we
weren't far you know, from a game seven. You know,
do you think that was just a you know, a
tough matchup for OKC because of the jokicch factor, or
(09:41):
or do you think that maybe Rick can take something
from that series and use it to his vantage in
this series and we may be able to see, you know,
a situation in game number five in a two to
two series where the Pacers are up by nine.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
I think it was the Jokic situation because the aforementioned
list of defenders. I talked about at six y five
or ill equipped out on the perimeter, which is where
he was orchestrating a lot of his offense, playmaking, shooting
threes and so forth. And they did not have the
bulk the size when he went into the mid block
(10:16):
and then he and Murray worked screen and roll. That
was a real issue for him. Indiana doesn't present that issue.
I mean, Miles Turner can shoot the three. He's not
a terrific post up guy, good shot blocker there. I
think their strength obviously is in Halliburton, and it's in
Pascal Siakam, and then just their depth and the speed
of play. They're tempos. They're as quick in points per
(10:37):
hunter possession in the NBA as there is. But Oklahoma City,
as we just mentioned, is an elead defensive team. But
they're a team that likes to gallop up and down two.
They can do that. That's what makes these guys so good.
It's not like they're just crushing you at half court.
They can defend you ninety four feet and they will
defend you with them. Even though Indiana pulls the ball out,
(11:00):
than that, the thunder will be back. There won't be
any cap. I mean, this is not the New York
Knicks we're talking about here, So this is just a
whole It's aish. Even with Rick Carlisle, as brilliant as
he is in you know, trying to establish yourself against
this this defensive Oklahoma City team, it's just been I mean,
(11:20):
I was looking at their their evolution dictated twenty two
to twenty three. They had forty wins that year. They
were fourteenth defensively. They go to fifty seven wins last year. Okay,
that's the seventeen win improvement. They lose to Dallas in
the second round, but they don't have Caruso and they
don't have Hartenstein. They had those two guys sixty eight
(11:41):
wins and they're sixteen and four right now in the postseason.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:46):
I mean, to me, that's the team that's an all timer.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
Yeah, so we we got we got to swallow that.
Speaker 2 (11:52):
And I think there they're going to be a club
that's going to be there the next three four years.
Even with this salary cap and the tears in the
April and all that stuff. Sam Presty has proven to
be just one of the elite administrators in all of
professional sports. In the world, not just North America but
the world, and the championship I think would obviously confirm
(12:12):
that to everybody. What is evident. You know, he was
Executive of the Year obviously this year.
Speaker 1 (12:16):
Yeah, and he's loaded with first round draft picks for
the next decade too, So they're they're not going anywhere,
that's for sure. Final a couple of minutes with you
with Kevin collabor here. You know, Jackson and I were
talking about the Small market Finals earlier, and I mentioned
that I thought, hey, you know, if the networks in
the NBA wanted to do themselves a service, then maybe
they would put Indiana on national TV more than nine
(12:37):
times this year. It wasn't like Indiana wasn't in the
East Finals last year. They were a good team with
an up and coming star. I mean case they put
the Celtics on twenty six times, the Lakers on twenty seven,
the Warriors on twenty four, and the Pacers on nine,
so it's like they could. But Jackson just said, hey,
they just want to put those stars on and they'll
whatever they get in the NBA Finals, they'll like, we'll
(12:59):
take because we want to make sure our eyeballs are
on Steph Curry and Lebron James and Jason Tatum and
the Joker all season long?
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
How do you do you think it affects the ratings much?
And do you think they go about it the right
way by not putting teams like the Pacers on the
rest of the year.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Oh boy, that's that's the beauty. I read an article
today about how put off the players were because they
weren't playing on Christmas both Oklahoma City and Indiana last
year or this year. And you know, so I think
the effect on players is the players notice that. Yeah,
so let's start there. The players know that, and they've
got a chip and that serves them well. As evidence.
(13:40):
We've seen that these two teams arriving where they are. Now,
that's part of it is their swagger. Hey, you know
we're flyover country. Big networks don't want us because we're
not Boston, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles. I mean we
know that about that here in the Pacific Northwest. So
you know, nothing has changed, And I don't think I
think they're you know, they will be seen more next year.
I think because of who they are and because they
(14:02):
have young, demonstrable stars. I mean, Oklahoma City I think
is the second youngest team in the NBA behind the Blazers,
and people are getting to know them now. You know,
I mentioned that jumped from forty to fifty seven to
sixty eight. Well, that deserves them. That gives you cache
in the marketplace, and it puts you on national TV.
(14:24):
So we are going to see more of Oklahoma City.
And from a media standpoint, you can get a very
good meal in Oklahoma City. I mean, they've got great
steak restaurants there. The problem is, Dick, as you probably know,
you got to it's connecting territory. You got to connect
to a flight. You see where Indiana had to circle
and avoid tornadoes in Tulsa and set it out and
(14:49):
then and then circle back and heead to Oklahoma City.
But so it goes life on the planes.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
You know, Hey, you mentioned New York earlier. What do
you think that? Why do you think TIBs was fired
Game one?
Speaker 2 (15:03):
And the fact that Indiana beat him last Indiana beat
him last year, and I think he wore his guys out,
He didn't really develop his bench and then try to
go to his bench at certain times. And I you know,
the thing is I just think time had run its course.
It's about star players in this league, and Leon Rose
is of course, you know Synonymous would bring in brunts,
(15:26):
it in Brunton's dad, Karl, Anthony Towns and so forth,
so you know this was a Leon move. I don't
know who they're going to hire. I don't think it's
going to be Jay Wright. I don't think we're going
to have a Villainovo reunion. What about Mike Malone, I
don't and Mike Malone I think is you know, obviously
I like Taylor Jenkins, the guy that was at Memphis.
I think he's terrific. Yeah, I don't think Jeff van
(15:47):
Gundy because he was so close with Mike Tibodeau, and
I don't really know if he gets along with Dolan
or not. I tell you what, I would reach out
to Van Gundy if I were New York, but you
know who knows. I no idea what the relationship is there.
And yeah, from there, I really don't have any names
for you.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Yeah, well it'll be interesting to see, well, Casey, it
is always a pleasure. I every single time I watched
the Pacer game the last month, and they kept winning
and winning and winning I thought about your call on
May the eighth that the Pacers were gonna play the
Thunder in the NBA Finals, and you were indeed right.
But I hope you're not right about who's gonna win
the finals. But I think you will be right about
(16:29):
who's gonna win the finals. All right, have a great tell,
you know, go.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Ahead, just enjoy it. Enjoy this beautiful sunny Pacific Northwest.
And that news today from Adam Silver, that his big news.
That's great news for all his basketball fan chaer in
the Northwest. Love it.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
Thanks you, Casey. We'll talk to you soon.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
All right, man, take care, Gret.
Speaker 1 (16:50):
You bet that's Kevin Collaboro, the Goat, no question about it.
Kevin Collaboro is the greatest best.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
We couldn't have dreamed for better timing to have the
Adam Silver.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Yeah, thank you, Adam Silver. So we'll get you caught
up in the next segment and you can make of
whatever you want to make of what Adam Silver had
to say. Well, we'll read the comments again. Coming up next,
I'll give you my take on the series that starts
in about ten minutes.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Coming up Non ninety three point three KJFM
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