May 8, 2025 • 20 mins
Former Seattle SuperSonics announcer Kevin Calabro joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the hopeful return of the NBA to Seattle in the near future and how pro basketball has changed since 2008, plus the current NBA playoffs including Golden State without Curry, who is best set up to beat the Thunder, and much more.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yep, fifty feet the whole turch into the late parers
hold a left tack baker off the window a window,
what handed hook off glass?
Speaker 2 (00:07):
The rain man up, makes right flights left into the paint.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Of the glass, plays it up and end.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
He baked it home.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
He's found by Spencer. What a drive by shrip. You
gotta love that baby double off. The Hawk sets hawks
fires pit's the three the Hawk. It is most definitely
Hawk time live seconds four Russell then o Russell gets
off the three. Won't go home over, good old.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
They're waiting in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Here they come with the ninety eighty six minu of
the dass in the seventh game of the Western Conference Finals.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Good lord, thirty years ago, next summer.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Unbelievable that Kevin Collaboro was on the air at the
age of fourteen years old calling that conference finals for
this radio station. And he joins us right now on
the air, casey, how are you man?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I'm doing well, guys, thanks for having me on the program.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, it's great to hear your voice.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Thirty years is a long damn time, but it just
feels like yesterday. So why don't we kind of get
first of all, before we talk about what's happening right now.
The NBA playoffs have been obviously amazing, fantastic, ratings are great,
everybody loves it. But we are getting close, right it
feels like to the return of hearing more of that,
hopefully on this radio station. What does your confidence meeter
(01:28):
feel like look like right now?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Well, I'll tell you, guys what I've been telling everybody
since two thousand and eight, and I believe I've been
pretty consistent because I've said this on your show. Sometime
in the next three years, there will be NBA basketball
in Seattle. I've been saying it since.
Speaker 5 (01:47):
Eight and gosh darn it, I mean at this time right, well,
I think, Jason Casey, it does seem like all the
stumbling blocks have been picked up and put away.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Right Do you see any other potential stumbling blocks that
could move this further away than we think it will be.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Unless they don't want to go into Vegas before building
is built specifically for basketball. I don't think they want
to come in with thirty one teams. I think they
want to come with expansion with two teams in one year.
The same year, and they could of course play at
(02:27):
Tea mobile in Vegas. But the NBA situation down in
Vegas hasn't really sorted out where they have to my
knowledge anyway, And I read the Vegas papers last week.
Looks like they're still trying to determine what piece of
ground they want to build on down there. They're not
certain who's going to build it. But you could play
at tea Mobile. Having said that, there'll be plenty of teams,
(02:49):
plenty of capital, the five billion or whatever it's going
to take to get NBA basketball in Vegas, and I
think Seattle set as well. But you know, the NBA
is gonna have to do due diligence. They're going to
have to take a look at all the ownership groups.
The various groups are gonna come with different plans, different
presentations and so forth, and all that is a process.
(03:11):
But to your point, yeah, I think all the stumbling
blocks it was the CBA, then it was the national contract,
that it was the salle of the Boston Celtics, which
I don't think quite has settled in yet, except that
they do have a number now yep. And you know,
but as long as Silver talks about going to Europe
and boy, Mexico City would be a great shot. You know,
you're always kind of trembling a little bit about the
(03:34):
possibilities in the future. But I think it'll happen.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
I mean, there's always that one percent of one percent
right that says we're gonna get hosed again until it
actually does happen. But Kevin collabora with us and Kevin
I was talking to a buddy of mine, excuse me,
who claims he has not watched the NBA basketball product
in seventeen years. And there are some people like that
that just gave up on this and have not really
gone back. But for those that maybe pay attention, or
(03:59):
don't pay attention, or or just have not watched as
much to really get a feel, can you explain from
your perspective, when this thing does come back, how is
this league different? How is this product different from the
one that you think we saw seventeen years ago.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Well, look, the style of offense, for one thing, just
really leaps out, you know, since the advent of Steve
Curry and some of the great deep shooters like Damian Lillard,
who we saw played for years in Portland and was phenomenal.
When you've got that kind of talent, and the league
is shooting an average at thirty six percent from three,
and they have discovered the math. As Rick Barry was
telling us on Sonic broadcasts in nineteen eighty seven, the
(04:40):
math is simple, folks, thirty five percent from three, it's
fifty percent from two. What are you going to do?
Stand out there and take three? As it worked for
Boston last year. Now it's not working so well here
in the first couple of games. But the three is
the difference in the style, is my point. And so
I think at the time people talked about we need
to see more shooting, We need to see offensive players
(05:01):
being able to get into space and really be themselves,
and let's see some more offense there instead of this
back down, grind it out work out of a double
team to Charles Barkley on the low block and so forth.
That's I think what was so spectacular about those Sonic
teams that have been nineties. I think if you were
to transport them to today's game, you'd have some terrific
(05:23):
three point shooters on that team to go with the
great post up game of obviously Sean Kemp and Debt
lof you could invert with Sam Perkins. Percy Hawkins was
one of the great three point shooters without a question.
Nate McMillan, you know, late in his career with George
Carl coaching him, brought him out to that three point
line and he was more of a factor as was
(05:43):
Gary Payton. So you know, if I were if I'm
going to try to bring fans back and say, look, offensively,
it's a different game now. We still have great stars,
we still have teams that play solid defense, and it
still is a very physical game, particularly when it comes
to play time, as you've seen already air in the
first couple of rounds.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Casey, how big do you think that vocal minority is
that Softy is talking about not just the people that
say I don't watch the NBA anymore, but also the
people there just that just rip on the NBA, like
the hell with them, I'm never gonna watch them again
based upon what they did. I mean, it seems to
me like I'd love to talk NBA every single day.
I would love to, but I also want to talk
about what people want to listen to. So how big
(06:25):
is that minority of people that you think may or
may not come back to this team.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
I have no idea. I gave up listening to vocal
minorities on Twitter and talk shows and so forth.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Come on, come on, man, don't do that.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Don't listen to them. Take joy and what you and
what you enjoy. If it's the NFL, go for it, baby.
If it's the Mariners, go for it. If it's the NBA,
you don't have to make up any excuses, you don't
have to apologize, and you I don't have to win
anybody over. I think. Look, the nights are dreary in Seattle,
(07:05):
the nights are drury in Portland. They're dreary in the
Northwest from late October until early April. Sideways rain forty
five degrees. You know what I'm talking about, endless, endless
winter in the Northwest. I've been doing it since nineteen
eighty seven. I don't know what I would do if
I didn't have NBA basketball. A place to get in
(07:26):
out of the rain, go to a hot arena, see
some hot people, a diverse crowd, all rooting, you know,
ten guys giving it everything. I get up and down
the floor. I'll tell you what I just think. People
once they get in that arena and experience MBA basketball again.
I think they're going to quickly realize, you know, what
they've been missing for the last eighteen nineteen years. It's
(07:48):
been that way in the Northwest since I moved here
in eighty seven. I enjoy my time in Portland, but
I just think, man, this would be an endless winter
of forty five degrees sideless or sideways reign. Not a
whole lot to talk about if it weren't for NBA basketball, particularly,
you know, when you're in a one sport winter town
like we are in Portland.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Right Well, Kevin Collaboro obviously is with us on the air,
and you just stumbled upon the number one reason why
I want the NBA back to see hot people in
the arena.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
That's why. That's why I want to get them back.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
You know I'm talking. I mean, you got the scream
at Trees, you got Metallica, you got Jeff a man
representing Pearl jam over there. Who if I missed you
know whoever's left in Nirvana? You know all those guys
and gals, they all show up. I love it.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Hey, are the are the Warriors done? Do they have
any prayer? Without Steph Curry starting tonight.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I think only because Minnesota, in my mind, is kind
of a sketchy crew. They turn the ball over a lot.
Uh Aunt Edwards has got to prove that he can
carry this team. I think they're gonna win this series.
But you know Steph's gonna be out for games two, three,
and four. It's a Grade one hamstring, and even then
you know you're not sure if he's coming back or not.
(09:02):
But I would not sleep on Jimmy Butler time in
Golden State because they're gonna run everything through Jimmy Butler.
But Jimski probably will run a little point, but everything
runs through Jimmy Butler, the passing and defense, certainly of
Draymond Green. I think Minnesota's gonna be tested. I think
it's like a six game series or so forth. But
I don't think Minnesota's got the kind of metal that
(09:23):
it's going to take the beat ultimately the Western Conference champion,
the Oklahoma City thunder Man. That group, Oh my god,
they're deep, they're focused, they defend, they got an MVP
running the point. They're well coached. This is a very
good Oklahoma City team. And you know, I'm looking at
Boston really labor in the first couple of games against
(09:44):
New York. I'm not sure anybody in the East is
capable of beating Oklahoma City. So Sonic fans brace yourself
because I can see Oklahoma City getting it done this year. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
No, there's no question about that, Casey.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
The quality of the game, particularly during the regular season,
was under attack this year from fans, from national analysts,
and but now the playoffs looks nothing like what we
saw in the first six months of the season.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
How do you improve the regular.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Season so we don't see so much criticism of regular
season basketball.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I think you have to uh look to play in game.
I think was a marvelous conception and I love it,
and I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I think it's a fan favorite.
People love that. But as long as you can figure
that if you just can stay healthy, the meaning don't
sustain any you know, year ending injuries. If you're the NBA,
(10:37):
you know you've always they've always talked about the load
management and resting players and so forth. And I think
that's the biggest criticism that a number of casual fans
have about the game. I would say this though, that
when you've got assets with guys making as they will
soon upwards north of sixty million dollars. I mean, Jalen
Brown's already there. It's it's they are looked upon as
(11:01):
obviously human beings, but assets with enormous contracts, and so
ownership and management, you know, have a fiduciary responsibility to
take care of that asset, which means load management, which means,
all right, we're playing him sixty games. It's unfortunate when
you're a fan and you pay to see step Curry
come into your building and play, and he's not playing
(11:21):
because of it's the second of a back to back,
He's not playing all those games. I get that, I
understand all that. I don't know about changing things up,
but that I think is why you have the difference
in the regular season as opposed to the postseason. If
you can be in that top six and avoid the
play in, just stay healthy, get yourself a week and
(11:42):
a few days of rest. Home court advantage is not
what it used to be in my opinion, in the NBA,
So it doesn't to me, it doesn't quite matter one
through six, and I think you're seeing that obviously at
Boston losing, you know, back to back twenty point leads
at home. Cleveland Losing back to back games at home
of the Indiana Place never happened since the sixteen team
(12:04):
format back in the mid eighties. Never happened.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
Oh, Kevin collaborates with us, And Kevin, you mentioned the
Thunder there, we have a drop. We like to play
for them, you Thunder, And that's the only motivating factor
for me, is just keeping those bastards away from the
Lary O'Brian trophy.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
And I think all of us are with you that man.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
It really feels like it might be their time to
to kind of wrap it up. But there's if there's
nobody that you really feel is is maybe you know.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Really set up to be who's got the best shot?
In your mind? Is it Denver?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Now?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Is it Minnesota?
Speaker 4 (12:39):
And the nextit maybe gol and State that they can
survive and get Curry back?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Is it Cleveland, Boston, the Knicks? Who do you think?
Speaker 4 (12:46):
And it might be a small chance in your mind,
who has the best chance of taking them out?
Speaker 1 (12:53):
All right, I'm gonna throw something really wacky at you. Okay,
I can see an Indiana Oklahoma.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
The final who got the NBA would hate that, But I.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Don't think Indiana beats its got issues. Well, look, it
all comes down to injuries. Borzingis has got this mysterious illness.
He looked horrible in Game one. He looked out of
it in the third quarter of Game two. Okay, he's
a seven to three unicorn that draws defense out. He's
(13:25):
spread you out. New York doesn't have to spread out
as much. Boston. I think his gun shy. Now sixty
attempts in Game one, only made fifteen shots. The numbers
the stat guys tell you forty one of those sixty
were wide open looks, meaning defenders weren't within four feet
of these guys. Okay, you've seen great hitters going to slumps.
(13:46):
I Boston just doesn't play with confidence against this Knicks
team in these first two games, even though they beat
him in the regular season. Borrow Michale Bridges looks nails.
He is back. Josh Hart always kicks your ass because
he out hustles you an out workshow O g Ananoby's
gonna chip on his shoulder. He thinks he's as good
as Tatum and Brown. Having Mitch Robinson back, a guy
(14:10):
who's standing reaches nine to three, meaning he can stand
there and reach up halfway up the net. Having him
back there defensively is tough. Boston's going to be extended
in this series. I think they still beat the Knicks,
but Indiana's waiting for him, and if they can't get
Porzenka and Sam Hauser's out as well, another guy that's
(14:31):
spread your defense shooting the three. Now that Boston may
go small and they may play Pritchard a lot, I
would because that guy is terrific at shooting the three
and he can match up against Brunton defensively. So I
mean that series has got a long way to go.
I wouldn't write Boston out of it. But Indiana, my gosh,
they just seem like they have been to overcome a
(14:55):
seven point lead forty seconds left on the road against
Cleveland with uh Donovan Mitchell just having a phenomenal game. Uh.
But you know, looking at Cleveland mobilely.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Out uh Uhland?
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Who else was Garland? With Garland out sideline for the
first two games. He's got a toe injury that's bothered,
and the weird Hunter's got a dislocated thumb apparently, and
he was huge coming off the bench this year. You know,
they gave up a lot to get him from Atlanta
midway through the year with those kinds of injuries to
the Porzingis to the Boston and then those three guys
(15:31):
in Cleveland with Indiana playing with that just a determined group.
Uh they really Indiana. They're already talking about the Hicks
versus the Knicks, you know, another version of that, and
so I will I want it. I'm here for it
and being an old Pacer fan and that having a
vested interest in the East. I like the Pacers with
(15:53):
Tyrees Halliburton. Uh, Mathern is a tough, tough cat. They
they meet force with force at the rem Andrew Nemhart
is becoming a tremendous shooting guard in this league. Who
knew coming out of Gonzaga that he had that, but
but he plays so well on both ends of the floor.
And the other kid, Aaron NEI Smith, another guy that
(16:15):
just plays just so hard. I really like that Indiana team.
I'm saying it's Indiana and Oklahoma City playing for the
hearts and minds of Middle America. Buckle up, baby, I'm
on the wagon.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Man, I am getting a Pacer jersey. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I'll paint my face I'll paint my body.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
How about this casey, how about this bullyball that that
we're seeing in the playoffs. I mean, this is people
were criticizing the NBA for being soft, and all the
guys in the nineties were a lot tougher.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Bull crap.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
They just let you beat on each other thirty years ago,
and the refs are letting these teams beat on each
other now and it looks like nineteen ninety five again.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
No, I mean, and you know, that's why I like
the Indiana team because they've got a lot of grit.
That's why I like the Knicks against Boston because they've
got a lot of grit. They will hit you first.
I mean, Josh Hart is this tough a cat. We
had him in Portland for a couple of months and
he's just a winner, you know, an absolute winner. He's
an all defense type player, anonob He's an all defense
(17:22):
type player. Mitchell Robinson again gives them such force, and
the Knicks are They're switching more than I've seen Thibodeau
switch his defense. They do a nice job of hiding
Brunson on the defensive end while getting him in there.
You know, when they have the offensive possessions down the
(17:43):
stretch because he's one of the top clutch guys in
the NBA. But there have been some some just some
sensational meetings at the rim deck. To your point, force
on force in this series so far, I mean, it's
hard to keep track.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Hey, Kevin, before you go, does the name Jim Fagan
ring a bell with you at all? By the way, Yeah,
we do.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I know that name.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
This is the NBA on NBC. This guy right here,
good Jesson.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
This is the NBA on NBC.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Okay, So that Jim Fagan passed away eight years ago.
Have you heard what NBC is doing this fall when
they bring the NBA back.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Are they going to do like an AI thing of
Jim Fagan?
Speaker 2 (18:27):
This is the AI version. Check it out. The NBA
on NBC is bat I'll see you this October for
the NBA season tip off.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
So he passed away eight years ago and they're recreating
his voice for the NBA on NBC. Uh, just leave
the table open, the floor open.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Well, look, I like it, and I think Jim Fagan
and his family like it. Wherever Jim Pagan is, no,
I'm sorry that I had forgotten Jim Fagan, But yeah,
terrific voiceover guy. I don't know his story. I don't
know what he I don't think he was a sportscaster.
I think he was just a great voiceover guy. Well,
if they can do that, then they got to have
John Facunda coming back from the NFL.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Well how about you.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
How about you just play thirty six every day and
we'll just take care of your voice for you.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
What the hell, it's only a matter of time. But
before the AI, they figure out how to do AI
a play by play guy and talk show guys too.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
That's right, show guys, that's not hard man. We talked
about that, all right, brother, good stuff. Hey, tell people
what you're doing these days.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
By the way, well, I'm over at lane right now.
Love that fishing rods, power bait worms and ice. Nice
the big sun out here in front of the the
liquor store today. Fishing rod, power bait worms, and wow.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
The fact that you're hanging around a liquor store is shocking.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
By the way, Hey, isn't that?
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Kevin Collaboros are words to live by, Baby's power, bait
worms and ice.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I love it. You're the man, great stuff, and we'll
talk soon. Brother, keeping such.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
All right, all right, hellas always great talking to you.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
All right, Kevin Collaboro hanging around liquor stores in lanne Man.
That is an amazing life for him. But I hope
that when this thing does happen that obviously he's going
to be a part of it, because it would not
be the same without him. All Right, we'll get a break.
We got a lot more to get to, including a
little you make the call. We haven't done that in
a while. Coming up at six pm tonight right here
on ninety three to three kJ r FM.
Yep, fifty feet the whole turch into the late parers
hold a left tack baker off the window a window,
what handed hook off glass?
Speaker 2 (00:07):
The rain man up, makes right flights left into the paint.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Of the glass, plays it up and end.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
He baked it home.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
He's found by Spencer. What a drive by shrip. You
gotta love that baby double off. The Hawk sets hawks
fires pit's the three the Hawk. It is most definitely
Hawk time live seconds four Russell then o Russell gets
off the three. Won't go home over, good old.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
They're waiting in Chicago.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Here they come with the ninety eighty six minu of
the dass in the seventh game of the Western Conference Finals.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Good lord, thirty years ago, next summer.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
Unbelievable that Kevin Collaboro was on the air at the
age of fourteen years old calling that conference finals for
this radio station. And he joins us right now on
the air, casey, how are you man?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I'm doing well, guys, thanks for having me on the program.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Well, it's great to hear your voice.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Thirty years is a long damn time, but it just
feels like yesterday. So why don't we kind of get
first of all, before we talk about what's happening right now.
The NBA playoffs have been obviously amazing, fantastic, ratings are great,
everybody loves it. But we are getting close, right it
feels like to the return of hearing more of that,
hopefully on this radio station. What does your confidence meeter
(01:28):
feel like look like right now?
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Well, I'll tell you, guys what I've been telling everybody
since two thousand and eight, and I believe I've been
pretty consistent because I've said this on your show. Sometime
in the next three years, there will be NBA basketball
in Seattle. I've been saying it since.
Speaker 5 (01:47):
Eight and gosh darn it, I mean at this time right, well,
I think, Jason Casey, it does seem like all the
stumbling blocks have been picked up and put away.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Right Do you see any other potential stumbling blocks that
could move this further away than we think it will be.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Unless they don't want to go into Vegas before building
is built specifically for basketball. I don't think they want
to come in with thirty one teams. I think they
want to come with expansion with two teams in one year.
The same year, and they could of course play at
(02:27):
Tea mobile in Vegas. But the NBA situation down in
Vegas hasn't really sorted out where they have to my
knowledge anyway, And I read the Vegas papers last week.
Looks like they're still trying to determine what piece of
ground they want to build on down there. They're not
certain who's going to build it. But you could play
at tea Mobile. Having said that, there'll be plenty of teams,
(02:49):
plenty of capital, the five billion or whatever it's going
to take to get NBA basketball in Vegas, and I
think Seattle set as well. But you know, the NBA
is gonna have to do due diligence. They're going to
have to take a look at all the ownership groups.
The various groups are gonna come with different plans, different
presentations and so forth, and all that is a process.
(03:11):
But to your point, yeah, I think all the stumbling
blocks it was the CBA, then it was the national contract,
that it was the salle of the Boston Celtics, which
I don't think quite has settled in yet, except that
they do have a number now yep. And you know,
but as long as Silver talks about going to Europe
and boy, Mexico City would be a great shot. You know,
you're always kind of trembling a little bit about the
(03:34):
possibilities in the future. But I think it'll happen.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
I mean, there's always that one percent of one percent
right that says we're gonna get hosed again until it
actually does happen. But Kevin collabora with us and Kevin
I was talking to a buddy of mine, excuse me,
who claims he has not watched the NBA basketball product
in seventeen years. And there are some people like that
that just gave up on this and have not really
gone back. But for those that maybe pay attention, or
(03:59):
don't pay attention, or or just have not watched as
much to really get a feel, can you explain from
your perspective, when this thing does come back, how is
this league different? How is this product different from the
one that you think we saw seventeen years ago.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Well, look, the style of offense, for one thing, just
really leaps out, you know, since the advent of Steve
Curry and some of the great deep shooters like Damian Lillard,
who we saw played for years in Portland and was phenomenal.
When you've got that kind of talent, and the league
is shooting an average at thirty six percent from three,
and they have discovered the math. As Rick Barry was
telling us on Sonic broadcasts in nineteen eighty seven, the
(04:40):
math is simple, folks, thirty five percent from three, it's
fifty percent from two. What are you going to do?
Stand out there and take three? As it worked for
Boston last year. Now it's not working so well here
in the first couple of games. But the three is
the difference in the style, is my point. And so
I think at the time people talked about we need
to see more shooting, We need to see offensive players
(05:01):
being able to get into space and really be themselves,
and let's see some more offense there instead of this
back down, grind it out work out of a double
team to Charles Barkley on the low block and so forth.
That's I think what was so spectacular about those Sonic
teams that have been nineties. I think if you were
to transport them to today's game, you'd have some terrific
(05:23):
three point shooters on that team to go with the
great post up game of obviously Sean Kemp and Debt
lof you could invert with Sam Perkins. Percy Hawkins was
one of the great three point shooters without a question.
Nate McMillan, you know, late in his career with George
Carl coaching him, brought him out to that three point
line and he was more of a factor as was
(05:43):
Gary Payton. So you know, if I were if I'm
going to try to bring fans back and say, look, offensively,
it's a different game now. We still have great stars,
we still have teams that play solid defense, and it
still is a very physical game, particularly when it comes
to play time, as you've seen already air in the
first couple of rounds.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
Casey, how big do you think that vocal minority is
that Softy is talking about not just the people that
say I don't watch the NBA anymore, but also the
people there just that just rip on the NBA, like
the hell with them, I'm never gonna watch them again
based upon what they did. I mean, it seems to
me like I'd love to talk NBA every single day.
I would love to, but I also want to talk
about what people want to listen to. So how big
(06:25):
is that minority of people that you think may or
may not come back to this team.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
I have no idea. I gave up listening to vocal
minorities on Twitter and talk shows and so forth.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Come on, come on, man, don't do that.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Don't listen to them. Take joy and what you and
what you enjoy. If it's the NFL, go for it, baby.
If it's the Mariners, go for it. If it's the NBA,
you don't have to make up any excuses, you don't
have to apologize, and you I don't have to win
anybody over. I think. Look, the nights are dreary in Seattle,
(07:05):
the nights are drury in Portland. They're dreary in the
Northwest from late October until early April. Sideways rain forty
five degrees. You know what I'm talking about, endless, endless
winter in the Northwest. I've been doing it since nineteen
eighty seven. I don't know what I would do if
I didn't have NBA basketball. A place to get in
(07:26):
out of the rain, go to a hot arena, see
some hot people, a diverse crowd, all rooting, you know,
ten guys giving it everything. I get up and down
the floor. I'll tell you what I just think. People
once they get in that arena and experience MBA basketball again.
I think they're going to quickly realize, you know, what
they've been missing for the last eighteen nineteen years. It's
(07:48):
been that way in the Northwest since I moved here
in eighty seven. I enjoy my time in Portland, but
I just think, man, this would be an endless winter
of forty five degrees sideless or sideways reign. Not a
whole lot to talk about if it weren't for NBA basketball, particularly,
you know, when you're in a one sport winter town
like we are in Portland.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Right Well, Kevin Collaboro obviously is with us on the air,
and you just stumbled upon the number one reason why
I want the NBA back to see hot people in
the arena.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
That's why. That's why I want to get them back.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
You know I'm talking. I mean, you got the scream
at Trees, you got Metallica, you got Jeff a man
representing Pearl jam over there. Who if I missed you
know whoever's left in Nirvana? You know all those guys
and gals, they all show up. I love it.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Hey, are the are the Warriors done? Do they have
any prayer? Without Steph Curry starting tonight.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
I think only because Minnesota, in my mind, is kind
of a sketchy crew. They turn the ball over a lot.
Uh Aunt Edwards has got to prove that he can
carry this team. I think they're gonna win this series.
But you know Steph's gonna be out for games two, three,
and four. It's a Grade one hamstring, and even then
you know you're not sure if he's coming back or not.
(09:02):
But I would not sleep on Jimmy Butler time in
Golden State because they're gonna run everything through Jimmy Butler.
But Jimski probably will run a little point, but everything
runs through Jimmy Butler, the passing and defense, certainly of
Draymond Green. I think Minnesota's gonna be tested. I think
it's like a six game series or so forth. But
I don't think Minnesota's got the kind of metal that
(09:23):
it's going to take the beat ultimately the Western Conference champion,
the Oklahoma City thunder Man. That group, Oh my god,
they're deep, they're focused, they defend, they got an MVP
running the point. They're well coached. This is a very
good Oklahoma City team. And you know, I'm looking at
Boston really labor in the first couple of games against
(09:44):
New York. I'm not sure anybody in the East is
capable of beating Oklahoma City. So Sonic fans brace yourself
because I can see Oklahoma City getting it done this year. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
No, there's no question about that, Casey.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
The quality of the game, particularly during the regular season,
was under attack this year from fans, from national analysts,
and but now the playoffs looks nothing like what we
saw in the first six months of the season.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
How do you improve the regular.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Season so we don't see so much criticism of regular
season basketball.
Speaker 1 (10:15):
I think you have to uh look to play in game.
I think was a marvelous conception and I love it,
and I wouldn't. I wouldn't. I think it's a fan favorite.
People love that. But as long as you can figure
that if you just can stay healthy, the meaning don't
sustain any you know, year ending injuries. If you're the NBA,
(10:37):
you know you've always they've always talked about the load
management and resting players and so forth. And I think
that's the biggest criticism that a number of casual fans
have about the game. I would say this though, that
when you've got assets with guys making as they will
soon upwards north of sixty million dollars. I mean, Jalen
Brown's already there. It's it's they are looked upon as
(11:01):
obviously human beings, but assets with enormous contracts, and so
ownership and management, you know, have a fiduciary responsibility to
take care of that asset, which means load management, which means,
all right, we're playing him sixty games. It's unfortunate when
you're a fan and you pay to see step Curry
come into your building and play, and he's not playing
(11:21):
because of it's the second of a back to back,
He's not playing all those games. I get that, I
understand all that. I don't know about changing things up,
but that I think is why you have the difference
in the regular season as opposed to the postseason. If
you can be in that top six and avoid the
play in, just stay healthy, get yourself a week and
(11:42):
a few days of rest. Home court advantage is not
what it used to be in my opinion, in the NBA,
So it doesn't to me, it doesn't quite matter one
through six, and I think you're seeing that obviously at
Boston losing, you know, back to back twenty point leads
at home. Cleveland Losing back to back games at home
of the Indiana Place never happened since the sixteen team
(12:04):
format back in the mid eighties. Never happened.
Speaker 4 (12:07):
Oh, Kevin collaborates with us, And Kevin, you mentioned the
Thunder there, we have a drop. We like to play
for them, you Thunder, And that's the only motivating factor
for me, is just keeping those bastards away from the
Lary O'Brian trophy.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
And I think all of us are with you that man.
Speaker 4 (12:23):
It really feels like it might be their time to
to kind of wrap it up. But there's if there's
nobody that you really feel is is maybe you know.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Really set up to be who's got the best shot?
In your mind? Is it Denver?
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Now?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Is it Minnesota?
Speaker 4 (12:39):
And the nextit maybe gol and State that they can
survive and get Curry back?
Speaker 2 (12:43):
Is it Cleveland, Boston, the Knicks? Who do you think?
Speaker 4 (12:46):
And it might be a small chance in your mind,
who has the best chance of taking them out?
Speaker 1 (12:53):
All right, I'm gonna throw something really wacky at you. Okay,
I can see an Indiana Oklahoma.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
The final who got the NBA would hate that, But I.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
Don't think Indiana beats its got issues. Well, look, it
all comes down to injuries. Borzingis has got this mysterious illness.
He looked horrible in Game one. He looked out of
it in the third quarter of Game two. Okay, he's
a seven to three unicorn that draws defense out. He's
(13:25):
spread you out. New York doesn't have to spread out
as much. Boston. I think his gun shy. Now sixty
attempts in Game one, only made fifteen shots. The numbers
the stat guys tell you forty one of those sixty
were wide open looks, meaning defenders weren't within four feet
of these guys. Okay, you've seen great hitters going to slumps.
(13:46):
I Boston just doesn't play with confidence against this Knicks
team in these first two games, even though they beat
him in the regular season. Borrow Michale Bridges looks nails.
He is back. Josh Hart always kicks your ass because
he out hustles you an out workshow O g Ananoby's
gonna chip on his shoulder. He thinks he's as good
as Tatum and Brown. Having Mitch Robinson back, a guy
(14:10):
who's standing reaches nine to three, meaning he can stand
there and reach up halfway up the net. Having him
back there defensively is tough. Boston's going to be extended
in this series. I think they still beat the Knicks,
but Indiana's waiting for him, and if they can't get
Porzenka and Sam Hauser's out as well, another guy that's
(14:31):
spread your defense shooting the three. Now that Boston may
go small and they may play Pritchard a lot, I
would because that guy is terrific at shooting the three
and he can match up against Brunton defensively. So I
mean that series has got a long way to go.
I wouldn't write Boston out of it. But Indiana, my gosh,
they just seem like they have been to overcome a
(14:55):
seven point lead forty seconds left on the road against
Cleveland with uh Donovan Mitchell just having a phenomenal game. Uh.
But you know, looking at Cleveland mobilely.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Out uh Uhland?
Speaker 1 (15:09):
Who else was Garland? With Garland out sideline for the
first two games. He's got a toe injury that's bothered,
and the weird Hunter's got a dislocated thumb apparently, and
he was huge coming off the bench this year. You know,
they gave up a lot to get him from Atlanta
midway through the year with those kinds of injuries to
the Porzingis to the Boston and then those three guys
(15:31):
in Cleveland with Indiana playing with that just a determined group.
Uh they really Indiana. They're already talking about the Hicks
versus the Knicks, you know, another version of that, and
so I will I want it. I'm here for it
and being an old Pacer fan and that having a
vested interest in the East. I like the Pacers with
(15:53):
Tyrees Halliburton. Uh, Mathern is a tough, tough cat. They
they meet force with force at the rem Andrew Nemhart
is becoming a tremendous shooting guard in this league. Who
knew coming out of Gonzaga that he had that, but
but he plays so well on both ends of the floor.
And the other kid, Aaron NEI Smith, another guy that
(16:15):
just plays just so hard. I really like that Indiana team.
I'm saying it's Indiana and Oklahoma City playing for the
hearts and minds of Middle America. Buckle up, baby, I'm
on the wagon.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
Man, I am getting a Pacer jersey. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
I'll paint my face I'll paint my body.
Speaker 3 (16:37):
How about this casey, how about this bullyball that that
we're seeing in the playoffs. I mean, this is people
were criticizing the NBA for being soft, and all the
guys in the nineties were a lot tougher.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Bull crap.
Speaker 3 (16:49):
They just let you beat on each other thirty years ago,
and the refs are letting these teams beat on each
other now and it looks like nineteen ninety five again.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
No, I mean, and you know, that's why I like
the Indiana team because they've got a lot of grit.
That's why I like the Knicks against Boston because they've
got a lot of grit. They will hit you first.
I mean, Josh Hart is this tough a cat. We
had him in Portland for a couple of months and
he's just a winner, you know, an absolute winner. He's
an all defense type player, anonob He's an all defense
(17:22):
type player. Mitchell Robinson again gives them such force, and
the Knicks are They're switching more than I've seen Thibodeau
switch his defense. They do a nice job of hiding
Brunson on the defensive end while getting him in there.
You know, when they have the offensive possessions down the
(17:43):
stretch because he's one of the top clutch guys in
the NBA. But there have been some some just some
sensational meetings at the rim deck. To your point, force
on force in this series so far, I mean, it's
hard to keep track.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Hey, Kevin, before you go, does the name Jim Fagan
ring a bell with you at all? By the way, Yeah,
we do.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I know that name.
Speaker 4 (18:06):
This is the NBA on NBC. This guy right here,
good Jesson.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
This is the NBA on NBC.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Okay, So that Jim Fagan passed away eight years ago.
Have you heard what NBC is doing this fall when
they bring the NBA back.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
Are they going to do like an AI thing of
Jim Fagan?
Speaker 2 (18:27):
This is the AI version. Check it out. The NBA
on NBC is bat I'll see you this October for
the NBA season tip off.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
So he passed away eight years ago and they're recreating
his voice for the NBA on NBC. Uh, just leave
the table open, the floor open.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
What are your thoughts on that?
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Well, look, I like it, and I think Jim Fagan
and his family like it. Wherever Jim Pagan is, no,
I'm sorry that I had forgotten Jim Fagan, But yeah,
terrific voiceover guy. I don't know his story. I don't
know what he I don't think he was a sportscaster.
I think he was just a great voiceover guy. Well,
if they can do that, then they got to have
John Facunda coming back from the NFL.
Speaker 2 (19:15):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
Well how about you.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
How about you just play thirty six every day and
we'll just take care of your voice for you.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
What the hell, it's only a matter of time. But
before the AI, they figure out how to do AI
a play by play guy and talk show guys too.
Speaker 4 (19:34):
That's right, show guys, that's not hard man. We talked
about that, all right, brother, good stuff. Hey, tell people
what you're doing these days.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
By the way, well, I'm over at lane right now.
Love that fishing rods, power bait worms and ice. Nice
the big sun out here in front of the the
liquor store today. Fishing rod, power bait worms, and wow.
Speaker 4 (20:03):
The fact that you're hanging around a liquor store is shocking.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
By the way, Hey, isn't that?
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Kevin Collaboros are words to live by, Baby's power, bait
worms and ice.
Speaker 1 (20:17):
I love it.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I love it. You're the man, great stuff, and we'll
talk soon. Brother, keeping such.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
All right, all right, hellas always great talking to you.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
All right, Kevin Collaboro hanging around liquor stores in lanne Man.
That is an amazing life for him. But I hope
that when this thing does happen that obviously he's going
to be a part of it, because it would not
be the same without him. All Right, we'll get a break.
We got a lot more to get to, including a
little you make the call. We haven't done that in
a while. Coming up at six pm tonight right here
on ninety three to three kJ r FM.
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