Rotoviz Radio Thunder-Blazers 2019 First Round Game 5 with Ray Delahanty (CityNerd)
Ray Delahanty (CityNerd) and host Thomas Emerick take the MAX down to Rose Quarter for Dame Time. The transportation and urbanism creator with PacNW roots relives standing in the arena for Damian Lillard's iconic shot to clinch the Portland Trailblazers' series victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics.
We dive deep on that shot, but also talk cities, fandom, and basketball in the broader Pacific Northwest.
- Shall we bring back on the Sonics? We have a pitch that involves intercity high-speed rail.
- How has OKC held up as a fanbase and NBA market post-Sonics?
- What did that night in Portland feel like—and what did it mean for a region that hadn't caught a break since the Sonics left, or even further back to when the Lakers rallied in Game 7 against Portland in 2000.
Ray shares what it was like to be a post-Sonics Seattle basketball fan during the 2010s, including that weird emotional purgatory of watching the Thunder win a title. We look back at the 80s and 90s golden age of Pacific Northwest hoops, the dry years that followed, and what it was like to watch peak Lillard era in person.
We close with an ode to Dame’s improbable run to the 2019 West Finals, dragging that roster to heights nobody expected. And much more on CityNerd's third Remember That Game appearance.
For more on the game and on CityNerd:
- CityNerd: Digital creator embracing all things cities and transportation (Linktree)
- Portland Trailblazers 118, Oklahoma City Thunder 115
HOST
RotoViz contributor Thomas Emerick
Guest
CityNerd creator Ray Delahanty (CityNerd)
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SHOW NOTES
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