Wrapping Up The 2025-26 Season On The Blazers Balcony, Episode 167

On this edition of The Blazers Balcony, presented by Spirit Mountain Casino, Trail Blazers reporters Brooke Olzendam and Casey Holdahl discuss...

• The Trail Blazers season coming to an end with a Game 5 loss to the Spurs in San Antonio in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs

• All in all, a successful season all things considered

• Trail Blazers were able to develop while winning, win more games than they did last season and made the playoffs

• Portland still has room to grow and assets to help that growth

• Brooke's Jamba Juice Free Throw Shooting Contest experience 

• Takeaways from end of season interviews

• Feeling good but not satisfied 

• The positive vibe on the last day of school, which isn't always the case

• Tiago Splitter gets rave reviews from his players at end of season interviews

• Tiago's comments to the team in the locker room after the Game 5 loss

• Come out to the live taping on The Blazers Balcony on May 22 at Spirit Mountain Casino Sportsbook! 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:07

Hey Rip City, this is Tamani Kamara, and you're listening to The Blazers Balcony with Brooke Oldsendam and Casey Holdon.

SPEAKER_02 0:14

Greetings, Blazer fans, and welcome to the Blazers Balcony presented by Spirit Mount Casino. Episode 167 of the Blazers Balcony, presented by Spirit Mount Casino. I'm Casey Holdall. I'm joined by my friend and co-worker Brooke Oldsendam. Brooke, how you going? How you doing? Going. Probably not.

SPEAKER_00 0:31

It might be like the British thing. How you going? Or no, maybe Australian.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

That does sound yeah, whatever, yeah. That is what it is.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

I'm good. I'm doing good. And I'm doing good. Um no, I'm I'm good. Uh obviously bummer her that the season is over, but what a run. Um cannot complain at all. Getting a game in that series against the Spurs was awesome. I mean, I'll remember that game forever. Yeah. Um, you just we wish it was continue, obviously, but it's you know, uh I'm proud of the guys. Uh I will continue to watch the postseason just because I'm an NBA junkie, but um kind of bummer not to be able to root on our guys, but still very proud of them. And that's how I am right now. That's how I'm going, Casey.

SPEAKER_02 1:15

That's how I'm that's how you're going. Well, that's that's that's good, Brooke. Yeah, uh disappointing that the the season is over. Trailblazers having their postseason, the first postseason five seasons ended with a let's see, what did they lose? 114. It was like 115 one. They lost to the Spurs in game five in San Antonio on on Tuesday in the series 4-1. Uh, and yeah, I I I agree, Brooke. I I think a a successful season, we'll talk about exit interviews, we'll talk about just kind of our thoughts on the season, we'll talk when we're at the playoffs. But uh, I think the main takeaway is that yeah, like it was a good year for this team. You know, they were able to win while also still developing players. They got back into the postseason, getting the seventh seed, winning that that play-in game. I think obviously a real step forward for this squad. You know, a lot of room for growth still, um, but uh it feels like they're they're on a good track right now. The only thing I would say it would have been nice to, I mean, winning that game, you're you're right, it was a great game. Such an awesome night for Scoot. Would have been nice if that was at home. Uh, you know, that that was my only thing. It's I just, you know, going to a series versus a team like the Spurs at 160 games, you know it's gonna be a tough series, you know that that it's gonna be a real long shot to win it either way, uh, at least in your in the west. In the east, the fake playoffs they got going on over there, who knows what's gonna come out of the east and and lose to the whatever team comes out of the west. That I guarantee whichever team wins a championship this year, it's gonna be out of the west. There's like four teams in the west that I think would be the best team in the east right now, but they're not the trouble. That aside, yeah, but uh yeah, with that aside, uh, you know, it would have been nice to to get one one home game win. Um, but otherwise, you know, I I think that it was they they made progress this season, they made progress in the playoffs. They obviously endured a lot of of adversity with you know the coaching change and and then you know the injuries. They were they managed to to stay afloat, stay together, never got to a point where everyone hated each other, which can happen on teams sometimes if things go bad, or or if there's just a lot of hard times and you and you struggle at times. They always stayed together, which I think is really important. And it was a fun little playoff run. You know, I wish it would have been longer. Again, wish we would we could have gotten a home win. But I think all in all, you you feel pretty satisfied about the way the season went. Again, it's not you you're not satisfied by it because you the goal is to is to be a team that is competing for a championship. But in terms of what they're able to get accomplished this year, particularly in relationship to what you assumed was going to happen at the start of the year, I think all in all you feel pretty positive about the way things went, Brooke.

SPEAKER_00 3:58

Oh gosh, no, like no question. I mean, super positive, like overly positive. It was for for for you and I, Casey, who's you know, when I started, you had obviously worked with the organization a couple more years before I did, a number of years, but we became accustomed to going to the playoffs, right? With Dame and CJ, and then you know they're coming in a little bit later. And it was just it was blissful, you know, like we're gonna get to the playoffs, that's no question. Um, you know, one year get to the Western Conference Finals, like it was just like this is okay, this is how it is. This is great, this is wonderful. And this is me coming from the Indiana Pacers. So we went to the Eastern Conference Finals. So I was like, this is really fun. You know, like getting the playoffs is like that's what we do. That's where wherever I go, that's where we that's what we do. And then unfortunately, there were some obviously some rebuilding gears and that the playoffs were not a part of the conversation. So our to this is really more of like a love letter to the fan base that like they stuck with this team no matter what, when they were at their highs, when they were at their lows. And I will remember like game three and game four, even though the Blazers did not win those at home. The the atmosphere in Motus Center was like something I will never forget. That first half um was wow. I mean, of game game four. I went in game three, really, but it was just it was such an excitement, like everyone's like been thirsty for this. Like what this is what just to get back to that, that feeling, like there's something to play for, it was it was electric for me. And I was just so proud of that those guys. Like there was so much adversity as you just mentioned, you know, coaching change, and then all the injuries, and it never they never had excuses for it. They said, you know, and I remember there was one interview I did with Denny where he said, you know, actually it was the interview where my mic died and we had to run over and grab headsets, and it was it was it was a birthday, his birthday, and we had triple devil and it was mayhem. And he said, you know, we deal with injuries, we deal with illnesses, we deal with family stuff, and we just everyone has it, but we never let it, you know, get us down, and we never let it affect our play. And I just remember that that when we said that, I'm like, that's so true. Like, you guys don't, they don't make excuses. So I cannot say anything, but it was a huge success this year. I mean, obviously you'd want to get to the second round, third round, whatever, but you can't take away from anything from these guys and and the coaching staff and what they were able to do this season. It was just it was beautiful. Like, I'm I would I just was like, these guys will there's we've talked about before, there is no quitting them. They can be down 17, 19, whatever. And they still a couple of games, as we saw, found a way to win. And even in the games they lost in this series, uh they had rough nights shooting. We know that, like we we saw that, but they still were competitive, they were not they tried to find other ways to win. And I I saw I mean Rob Williams was just unreal. Um, he's my MVP for the series, and just like certain guys like kind of like stepped up when they needed to, and and I was just really proud. I don't know, that's kind of the only word I can think of, but I I can only say this season was um was a a pleasant, I don't want to even say surprise because I thought that they were gonna be successful, but to see like what they were able to accomplish with all the things up against them, it was just a pleasure. And I I I enjoyed this season. Like this is one of my favorite seasons, actually.

SPEAKER_02 7:19

Yeah, no, I I completely agree, Brooke. Yeah, I just a good group of guys playing hard basketball, like really trying their their their best, improving defensively, which again, that was something that throughout the last couple of seasons, people were like, boy, can we can we stop being such a terrible defensive team? And they were able to do that. You know, it did come, it seems like I won't say it at expense of the offense, but you know, some some areas, some room for growth there, particularly with shooting. And and I think, you know, we knew that shooting was an issue for this team going into the playoffs, and any issues that you have during the regular season are going to get especially highlighted in the playoffs. And I think that's what we saw uh versus the Spurs. You know, the Blazers shot, I think, like 25% from three in that game five, I think 30% from three for the series. Like that's again in today's NBA, that's it's just really hard to win when you're when you're not even a league average three-point shooting team percentage-wise. So, you know, that that's an area where uh they're obviously gonna need to improve and and they'll address that either, you know, in terms of of personnel or or with internal development, which I think is important. I I think there's guys on this team that can become better shooters. I thought that's one of the things that Jeremy said. He's like, you know, there's there's some things this team needs, but I also think that like there's guys on this team that could that could just evolve into better shooters, as Jeremy did as he went out through throughout his career as well. So, you know, there there's room for for actual internal growth there, which I think is a is a great place to be when you're a young team, but also experiencing a little bit of success. Uh, they did lose that game, by the way, 114.95. Uh, and that those game fives, like they basically only go one of two ways. Either the road team comes out and gets it up to a big lead and wins it and sends it back to to their house for game six, or the home team jumps out to a big lead and closes the series out. Like, it always goes one of the two ways. I don't know, it's never like a good game, in my opinion. Like, it's it's either a blowout, either way. And that's what we saw unfortunately in that game five, and not a whole lot about that to rehash, anyways. But just a yeah, a a a season where you you saw a number of guys take a step. Uh I think obviously I think you you saw Donovan really kind of took that next step. And you know, him having a hard time in the playoffs doesn't negate all of the the kind of the growth that he made this season. I think that that's an important thing to remember, too, is that it makes sense that the playoffs feel more important at the end of the year. One, because they are important, and two, it's the thing that you end your season on. And so I think it's sometimes it's easy or there's a just a predilection to take what happened in the playoffs and then forget everything that happened in the regular season and be like, well, this is who you are in the playoffs. And so, yeah, Donovan had a rough stretch in the in the playoffs, but that doesn't change who he is as a player and what the growth that he made. You know, Shaden didn't probably get as much runs. I think some people probably wanted to see in the playoffs. That doesn't necessarily mean that he's not going to be a part of this team going forward or a big part of this team going forward, I should say. You know, Denny teams locked down on him a little bit more. That doesn't take away all of the the growth and the skills that he developed throughout the season, particularly when they were really down a number of guards and Denny had to be the point guard. So it's important to take lessons from the playoffs and and know that like those are the things you need to address at times to be successful in the playoffs. That's absolutely true. It doesn't take away from things that guys improved upon. And it doesn't mean that like they're not good at those things anymore or they're not good players. It just means that that wasn't necessarily a great matchup for them, and that a lot of these guys were getting their first playoff experience, and it's just a different level. And the Spurs, a lot of those guys were getting their first playoff experience as well. But you're talking about top five picks for like three or four guys who were in their first playoffs. That's a little bit different than guys who are, you know, seventh pick and the tenth pick. And it's just a different level of kind of what you've experienced throughout the early parts of your careers. So I think again, just generally a successful season for the team. You would would have hoped to have played a few more playoff games, but I I think that that series went generally about the way people thought it would. But just uh again, a good place to, I won't say start necessarily, but a a good place for this team to be at at this point in time in their growth and their kind of rebuild. So I think you saw a lot of good things, and uh again, a lot of reasons for optimism. And for me, like not a lot of reasons for being like, oh boy, we're screwed going forward. You know, like sometimes in the playoffs or at the end of the regular season, maybe stuff happens and you're like, boy, are we are we kind of stuck now? Like it seems to me like this team has a lot of different options for where it can go. They have assets, they have vets, they have really good young players. Like they can they can play it any number of ways. And I think that's a again, that's a pretty good place to be. They're they're not back against the wall, like, boy, we got a bunch of veteran guys, we're right up against the the tax and the apron. We can't really make any moves. So, like, these guys are just gonna have to play better next year because we don't have a whole lot of path to improvement, and just the opposite way, too, where it's like, boy, we're just all young guys and we're just gonna have to continue to take our lumps and hope the guys develop and come around because we're just gonna have to we we don't have the the talent or the veterans in order to to be competitive right now. They're not there either. So, like they're they're in that in-between spot, but they're in an in-between spot where they can still move up, you know. That and I think that's kind of, I guess the last thing I would say about that is that there's always this idea of like, well, in the NBA, you don't want to be in the middle. And, you know, there's definitely some truth to that, but you don't want to be in the middle without any way to get better. And I feel like the Blazers are in the middle right now with a lot of ways to get better. And I think that's again, that's not a bad place to be as you're kind of continuing to try to build a team to be competitive going forward. So, again, still lots to be done. Still uh a season that you felt good about, but not necessarily, you know, knowing that you want more. But still, you you you did a lot of the things you wanted to see this season. You have a path to future success and to improvement, and you already won more games than you won last year, and you ended your postseason drought, which a lot of people didn't expect would happen. So, all in all, that's a pretty successful season for a team like the Trailblazers.

SPEAKER_00 13:54

Well, not to mention that the Spurs like are so deep and shot the lights out. And against a team like that, and Tiago said it before, you have to have a small, what does he say? Uh um uh margin for error. You have to have a small margin for error when you're playing, especially games like that in the playoffs against a team like that. And they uh I mean, I was in awe at a time like you and I talked about this before we went on, like could do some damage in this playoff series, or not playoffs in the postseason in general. Um, they're just so stacked and I believe well coached. And by the way, did I ever tell you that I interviewed Mitch Johnson, their head coach when he was at O'Dane High School?

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Are you I I you've told me that story like 10 times.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Yeah, I was like, are you like, and it's a good story, don't get me wrong. Like, and I even thought about that too. I was like, oh, like if Brooke was covering these games, like she could be like, hey Mitch, like, remember the time that we we talked in in high school. Uh and he can't he because he also got a question about like Washington basketball at some point in time. And I remember thinking, I was like, Oh yeah, Brooke could have talked to him about this.

SPEAKER_00 14:57

I didn't chimed in about lovely guy, and like when I talked to him this season, I went up, I was like, Do you remember? Like, I again, Casey, you know the story because I apparently told you 10 times.

SPEAKER_02 15:05

Yeah, but I I that that's unfair of me.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

You haven't told the podcast, so and I I went up to him, I was like, Do you remember when I he's like, Of course. And uh my mom's friend was really good friends with his dad, JJ Johnson, who played for the Sonics. And uh, so we did a story like father-son, like you know, it was really cool. And again, he was like eight, 17, 18 years old. So I was like, Do you remember me? He's like, Yeah, and then he's like, Yeah, I go, How are you doing? Do you like in San Antonio? He's like, I love it, I got four kids. I was like, Oh my god, you have four kids. Like it just was mind blowing because this now, this kid that I remember I the last time I saw him, he was 17 years old and walking around the O'Day high school talking about you know basketball and his dad, and now he's the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs and he's got four kids. It was wild, it was just mind blowing. Like, yeah, this such a NBA in basketball is just such a small world. But my point is that that that team, like they've got a lot, they are very talented. And props to our guys for you know hanging in every single game. Uh, you know, sometimes it felt like it was getting away, but they never let they didn't let it get away, i.e. Atlanta hawks last night. Oh my gosh. That was insane. Um, but I just you know, yeah, you as you mentioned, there's so many positive things to take away from it. It's not like, oh no, look at all these um these you know cracks in the team like that that we gotta figure out. There, I mean, there always will be, but the they can work on them, they can improve on them, and they can they can get better. And shooting is something you can always get better at. And I know it's not a strong suit for this for this team right now, but defense I think is you know, we always say that it wins championships. Like the defense is the I think where you start, and this team has been so impressive defensively. And then you just add if you can, you know, add the shooting, add the offense, you know, just trickle trickle that in there a little bit next year. And I I think this team could be dangerous. I mean, I I remember watching because I watch everything, every single game that I can, unless I'm in soccer and I watch it on my phone. And national media is like this trouble users team, and they're scrappy, you know, like they're getting they got a lot of credit, they got a lot of love during this postseason, rightfully so. So I'm I'm with you. I take a lot of positives away from this, and I think it's a really great like uh place to start next year when they get the gang together, whoever who will maybe that you know, look back and think of how far they came this season and then just start with that and continue to build on it because I think they really showed a lot of people what they're capable of doing, like with the play-in, and then that first round getting a game from the Spurs one be or not, like it's still impressive, especially with a team that you know was just in the play-in and had to fight their way into that seventh spot. So I I I thought I walked away with that. I feeling bummed that we didn't get a couple more games. I would have loved for them to come back and play one more time.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

That game three, I I think that that that one might sit with guys for a little bit. Just the that that was a missed opportunity. Uh and yeah, if they had one game three, they would at least force the a game six. We got one more game back home. You know, you don't want to get eliminated at home either, but hey, you might win that game too. So like it would it would have been nice just to get one more at home. And again, I just I just wish we could have won a game at home because uh to your point, Brooke, like the fans deserve that. Like they they they really have supported this team obviously throughout the years, but even like more recently, too, like just really great crowds in the building. They were awesome during the during the playoffs. Like it just would have been nice to to reward all that support with with a with a at least one win at home. But you know, that's that's how it goes. Uh, but uh it would it would have been nice.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

No, it would have been nice. Um, there were a few sprinkled around Spurs fans, not too many, but my dad and I were at game three in my seats, and I have to give a shout out, and it's not a good shout out, to Aaron Fentress, because his son, who's very nice, very sweet, dad's right next to me, brought his friend who is a Spurs fan to face.

SPEAKER_02 18:56

That's he is his father's son. I was about to say that.

SPEAKER_00 19:02

Well, again, Fentress's son, very nice, and I've met him before, and I'm like, what are you doing with this guy? What are you doing with this Spurs Spurs fan? He's like, I know he's my friend, and he's a Spurs man, whatever. Well, we just happen to be sitting two behind them. Like my seats, there are two in front of us, they're the the front row of the corner, right where Bosma is and all that. And this dude, oh my gosh, like I, you know, I I I my dad wanted to, you know, tell him to sit down a couple times. I was like, no doubt, just you know, we can't do that, we can't do that. Finally, I was like, do it, like, yes, do it. Because this guy was so obnoxious. He was, and I'm all I'm all for. I mean, like, if I were a Blazers fan and I went to a game on the road, I mean, I am a Blazers fan. If I went to a game on the road and I wasn't working, of course I'd be cheering, but I wouldn't be a spectacle. I would not be like in people's faces. And this guy was doing all of the things. And so I mean, one of the the attendant in our section came down. She's like, Do I need to kick him out? I was like, I don't, I'm not telling you to kick anybody out, but can you just keep an eye on him? You know, like because he was just like out of control. And um so finally, like the game was in there. It was clear that they were gonna win the game. Like it was like a couple of minutes, you know, to go. And he sat down because my dad told him to sit down. And then he looks in, he's smiling, he looks around, he's giving everyone a thumbs up, like just to antagonize everyone. And he looks at me and we make eye contact, and I go, Stop it! He goes, he goes, Oh, okay. I was like, What? I should have said that hours ago because it was the worst. But I will say then the next game, game four, I brought my mom and these two guys sitting next to us were Spurs fans, but they were quiet, like they were like just talking with each other, like kind of like not even really like that. They never stood up. They were and at the end of the game, I'm like, I just want to tell you, I'm really disappointed we didn't win this game and you did win the game, but you were very respectful there throughout this entire game, and I just really want to thank you for that. Yeah. He's like, Well, we just want to watch good basketball, we didn't want to get in anyone's way. And I was like, Well, let me just tell you, there was a guy here last game that was the opposite of you, and I was I I respect and appreciate you so much. But my the reason I even brought that up is because to your point, the fans were amazing. Like it was they were so into it, they were so excited. The pre-game, like I got there like two hours early to do a um a TV interview. Um, and the commons were packed. Yeah, commons were packed, it was a beautiful day out, and everyone was you just there was a sense of like, oh, we built, like I said earlier, we've been waiting for this for so long, and they deserved that. And I totally agree with you that I wish we would have won one at home for them, but it still was an amazing atmosphere. And even the games on the road, and I mentioned this last time, but the watch parties were like it felt like your whole family is like Thanksgiving, you know, gr gr around the TV watching a game together and all rooting for the same team and just being like a family. You just met them that day, but it was just like it still felt like family. Like it just was it was a feel good moment for these fans, and I they deserve it so much. I wish they would have got a win at home, but at least like. It was just like everyone kind of got together. Everyone was was like sympatico. And it was just, it was beautiful. And I just can't wait for more to come. And I think that you're right. We're on the right track. And next year, even better.

SPEAKER_02 22:11

Yeah. Uh I I wonder if the guy in game three, I'm pretty sure he was wearing a blazer jersey. So I but I wonder if he because I think it was in your section, because I think you were I I sit at top of section 114, which and so you're right over there. They they did walk a guy up at the end of the game and he was yelling.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

I know that story.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 22:29

My mom was sitting up there. She Hern's got sat in that same section, but up right next to that guy. He got arrested.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

I I could I it seemed to me like it was going that direction. Like he he definitely was he was still really hot when he was getting shoved out now. And you can always kind of tell sometimes like when security gets there and you're walking up, you kind of like have a chance to like slow down, be like, oh crap. This guy was he was going the other direction. He was yeah, he was like, yeah. And I was like, You might uh you might end up in the back of a uh of a police car tonight.

SPEAKER_00 23:03

So the next game, the same gal that was um our attendant for our session, I said, I go, I hope that she her and I were on the same page with this guy. She's like, I hope he's not here tonight. I'm like, oh, or today, because it was that 12:30 game. I was like, I hope he's not here because I'm gonna go up to him and I'm gonna say, Can you please be more respectful today? You know, like I like I had this whole plan, what I was gonna say. And she's like, I I don't I don't see him down there, and he wasn't there. But uh, she did tell me, she goes, Well, you know, the got the guys that got uh sent out up here after the rent, they got arrested. I was like, No way. She's like, Oh, yeah, they got they sent out and they thought they were just gonna walk out and the cops were waiting for them and they they went to the slammer. Wow, I don't know what they did, I didn't see any of it, but my mom said it was quite a scene.

SPEAKER_02 23:42

Yeah, no, they again he was he was mad and he was ready to ready to fight. And I'm guessing that maybe that is what happened. Yeah, I there, but so there were to your point, there were some Spurs fans that were sitting right next to me, not right next to me, but like in the next aisle over, and like when I look this way, like they're right there. And like, you know, they were loud and cheering for the team, but like they were cheering for the Spurs, like, and that's I think we've talked about it before. It's like just cheer for your team, like, and you know, if someone's giving you some crap, like give it back to them. Like, and I'm always like I'm probably a little hypersensitive to it. Like, when I kind of looking out over the section I'm in, I always kind of pay attention to like, are there any Blazer fans being jerks right now? And if so, like I'm gonna be like, hey man, like can you dial it back a little bit? Like, it's one thing to like cheer for the team and and kind of you know, kind of have a little back and forth, and that can be fun, but don't be a don't be a jerk, like and just like don't don't be don't make this more aggressive than it needs to be. And like they again, they were happy for the Spurs, they were cheering them on, but they again like it wasn't like they were being loud, but they weren't like getting in people's faces or like kind of like trying to to instigate things with people. And I was like, Yeah, that's good, like that's a that's a good fan right there. And also, like when people are like, I don't know, they shouldn't be here. It's like, well, don't sell them your tickets then. Like, that's that's on you.

SPEAKER_00 25:02

The thing that bothered me about this guy, not only was he like would turn around and like point at us, like after like the like that's right, you get used to it, you know, like whatever. Okay, you're you're kind of taunting, and that's fine, whatever. But then the thing that really put me over the edge was like, you know, that tunnel, like people go back to go to the bathroom, right? So like Blazer Spans are just what like a guy by himself, a lady lady by herself, and he'd be like, Oh, you're leaving? Where are you? Where are you going? And then these people don't like they're like, What? Like, who's this guy? And he like yelled at him, and so they come closer to him because they think he's talking to them, but he's just like saying, You're probably not coming back because you're gonna lose. And they're like, I'm just going to the bathroom.

SPEAKER_02 25:37

Yeah, and we're gonna get something to drink.

SPEAKER_00 25:38

Yeah, you're like yelling at people, getting their attention, they're coming over to saying, sorry, what? And then you're you're it was just too much. I was like, leave these people alone. Like, you're you don't you don't have to go up above and beyond to like antagonize people, like you can just cheer for your team, and that's fine. I mean, like I said, cheer like cheering is great, but but like when you're going overboard to get someone's attention to yell at them, you're not even coming back because your team's gonna lose, and they're just going to the bathroom. It was like, bro, just chill, just chill. Yeah, so, anyways, um, Aaron Fentris, you got to talk to your son. Is no longer allowed in Moda Center, or I'm gonna have to stay in it.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

Yeah, no, that's uh that's that's perfect. It's that that tracks exactly. Uh, the other thing that happened at the game, Brooke Olsendam getting uh jamba juices for the entire arena, uh she did a great job. That's all I'm gonna say. She did a great job. I I I probably gave her too many pointers both before and after, which I shouldn't have done. But uh Brooke got it done. She uh she she won the jamba, and uh I was proud of you, Brooke. So yes, congratulations. Even though I usually get a stack of coupons that I then am responsible to distribute to the rest of the media, I didn't uh I did not get any jamba coupons this time, Brooke. So even though I'm glad that you won, I I didn't get my free jamba this time. And I was just down at Twelleton yesterday. Like that's that's my my home my home jamba.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

Well, I had like a bunch of people on X say thanks for the jumba tickets, and then a couple of people are like, Wait, what? I never got mine. So I don't know what happened with that, but I'm not in charge of distributing.

SPEAKER_02 27:14

Brooke doesn't distribute, she she just wins the contest.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

Yes, no, but no, I I wouldn't say I did a good job, I would say I got the job done. I wouldn't say it was a good job. So my dad and I went to Motor Center the night before to practice, like to get a vibe, like how it was gonna feel. And he even said, he goes, Don't be upset when you probably are gonna start with an air ball. I'm like, no way, I don't want to start with an airball. Like I play I was a good basketball player. I mean, I shot threes, but I I I played no defense, but I was a decent basketball player. And we get up there, and it was so funny because all like people were putting the towels on this on the seats, like there was like eight or eight to ten people doing that. I was like, don't look, don't watch. Then I was like, wait a second, I probably should have them because then this is gonna be a packed house when I do this. But anyway, so the first one air ball, second one, airball, three airballs like golly, I I feel like I'm giving this all I have, and it's like so it was good that I did that. It was, I was really happy that we did that because I I realized that it's further away than you think, and the bottle is bigger than the one I played with in high school, obviously. So but my first one was like garbage, and I was just it was the nerves, like I was like, I'm not when I tell you, I was so nervous. I've never been more nervous for anything in my life than this. I I laid in bed at night three nights prior, second second night prior, first night, definitely the first night. I was thinking about this 24-7 because as you know, I don't like to disappoint people or let people down. And I was like, if I don't give an entire level Jamba, I'm gonna lose it. So to be quite honest, I thought I was I was feeling good. Like I was nervous, but I was feeling good. Like I went to the like I said the night before practice. I thought I would I thought I'd get three in a decent amount of time. I think it was my fourth one that I finally made the first one. Yeah, fourth shot I made the first one. I was like, phew, at least we saw it going. Okay. Then there was like five or six, and then finally got the second one. I was like, phew. And then I'm like, oh crap. Like I thought I was gonna do this way earlier. Like this is getting crunch time, and I hear Bosma go 10 seconds. I'm like, and I did not realize I had moved up as much as I had, Casey. I thought I was still at the free. Actually, at one point I looked down and I didn't see and I did scoot back to the freezer line.

SPEAKER_02 29:22

I did you did. I I noticed that too. Hey, it's not against the rules if they don't call it, so they don't they well, I'll tell you something in a second.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

So I finally made the third one, and when I felt that was truly my emotions like falling out of my body. Like I was like, oh and I just like everything like came. I mean, I was not planning that whatsoever, but as soon as that third one went in, I was like, oh my god, I just fell to the ground because I was like so the the relief I felt was I can't even explain it. It was euphoric. I was like, thank god. It was not euphoric because it was actually out of fear, but uh it was it was a moment that I was like, oh thank god, and like everything I like I just like was so so thankful that I got the third one. But um, it was funny afterwards. I was walking out uh through the tunnel, just like sweating and like a ball of nerves still, and Boswell was like, hate to tell you, but you were not on the free throw line, so no one's getting down to the thing.

SPEAKER_02 30:16

Insurance says we can't hand out it's it's part of the deal. Like you, you if you go over the line, we have insurance agreements that that cover these things, and uh there if they file a claim, be like, hey, uh she was over the line, that doesn't work. I mean, if you were shooting for a Toyota, you don't get that Toyota, but uh I I think they're a little more leeway with the with the uh Jumba free throw shooting contest. So I was I was very proud of you, Brooke. You did it.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Thank you. I honestly like I I don't know if I said this on the last one, but I don't think so because it was after. But I was asked to do this and I said, I can't do it. I can't do it. I I just I I don't want to like again, I don't want to disappoint anyone. And I was not allowed to say no. Bosma was like, Don't wear heels and get in the gym. I'm like, oh my gosh, Bosma's making me do this. So it was one of those things where like I probably, if I could have gotten out of it, I would have because just because I was so nervous. But when I was like, I didn't want to let Bosma down. I was like, okay, well, I'm doing it. So it was it was truly a terrifying experience. I I never want to do it again. Um, I did have someone at Langer's yesterday, as I told you, come up and say, You got me and my girlfriend uh jumba juice last game. I was like, I'm so sorry it took so long. He was like, Well, the anticipation was exciting. Like, that's a nice way of saying, could you do it fast?

SPEAKER_02 31:32

There's there's a jumbo right over by the Langers. It's uh there is, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:36

There is. I've been there many times. Renee, he runs it. That's my son's uh soccer coach. He runs that jumbo.

SPEAKER_02 31:41

Oh, no kidding. Well, you you can't you gotta keep that quiet. They're gonna think that like there's some collusion going on there.

SPEAKER_00 31:47

Oh no, no, there's no, there's no collusion. I promise you that. No, it was so funny though, because Michael Holden, as you've think you were there, he gave me some pointers, and uh he's like, You've got to get the ball in your hands before you get out there in the in the tunnel, get the ball in your hands and just kind of become one with the ball, feel it, they go, throw it against the wall, throw, you know, dribble it a little bit. So I was doing that, and like fans were walking back from the bathroom. Some maybe some of the fans that were heckled, no, wrong game, wrong game. Um but they were walking back from the bathroom and they're like, Are you gonna do the half court shot? I was like, No, I'm doing I'm doing the free throws. They're like, You better get all three. I'm like, stop! Like the pressure I felt like from Casey number one, number one pressurer. Like, I can't tell you how many times Casey said, You have to get this because I need mine are expiring. You have to, you have to get this. And I would say, Casey, stop. Like, I already know. Like, I trust me, I feel the pressure. You don't need to do that, put more on.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

And then what a good friend does, right? Is make you feel worse about something you're already concerned about. What a what a what a good friendship.

SPEAKER_00 32:44

But then everyone else was that in in broadcasting. They had heard, you know, it was what we get an email saying what from Bosma saying what the whole plan of the night is for Game Ops, and it said free throw, Jamba, Brooke. And so everyone knew. And so they're like, Are you nervous? Like it just was like a powder keg of fear in me. Like everyone, everyone I saw was like, Are you ready? Are you nervous? I'm like, Yeah, but anyway, we got it done. It wasn't pretty, but we got it done.

SPEAKER_02 33:10

Yeah, uh, you you did great, Brooke. You you again, yeah, you the only thing that matters is getting those three in the allotted amount of time, and however long it takes, however close you are, if they don't say anything, you you you did it, Brooke. So yeah, and you're exactly right. Like, it's you don't know how how difficult it is to be in front of that amount of people doing some kind of test of strength or skill or endurance or whatever it is. Like, that's a that's a tough place to be, and also too, because you also know that if you didn't get that done, you are going to get booed unmercifully. And the number of people who are gonna be like, Hey, thanks for the jumba brook, that number is would have been 50 times more if you had not gotten it, because you'd have people jumping out of windows being like, Thanks for nothing, Brooke.

SPEAKER_01 34:03

So that's all I was thinking about.

SPEAKER_02 34:05

It's a that that is harrowing, and you went and you did it, you got it done. That's the important part, Brooke.

SPEAKER_00 34:11

And that's and that's what I want to add. Now I completely have a new appreciation for the people that do not understand tic-tac-toe when it's happening, because when you're out there, your mind just yeah, it's just it's just gone. Like it's I get it, I get it. Like, I'm just throwing down and go and shoot a layup. I don't care where it goes, I just like want to get I understand. Like when you're in front of that many people, and it's so funny because someone said this to me. They're like, Yeah, but you like when you're reporting, you're talking to way more people at home. I'm like, it's so different. Yeah, when I'm just looking at a camera, it's like I think I'm just used to that, like it's nothing. I don't think about how many.

SPEAKER_02 34:48

Yeah, yeah, that's you're a pro. So yes, like when I'm doing the part of my job that I'm a professional at, yeah, it's not I'm not concerned about it because I've I've had the reps, I've done the job for years, I'm a pro at this. Like, yeah, Dame's not nervous stepping up and shooting free throws because that's what he does. If he had to get up and do a stand-up, I guarantee he'd be nervous about well, maybe Dame wouldn't, but most people would. So, like it's when you're doing something that's not your expertise in front of a ravenous group of people, yeah. Like, that's that is more concerning. You're you're exactly right. Like, yeah, I I mean it the podcast. We have a fair amount of people that listen to the podcast, but we're just recording it with our ourselves. If there was a group of people watching us, it might feel a little bit different, which is a good way to remind you that uh May 22nd we will be doing a live show at Spirit Mount Casino. Brooke and I recording a live edition of the Bleasures Balcony at the Spirit Mount Casino Sports Brook. It'll be a great time at their sports brook.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

I know I like I thought that I thought I like that.

SPEAKER_02 35:54

That was just because I can't talk, but it's actually a good turn of phrase. Come out May 22nd, listen to the podcast, be a guest, heckle us, get in some uh some gaming, stay the night at Spirit Mount Casino, Highway 18, and Grand Ron, Elevate Your Game. It's gonna be a great time. I think the playoffs are still going on at that point in time, so maybe we'll we'll be able to watch a playoff game together.

SPEAKER_00 36:19

My dad and I were laughing at this. We always go to Orcas Island, you know, in the summer in June, and it's always we laugh because he's like, Can you believe that when we go to Orcas, that will be when the finals are? Because I always leave my family to go to this the city of Orcas and to go downtown and watch the playoffs because we don't have TVs in our cabins. And so I will leave to go watch the playoffs, and it's like yeah, it's in June. Like the playoffs go on a long time. They do, like it's crazy. So yeah, May 22nd, there that might even just that won't even be the finals yet. Yeah, we'll go watch them together.

SPEAKER_02 36:49

Yeah, so come on out, Spirit Mountain Casino, May 22nd. More details on time, but we will be out there at the sports book talking Blazers, talking MBA, having a good time, having a few drinks, having a few uh delicious Spirit Mountain eats. It'll be a great time. Uh, please, please come out, it'll be awesome. You you will not regret it. Spirit Mountain Casino, highway teen, Grand Ron, May 26th.

SPEAKER_00 37:16

I used to have a I used to have a billboard out there. I don't think I do anymore.

SPEAKER_02 37:19

Yeah, no, your billboard's gone. I I I think, yeah, exactly. It's uh which again, I I think we talked about that. I am very curious to know what happened to that because like it would it was probably what like 10 feet tall, you think?

SPEAKER_00 37:33

Like you're like you holding the basketball, you know, like yeah, like you know the body was like also like my Dame and I Dame was much bigger than I was, but we were like out of the billboard, you know, exactly, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:45

Like you were popping out of it, so yeah. I'm I I'm really curious where that went because I that that would be a nice thing to have around somewhere.

SPEAKER_00 37:52

Yeah, I need to put I would put it on my roof, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 37:55

It'd be it you yeah, it could be like you know, those people that just leave up those like oversized skeletons all year long, just like I still have my Christmas wreath on the front of my house, and you know I took it down last year, I put it back up, and I decided I was like, I it's it's Stan. Like that that wreath is staying there until the elements or some industrious thief decides they want it. It's it's Stan. I I'm not taking it down anymore.

SPEAKER_00 38:21

Which wreath did you have?

SPEAKER_02 38:24

Like I mean, I bought it a few years ago.

SPEAKER_00 38:26

Oh no, I had the I had the the Blazers one.

SPEAKER_02 38:28

Well, no, yeah, you had the yeah, they had the Chris Murray wreath. No, I I just buy the wreath from the from the I don't know if it's Kawanis or whatever, one of the the Oddfellows Club. I don't know. There I I I buy trees here in North Portland Brook. I I I keep it local.

SPEAKER_00 38:46

Well, I keep it local too. That would be good.

SPEAKER_02 38:47

I know, I know that I I I didn't mean it that way. It would just I literally walk, I buy a tree and walk at home. Like that's that's how local I do it.

SPEAKER_00 38:55

That is very local. Yeah, yeah. It was funny because my dad's like, Are you gonna take this down? I was like, I don't think so. Like it's been literally it's in it's May. Like it was wild. I'm like, how is this possible? But I finally cut the cord and I took it, I took down Chris Marie Wreath, which was really sad. Chris Murray, Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. It's really funny. I think that was just so clever. But took it down. It was a sad day. Uh, can't wait to see what they come with next year.

SPEAKER_02 39:25

Well, transitioning from taking down old uh Christmas decorations to the end of the Trailblazer season. Team did have exit interviews on Thursday, excuse me, end of season interviews on Thursday at the Prax Facility in Twalleton. Uh 10 players, Joe and Tiago, all talking to the media, taking questions. Uh, and I kind of my biggest takeaway, Brooke, was, you know, particularly from the players, was that they all felt like it was a really important season to them. A lot of guys mentioned they thought it was a special season and it really meant a lot to them. Multiple guys were like, this is a season, you know, I'll never forget. And I think, you know, for for some good reasons and some bad reasons, but you know, a season that really kind of meant something to a lot of these guys. They all almost to a man talked about kind of the camaraderie on the team and and the relationship that they had built. And and also feeling like, you know, we we've we did some good things, we wished we would have done a few things better, particularly in the playoffs. A lot of guys talked about like we're gonna be up 3-1 right now, you know, which is uh there's some truth to that. But uh, I just thought in general, a a real a real good vibe from the team at exit interviews, and that's not necessarily always the case. You know, sometimes, you know, when the season gets done, there's a sense of like, well, we really know what's next, and like who's gonna be here, who's not. Like, I'm upset about the way the season ended because I didn't do X, Y, and Z. But it really seemed to me that everyone kind of came away from the season, at least my take from exit interviews, feeling like they really got something out of this year, and that it it meant something to them, and that they really felt like there was real progress that was made this season. And again, I don't think that necessarily I always feel that way after exit interviews. Sometimes it's more like it's guys kind of like they're like, I'm just glad this thing is done for the most part. And it didn't really feel like that to me. It felt like guys are more like, boy, I wish, I wish we were still playing. Like, I wish we were we were still out there. And when guys feel that way, it's because they generally like playing with each other and feel like they're they're they're growing and getting better. And you know, when the season kind of ends in a slog sometimes, it it feels a certain way at those exit interviews. But I think with the way Portland's season went, the way the last two months of their season went, making the playoffs, winning the play-in, winning those games to even put themselves in a position to be in that play-in, I just think that they had a real appreciation for what they were able to accomplish this year and really kind of judged it in a way that felt positive to me. And so I I thought that there was a lot of good stuff to come out of those interviews. If you if you didn't watch them, I I would absolutely you know advise you to go to troubleish.com, either the website or the YouTube page and watch some of those interviews. I thought a lot of guys had some really interesting comments in there, and it just felt to me like a real nice way to end the season, nice send-off for these guys. Everyone, again, seemed like supportive of each other and and happy for the way the season went and optimistic about things going forward.

SPEAKER_00 42:27

No, I thought I felt the exact same way. It was it was like light, it we it wasn't like, oh, like you know, doom, like the season just ended, you know, it was we should have done, you know, done better in that first round. If I mean they like you said, they didn't say they they thought they could have come further. And I end, I believe, I I believe that, I understand that, and because those games were in control at one point. But at the same time, it was like uh which I loved, it was like I'm looking at the season as a whole, you know, like from beginning to end, the adversity that they faced um in many different ways. And they always just seem to to fight, like they, they, they, they play for each other. And I know that that kind of gets thrown around that term, like we play for each other, but it was brought up. I mean, every other walk-off interview, I swear it was, you know, I play for my teammates. You know, I it's you know, my job to get answers out of these guys in walk-offs. And it was, you know, I've joked about this before, Denny in particular, but all of them, you ask them about their personal performance, and it always gets brought back to couldn't do without my teammates. And the camaraderie that they have is I mean, you and I are there every single day. Like we see, we see it. We see these guys you know joking back and forth, their handshakes, they they just really enjoy each other and they really root for each other. And so I think that really helps in terms of like when you're kind of putting a bow on the season. Like, well, I mean, I I was out there with my best friends, you know, trying to trying to get something done, and we really made strides. And I think that that's something that you and I saw firsthand, and I think you know, fans saw it too. But like you and I really like, you know, because since we're in the midst of it, can see like This is truly like a great locker room. They really like they really just root for each other. And I also loved what Donovan said about how he was a Rob fan growing up. I loved that relationship. This is like the the biggest thing I took from those ex interviews was that for me, I just loved hearing that. It was like I found it adorable that Donovan like was a Rob fan growing up. And now can you imagine like someone that you know plays the sport that you're whatever you do in your life, someone that you look up to that all of a sudden becomes your like essentially like your mentor, like right, like an immediate mentor, and like how cool is that? And couldn't ask for a better one in Rob, again, my MVP of the series. Uh so I just I I love the way they talked about each other and just the season of whole, and it wasn't in a disappointing way or a disappointed way. It was more like we're we're proud of ourselves for what we were able to do. And I I I liked it. It was a good feeling. It wasn't like again, wah wah, we you know, the season's over. It was like we we got some stuff done. And I go back to that play-in game where it was just like that was that was like it encapsuled the whole season to me, or they have something to play for, they gotta get it done, gotta get that seven seat, and they figured out a way to do it. And I just I I I walked I after listening to all of that, I I felt like that these guys are again still dialed in. The season's over, but they're still dialed in and they're already thinking about next season and what can be accomplished, and just really proud of them.

SPEAKER_02 45:24

Yeah, and I I I kind of asked a couple questions about their expectations going to the next year because I I was kind of curious if anyone's gonna be like, hey, now now that we've kind of set this baseline for ourselves, it's like we need to build on this. And and multiple guys basically said that, which I thought was great. Yeah, I also I I was just going back to look, I I I thought he said this, but I don't see it in my notes now. But I also I feel like Donovan also said that like this is the best year of his life. I I think like, and I was like, Oh, like a nice thing to say. Like I someone, someone at some point in time, I thought it was Donovan, but uh maybe I'm wrong about that. But it was someone who was like, this is like one of the best years of of my life, which again, like considering kind of how hard and long a season can be, and you know, the the stuff with you know, the Chauncey and so on and so forth, and then you know, an ownership change, and like there's just a lot of a lot of things that could have gone sideways with this year, and it seems like they you know, Tiago and the rest of the staff really kind of kept these guys together. I that was kind of one of my main takeaways, too, was to every single guy to a man was like Tiago did a great job, we really appreciated what he did. Like he got thrust into a really difficult situation and he really dealt with it well. You know, Matisse called it a grenade, you know. He's like, he's like, you know, when someone passes you the ball late in the shot clock, it's a grenade, and he's like, he kind of caught a grenade like this season, but he he really dealt with those well, which I thought was a uh a really nice way to put it. And also a guy like Matisse, uh, again, like there's guys in this team, and I won't name them all, but there's guys in this team where like they're pretty honest guys, and they're not going to say something they don't believe. Like they they might not tell you what they think, but they're not going to shine you on about what they think either. And Matisse is one of those guys, like Matisse is not going to be like, he's not gonna say something just because it's what he thinks he's supposed to say. He's only gonna say it if he actually believes it. And he was one of the guys who was like, I thought Telga did an awesome job. And again, to to a to a man, it was like he got he he really like helped us. He's a former player, like, so he knows what we're going through. Felt like he really kind of understood kind of the situations that we're in, and we understood kind of the the stuff that he had to deal with as well. So I thought that was was great that there was an admission there from kind of both sides. I I thought Tiago was great too, like him even coming in and like taking the mic and like moving it off the stand and like holding it himself. And I was like, You've he hasn't done that all year long, so you could tell he was like, I'm finally comfortable now, like I'm finally like I can take a breath after you know, basically like holding my breath for the last six six months. Um, so I I thought that was great. And I also just got a sense too that uh I think I might have already said this, but just that a lot of guys felt like they gave the impression that like this is this is like the start for us. Like this is this is not like we we've fought and fought and fought to get to this point. We did, but this is this is our baseline now. This is where we feel like we need to start now. And now we need to to improve, and we feel like there's a lot of ways we can improve. And so I again I I felt like you everything I heard at exit interviews was something I I thought was a good thing to hear. And again, and and like valuable too, not just like, you know, we fought our hardest and did the best we could, and like it there seemed like a real sincerity to me in exit interviews that again, I don't necessarily always think is the case. And I don't know if it was so last year we did them like right after the game, which is like that's a hard time to do an exit interview. They initially were gonna do it on Wednesday, but the team got back so late, I think they're like, Yeah, let's maybe wait a day, which I think is the exact right thing to do. Like, let everyone kind of like take a breath and reflect a little on the season before sitting down and being asked by media to reflect on the season. And so, like to do that, to like just have just a chance just to take a quick breath before going back and emptying out your locker and saying your goodbyes or you see you later and so on and so forth. Like, I I think that that that's the best way to do it. And they did it that way this year, and I think it resulted in a just again a really positive, useful exercise. And that's I guess the last thing I would say is that I don't feel like exit interviews a lot of times are especially useful because again, guys, it's still so raw, you just got done with it. This year to me, it felt like this was actually uh I I think the players got something out of this, and I know the media got something out of it as well. So I I thought it was it was a really nice way to end the season, and again, just uh a good sign of things going forward.

SPEAKER_00 50:05

And to uh just to add on to your talk about Tiago, I thought, and I reposted, I thought his speech to the guys after game five was just perfect. The way you said, and he said this to us a couple of times. Like, I don't know if I have the you know speak English well enough to find the words, and you know, he's he said that a couple of times, but when he said that, I loved it.

SPEAKER_02 50:26

He he one of the things I've noticed about Tiago, and it's I always find it really interesting, is he uses words that like because what he said there, he I don't have the repertoire to like, and I was like, what an interesting word to use in that situation because as a as a you know, English is his second or third or fourth language, you would almost think it'd be like you would use kind of like a more dumped-down word, but I've noticed that about you. Like he uses like the the bigger, more impressive words when he's expressing himself, and I don't even think like on purpose necessarily, but it's just like how he speaks, which I've always really found interesting.

SPEAKER_00 51:02

Yeah, no, I he's he said it to me a couple times where he like he's trying to find the word, and he's I mean, gosh, I I'm so impressed with half our team who speaks numerous languages. Like, I'm it makes me feel terrible about myself. I need to do some bump or what was it, babble, babble, anyways. I've always said I was gonna do it maybe one day soon. But he will say that, like he'll preface it with like I don't know if this is the right word, and it it is the right word, like it means the right word, but it might not be like how we would say it in everyday language. But if he he's there, like it's it he's right. I mean, it's just it's it's almost literal about it. Like, I'm like, yeah, no, that makes sense. I wouldn't say it like that, but that makes perfect sense. But my point is that he just said everything that like I would expect him to say, but it was perfectly said where the the the thing he was so proud of them and the things that they accomplished, and you know, don't look back on this series as you know, exactly how the of course this is how the season ended, but look at it as a whole and how you guys got better, you've always got better. Like I challenged you, you got better. And I just I loved it. It was I I did I got a little emotional watching it, you know, and I other people uh responded to when I reposted it and said, I teared up watching that. I was like, same season, like it was it was great, it was it was really nice because you know there's a there's obviously a feeling of disappointment after you are knocked out of the out of the playoffs, but you don't want to take anything away from what was what was uh accomplished in that whole season, which was really truly a defeat. And and again, I would also just kind of piggyback what you said, like and the players, like Tiago, like what a what a weird position to be in and to kind of be forced into it, and then to do what he did, I think it's just so impressive. And I know like the players agree and the people around the league agree as well. And I've just I've been thankful for him because as someone that interviews him every day or every game day, sorry, and you and I, you know, in press conferences before and after, he's been great to us. And uh I've just really I've been so impressed with how he just like took that challenge and uh really knock in my opinion knocked it out of the park.

SPEAKER_02 53:06

He absolutely did, and the team did as well again. Uh successful season. I think a lot of things to be proud of for this team, a lot of room for growth and a lot of things to to get better at, but a a really good place to be at this point in time in their maturation. I again I think that they they got everything they need to get out of this season, and I think probably little little more. Uh, the only I would say the only thing that kind of negates that a little bit is just those injuries to Scoot and Shaden, especially. It would have been nice, particularly with Scoot, for those guys to be able to play a little bit more this season, particularly with each other, because I I think so many fans view kind of that pairing as as kind of one of the ways this team is going to get better. And so it was just a little bit of a bummer that they weren't able to play as much as you would have liked. But I thought both guys had really nice seasons, and and you're right, Brooke, like just a nice way to kind of finish the thing out, and you're always upset when the season is over, but you that that disappointment can manifest itself, or or the the reason for that disappointment can be different things. And when it's like we're disappointed because we didn't achieve the things we wanted to achieve because we didn't do the stuff we should have done, that feels one way. When you overachieved a bit and you feel like you you had your opportunities, but you just maybe aren't there yet, that's when you're like, okay, like I can I can deal with that. And I think that's where the Blazers are at. So I I think again, just a solid season for this team. Uh, a lot of a lot of things to be happy about and a lot of uh a lot of interesting decisions to come in this offseason as well. It should be a very interesting off-season, Brooke. I think a lot of us are expecting that there's there's gonna be a lot of a lot of movement this offseason. Even though the Blazers don't have a draft pick right now, maybe they end up with one, who's to say? But either way, I think it's gonna be a very uh interesting offseason here in Portland, and uh one that I would expect will make the team better going forward. So looking forward to that, but glad that we're able to have a good one here this season, Brooke. So uh that's gonna do it for this edition of the Blazers Balcony. Thank you so much for joining us as always. A reminder, and I'm going to continue to remind you May 22nd, Spirit Mountain Casino, live recording of the Blazers Balcony with myself and Brooke at the Spirit Mountain Casino Sports Brook. Should be a great time. Please come out. I'm just gonna keep saying sports. My mouth can't put those words together without saying sports brook for some reason. So maybe they could rebrand it for that night, too. Actually, that would yeah. We should uh they they did ask what we needed, and I'd be like, so I'm going to need digital signage that says sports brook instead of sports book. Um and yeah, a few other things as well. So please come out May 22nd, Spirit Mount Casino. You will uh you will not regret it. Uh, but until then, please like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. We will be recording podcasts at various times throughout the off season. So you definitely want to subscribe to get those early and often. Thank you so much for joining us both on this edition and all season long. We really appreciate it. All your support, your comments, your listenership, your viewership. It means a lot to us. It means a lot to me. Thank you so much. It means a lot to Brooke. We'll talk to you soon.