(Portland fans) really Hate that city, says coach Nate

"This rivalry is just going to continue to go up," said Ron Matthews, the Sonics' director of digital media. "Needless to say, we're very eager to see this thing play out.

Coach Nate McMillan in Portland vividly recalls the days of true "Blazermania," when red and black-clad fans invaded the Kingdome for Seattle home games. Only three opponents caused a ticket demand that forced the Sonics to relocate from the Seattle Coliseum to the larger Kingdome: the Chicago Bulls and Michael Jordan, the Boston Celtics and Larry Bird, and the Portland Trail Blazers.

Now it would be in GM Kevin Pritchard's best interest to leave the NBA world in limbo about the Portland Trail Blazers' plan with the No. 1 pick. However, the rest of the NBA is extremely upset that NEITHER of the two best rookie players in the league next season will be playing on the east coast.

Yes. Half of the nation will now know what is like to have to stay up long hours to watch a game on NBA.live (that doesnt hurt my feelings!) televised until about 11:30pm EST. Those talented players, Oden and Durant, the Trail Blazers and Sonics are expected to draft at 1-2 and perhaps begin a new tremendously regional one-on-one rivalry. It would in this bloggers opinion be GREAT for this league to have another "piston" to drive this west coast NBA machine.

You know the NBA already has the LA rivalry in place, the bay area rivalry in north Ca. and now they will add millions more viewers from the Great Northwest tuning in five nights a week and buying season tickets and all that NBA licensed material for sale on the internet.

The NBA doesn't need worry, moan, to whine about potential viewership problems in the east tonight, it doesnt have to redo the lottery system. They need to just hop aboard, and follow the old Lewis and Clark trail to all those fresh NEW unexplored dollars in the Pacific Northwest.