Klee's Corner: His house burned down, and Nuggets radio voice Jason 'Koz' Kosmicki still made tipoff

Jun. 3—Nuggets Nation has a friend in "Koz."

To properly frame Jason Kosmicki's allegiance to the Nuggets as the play-by-play voice on Altitude Sports Radio, let me tell you about the time his house burned down.

The next night, "Koz" was on the mic for a Nuggets-Pelicans game.

What happened was his home in Indian Hills, over by Morrison, is 100 years old. "So you've got a century of silt and soot and it catches fire, apparently," he says. With Koz still in his PJs in a hotel, his girlfriend and daughter hit the men's aisle at Ross for that game's work clothes.

"Thank God we won," he says with a laugh. "I would have been ticked."

Yes, Game 1 of Denver's first NBA Finals meant something more to Nuggets long-timers like Koz. He's been a central part of the Kroenke Sports & Entertainment operation for 29 years, the last 14 as the radio voice Nuggets believers recognize from a mile away.

"Top of the key to Joker... pass to Gordon... two hands, DUNK!" Kosmicki fired off during Thursday's 104-93 win over the Miami Heat that handed the Nuggets a 1-0 series lead.

It took 47 years for the local ballclub to reach the NBA Finals. You bet folks would soak it in.

"How many times have we walked into that arena or into a Nuggets game?" he asks.

For Koz, Game 2 Sunday will be his 108th Nuggets call this season. No wonder Koz and on-air partner Scott Hastings were snapping selfies from the court all the way to the bathroom.

Koz walked into Ball Arena this way: "Holy schnikes! This is insane."

"I looked at Hastings: 'Do we change anything in the Finals?'" Kosmicki says. "We didn't. You just keep doing the same thing. It's just another game, except I'm nervous as hell as it starts."

Koz settled in. This is a man who called 1,750 consecutive preseason, regular season and postseason games before the NBA's useless COVID "health and safety" protocols sidelined him for a positive test before a road game. He and Nuggets assistant coach Popeye Jones, who also was sidelined for a short time, instead roamed Beverly Hills as outcasts.

The Nuggets had zero nerves in Game 1. Shoot, if not for a lazy third quarter, the 11-point win would have been a 20-point rout. Denver bullied Miami to move three wins from an NBA title.

"I think people are making (the Finals) something bigger than it is," Nikola Jokic said after. "When the game started, I felt really comfortable."

Traveling with the Nuggets has created friendships for a lifetime. Koz prefers to avoid name-dropping — "I'm not that cool," and his friends respectfully agree — but his list of buds who played for the Nuggets sounds like a pretty good time. Danilo Gallinari is a card shark. Don't test Gallo's poker face. Koz and Nick Van Exel became fast friends. Antonio McDyess is a longtime acquaintance. Eduardo Najera, one of the sweetest men to come through, is one.

Hours before Game 1, ex-Nugget Jon Barry texted him: "Holy (expletive)! Koz is in the NBA Finals."

"You get a lot of that these days. People appreciate the journey it's been for our franchise," Koz says. "It's been a long time. There was a point when I didn't think we'd ever get here."

Then Joker arrived.

It was the first or second week of Jokic's rookie season when Mike Miller pulled Koz aside after a Nuggets practice. Miller, an NBA veteran of 18 seasons at that point, told Koz: "You never know if a guy's going to pan out, but if he does he's one of the best players I've ever seen."

Good call, Mike.

"Mike Miller's won a high school championship, NCAA championships, NBA championships," Koz says. "When he tells you something like that, you pay attention to it."

Credit the Indian Hills Volunteer Fire Department, by the way. The saviors arrived soon after the 9-1-1 call, enough time for Koz to save the cars and valuables. They saved his 1,750-game streak.

"You'd think a funeral or divorce or something would have snapped it by then," Koz says.

Now there's a line in the sand for the Nuggets radio voice you know from a mile away.

"When Joker's done, I'm done. That's it," Koz says. "It doesn't get better than that. I'm out."

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Colorado Stud of the Week: Kyle Speller, Nuggets PA announcer

Hours before Game 1, the Nuggets production team met for a final comb through the night's schedule. Included was an emotional hype video covering decades of Nuggets action ball.

"I got teared up," said Speller, who has brought the vibes for 18 seasons as the baritone PA voice of the Nuggets. "This moment is for all of us — every player, staff member, everyone."

The voices of the Nuggets are a cool bunch. Speller, who played college ball at Regis and Adams State, also serves as the Nuggets chaplain. As Ball Arena buzzed prior to tipoff, he walked the players tunnel with Bible in hand. The NBA's chapel setup is different than, say, the NFL. It involves both teams, and Game 1 had a full house of Nuggets and Heat.

One of my favorite messages from Speller: "Play for an audience of one."

"You never know who in the crowd is going through something," he says. "Be an example."

His favorite calls on the mic? That's easy. They are the participation calls where fans respond.

"One... two... threeeee!"

"Ga-ry... Har-ris!"

"Whose ball?.... Nuggets ball!"

Hard to believe, but Speller's now a giddy grandfather. In college, Speller and a teammate shook on a pact: their life's mission was to score courtside season tickets at Nuggets games.

"I was thinking business-wise — to afford those seats," he laughs. "God had other plans."

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What's On Tap

Monday: Will the Nuggets squeeze the Heat into a 2-0 deficit? Full coverage from Ball Arena.

Tuesday: Don't miss an inside look at a special connection between Nikola Jokic and Colorado.

Wednesday: Get your "Best Bets" on Game 3 from Chris Schmaedeke (ATS record: 145-129).

Thursday: The Denver Gazette is live from Kaseya Arena in Miami for coverage from Game 3.

Friday-Sunday: Oh, and the Broncos continue OTAs, where Chris Tomasson is front and center.

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Just one question

Considering the lack of size and injury to sharpshooter Tyler Herro, are the Heat the weakest of the Nuggets' four playoff opponents?