Nba A To Z With Sam Amick And Jeff Zillgitt

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson sits down with USA TODAY’s Sam Amick to go behind the scenes with him and the team. They begin with how he’s not as quiet as some might think and how his father Mychal - a member of the 1980’s Showtime Lakers - is a man who loves to talk (as well he should be, hosting a radio show). They talk about Thompson’s accomplishments so far in his young career and how he’s working to sustain it. Thompson talks about how tough the loss was to Cleveland on Christmas and they’re looking forward to the next game between the two. He talks a little about the rivalry between the two teams and some of the off court antics. They talk about adding Kevin Durant to the team and how he has fit in with a group that has been so good for the past few seasons. Thompson talks about changing agents and how he’s trying to take advantage of his opportunities as far as marketing. They talk about how Thompson sees his future. Thompson is a fan of Harry Potter and they talk about if he has seen the n

Former NBA coach George Karl, whose book “Furious George” is out, joins Sam and Jeff to talk about the reaction to excerpts that have been released in the past few weeks. The guys ask him to talk about regrets he might have with how he said something in the book. Karl talks about how important he believes family is for the players and for himself. They talk about Kenyon Martin, who took the most exception to what was written in Karl’s book, and if the two have connected. Karl talks about some of his favorite parts of the book, and how he grew and changed as a coach. He talks about some of his favorite seasons in coaching and what he felt like was his worst season. They talk about Karl’s assertion that HGH could be a problem in the NBA and why he thinks that. Then he and Jeff talk about going through cancer treatments. They finish up with talk about Karl’s plans for the future and if he wants to coach again.

Houston Rockets guard James Harden sits down with USA TODAY’s Sam Amick to discuss his amazing season and the success of the team. They talk about how Harden knew something good might be coming up with this team as far back as the preseason. Harden talks about how difficult his decision was to skip the Rio Olympics in the summer coming off a difficult year with the Rockets last season. He talks about some of the new players with the team and how quickly they have fit in with the team. Sam and James then talk about the MVP race. They then talk about the Rockets season this year compared to last year.

Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt go around the league, hitting on some of the big performances. They start off talking about the Rookie of the Year race and the surprising entry that is Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks. Brogdon was a second round pick who has quickly become an invaluable member of a young, up-and-coming team. Jeff chats with Brogdon from a recent trip to Milwaukee. The guys then talk about the Russell Westbrook vs. James Harden for MVP race and how great those two guys have been. Then again, they warn to not forget about LeBron James, who in most observations, is right behind Westbrook and Harden in the race. The guys then talk about the Memphis Grizzlies, a surprise team that has dealt with major injuries.

Memphis Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace joins Sam Amick to discuss his unorthodox rise to NBA executive. They talk about how the Grizzlies have dealt with injuries and have still made the playoffs in each of the past six seasons. They talk about Wallace’s career path, from humble beginnings working in a casino in Reno, Nev. to starting a basketball magazine at age 23. That led to getting a job in the NBA. They discuss the growth of international players getting to the league. They talk about Wallace’s relationship with one of the guru of analytics, John Hollinger, with the Grizzlies. Wallace also tells Sam about how he helped get Erik Spoelstra into the league as a video coordinator. They talk about how Wallace ended up with the Boston Celtics (hint, it involves a trade). Wallace recalls getting to work with Red Auerbach and how memorable that experience was. Then they talk about how the Grizzlies were built and some of the moves that were made that set the team up for longterm success.

On this episode, Sam Amick talks with Golden State Warriors beat reporter Marcus Thompson about how the team rose from being one of worst teams in the league to the current dynasty. They talk about covering the team in those early days. It was a team with humble beginnings, poor play and a fan base that wasn’t enamored with the future. Then they built the base that led to the great team they have today. They discuss how Steph Curry is having a great season, but not an MVP-type season, and how that has changed since Kevin Durant joined the team. Then Sam and Jeff talk about Blake Griffin’s surgery and how it changes the Clippers in his absence. They talk about the unfortunate situation of DeMarcus Cousins attack on a Sacramento-area columnist who wrote about a legal issue involving Cousins and his brother. The guys close with the sad news of the death of TNT sideline reporter Craig Sager. Jeff, who has had his own battles with cancer, discusses what Sager went through from perspective of someone who has gone t

Sam and Jeff break down the league at the quarter point in the season. They talk about how great Russell Westbrook has been so far and the amazing numbers he has been putting up. They discuss the New York Knicks and how they’re starting to play good ball. A quick chat with Jeff Hornacek on being caught in between the Carmelo Anthony/Phil Jackson drama and his reaction to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ “water-bottle challenge” during their recent game. They also talk about the hot Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz and why those teams have been so good. They then have a quick conversation about the Toronto Raptors and how all signs are pointing to another showdown with them and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference. They talk about LeBron James and how he isn’t slowing down at all this season, putting up some outstanding numbers in several categories. They finish up with a little CBA talk and what the changes are that there could be a lockout.

Sam Sits down with Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni to discuss James Harden and the state of the team, while Jeff has a lengthy discussion with Dr. David Bearman, one of the most clinically knowledgeable physicians in the U.S. in the field of medicinal marijuana.

Sam and Jeff take an inside look at the power rankings procedure and bring in an expert to break it all down. What goes into the weekly rankings and who votes. USA TODAY's AJ Neuhart-Keusch joins to throw one of the voters under the bus. Then Sam and Jeff take their weekly run through the NBA's top headlines. The Warriors are rolling, the Spurs look like the Spurs again. What's up in the East?

Not only is Los Angeles Clippers star Blake Griffin a great basketball player, but he is also a stand up comedian. USA TODAY's Sam Amick sat down with Griffin to talk about his comedy and the Clippers, who are off to a great start. Jeff Zillgitt then caught up with DeMar DeRozan of the Toronto Raptors, who is one of the leading scorers in the league and has his team near the top of the Eastern Conference.

NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt chat about the bogus rumor that Klay Thompson was going to be traded by the Golden State Warriors to the Boston Celtics. They talk about how important Thompson is to the team and why they have no plans to trade him. They also talk about the streaking Los Angeles Clippers and why things are going well early on for them, but can this team advance in the playoffs? That’s the big question for them. Sam and Jeff also talk about DeMar DeRozan who is off to a start that puts him into company of legends. He and the Toronto Raptors are playing well and if he continues to play the way he is, they could be a serious threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers. They also talk about how the New York Knicks are struggling early on, especially on defense.

One of the surprise teams early on in the NBA season is the Los Angeles Lakers. USA TODAY's Sam Amick caught up with first-year coach Luke Walton about the good start and the outlook. Walton talks about how the team has belief that they can compete, something they haven't done in a few seasons. One of the reasons, they discuss, is how he relates to a young group of players. They talk about the energy at Staples Center as Lakers fans are excited for this team.

NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt give their analysis of the early days of the NBA season. Are the Golden State Warriors overrated? Are the San Antonio Spurs underrated? What to make about the furious start to Russell Westbrook’s season? For the first time in a long time, there is a reason to watch the Philadelphia 76ers. Then, the Chicago Bulls, are they for real? They talk about everyone from LeBron James to Dwight Howard and what we could expect from some of the top players in the league moving forward.

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau joins Sam Amick to talk about his new team. They discuss how talented the young T'Wolves are, led by Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins and the outlook for their development. The coach tells Sam that he has mapped out the entire season's worth of practices and days off. A notorious workaholic and hard-driving coach, Thibodeau has apparently mellowed since his days in Chicago. They talk about what the coach did in his year off and how that helped him in this new season. Later in the show, Sam catches up with Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns to talk about how things have changed for the team since Thibodeau's arrival.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Mike Conley joins USA TODAY's Sam Amick at a recent workout to talk about being the highest paid player in the NBA. They also talk about how strong the Western Conference has become and the changes in the Grizzlies for this season. Sam then chats with Brad Allen, executive chair of Next VR, a company that will be working with the NBA to show games in virtual reality this season.

The NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down who they think will win the individual awards. Names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard are out there for most valuable player going into the season, and the guys give their pick on who takes it. They break down who wins coach of the year, there are a lot of good candidates for this award as well -- Brad Stevens, Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich, Ty Lue ... but who wins? They also chat about defensive player of the year, sixth man and rookie of the year. Let us know if you agree.

You've done your homework, studied all the analytics and are ready for your fantasy basketball draft. But all things being equal, who should you take No. 1? Josh Lloyd from Basketball Monster and the Locked on Fantasy Basketball podcast joins USA TODAY's Kevin Spain to tell you. They break down the top five players, go over some positions, give you the sleepers and where you take them, and tell you some guys to avoid.

The NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down each conference, looking at what teams win the divisions and who emerges to make it to the Finals. The guys then pick who they think will win the NBA Finals. Before they get into that, they discuss Jeff's upcoming cancer surgery, something he has talked about on a personal blog and one that folks around the NBA have heard about.

The A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt look ahead to some of the issues that could define the 2016-17 season, starting off with the dominance of the Golden State Warriors in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers. They talk about how the NBA will be involved in some of the social issues and Sam’s interview with Andre Iguodala. They also hit some of the early injuries to Ben Simmons and the sad situation that is Chris Bosh and his blood clots.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry sits down with USA TODAY’s Sam Amick to discuss how that Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals will drive him this season. He recalls what it was like after losing that final game and how he tries to keep from taking it home. He talks about what he thinks of his team’s signing of Kevin Durant.