Nba A To Z With Sam Amick And Jeff Zillgitt

The NBA game is evolving into a spread the floor and going outside in. Guys like Stephen Curry have helped revolutionize the game. His brother Seth Curry took a step forward in his development as an NBA player last season with the Sacramento Kings, getting some time at the end of the season that he hopes will help him get a full-time playing gig next season. He joins USA TODAY Sports’ Sam Amick to discuss his past season and the future. They also talk about today’s game and how he and the Curry family is totally in on the playoffs. Curry makes his prediction for the playoffs and give his assessment of Steph’s game, and the time of a game you want to make sure you don’t miss. Later in the show Amick catches up with Curry’s NBA D-League coach Casey Hill, who said that all Curry needed was a chance to show how good he is.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be on the inside of a championship team? USA TODAY’s Sam Amick talks to Golden State Warriors assistant general manager Travis Schlenk. They discuss everything from how life is with the team on the road, what it’s like after wins and losses and how to keep building a team when you pick at the end of the draft. They also talk about what the team thought of Draymond Green when he was at Michigan State and what he thinks of how good Stephen Curry is now.

The Toronto Raptors have gone farther in the playoffs than ever in franchise history by moving to the Eastern Conference finals. NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down Toronto's matchup with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Zillgitt, who is talking from the arena floor at the Air Canada Centre, breaks down the Raptors run to get here and how the Cavaliers have played better and better as the season went on. The guys make their predictions in the series.

As his team moves on to the Western Conference finals, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Billy Donovan has matched wits with veteran coaches Rick Carlisle in Dallas and Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, and won. He talks about going up against those guys and the adjustments his team made with USA TODAY’s Sam Amick. They also look ahead to the conference finals series against the defending champion Golden State Warriors and what he thinks about his guys, led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, as that series gets started. Amick and USA TODAY’s Kevin Spain set up the series with the Warriors and how Golden State will adjust and counter what the Thunder might throw at them.

In the minutes after giving his speech for winning the NBA’s most valuable player award, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry joined USA TODAY’s Sam Amick on the phone. The two discuss his award, the first time a player ever got all first place votes. They also talk about the crazy season and how he has had to watch some of the playoffs because of injury.

Former NBA player and TNT personality Grant Hill and USA TODAY's Sam Amick have a phone conversation to talk about the top current stories in the NBA. They discuss Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry being the unanimous choice for league most valuable player. They talk about what makes Curry such a great player and his reputation for being a good guy off the court. They discuss the playoffs and the outstanding series between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

What to make of the coaching changes that have happened in the NBA? Breaking it down is Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick, USA TODAY NBA reporters and A to Z guys. They take a look at the latest moves involving Dave Jeerer and Frank Vogel, but they also break down Luke Walton going to the Los Angeles Lakers, Tom Thibodeau headed to Minnesota and Scott Brooks going to Washington. They also discuss what’s next for David Blatt, former coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers. They chat about the jobs in Sacramento, New York and the now open jobs in Indiana and Memphis.

Not many coaches have made the leap from college to the NBA and been successful right off the bat. Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY NBA reporter, sat down with one of those guys, Billy Donovan of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The two discuss the move Donovan made, what he's learned on the job and his relationship with Thunder stars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Injuries are starting to again be the story of the NBA playoffs. Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Blake Griffin … key players missing time. What has this done to the playoffs? NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt talk about that with USA TODAY’s Kevin Spain. They break down the Clippers now without Paul, discussing how well he has played this season, especially down the stretch without Griffin. They look at the Warriors and how it changes their attack without Curry and how this team has adjusted before without him. They take a turn away from injury talk to discuss Mark Cuban’s comments that Russell Westbrook isn’t a superstar and that Kevin Durant is the only one on the OKC Thunder squad. Then, they discuss how the Cavaliers, who had key injuries in the playoffs last season, are healthy this time around and what it means for them down the line. A quick look at how LeBron James could put his name in the history books yet again if the Cavs do go to the Finals. They close with where Jeff has been eating on the

Los Angeles Clippers Jamal Crawford was voted Sixth Man of the Year, the third time he's won the award, and nobody in the history of the NBA has done that. A to Z man Sam Amick caught up with Crawford after the award was announced to chat about that, the Clippers and the playoffs.

With NBA awards season underway, NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt look at their picks in the second part of the two-part episode. The Defensive Player of the Year award was given out, won by Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs, the guys discuss. Leonard joins Jeff for a couple minutes on what the award means to him. Then the guys break down MVP and Coach of the Year.

Steph Curry talks to USA TODAY’s Sam Amick about his incredible three-point shooting and how he has changed the game. They discuss how other teams are trying to space the floor and open up shooters, emulating what he and the Golden State Warriors are doing. Curry said he’s flattered how even kids are trying to play the game like he does. He talks about discovering how he might be this generation’s Michael Jordan and the spotlight on he and his team. They discuss the idea that Curry could be the best ever and his thoughts on that. Before the interview, Sam makes his predictions for the Western Conference first round playoffs series.

With Kobe Bryant's retirement looming, USA TODAY put together a project called "The Kobe Files". The six-part series takes a look at the Lakers star from his days at Lower Merion High School, his off the court visitation with a family of a terminally ill son, how he got to the Lakers and almost didn't get to the Lakers. Martin Rogers, who was one of main reporters on the project, talks to NBA Editor Kevin Spain about it. Later in the show, Bryant does an interview with Steve Springer, former L.A. Times beat reporter who helped in the project.

As Kobe Bryant's career winds down, Getty News Services photographer Andy Bernstein joins Sam Amick to discuss shooting photos of the Lakers star for the past 20 years. They also discuss other photos Bernstein shot, including the iconic Michael Jordan with the NBA championship trophy being hugged by his father. L.A. Daily News reporter Mark Medina also joins Amick to discuss how Bryant has changed in the past few seasons.

As the NBA season winds down, the A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt take a look at postseason awards, starting with Sixth Man of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Sam is joined by Enes Kanter of the Oklahoma City Thunder for his take on being a candidate for Sixth Man. Later, Karl-Anthony Towns discusses how little he cares about individual awards.

When Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie resigned recently, he wrote a 13-page letter to the owners of the team. That letter was leaked to the public and it had quotes attributed to people like Warren Buffett and Abraham Lincolin. NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt discuss the resignation, the state of the Sixers and most importantly, the letter. That is what everyone in the league has been talking about.

Can the Detroit Pistons end the longest playoff drought in the Eastern Conference and make the playoffs? NBA A to Z guy Jeff Zillgitt welcomes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press to talk about how the team has their best shot at the playoffs since 2008. They also discuss what it's like to cover a colorful coach like Stan Van Gundy on a regular basis. They give their take on which job Van Gundy does better: player personnel or coaching. Ellis then gives his picks to be in the NBA Finals and win it all.

With the Golden State Warriors closing in on the NBA's best regular season record, USA TODAY NBA reporter Sam Amick caught up with assistant coach Ron Adams and head coach Steve Kerr. Adams, a noted basketball defensive guru, talks about the pressures of the streak -- winning at home and the all-time record -- and his role in the team's success. Kerr has a quick note about the streak and if the team is pushing for it.

The crazy story of Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell taping teammate Nick Young talking about some personal issues and the tape getting out has been the big story in the NBA the past couple of days. It has overshadowed the Kobe Bryant farewell tour. Lamar Odom made an appearance at a recent Lakers game. NBA A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt bring on Lakers beat reporter Bill Oram to discuss the story and what it has meant to someone trying to cover this team.

Scott Cacciola of the New York Times joins the NBA A to Z podcast to discuss covering the Golden State Warriors with Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt. They talk about how Stephen Curry is even better this season than last. It also seems like at times that things come so easy for the Warriors that they might be bored on the floor. Cacciola talks about the decision to go on the road to cover the Warriors instead of spending most of his time staying in New York and covering the Knicks.