NBA A to Z with Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt

In this episode, the A to Z guys Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt discuss who will emerge in this hotly-contested MVP race. They'll break down the top candidates and give their assessment on why each guy has a legit shot. Does Russell Westbrook win it if he averages a triple-double? Can James Harden win because of the Rockets' turnaround? LeBron James has been as good as ever, why not him? The guys also talk about the playoff races, which are tightening up as we begin the final stretch run of the season.

This week on NBA A to Z, Sam Amick sits down with NBA writer Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post to talk about the Warriors' life without Kevin Durant and what it means, the MVP race, whether or not the Cavs are in trouble, and other topics from around the league.

On this week's NBA A to Z podcast, Sam and Jeff go around the league with David Thorpe, an ESPN analyst, longtime coach to NBA players and author of the new book, "Basketball is Jazz: Stories and lessons from a basketball lifer." From his view on the recent DeMarcus Cousins trade to New Orleans and whether it will work to his opinion of the Eastern Conference and whether the Cavs can defend their title, he shares his unique perspective on all things NBA while sharing a few stories along the way.

The tables are turned on USA TODAY’s Sam Amick. On this episode, he is the one aswering the questions instead of asking. USA TODAY’s NBA Editor Kevin Spain comes in to talk to Sam about the Los Angeles Lakers front office shake up. They discuss how this went down, with Magic Johnson taking over as president of basketball operations and Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak being fired. Sam has interview Lakers owner and governor Jeanie Buss on several occasions and knew this kind of move was in the works. He discusses what went into the decision and who could possibly take over as general manager for Kupchak. Then the guys talk about the DeMarcus Cousins trade that sent him from Sacramento to New Orleans. Sam lives in NoCal and is very familiar with the Kings franchise and has some good insight as to what the team was thinking on this move. Later in the show, USA TODAY’s AJ Neuharth-Keusch talks to former NBA player Grant Hill about how the league is in the middle of a guard revolution and his disdain for players taking games off.

Sam Amick chats with Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas. They talk about Isaiah’s work with the Boy’s and Girl’s Club in Tacoma, Wash. He donated a basketball court and talked to kids about his story, how as a boy growing up he had to fight battles and what he had to overcome to become a professional athlete. They talk about Isaiah’s time in Sacramento and how it all ended there. They also talk about his journey to Boston and how he’s in a perfect situation for him now. Isaiah talks about his relationship with Celtics coach Brad Stevens. They talk about Isaiah’s parents, and how they instilled into him his work ethic. They talk about how Isaiah grew up a Lakers fan and he thought he was going to be drafted by them when he came out of college. They talk about the upcoming All Star weekend and his thoughts on not being a starter.

Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt break down some of the moves that could happen as we approach the NBA trade deadline. They talk about the possibility of Carmelo Anthony being traded and what it might take. They break down Anthony’s desire to win a title and how some seemed to think he was content with winning Olympic golds. The discussion then turns to what Anthony has had around him so far in his career and how much better he is when he is playing on Team USA as compared to his time with the Nuggets and Knicks. The guys then chat about the talks between the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans that center around Jahlil Okafor, the story that Sam broke at USA TODAY and how it could work for both teams. They then talk about the situation with the Chicago Bulls and how there seems to be a little disfunction with the team. They chat about Magic Johnson joining the Lakers as a consultant to Jeanie Buss and how that could affect Jim Buss. They quickly hit on the Cavaliers working out some guards who could be added to help in depth. Then near the end of the show, Sam brings in Bob MacKinnon, who coaches the Texas Legends of the NBA DLeague. They discuss Quincy Acy, who played with Legends for a few weeks. It’s a good story on what Acy did for the members of the team after he was called up to the Brooklyn Nets.

Before he calls the Detroit Pistons at Boston Celtics game, TNT analyst Kevin McHale joins Sam Amick to talk about the hot topics around the league. They talk about the internal strife with the Chicago Bulls and McHale discusses his thoughts from a coach’s perspective and some of that might surprise you. They then talk about the Cleveland situation that LeBron James says he needs a playmaker. McHale said that he would’ve loved to play with a guy like LeBron and goes on to say that LeBron isn’t necessarily hitting on the correct problem for the Cavaliers. They talk about the Celtics and how they’re a scrapping team. McHale gives his thoughts on how good Isaiah Thomas has been this season and the coaching job Brad Stevens is doing. They go out west and talk about the Houston Rockets, the team Kevin used to coach. They hit on the job that Mike D’Antoni is doing with the team. He gives his opinion on what chances the Rockets have to go deep in the playoffs. They talk about Kevin’s time in Houston and how it ended. They talk about how good Russell Westbrook has been this season and how Kevin didn’t think someone could average a triple-double and is amazed at what Westbrook is doing.

Sam Amick and Jeff Zillgitt talk about who should be on the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star rosters. The guys start out with who should’ve been starting, but didn’t get the nod. They then break down who should be on the reserves on the East and West teams. They start with the East and an obvious pick in Kyle Lowry. They then look at some who should be in and some who are long shots. Does the poor season in New York hurt the chances of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis? They go out west and discuss some difficult picks into guys who should be on the team but might not make it. They discuss if Portland’s step back this season hurts Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum’s chances. After they talk All-Stars, they discuss the state of the top of the league coming out of the big San Antonio Spurs win against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They talk about what we learned about those teams coming out of that game.

Live from Oakland, Cal., Sam Amick is joined by Washington Post reporter Tim Bontemps to break down the Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game. They talk about how great Stephen Curry was in the game and how good he has been all season. They talk about LeBron James and Kevin Durant and how they played and have been playing. They talk about how good the Warriors are if they’re focused, but question their effort sometimes. They discuss the Draymond Green/LeBron incident and what they think of the play. Then they break down both teams and what they are moving forward. Later in the show, Sam is joined by Steph Curry to talk about President Barack Obama as his term is ending. They discuss Steph’s relationship with him and what his being president meant to Steph.

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 new movie that’s a prequel of the series.