Tom Ziller

Sacramento

Writer at Good Morning It’s Basketball

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Articles

Are the Bucks ever going to do something about the Pacers?

1 day ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

— 7 min read Good morning. Milwaukee talks more smack during the game, but still loses to Indiana. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are not playing the same game as the Thunder. Let's basketball. Something that's been consistent about the Milwaukee Bucks over the past two seasons is that they want to mix it up and fight (usually figuratively and sometimes literally) with the Indiana Pacers. Again on Tuesday night in Indianapolis, the Bucks were committing hard fouls and talking smack and all that.
KaWTF

2 days ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

— 7 min read Kawhi Leonard started Game 2 of the Clippers' series against the Nuggets red hot, but the thing about Kawhi Leonard is that he forces very little. Leonard's not quite a reluctant scorer – no one who averages 25 points per game multiple times can be classified as such – but he's never someone hunting his shot because he believes in his own juice. He operates when it makes sense to do so, when he's required to do so.
The revenge of -73

3 days ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

How's it going to beThings are pretty uncertain going into the NBA playoffs, unless they aren't. Same as it always is. Let's predict what will go down. But first ... The Davion Mitchell Game I don't mean to make everything about the Kings but did you see this s--t?
Nuggets vs. Clippers is beyond human comprehension

4 days ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

— 6 min read Have you ever watched something for two-and-a-half hours only to have you have no earthly idea what you just witnessed? Perhaps it's a carefully crafted Christopher Nolan film, or it's a chaotic Twitch stream, or it's an older sitcom in reruns, or it's a recording of a live concert at The Sphere. Or maybe it's Game 1 of Nuggets vs. Rockets.
How's it going to be

5 days ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

Things are pretty uncertain going into the NBA playoffs, unless they aren't. Same as it always is. Let's predict what will go down. But first ... I don't mean to make everything about the Kings but did you see this s--t? Three threes, a huge offensive rebound and a charge drawn in overtime. Mitchell actually outscored the Hawks in the extra frame as the Heat won 123-114. Best Mitchell in the league? Is that what this Cavs-Heat series is about now, Mitchell supremacy? The Hawks might be at a crossroads.
The Thunder have risen again

6 days ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

Ascension to the highest throne once looked inevitable, but wasn't. Is this different? Good morning. We have an essay on the Thunder ahead of the final night of the play-in tournament. Let's basketball. The first rise of the Oklahoma City Thunder was simultaneously predictable and sudden. After the team tanked out of Seattle with a rookie Kevin Durant, they drafted Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
A new dusk in Sacramento

1 week ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

— 7 min read The thing about the Sacramento Kings' long playoff drought is that they still had stars during that time. Mike Bibby, the prototype Jamal Murray "he's never been an All-Star" lead guard, was around for the first few years of the drought. In those early post-Adelman years, Ron Artest and Kevin Martin were putting up numbers, and two-time All-Star Brad Miller was at the center of lot. Tyreke Evans won fame and the Rookie of the Year award in 2008.
The Warriors' play-in curse is *over*

1 week ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

The Warriors, who a few weeks ago looked reborn as legitimate championship contenders, almost let their nightmare finish to the regular season extend into the play-in. After racking up a 20-point lead against a Grizzlies team that looked ready to quit, Golden State slowly bled out until Memphis had caught up, only to need Stephen Curry to bail them out in the end. Steph is almost always available to bail you out.
It's time for the Bucks to do *something*

1 week ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

— 7 min read Good morning. Milwaukee is tripping through Giannis Antetokounmpo's prime, with just one playoff series win since the 2021 championship. If they can't make a run now, a major overhaul is required. Let's basketball. A championship buys you precious little runway in the NBA. The league is built on the fossils of dynasties, and no team owner, no fan, no superstar ever seems satisfied with a single title for too long.
All James Harden does is win

1 week ago | teamziller.com | Tom Ziller

— 5 min read Good morning. An incredible game between the Warriors and Clippers ends up with a James Harden triumph in the Bay Area. Golden State heads back to the play-in. Plus: a lot of NBA randos played a lot of minutes on Sunday! Let's basketball. Here's how the West bracket shook out. WEST PLAY-INGrizzlies (8) at Warriors (7) – winner is No. 7 seedMavericks (10) at Kings (9) – winner faces loser of Grizz/Dubs for No. 8 seedThunder (1) vs. No. 8 seedNuggets (4) vs.