Good Morning It’s Basketball

Good Morning It’s Basketball is a daily newsletter created by Tom Ziller that highlights both the significant and lighthearted aspects of the NBA. The league has a huge cultural influence, and what occurs on the court is only a small part of its overall effect. GMIB is designed to keep you informed about everything else happening in the basketball world.

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Hope's a good start for Golden State

1 month ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. Woman With a Pearl Necklace in a Loge; Mary Cassatt; 1879The Warriors were in Orlando, where the Magic somehow found a rhythm on offense (a rare occasion these days). It was also a night in which the Other Warriors didn’t have the range: the four starters not named Stephen Curry combined to shoot a combined 31% eFG on their 32 shots. The Warriors usually lose these games, even if Curry, now two weeks away from age 37, has an excellent night.
Kevin Durant understands

1 month ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. Tea; Mary Cassatt; 1880Blazers 129, Wizards 121 — Shaedon Sharpe with what appears to be the current leader for Dunk of the Year. Holy smokes. A Canadian dunking all over D.C. Huh. This dunk was so good that in the aftermath, the NBA put out a 10-minute Shaedon Sharpe dunk compilation. Sixers 105, Knicks 110 — Gritty loss for the Sixers here. Jalen Brunson is a massive difference-maker. Raptors 91, Pacers 111 — Tyrese Haliburton is doing things.
The Lakers are nothing if not grateful

1 month ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. The Chess Game; John Singer Sargent; 1907Diana Taurasi announced her retirement from basketball in Time Magazine. One of the greatest of all time. Maybe the greatest of all time. There are some great stories in the Time piece. This will be a favorite of all NBA fans. During the 2016 Rio Olympics, the women’s and men’s U.S. basketball teams again stayed on a cruise ship.
The Wolves don't do anything quietly

1 month ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. The Ten Cent Breakfast; Willard Metcalf; 1887Nets 99, Wizards 107Bulls 142, Sixers 110 — Can someone make sure Philadelphia doesn’t wake up from its Super Bowl hangover nap until the Phillies start up? Thanks. Nuggets 125, Pacers 116 — What a blessing to exist in a world where Nikola Jokic can almost casually drop 19 assists in a game. This must have been what it was like chillin’ with Mozart. Clippers 97, Pistons 106 — The Detroit Pistons are unstoppable.
Maybe the Knicks aren't alright

1 month ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. It’s a bloggy Monday. Let’s basketball. On the Beach; Edward Henry Potthast; 1913Sure, the Lakers lost to the moribund Hornets in Luka and LeBron’s first game coming out of All-Star. That was definitely bad. But was it as bad as the Lakers’ smoking the Nuggets on Saturday was good? Yes, the Lakers finally beating Denver counts extra, especially the nature in which Luka dominated this game.
I already miss Victor Wembanyama

2 months ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. Landscape with Figure on Path; Julian Onderdonk; 1908Victor Wembanyama will miss the remainder of the season after the Spurs medical team discovered a deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder. The expectation is that Wembanyama is not at any further risk thanks to the discovery, and that he’ll make a full recovery by next season.
What (and who) league expansion is for

2 months ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. Dawn in the Hills; Julian Onderdonk; 1922Howard Beck is one of the most thoughtful Big Topic writers in the NBA, and has been for a long time. He’s currently at The Ringer, and he wrote their lead piece for the site’s week of content around potential NBA expansion. The primary thrust of Beck’s thorough, well-researched piece is that expansion might be bad for the league, and NBA power brokers might be having cold feet.
If you're an NBA team, what your fans think actually does matter

2 months ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. Blue Bonnet Field, Early Morning, San Antonio, Texas; Julian Onderdonk; 1914Since the NBA is off until Thursday, let’s do a mailbag this week. Submit questions via the comments on this post or by replying to this email. A trio from The Athletic put out a new Nico Harrison treatise in which the Mavericks GM is framed up as someone who isn’t at all impulsive, can keep a secret and values trust highly.
It's not the basketball that's broken

2 months ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. Harlequin; Paul Cezanne; 1888-90The best thing that happened All-Star Weekend was Chris Paul and Victor Wembanyama getting disqualified from the Kia Skills Challenge for trying to bend the rules in their favor by just chucking the balls instead of trying to hit shots. This is cinema. Incredible strategy. The boos and the thumbs down from Donovan Mitchell were well-earned and well worth it.
Can anyone usurp the top tier of NBA title contenders?

2 months ago | ziller.substack.com | Tom Ziller

Good morning. Let’s basketball. La Petite Irene; Pierre-Auguste Renoir; 1880It’s pretty clear who sits in the top tier of NBA championship contenders. There’d be minimal debate about including these three teams:Cleveland CavaliersBoston CelticsOklahoma City ThunderTwo were preseason favorites to make the Finals and have been excellent this season; the other wasn’t a preseason favorite but is on pace to win 67 games.