Tag / brooklyn nets

by Alex Fischbein

2023 NBA Free Agency Roundup | TAF278

On episode 278 of The Atlantic Files: 2023 NBA Free Agency was shaping up to be crazy and so far it hasn’t really been that amazing. Players like Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Khris Middleton all stayed put. Fred VanVleet got paid, Dillon Brooks headed to a different team, and Grant Williams and Max Strus went through a sign-and-trade. We give all of our thoughts and reactions on the signings and trades so far and the ones that are yet to come like Damian Lillard and James Harden.

The free agency period has been a little lackluster compared to all the hype and rumors thrown around before it officially opened. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks both got a good bit of money to switch teams, but outside of them a lot of the more significant contracts went to guys that just stayed with their same squad. Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Jerami Grant are just a few names that didn’t switch teams. So, which teams had the best free agency?

We also take a closer look at the Atlantic Division teams and how they fared throughout the free agency period so far. The 76ers and Nets seem to be sitting back and waiting for bigger moves while the Raptors and Celtics decided to make a few moves and bring in some new faces. We’re still waiting to see if the Knicks have anything else up their sleeve as well.

Finally, there are the annoying situations of both Damian Lillard and James Harden. Lillard decided to wait until the last possible minute to request a trade and he’s acting like a child when he says he will only play for the Miami Heat and absolutely no one else. Harden, also acting like a child, received a huge ego check and will sit around waiting for Daryl Morey to trade him because he didn’t like the fact that he didn’t receive a ton of money this offseason.

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:07:16 Atlantic Division free agency roundup
00:47:01 Can Damian Lillard replicate Stephen Curry and Isiah Thomas?
00:55:51 What’s going on with Dame and James Harden?
01:04:17 Houston lands Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks
01:07:13 We love meatloaf
01:10:11 Back to Houston’s free agency
01:15:46 Kyle Kuzma stays in Washington??
01:21:36 Phoenix Suns have a good free agency
01:25:03 Early NBA Summer League thoughts
01:31:52 Outro

Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, Retirement, NBA Playoffs, Atlantic Files, Podcast
by Alex Fischbein

Nikola Jokic’s Dominance, LeBron James Retiring, And Jimmy Butler vs The World | TAF273

This week on the Atlantic Files, Nikola Jokic is producing at a historic level this postseason, LeBron James talks about retirement after getting swept by the Nuggets, Jimmy Butler is still wreaking havoc on the world, James Harden is trying to strong hand the Sixers into a max deal, rumors are swirling around a Mikal Bridges to Portland deal, and Monty Williams turns down the job in Detroit.

Nikola Jokic is producing triple-doubles left and right this postseason and is fresh off of averaging one during the sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets beat the Lakers so badly that it had LeBron James talking about retirement just to get the narrative off of the fact that he got swept.

On the other side of the bracket, Jimmy Butler led the Miami Heat to a 3-0 start in the Eastern Conference Finals before the Boston Celtics finally won a game. Butler has won over many NBA fans as he keeps walking the walk at the same time as talking the talk.

James Harden is now seeking a max deal after feeling like he sacrificed enough for one whole season that ended in a second-round exit at the hands of Jayson Tatum. The 76ers, on the other hand, don’t seem very interested in giving him all that money so we might see him go to Houston after all.

Finally, the rumor mills are turning as Mikal Bridges is the latest name swirling around. His name was mentioned in a trade that sent the number three pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and one or both of Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe. The bigger question is whether or not the Nets want to compete or rebuild from the ground up.

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, Josh Hart, New York Knicks, NBA Playoffs, Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Atlantic Files, Podcast
by Alex Fischbein

The New York Knicks And Playoff Jimmy Butler Are Real | TAF270

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, the New York Knicks are shutting down the Cleveland Cavaliers with ease, Jimmy Butler flipped his playoff switch against Milwaukee, the Philadelphia 76ers swept the Brooklyn Nets so what do they need to do this off-season, Ime Udoka got the job with the Houston Rockets, and more!

Both the Knicks and Jimmy Butler have flipped the playoff switch lately. New York is on a high right now as they took a 3-1 lead over the Cavaliers as the series goes back to Cleveland for Game 5. Many analysts, including us on this podcast, didn’t believe in the Knicks winning a series against a Donovan Mitchell-led Cavs team. Yet, here they are on the cusp of advancing to the second round! Then, there’s the tale as old as time in playoff Jimmy. Butler has taken the Heat to the edge of a huge upset over the first-seed Milwaukee Bucks after he put up a historic performance in Game 4.

Now that the Brooklyn Nets have been swept for the second time in two years, what do they need to avoid the same fate for a third consecutive season? How do they build after moving on from the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving experiment? Well, a good start is having players like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, that’s for sure! It’s time to talk about the pieces they need around those two.

Ime Udoka’s name has been thrown around rumor mills for every single team that needed a head coach. Finally, two teams fired their coaches and then it became a contest of which one could hire him quicker. Reportedly, he didn’t want the Toronto job, so he ended up taking the Houston opening. Does he immediately make them a playoff contender, or is there still a long way to go for this squad?

Finally, we go over the other playoff series around the league and talk about the hottest topics. Dillon Brooks is regretting poking the bear, the Minnesota Timberwolves finally won a game, the Los Angeles Clippers are injured again, and more!

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:56 2023 NBA Playoffs observations
00:46:32 New York Knicks making the ECF
01:03:31 Joel Embiid sprains his LCL
01:16:58 Brooklyn Nets changes they need to make in the off-season
01:30:08 Ime Udoka heading to Houston
01:34:15 Outro

Joel Embiid, Mikal Bridges, Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, NBA Playoffs, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Joel Embiid vs Mikal Bridges, NBA Playoffs Heat Up | TAF269

In the latest episode of The Atlantic Files, hosts Alex Fischbein discussed the latest happenings in the NBA playoffs. As always, the podcast focused on the Atlantic Division but also covered some broader observations about the playoffs as a whole. Here are some of the highlights from the episode:

Philadelphia 76ers vs Brooklyn Nets playoffs series

Alex broke down the first-round series between the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets, two of the most talented teams in the Eastern Conference. Mikal Bridges has proven to be a top-notch player that deserves to be the number-one option on a playoff team. On the other side, Joel Embiid has grown in his playmaking abilities as he’s been consistently finding his teammates out of double teams.

Cleveland Cavaliers vs New York Knicks playoffs series

He also talked about the matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, which had been an unexpected and exciting series. They highlighted the impressive play of Cavaliers’ guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, as well as the toughness and grit of Knicks’ star Julius Randle.

2023 NBA Playoffs observations

In addition to discussing specific matchups, Alex also shared some broader observations about the playoffs. He talked about the dominance of Western Conference teams, the rise of younger teams like the Sacramento Kings and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the importance of coaching in the postseason.

Draymond Green stomping on Domantas Sabonis

One controversial moment in the playoffs was Draymond Green’s stomp on Domantas Sabonis during the Golden State Warriors’ series against the Sacramento Kings. Alex weighed in on the incident and its potential consequences, both for Green and for the Warriors’ playoff hopes.

Jaren Jackson Jr. winning Defensive Player of the Year

Another topic of discussion was Jaren Jackson Jr. winning the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. The host praised Jackson’s ability to guard multiple positions and impact the game on both ends of the court.

De’Aaron Fox winning clutch player of the year

Finally, De’Aaron Fox won the Clutch Player of the Year award, which recognizes players who perform best in high-pressure situations. They talked about Fox’s ability to take over games in the fourth quarter and his importance to the Sacramento Kings’ success.

The Atlantic Files continues to be the go-to podcast for fans of the Atlantic Division and the NBA as a whole. With expert analysis, engaging conversation, and a focus on the latest news and trends in the league, it’s no wonder the podcast has become such a hit among basketball fans. Be sure to tune in to the next episode for even more great content!

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:10 Joel Embiid, Mikal Bridges, Sixers vs Nets
00:22:11 Knicks vs Cavs tied 1-1
00:38:20 NBA Playoffs observations from around the league
00:53:17 Draymond Green suspended for stomp
00:57:55 Jaren Jackson Jr and De’Aaron Fox win awards
01:00:29 Outro

Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Jayson Tatum Still Owns The Philadelphia 76ers | TAF264

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics put away the Philadelphia 76ers yet again, the Brooklyn Nets start to struggle, Russell Westbrook’s first game with the Los Angeles Clippers, historic games since the All-Star break, Jimmy Butler frustrated with Miami’s record, and much more!

In case anyone missed it, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics had an instant classic type of game against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers last weekend. The game was ultimately decided by a game-winning shot by Tatum and even though Embiid made a three-quarter-court shot, it didn’t count and the Celtics won. Why can’t the Sixers ever beat the Celtics and what will it take for them to actually have playoff success?

To nobody’s surprise, the Brooklyn Nets are starting to struggle after trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. While they found a gem in Mikal Bridges, he hasn’t exactly been enough to stay afloat and keep this team in the top half of the Eastern Conference. So, where do they go from here?

Ever since the worst NBA All-Star Game of all time, we’ve now seen some of the greatest regular season games of all time. The double overtime contest between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings was an instant all-timer while there have been even more close games, buzzer-beaters, and overtimes. Russell Westbrook contributed right away to the Clippers in their starting lineup and we’ve seen some more interesting performances from other additions around the league.

Load management is a hot topic yet again across the league and across all the national media outlets. There was a big debate on First Take and everyone else has followed suit across other podcasts and shows everywhere. Where do you stand on the load management debate and why is it on the side that players need to be available more often?

Finally, Jimmy Butler let his frustrations get out during a post-game interview and now it calls the Miami Heat to question as they continue to underperform down the stretch. They haven’t had a fully healthy team all season and while the addition of Kevin Love has been great, it doesn’t seem to be enough right now. Can they actually make any noise come playoff time?

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:54 Jayson Tatum’s game winner over the Philadelphia 76ers
00:15:28 Doc Rivers needs to make more adjustments
00:31:52 Brooklyn Nets are struggling now
00:40:20 Load Management in the NBA is a hot topic again
01:04:57 Double overtime games and excitement so far after the break
01:13:16 Jimmy Butler is fed up with losing
01:22:44 Remember this guy?
01:27:25 Outro

Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns, Brooklyn Nets, Mikal Bridges, 2023 NBA Trade Deadline, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Kevin Durant To Phoenix And Brooklyn’s New Start | TAF262

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Kevin Durant was finally moved to the Phoenix Suns while the madness of the NBA Trade Deadline was one to remember, we go over every big deal from the deadline, how the Brooklyn Nets will hit the restart button, Durant’s frustrations with Ben Simmons, the hit pieces surround Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis not celebrating LeBron James making history, and more!

Kevin Durant requested a trade so fast after Kyrie Irving was shipped out that everyone wasn’t even prepared to fathom the team without him. The only possible team he could play for happened to be one of the Western favorites in the Phoenix Suns because he just couldn’t see himself playing for any other team in the league. So, do the Suns automatically become title favorites, or do the Boston Celtics still have an argument?

The 2023 NBA trade deadline gave us a lot of smaller deals to talk about on top of the big dominoes that finally fell. James Wiseman, Saddiq Bey, Bones Hyland, Mason Plumlee, Matisse Thybulle, and Jalen McDaniels are all on the move, and that’s only a few names. We broke down the bigger trades that happened and discussed which teams won their respective deals.

One report coming out of the Nets camp is that Durant was also fed up with Ben Simmons and the number of people that seem to coddle him throughout all of his mistakes and shortcomings on the court. This sounds eerily familiar as if something like this happened before with another superstar named Jimmy Butler. Simmons is now seeing his minutes disappear before his very eyes in every game.

Finally, there are a couple of stories stemming from the Los Angeles Lakers dealing with both Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. Davis looked like he was really hating life as LeBron James made history while there were hit pieces galore coming out about Westbrook just because he was finally traded. Ah, don’t you just love media stories that really don’t mean anything and could even be made up for views?

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:

00:00:00 Intro
00:02:24 Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix reactions and thoughts
00:29:33 Takeaways from 2023 NBA Trade Deadline
00:58:58 Anthony Davis hating life while LeBon makes history
01:03:30 Russell Westbrook hit pieces need to stop
01:10:50 KD frustrated with Ben Simmons and people coddling him
01:22:47 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend predictions
01:30:40 Outro

Kyrie Irving, Trade, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Kyrie Irving Traded To Dallas Mavericks | TAF261

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Kyrie Irving gets shipped off to the Dallas Mavericks while Spencer Dinwiddie comes back to Brooklyn, Pascal Siakam and Bones Hyland are rumored to be on the move amongst others, fights broke out between Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks plus Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers, we make our own NBA All-Star picks and talk about the snubs, plus more!

The biggest news in the Atlantic Division right now is obviously Kyrie Irving demanding a trade and then getting shipped right out to the Dallas Mavericks. He and Markieff Morris are on the way to Texas while Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, multiple second-round picks, and a 2029 first-round pick are headed to Brooklyn. Dinwiddie may not want to get too comfortable as there are already rumors that the Nets could then flip him over to Toronto for Fred VanVleet.

Other players that are rumored to be on the trade block right now include Bones Hyland, Pascal Siakam, Cam Reddish, and Furkan Korkmaz, among others. Who is most likely to get shipped to another team and who would benefit their team more if they stayed and had some pieces around them?

In non-trade news, fights have been popping up across the league at what seems like a very high rate. Not only are they entertaining because fights rarely happen, but the one between Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba was just straight comedy. Dillon Brooks and Donovan Mitchell also got into a scuffle after Brooks took a cheap shot which didn’t surprise many people.

Finally, we talked about the 2023 NBA All-Star snubs as well as the players that were selected that probably didn’t deserve to be there. So, we picked our own All-Stars! Let us know which ones you think deserved to be in the All-Star game.

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:09:58 Kyrie Irving traded to Dallas for Spencer Dinwiddie
00:35:15 Bones Hyland, Pascal Siakam, and other rumored trades
00:46:46 Donovan Mitchell vs Dillon Brooks plus more NBA fights
01:06:13 2023 NBA All-Star snubs and we pick our own
01:30:07 Outro

Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers, NBA All-Star, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Joel Embiid Snubbed From NBA All-Star Start | TAF260

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Joel Embiid was snubbed from becoming a starter in the 2023 NBA All-Star game, the Philadelphia 76ers are streaking as they took down the Brooklyn Nets and Nikola Jokic, a weird scorekeeper conspiracy surrounding Jaren Jackson Jr., Nets fans now asking for Ben Simmons to be traded, and more!

The starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star game have been announced! Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Tyrese Haliburton were some notable names left off of the list, but others have been debated as snubs as well. Who do you think the biggest starting snub is this year?

Once on a seven-game win streak, the Philadelphia 76ers were looking like serious championship contenders. They had everything clicking and their big three was firing on all cylinders despite Tyrese Maxey moving to a bench role. During rivals week, they took down the Brooklyn Nets and Nikola Jokic in convincing fashion, so is it time to dub them as legit contenders?

Jaren Jackson Jr. has been at the center of one of the weirdest conspiracies in the NBA. If you had scorekeeper conspiracy on your NBA bingo card, then you must have known something that no one else knew. Stemming from Reddit, people found that his stats at home are bolstered way over the ones on the road despite playing the same amount of games for each.

Finally, should Ben Simmons get traded again? Brooklyn Nets fans are fed up with his lack of scoring and aggressiveness. There are memes and tweets galore asking for him to be traded for someone that is actually going to help them come playoff time.

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
06:49 Sixers win streak, games against Brooklyn and Nikola Jokic
17:02 Should the Nets trade Ben Simmons?
29:18 LeBron James throws a tantrum after no foul call against Celtics
37:34 Jaren Jackson Jr. and the scorekeeper conspiracy
43:32 Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and NBA All-Star snubs
53:03 Mike’s favorite sports teams, choose one
58:07 Outro

Rui Hachimura, Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers, Shannon Sharpe, Memphis Grizzlies, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Rui Hachimura traded, Shannon Sharpe Beefs | TAF259

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Rui Hachimura has been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, Shannon Sharpe beefs with the whole Memphis Grizzlies team, Kyrie Irving tries to keep the Brooklyn Nets afloat, Dejounte Murray airs some grievances against the San Antonio Spurs, Stan Van Gundy makes some points about player health today, and the Atlantic is leading the East! That plus much more!

Rui Hachimura was shipped away from the Washington Wizards after he voiced his feelings about wanting to play more for a bag of peanuts. Kendrick Nunn and a few second-round picks were all it took to get the Lakers an upgrade at the forward spot. The big question will be whether or not he sees more playing time and actually improves from it.

In case you haven’t hear about it yet, Shannon Sharpe got into a yelling match with Dillon Brooks and the Memphis Grizzlies when he was sitting courtside at one of their games. He kept saying that Brooks didn’t want the smoke and by the way he acted, it sure seemed true. Sharpe is not the type of guy to mess around with.

Dejounte Murray went on the All The Smoke Podcast and talked about his time with the San Antonio Spurs and his relationships with Coach Popovich and Tony Parker. Some of it was a surprise, but the parts about Parker seemed to fit the narrative from players that have played with him before.

Then, Stan Van Gundy took to Twitter to ask about the current era’s health issue and why medicine hasn’t evolved enough to keep guys from getting hurt. He pointed out how there are many more small injuries holding guys out and how there are even some big ones that take people out for a whole season. Kevin Durant seemed to agree and we do too.

Finally, the Atlantic Division is leading in the Eastern Conference. Are they the true kings of the East? Kyrie Irving is trying to keep the Brooklyn Nets afloat with Durant sidelined and the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers just keep on rising to the top.

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:08:38 Shannon Sharpe fights with Dillon Brooks and the Grizzlies
00:22:33 Rui Hachimura traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
00:34:14 Dejounte Murray’s comments about the Spurs and Tony Parker
00:53:28 Stan Van Gundy’s comments about player health
01:05:07 Is the Atlantic Division King of the East?
01:24:32 Choose one: Fast food and desserts
01:28:24 outro

Kevin Durant, Injury, Brooklyn Nets, 2023 NBA All-Star, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Kevin Durant Injured, NBA All-Star Voting Returns | TAF258

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files Podcast, Kevin Durant sprains his MCL and will be out for at least a couple weeks, he also does an interview and says NBA fans are entitled, the first round of NBA All-Star voting returns came out, Gregg Popovich talks about the terrible defense of today’s game, Joe Lacob hints at maybe trading one of the Golden State Warriors big three, and more!

Kevin Durant will have to spend some time on the sidelines as he sprained his MCL and has been reported out for at least a few weeks. He will be re-evaluated after that time just in case the healing process doesn’t go as planned. The scare comes from the fact that he missed six weeks with this same injury in seasons prior, but reports have said it’s not as serious as before. Can the Nets stay afloat without their top player?

Durant also gave an interview where he compared today’s game with eras before and how the fans perceive the game today. He said that fans today are entitled because they consume it way more than the generations before them and they have started to take the game for granted. Do you agree with what he had to say?

Then, the first round of NBA All-Star voting returns came out! There were a few surprises but the big names prevailed as usual when it came to the top vote-getters. The biggest issues came from the names that didn’t appear on the list at all!

Finally, there were quotes from Gregg Popovich and Joe Lacob. Coach Pop sarcastically talked about adding a four and five-point shot because nobody wants to play defense anyway. Then, Lacob hinted at trading away one of the original big three before it was too late. Who do you think will be the odd man out?

SUBSCRIBE to Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don’t miss a new episode!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:09:51 Kevin Durant sprained his MCL, out for a couple weeks
00:24:14 Kevin Durant says fans are more entitled these days
00:52:04 NBA All Star 2023 first round voting returns
01:10:42 Joe Lacob hints at trading one of the Golden State Warriors big three
01:15:08 Gregg Popovich jokes about 4 and 5-point shots
01:17:01 Outro