Tag / brooklyn nets

James Harden, Brooklyn Nets
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/17/21)

Brooklyn, at least, bounced back last night! Can’t really say the same about the Knicks or the Celtics though…

Standings:
Brooklyn Nets 11-5
New York Knicks 8-7
Philadelphia 76ers 8-7
Boston Celtics 7-8
Toronto Raptors 7-8

So let’s talk about last night!

James Harden

Sort of feels like a broken record to say that James Harden is finally looking more and more like himself. It’s been a process, a slow one at that, but he’s progressing! MVP level Harden is going to need to show up for the Nets to beat teams like the Warriors. Especially if Kyrie isn’t going to come back, everyone except KD has to step up. Harden finished this one with 27p, 10r, 7a.

Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum was getting back to business! His efficiency was back up, he was unstoppable again, and he was pouring in buckets! The rest of the team and the team’s defense was a completely different story. I just enjoyed watching Tatum again though after a stretch of some bad games that were just hard to watch all-around. Despite his 34p, 9r, 5a, the team slipped to below .500 again.

New York Knicks

I don’t even need a video to talk about the Knicks this time. The way this team went from looking legit to looking horrid so fast is crazy! Between October and November, it’s like we’ve seen two completely different Knicks teams. Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, and Julius Randle have been in the forefront of this skid too…

Bruce Brown, Brooklyn Nets
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/16/21)

Both Philly and Brooklyn went up against a couple of the top Western teams and fell pretty hard. The loss was a little uglier for the Nets since it was a battle of the MVP’s and by the time the game was over, the home crowd was chanting MVP at the opposing player…

Standings:
Brooklyn Nets 10-5
New York Knicks 8-6
Philadelphia 76ers 8-7
Boston Celtics 7-7
Toronto Raptors 7-8

So let’s talk about last night.

Bruce Brown

Bruce Brown gave Steph Curry some great bulletin board material when he was laughing about Curry being a good player. Whether he meant it in a disrespectful way or not, it seemed like Curry took it personally. Steph dropped 37, but Bruce Brown had one of the more efficient games for the Nets starting five. He ended up with 14p, 5r, 3a, 3s on 6-8 shooting. He has for sure earned the minutes that he’s getting right now and when you’re going up against the greatest shooter of all time, then you’ll take your lumps. For his role, he played it very well, but the stars just did not play star-like enough to win.

Shake Milton

Honestly, there’s not a whole lot to say about this game for the Sixers. Shake Milton was the lead scorer with 18 points, but that was on 7-19 shooting. Joel Embiid is desperately needed on this team if they want to get back into form. Not having Matisse Thybulle doesn’t help either on the defensive end. Covid really shoved a thorn in the side of this team recently, hopefully, they can bounce back.

Kevin Durant

Here is some quality Stephen A. Smith entertainment as he talked about Kevin Durant making the wrong decision by going to Brooklyn.

Patty Mills, Brooklyn Nets
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/14/21)

Sunday was quite a relaxing one with only one Atlantic game. Atlantic fans, even Brooklyn Nets fans who had the game, could all just chill and watch some football.

Standings:
Brooklyn Nets 10-4
Philadelphia 76ers 8-6
New York Knicks 7-6
Toronto Raptors 7-7
Boston Celtics 6-7

So let’s talk about last night.

Patty Mills

Patty Mills added another great game to his Sixth Man of the Year candidacy. Even though this was a homecoming for both Kevin Durant and James Harden, Mills stole the show. He hoisted up 12 threes and made nine of them! The game overall wasn’t even a super competitive one as we all know that Oklahoma City is in year 25 of their rebuild right now. Mills and Durant didn’t let that stop them from scoring 29 and 33 points each! Everything was falling with ease and Mills looked like he was just playing a fun game of playground hoops.

Dennis Schroder, Boston Celtics
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/12/21)

Overtime games, near triple-doubles, and a disappointing loss. I’ll let you guess which refers to which team!

Standings:
Brooklyn Nets 9-4
Philadelphia 76ers 8-5
New York Knicks 7-6
Toronto Raptors 7-6
Boston Celtics 6-6

Anyway, let’s talk about last night!

Dennis Schroder

We finally have a Dennis Schroder game! Boston took the reigning champs to overtime and got themselves a hard-fought win! In retrospect, it probably shouldn’t have been this hard to beat a Giannis-less Bucks team, but nevertheless, a win is a win. Schroder had himself a night to lead Boston to the win. He finished with 38p, 8r, & 3a! His mission continues to prove he’s worth more than the contract he signed this off-season.

James Harden

James Harden is back again doing James Harden things! Hitting threes, step-backs, attacking the rim, and finding the open man. Love watching his game when he’s running at 100%. When he and KD are playing like they did last night, then the Brooklyn Nets are truly the team that everyone should be scared about! He ended up with 39p, 5r, 12a on 11-18 FG & 6-10 3P.

Alec Burks

Alec Burks had quite the efficient night off the bench and even had the most amount of rebounds on the team. That fact alone about rebounds should tell you a lot. He continues to be a very nice rotational piece for the Knicks, but this loss was outside of his power. He delivered in his 25 minutes and the rest of the bench actually had a positive +/- as well. The starters, however, did not keep their end of the bargain.

Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/10/21)

The entire Atlantic except for the Sixers got some action last night. They went an even 2-2, but that isn’t exactly fair since two went head-to-head. How about this November weather on the East Coast though, right? This stuff is weird!

Standings:
Philadelphia 76ers 8-4
Brooklyn Nets 8-4
New York Knicks 7-5
Toronto Raptors 6-6
Boston Celtics 5-6

Anyway, let’s talk about last night.

Kevin Durant

Look, I usually don’t like to mention the same player that often, but with Kevin Durant… How can I not continue to mention him?! He’s leading the league in scoring and only missed ONE shot last night. He took 12 total shots and ended with 30 points! The Brooklyn Nets really need to just make the NBA Finals already because it’s long overdue to see Durant playing in it again.

Immanuel Quickley

Immanuel Quickley popped off real quick in their game against the Bucks. While they did lose by 12, he still shot 50% from the floor and finished with 18p, 5r, & 4a. His minutes have been a little sporadic as Thibs just works some lineup magic all the time. Not sure if magic might be the correct word, but you catch my drift. Quickley is still one of the better offensive talents at his age and continues to grow. A lot of the time, I’d probably rather have him on the floor than Evan Fournier.

Robert Williams

Am I finally highlighting the Time Lord, Robert Williams, right now? Why yes, yes I am! He’s continued to be the steadying force in the middle for the Boston Celtics and that was on full display against the Toronto Raptors. 16p, 13r, 2s, & 1b was the stat line he produced. His offensive rebounds are always the best part because this team does jack a good amount of shots and he at least gives them some extra chances to jack some more.

Scottie Barnes

On the other side of the Celtics game, the rookie Scottie Barnes had himself another good night. I’d say he was the best of the bunch when it comes to the starters. His line was 21p, 7r, & 4a and shot 63.6% from the floor. His all-around game continues to shine and each game it improves a little more. With Pascal Siakam back on the floor, the next hurdle is how to figure out how to play well together since they’re running lineups with Siakam at center and Barnes at power forward.

Julius Randle, New York Knicks
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/8/21)

Something was very off last night as all three Atlantic teams either barely scored 100 or didn’t even reach 100. The New York Knicks did bounce back though as the Brooklyn Nets dropped hard to the Bulls.

Standings:
Philadelphia 76ers 8-3
Brooklyn Nets 7-4
New York Knicks 7-4
Toronto Raptors 6-5
Boston Celtics 4-6

Let’s talk about last night!

Julius Randle

Julius Randle is the sole reason for the Knicks’ win. If it wasn’t for his 31p, 12r performance, then they were destined to fall to the shorthanded Sixers. He stepped up each time that it mattered most though. There were a few times that the Sixers looked like they were ready to finally take the lead, but Randle either hit a three or a tough layup. Other than him, only three other Knicks scored in the double digits as they just squeaked by the Sixers with a seven-point win.

Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond is exactly what the Sixers have needed in a backup center for Joel Embiid ever since he entered the league. Admittedly, I’ve been very skeptical of Drummond after his past couple of stops in Los Angeles and Cleveland. The way he’s been playing, however, is perfect for the role he was given. On a night that the Sixers were without all of their other rebounders, Drummond cashed in a 14p, 25r night! His offensive rebounds gave them many more chances than they probably even deserved and he was a key component to limit the chances for the Knicks too.

Kevin Durant

We’re back again, talking about Kevin Durant. This man is just unreal, yet again. His teammates just did not help him, yet again! KD had 38p, 10r, 4a and the rest of the starters had only 25p combined… Throw that in with the fact that they played the Chicago Bulls and anyone can see why they lost in a blowout fashion. Especially with the fact that the Bulls had six players in double digits compared to the Nets three. Durant is really going to need some more consistent help if they really want to win a ring this year!

James Harden, Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/7/21)

The Knicks fall victim to Ricky Rubio’s insane 37 points while the Nets spoil Pascal Siakam’s return!

Standings:
Philadelphia 76ers 8-2
Brooklyn Nets 7-3
New York Knicks 6-4
Toronto Raptors 6-5
Boston Celtics 4-6

Let’s talk about last night.

James Harden

James Harden is slowly, but surely getting back to cooking up defenses. His 3-point shot isn’t exactly up to par just yet, but shooting 10-20 from the floor overall and finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists with only 2 turnovers is still pretty great. There has been a handful of moments over the last few games that makes us all question his hamstring’s health and even his is physical shape, but at least he’s getting better. By the mid-point of the season, we’ll probably know how he’s going to end up this season.

Pascal Siakam

Pascal Siakam is finally back! Yes, we know he’s on a bit of a restriction, and the first game of his return wasn’t exactly the greatest game. Either way, it was great seeing him back on the court! 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks in 25 minutes isn’t too bad and we’re looking forward to him gelling with Scottie Barnes!

Obi Toppin

As mentioned before, the Knicks fell victim to an insane 37-point performance from Rubio. Obi Toppin was one of the only couple of Knicks players that finished with a positive +/-. When he was aggressive and attacking the rim, Cleveland wasn’t able to stop him. If he can continue that and build his repertoire from it, he’ll definitely deserve more minutes and be held higher in the depth chart than Gibson.

Julius Randle, New York Knicks
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/5/21)

The trio of Atlantic games last night was highlighted by a big-time win by the Knicks. Both New York teams actually got a win with Toronto’s game ending in a little bit of a controversial way.

Standings:
Philadelphia 76ers 7-2
Brooklyn Nets 6-3
New York Knicks 6-3
Toronto Raptors 6-4
Boston Celtics 4-5

Let’s talk about last night.

Julius Randle

Julius Randle, after a bit of a rough streak, finally got back to his ways from last season. He dropped 32p, 12r, 4a, 2b in an awesome comeback win against one of the top teams in the East! Randle was leading the way for the offense again and it shows that this team really fires on all cylinders when Randle is going. The biggest question is if he can stay consistent and if he doesn’t, can this team win despite that.

Gary Trent Jr.

Gary Trent Jr is really proving to be an awesome return for the Norm Powell trade. He’s been playing some great basketball and making sure he’s playing his way into the starting lineup. His defense has improved and his quick trigger on offense has given the Raptors some great shooting to go along with their main core. He finished with 17p, 2r, and SIX steals!

Blake Griffin

Kevin Durant had another great scoring night, James Harden had another triple-double, but this time we’re showing love to Blake Griffin. The guy that’s bringing his hard hat and lunch box to the game and doing a lot of the hard, dirty work. He even has a celebration that goes along with that. He deserves even more of a shoutout because he has bought into his role and has been playing it perfectly for this team.

Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors
by Alex Fischbein

Last night in the Atlantic (11/3/21)

All five Atlantic teams were in action, but the Knicks were the only ones to not grab a win. A lot of teams debuted their city edition jerseys and courts as well!

Standings:
Philadelphia 76ers 6-2
Toronto Raptors 6-3
Brooklyn Nets 5-3
New York Knicks 5-3
Boston Celtics 3-5

Let’s talk about last night!

Fred VanVleet

Fred VanVleet was nearly unstoppable last night! He shot 50% or better from the field overall and from three. His separation on any of his dribble moves was insane and he was consistently giving himself open shots all night long. On top of that, he worked the pick and roll to perfection and even attacked the lane with ease. He finished with 33 points & 6 assists.

Seth Curry

Here’s your reminder that the Dallas Mavericks really traded away Seth Curry for Josh Richardson. Yes, the same Richardson who isn’t even on the team anymore! Curry has proven to be one of the most underrated offensive talents in the league right now. Plus, he’s played a big part in showing that Ben Simmons is quite expendable as he keeps contributing to winning more and more games. This win against a very good Chicago team was huge as they didn’t even have their second-leading scorer in Tobias Harris either. Curry finished 22 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists on 9-14 FG & 2-4 3P.

Jaylen Brown

This game was Jaylen Brown’s turn to go crazy in the scoring department as he put up 28 points on 58.8% shooting compared to Jayson Tatum’s 14 points on 25%. It was reported that the team had ‘an emotional’ meeting after Smart’s comments. Not sure if we can say the meeting changed anything in terms of on-the-court production, but they did get a much-needed win!

RJ Barrett

The Knicks had a really tough night shooting the three as they went 5-24 as a team. RJ Barrett was the high-man, as he has been the last couple games, with 23 points on 40% shooting. His defense has improved and his offense is coming along too. As a team though, it looks like they’re hitting a little wall at the moment. To be fair, the Pacers couldn’t miss in this latest game as they shot 46.2% from the floor as a team.

Kevin Durant

There’s not much more to be said about Kevin Durant that hasn’t already been said. He’s a walking video game. He’s a cheat code. He’s not human. If you don’t have him in your top 3 of greatest scorers ever, you’re just wrong.

Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum
by Alex Fischbein

The Atlantic Files Ep201: Boston Celtics are crumbling

This week on the Atlantic Files, the Boston Celtics are crumbling as we speak, Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors are on a hot streak, and all of a sudden the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, and Chicago Bulls are at the top of the East.

First of all, the Boston Celtics have plenty of time to not crumble and get themselves back together. Marcus Smart called out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown for hogging the ball, especially at the end of games. He said it’s something that they’ll definitely learn from and they’ll get back on track. This sounded more like something he’s been trying to tell them behind closed doors for a long time and since they weren’t listening he finally said something to the press.

Then there’s James Harden and the Brooklyn Nets. Harden hasn’t looked like his usual self until just recently. He finally started attacking the rim, hitting his usual step-back jumpers, and wreaking havoc in the lane. A lot has been said about him being out of shape due to rehabbing during the off-season on top of the fact he’s getting used to the new foul rules. Does anything need to change on the Nets front to make sure they succeed without Kyrie Irving?

Another Atlantic team is surprising a lot of people at the moment. The Toronto Raptors have hit a little stride early on in the season. Scottie Barnes, OG Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, and Gary Trent Jr. have all been improving and showing some great offensive flashes on top of a pretty fun defensive system to watch. This team is fun and they’re finally playing like it!

Finally, we have the Chicago Bulls at the top of the East along with two surprising teams. Both the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards were not supposed to be this high in the standings at all. Which of these two teams are the most for real? LaMelo Ball might actually be a real MVP candidate which is a scary thought!

Timestamps:
0:00 – Intro
1:15 – James Harden doesn’t look right
8:20 – Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors
19:00 – Chicago Bulls are top of the East
29:00 – The Boston Celtics are crumbling and Marcus Smart is calling people out
40:30 – Who is an actual playoff team, Charlotte Hornets or Washington Wizards?