Tag / Kevin Durant

2022 NBA playoffs, phoenix suns, milwaukee bucks, boston celtics, atlantic files
by Alex Fischbein

2022 NBA Playoff predictions | The Atlantic Files Ep223

This week on the Atlantic Files Podcast, as the NBA play-in games take place we predict what will happen with the 2022 NBA Playoffs, predictions for all of the end-of-the-year awards, Dennis has some things to say about the Los Angeles Lakers, Matisse Thybulle lets his team down, Adam Silver has a resting problem in the NBA, and more!

The 2022 NBA Playoffs have arrived! At the time of this recording, the final seeds of each conference were still being decided. One more play-in game and then we officially have the playoff bracket filled out and ready to go. We give all of our predictions throughout the entire 2022 playoffs!

We’ve talked about them a couple of times now, but we wanted to make one final statement about the 2022 NBA regular season awards as well. We give our final predictions on those and even debate the MVP in terms of Nikola Jokic versus Joel Embiid and who deserves to take the home award more.

Dennis wasn’t able to join the episode last week when we originally talked about the Los Angeles Lakers. He wanted to let the world know how much the Lakers suck and that the blame falling on Russell Westbrook is not all deserving. Sure, he might not have played like the normal Westbrook, but the team had a lot more flaws. Also, we talk about who the next coach could be.

Matisse Thybulle now can’t play in Toronto during the playoffs. Of course, the Philadelphia 76ers drew the Toronto Raptors in their first round matchup so now he can’t play three of the possible seven games in the series. This is going to throw a huge wrench in their defense. Can the Sixers advance?

Finally, some off-basketball topics we discuss are the fact that Alex got engaged this past weekend, Mike being in the final week of tax season, and Bosco the dog making a guest appearance along with Alex’s fiance Deanna!

Chapters:
0:00 – Intro and Alex got engaged!
6:51 – Los Angeles Lakers suck
19:19 – Steph Curry turns down playing with LeBron
22:28 – 2022 NBA Playoffs Predictions
53:15 – Matisse Thybulle can’t play in Toronto
56:23 – More NBA Playoffs predictions
1:02:45 – Final regular season award predictions

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers, Atlantic Files, Podcast
by Alex Fischbein

LeBron and Los Angeles Lakers crumble | The Atlantic Files Ep222

This week on the Atlantic Files Podcast, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are officially eliminated from the playoffs and rumors of Doc Rivers taking over as head coach has already begun, Ben Simmons officially files a grievance against the Philadelphia 76ers, Chris Paul sets another win record for yet another team, and the play-in teams are finally decided!

As we’re sure you’ve heard by now from the numerous media outlets, the Los Angeles Lakers are officially out of the playoffs! The “good on paper, but old on the court” strategy did not go so well for them this year. Plenty of moves are in store for them in the off-season, and it’s bound to get crazy.

One of those moves seems to be for a new head coach. Doc Rivers, even though he’s still coaching for the Philadelphia 76ers and hasn’t been rumored to be fired, is near the top of the list to come coach in LA. Not exactly sure how that works since he still has a job elsewhere, but hey, it’s LeBron and the Lakers, rules don’t apply.

Almost all of the play-in tournament games are decided at this point. The only one waiting is the seventh seed out West between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. Either way, we give our predictions on who would be coming out of each play-in tournament in both conferences.

Another chapter to the Ben Simmons saga has officially been added. He officially filed the rumored grievance against the Sixers to recoup somewhere around $20M. This will surely take away all attention from the team only hovering around an eighth or ninth seed, right?

Finally, Chris Paul adds more to his impressive resume. He has now been a part of four separate teams’ records for most wins in a single season. He’s helped the Hornets, Clippers, Rockets, and now Suns all reach their best win total for a season. That’s insane!

Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro and Season Ticket debacle
3:35 – The NBA play-in tournament and who will win
17:52 – Los Angeles Lakers eliminated & Windhorst report
21:42 – Doc Rivers the next Lakers head coach?
26:41 – Chris Paul sets another single-season win record
28:26 – Ben Simmons files a grievance and out through play-in tourney
30:00 – Closing thoughts

phoenix suns, devin booker, chicago bulls, demar derozan, brooklyn nets, kevin durant, the atlantic files
by Alex Fischbein

Who are the true NBA Finals contenders? | The Atlantic Files Ep220

This week on the Atlantic Files, we talk about which teams in the NBA are the true NBA Finals contenders, LeBron James candidacy for undisputed GOAT, Jamal Crawford officially retires, Luka Doncic says it’s easier to score 30 in the NBA than EuroLeague, and we get sidetracked and talk all sorts of food!

The NBA Playoffs talk is heating up as the regular season starts to come to a close. Teams such as the Chicago Bulls are getting called fakers as they can’t beat the other Eastern playoff teams. Then you have teams like the Phoenix Suns who almost seem like a lock to make it to the Finals. What about all the other teams in between? Where would you put teams like the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, and others?

Jamal Crawford, who hasn’t found his way to a team in a couple of seasons, has officially retired from the NBA. His career was one of the most fun to watch and he was one of the best Sixth Men to ever play the game. Enjoy retirement Crawford!

LeBron James recently moved up to number two in the all-time scoring list in the NBA. He will end up passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar probably next season. Once he becomes number one on that list, does that make him the undisputed GOAT of basketball? We debate his candidacy along with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and more.

Finally, Luka Doncic went on to JJ Redick’s podcast and talked about the NBA vs EuroLeague. Doncic talked about how it was easier to score 30 points in the NBA rather than EuroLeague, and everyone lost their minds. As the intellectuals we are, we took a deeper look at why he might say that.

Along with all of the basketball talk, we gave our opinions on burgers, Wawa, which ways to wipe, and more!

Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
1:43 – Which teams are the true NBA Finals contenders?
45:53 – Is LeBron James the undisputed GOAT?
54:35 – Jamal Crawford officially retires
55:16 – Luka Doncic says it’s easier to score 30 in the NBA vs EuroLeague

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets
by Alex Fischbein

Kevin Durant, Brooklyn Nets get first laugh | The Atlantic Files Ep219

This week on the Atlantic Files Podcast, Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets get the first laugh as they destroy the Philadelphia 76ers, Kyrie Irving is on an absolute scoring tear, the James Harden honeymoon phase seems to be over, the New York Knicks are expected to keep Tom Thibodeau, and March Madness is set to begin!

Last week, one of the biggest regular-season games took place. Especially for this podcast, it was must-see TV! Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons all ended up getting the FIRST laugh by dragging the Philadelphia 76ers through the mud all game long. Durant even took some shots at Sixers fans after the game and the entire crowd couldn’t do anything other than leave with their heads down.

Kyrie Irving has had two 50+ point games in one week. One of those games was a 60-point outburst against the Orlando Magic. Once he’s able to finally play home games, the entire league could be in a lot of trouble when facing the Nets in the playoffs.

After an amazing start, the Sixers and James Harden seem to be ending their honeymoon phase. They’ve had some rough games and narrow victories over the worst teams in the league. The chemistry doesn’t seem to be clicking as much as it was in the beginning. The smiles aren’t going around, the excitement isn’t there, and every game looks like hard labor.

The New York Knicks are always going to be crazy and make questionable moves. This is pretty much guaranteed. Now the reports are saying that Tom Thibodeau is going to stay with the team through next season. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that’s probably the wrong move.

Finally, it’s that time of year again! March Madness is here and we give all of our predictions in our brackets and talk about our favorite dark horses as well.

Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
1:51 – Brooklyn Nets destroy the Philadelphia 76ers in Ben Simmons return
9:45 – Kyrie Irving and Karl Anthony Towns go for 60 back-to-back
16:59 – New York Knicks are keeping Tom Thibodeau around
21:13 – James Harden and the Sixers honeymoon phase is over
28:05 – 2022 March Madness predictions, cinderella teams, and more

brooklyn nets, kevin durant, kyrie irving, seth curry, ben simmons
by Alex Fischbein

Brooklyn Nets becoming the next what if | The Atlantic Files Ep217

On this week’s episode of the Atlantic Files, the Brooklyn Nets continue to lose some needed ground in the standings as they await Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, and Ben Simmons to return, the James Harden experience is alive and well in Philadelphia, both the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics are making playoff pushes, and the New York Knicks are stuck trying to figure out what’s going on.

The latest news coming out of the Ben Simmons saga is that now he has back issues and is regarded as “week to week.” Rich Paul even told Brian Windhorst that Simmons most likely won’t even be ready to come back in the month of March. Kevin Durant is finally coming back on March 3 while we’re all still waiting for a decision from the New York City Mayor on whether or not Kyrie Irving is going to be able to play full time again.

Let’s also not forget that the Nets are currently in the play-in territory, so if everything doesn’t go their way, they could be the next biggest ‘what if’ story for the NBA.

James Harden’s honeymoon period with the Philadelphia 76ers is going as well as anyone could have imagined! They’re now 3-0 since he’s been playing and he’s almost put up triple-doubles in every one of them. Joel Embiid has talked about the fact that he’s never been this wide open in his career and Tyrese Maxey is putting up more than 20 points per game as well. Is this all sustainable?

Coming from the depths, the Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics are both making playoff pushes. Which team can make it further come playoff time?

Finally, we have the New York Knicks, yet again, bringing up the rear. The team has been quite the dumpster fire this season. After such a successful season last year, it’s so disappointing to see it all just fall apart this year. What should they do for the rest of the year and into the off-season?

Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
2:14 – Ben Simmons out until April, Kevin Durant coming back
15:47 – If the Brooklyn Nets don’t win a ring, are they a failure?
21:13 – James Harden in Philadelphia is off to a great start
32:17 – The better playoff team, Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors
49:36 – What should the New York Knicks do now?

2022 NBA All Star, Stephen Curry, Cole Anthony, Dunk Contest, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

2022 NBA All-Star wrap up | The Atlantic Files Ep216

The 2022 NBA All-Star weekend has come and gone! The dunk contest got very ugly, the 75th NBA Anniversary dedication at halftime was great and the actual All-Star game itself was even better. It’s time to wrap everything up in a bow and get ready for the last half of the NBA season!

This week on the Atlantic Files, we welcome friend of the pod, BJ Boyer, to the show and we talk about what should get taken out and what should stay for future All-Star Weekends, who was snubbed from the NBA’s top 75 list, Georges Niang’s comments on the Ben Simmons saga, Goran Dragic heading to the Brooklyn Nets, and all of these rumors surrounding LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA All-Star Weekend is always a mixed bag of events and entertainment. Some years we get the greatest dunk contest ever and other years we get dunk contests that make us wonder why we even have it anymore at all. The good parts of the All-Star weekend experience included the 75th Anniversary event, the new format of the rising stars portion, and the All-Star game itself with the Elam ending.

Speaking of the NBA’s 75th anniversary, the NBA made a top 75 players of all-time list to go with it. There were plenty of snubs from this list and even some people that didn’t deserve to be on it. So it’s debate time to see who did and did not deserve to be out there with all of the legends.

Then, due to some questions and comments due to the live stream, we get into whether or not Kobe Bryant is overrated, if Joel Embiid and James Harden are now the best duo in the NBA, and even our NBA Finals predictions!

Following all of the craziness, we get into more crazy arguing when it comes to Georges Niang’s comments about Ben Simmons, James Harden, and the trade when he was on Duncan Robinson’s podcast. His comments were spicier than anything that came out of the introductory press conferences.

Finally, we ask BJ about the Los Angeles Lakers. The rumors swirling around LeBron James being mad at Rob Pelinka and the Lakers and his comments about going anywhere to play with his son.

Timecodes:
0:00 – Intro
2:10 – 2022 NBA All-Star weekend pros and cons
15:07 – Is Kobe Bryant overrated?
25:50 – Is Karl-Anthony Towns the best shooting big man ever
30:07 – James Harden and Joel Embiid the best duo in the league now
34:13 – Are the strip clubs in Philly good for James Harden
36:47 – Snubs from the NBA’s Top 75 list
40:48 – Can you trust Ben Simmons in crunch time
47:35 – Georges Niang’s comments on Ben Simmons and the James Harden trade
1:00:51 – Does the Goran Dragic signing really mean much
1:02:15 – Who should the Sixers target in the buyout market
1:05:53 – 2022 NBA Finals predictions
1:09:10 – The state of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers

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.

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!

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.