Tag / los angeles lakers

by Alex Fischbein

Pacific, Southwest Division Previews, Joel Embiid’s Health Strategy, Preseason Thoughts | TAF318

Welcome back to The Atlantic Files, where we’re diving headfirst into everything you need to know about the upcoming NBA season. This week, we’re all about breaking down the Southwest and Pacific Divisions, giving our thoughts on Joel Embiid’s rest strategy, and reacting to the most exciting and eyebrow-raising moments from the preseason. Buckle up as we get you ready for the start of the 2024-25 season with the hottest takes and insider insights!

🏀 2024-25 NBA Southwest Division Preview: Can the Mavs Bounce Back?

We kick things off with a deep dive into the Southwest Division, where Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks will try to shake off last season’s NBA Finals struggles and make a statement. Can they get back to the promised land, or will it be another year of “what ifs”? We also break down the Grizzlies’ hopes with everyone healthy again, the Pelicans’ potential with a (hopefully) healthy Zion Williamson, the young Spurs’ outlook with Victor Wembanyama in the fold, and the Rockets’ young core improving.

🏀 Pacific Division Breakdown: The Land of Big Names and High Expectations

Moving on to the Pacific Division, where superstars and drama are always in abundance. Will the Golden State Warriors’ “big two” keep defying Father Time, or will the Clippers finally stay healthy and make some noise? And let’s not forget about the Lakers, who seem to have found the fountain of youth for LeBron James. We analyze all the teams, including the Suns’ championship aspirations with their newly-formed super team and the Kings looking to build on last season’s playoff run. Get ready for some bold predictions and potentially hot takes!

🏀 Joel Embiid to Skip Back-to-Back Games: Smart Move?

Joel Embiid recently announced his plan to sit out some back-to-back games this season, raising questions and a few eyebrows. Is it smart load management for a guy with a history of injuries, or does it set a tone that might frustrate fans? We discuss the impact this decision could have on the Sixers’ regular-season success, as well as what it means for Embiid’s MVP aspirations and the team’s overall strategy. Plus, we touch on the broader implications for the NBA’s ongoing load management debate.

🏀 Preseason Reactions: Who’s Impressing and Who’s Concerning?

The preseason may not count, but it sure does matter for evaluating the state of the league. We break down the biggest takeaways, from standout rookie performances to some early-season chemistry issues. Which teams are looking ready to hit the ground running, and which ones might still be finding their rhythm? Spoiler alert: Some big names have been underwhelming, while a few lesser-known players are turning heads.

🏀 Players and Teams to Watch as the Regular Season Approaches

With the regular season just around the corner, we highlight some of the players and teams you should keep an eye on. From dark horse MVP candidates to squads that could surprise—or disappoint—we’ve got you covered on who’s primed to make waves. Whether it’s a young star set to break out or a team quietly building momentum, find out who’s worth your attention when the games start to count for real.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 intro
00:03:20 Joel Embiid not playing back to backs
00:09:24 NBA News and notes
00:21:55 Karl-Anthony Towns trade analysis
00:47:06 2024-25 Pacific Division Preview
01:03:21 2024-25 Southwest Division Preview
01:11:36 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

2024 NBA Playoffs Preview | TAF308

Welcome to episode 308 of The Atlantic Files! This week, we’re covering everything from the highly anticipated 2024 NBA Playoffs to injury updates, Olympic roster announcements, and predictions for the NBA Regular Season awards. Join us as we break down the latest news and provide expert analysis on all things basketball.

Topics this week:

  1. 2024 NBA Playoffs Preview: We kick off the episode with an in-depth preview of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. From top-seeded contenders to underdog teams, we analyze the playoff matchups, predict potential upsets, and discuss the key storylines to watch as the postseason unfolds.
  2. Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Update: Breaking news on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s injury casts a shadow over the playoffs as we discuss the impact of his potential absence in Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers. We analyze how this setback could affect the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff run and the strategies they might employ in his absence.
  3. Team USA Basketball Olympic Roster Finalization: We provide updates on Team USA Basketball as they finalize their roster for the 2024 Olympic Games. From star players to emerging talents, we discuss the athletes expected to represent the United States on the international stage and their prospects for bringing home the gold.
  4. NBA Regular Season Award Predictions: Get ready for some bold predictions as we forecast the winners of the NBA Regular Season awards, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and more. We analyze player performances, statistical achievements, and team success to make our predictions for each award category.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:27 Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be available
00:16:29 2024 NBA Playoffs Preview
00:50:29 Team USA finalizing their roster, who got snubbed
01:04:03 2024 NBA Awards predictions
01:11:43 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Ben Simmons Returns Again! | TAF303

On episode 303 of The Atlantic Files, Ben Simmons finally returns to the court again after more issues with his back, Joel Embiid misses another game against Nikola Jokic in Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers are getting extreme favoritism from the refs, and the Golden State Warriors look at potential trade targets to get themselves back into title contention.

Ben Simmons has finally returned from his back issues and played his first game since November. He is on a minutes restriction but he still almost posted a triple-double against the Utah Jazz. How long will he remain on the court for the rest of the season and will his back issues keep him off of the court for most of his career?

Joel Embiid put on a masterclass in the first of two matchups against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. He was set to play in the rematch that took place in Denver but then was surprisingly downgraded to questionable and eventually was sidelined. He hasn’t played in Denver since 2019, so now fans think he’s scared and ducking Jokic. What happened to the regular season not meaning anything?

A stat has been found that proves the Los Angeles Lakers shoot the most free throws out of any team in the NBA. Not only that, but they have the biggest difference in total free throw attempts compared to their opponents. Something seems a bit fishy here, but the Lakers aren’t even turning it into wins. So, should we all be mad about it?

Finally, the Golden State Warriors are trying to salvage something out of this season after they found themselves in 12th place in the West after half of the season has gone by. The question is who they should be trading away and if it’s worth trading for what’s out there right now. We dive into some options they have and whether or not they should even mortgage their future before the trade deadline.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:45 WWE Royal Rumble thoughts
00:15:09 Ben Simmons first game back against Utah Jazz
00:29:46 Golden State Warriors trade targets before the deadline
00:40:59 Is Joel Embiid ducking Nikola Jokic
00:46:25 Lakers getting way more Free Throws
00:54:21 Outro and final thoughts

by Alex Fischbein

NBA Christmas Reactions, Jalen Brunson The 1A | TAF299

On episode 299 of The Atlantic Files, we react to the NBA Christmas day games, give our thoughts on Becky Hammon saying Jalen Brunson is too small to be a 1A, Kevin Durant expressing frustration with the Phoenix Suns health and role players, and the Detroit Pistons losing streak.

Becky Hammon was on ESPN as their panel talked about the New York Knicks and whether or not they can seriously compete for the NBA Finals. She said they didn’t have that 1A player and explained that Jalen Brunson is a great player but he’s too small to be a 1A. Does she make any good points there or is Brunson a lot better than she gives credit?

The 2023 NBA Christmas Day games gave a mixed bag of entertainment while some superstars didn’t even play and others gave us the performance of a lifetime. Dennis and Alex give their thoughts on the outcomes of each game and whether or not these are signs of things to come for the rest of the season.

Speaking of Christmas games, Kevin Durant is apparently now getting frustrated with the health of his new big three and the talent of the supporting cast. No one is really sure what else he expected when the team went out and got Bradley Beal and traded all of their assets to get him and Beal in the first place. Does anyone actually feel bad for him as well?

Finally, the Detroit Pistons made history for the wrong reasons. They’re now the owners of the longest losing streak in a single NBA season and they could potentially add on to that streak. Is this team actually that bad or are they just hitting some really bad luck?

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro and Christmas movies
00:18:43 The Detroit Pistons historic losing streak
00:43:25 Becky Hammon’s comments about Jalen Brunson
01:00:22 2023 NBA Christmas game reactions
01:15:28 Kevin Durant upset in Phoenix
01:32:13 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Draymond Green Strikes Again | TAF297

On episode 297 of The Atlantic Files, Draymond Green gets ejected yet again for hitting someone, the Los Angeles Lakers are the first champions of the in-season tournament, Patrick Beverley asking the real questions on ESPN, and more ejections across the league.

Draymond Green threw his limbs all over the place, yet again, and was ejected after hitting Jusuf Nurkic in the face. He says that it wasn’t on purpose which is why he apologized, but at this rate, there’s no benefit of the doubt. Green has hit enough opposing players to believe that this was no accident by any means. So, does he deserve the indefinite suspension that he received?

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have officially won the inaugural in-season tournament championship. We’re going to call it the NBA Cup because it’s a lot easier to say. Either way, some have asked if it was fixed to get the Lakers as the very first champion. Now the debate is whether or not the IST ring counts towards a player’s resume and if teams should raise banners.

Even though Green deserved to be ejected, there have been a ton of ejections this season and the number keeps increasing. Players are getting thrown out just for disagreeing with foul calls instead of actual hard fouls or wrongdoing. If this trend continues, fans are going to get more and more upset with referees which is something the league does not want.

Finally, Patrick Beverley went on ESPN during the in-season tournament finals and had a conversation with Kevin Hart that ruffled some feathers. He asked about the Josh Giddey news and demanded some answers and opinions instead of political correctness. It was a great move and he’s now become famous for drinking a victory beer after every win.

Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
03:12 LeBron and the Lakers win the In-Season Tournament
15:30 Draymond Green strikes again
24:10 Ejections run rampant in the NBA
39:53 Patrick Beverley gets kicked off of ESPN
47:13 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Tyrese Haliburton For MVP and The IST Playoffs | TAF296

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Tyrese Haliburton has been going off so is he a legit MVP candidate? Also, we talk about the in-season tournament playoffs, whether or not the Golden State Warriors are cooked, and if the Minnesota Timberwolves are legit title contenders as they sit atop the Western Conference right now.

Tyrese Haliburton has gone from a budding star to a big-time point guard who has exploded onto the scene. His run in the in-season tournament has been nothing short of outstanding and now the general public has shifted him into the MVP conversation. Does he warrant legit MVP conversation or is this too early to discuss his name on that level?

Speaking of deciding if someone is legit or not, the Minnesota Timberwolves are the top team in the West and boast the best record in the entire league. Is this team really a legitimate title contender or are we seeing a team that’s just surprising in the beginning of the season and will return to Earth later on? Time will only tell, but we give our opinions on it anyway.

Finally, we give our thoughts and opinions on the in-season tournament as a whole. Has everyone enjoyed the product and did the scheduling make sense? Also, will this stick and carry on to each new season yet to come? Let us know across social media and in the YouTube comments what you think!

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

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro and Banter
00:09:49 NBA In-season tournament quarterfinals reactions
00:27:24 Is Tyrese Haliburton an MVP candidate?
00:46:15 Are the Minnesota Timberwolves for real?
00:55:15 Are the Golden State Warriors cooked?
01:04:20 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Tyler Herro, NBA Preseason, and Season Predictions | TAF289

On episode 289 of The Atlantic Files, Tyler Herro says he’s glad Portland didn’t want him and his goal is to become untouchable, the NBA preseason starts with some new faces and new drama already beginning, we also make our final season predictions, plus much more!

Tyler Herro had to sit through his name getting thrown around in every trade rumor imaginable for the last couple of seasons. Damian Lillard reportedly wasn’t going to move anywhere unless Herro was involved. Now that he remains in Miami and Lillard moved to Milwaukee, Herro wants to become untouchable so that he’s never part of trade talks again. The question is whether or not that’s an attainable level for him.

The NBA preseason has kicked off which means media days have already come and gone. We go over some of the top headlines from media day and the preseason as well as talk about some of our favorite players so far. Let’s also not forget that James Harden still hasn’t been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers are still in a state of flux.

Finally, we talk about the NBA GM survey where they answer a bunch of questions from who they think will the NBA Finals down to who they think will be MVP, Rookie of the Year, and much more.

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

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:12 Fantasy Football talk: Week 5
00:15:10 Tyler Herro wants to be untouchable
00:27:08 NBA Preseason and media days
00:43:05 NBA General Manager poll and season predictions
00:59:24 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

Damian Lillard And Jrue Holiday Traded! | TAF288

On episode 288 of The Atlantic Files, Damian Lillard is traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and joins Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday heads to the Boston Celtics, we break down all of the trade pieces, and then we put together all of our divisional previews for one big preview episode!

Finally, we get a resolution to the Damian Lillard saga that has gone on for months. He’s on his way to join Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks to form a super-duo. Question marks still exist with this team’s health like that of Khris Middleton. Also, the team as a whole is getting older and older, so their window to win another championship is very short. Will the new coach lead them back to the promised land?

Another side of the trade was moving Jrue Holiday to Portland who then was moved to Boston. The Trail Blazers got some more assets out of it while Holiday moved to another Eastern Conference contender. His fit in Boston is perfect as he replaces the role that Marcus Smart vacated. With the addition of Holiday, however, that improves the offense in ways that Smart was unable to.

To wrap up this week’s episode, we stitched together all of our divisional previews from the past six weeks to bring one big preview episode. Let us know what you think of each division and who you have winning each one to make the playoffs this year!

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

Timecodes:
00:01:51 – Damian Lillard traded to Milwaukee
00:10:40 – Jrue Holiday traded to Boston
00:20:15 – 2023-24 NBA Central Division preview
00:31:44 – 2023-24 NBA Atlantic Division preview
00:42:00 – 2023-24 NBA Southeast Division preview
01:01:25 – 2023-24 NBA Pacific Division preview
01:10:55 – 2023-24 NBA Northwest Division preview
01:24:48 – 2023-24 NBA Southwest Division preview

by Alex Fischbein

USA Loses To Lithuania & Pacific Division Preview | TAF284

On episode 284 of The Atlantic Files, Team USA suffers their first loss to Lithuania in the 2023 FIBA World Cup but then beat the brakes off of Italy, we continue our divisional previews for the 2023-24 NBA season with the Pacific division, and the weird happenings surrounding now-retired NBA ref Eric Lewis.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup is heating up as the semifinals are shaping up. Team USA lost their first game of the tournament as they got beat down by Lithuania but then turned around and beat down Italy. This could have poked the bear in the USA team or they could now be used to the physicality of the international style of play. Will they be able to beat Germany in the semifinal and go on to win gold?

In case you haven’t heard about it, former NBA referee, Eric Lewis, was under investigation for some suspicious social media use. There seemed to be a burner account only replying to tweets to defend the ref when people accused him of incredible bias towards the Boston Celtics. In a surprising move, he retired, and all of a sudden the investigation stopped. Something doesn’t seem right…

Finally, we continued our divisional preview series with the entertaining Pacific Division. Which team will take a hit and will the division all finish with winning records again next season? The Los Angeles Lakers seem primed to improve while the Phoenix Suns brought in some crazy offensive firepower! We dive into our predictions and talk about how the division will shake out.

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

Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
03:30 Team USA loses to Lithuania, beats Italy
18:27 Referee Eric Lewis retires to avoid investigation
30:18 2023-24 NBA Pacific Division Preview
40:10 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!