Tim Duncan vs Nikola Jokic, Fight! | TAF305

This week, on episode 305 of The Atlantic Files, Tom Deasey joins the show, the latest debate around the interwebs is Tim Duncan versus Nikola Jokic, JJ Redick makes some strong comments about Doc Rivers and it ruffles some feathers, is there any hope for the NBA All-Star game and weekend to return to glory, and we take a look at the MVP race and whether or not Jayson Tatum is unfairly criticized.

Around social media and blogs everywhere, the latest hot debate has been Tim Duncan versus Nikola Jokic. Everyone is trying to figure out which player they would take for the entirety of their career. New-generation fans have no idea the type of player that Duncan was, but Jokic has been a freak of nature so far in his career. Who do you take?

JJ Redick was on First Take and went nuclear when it came to Doc Rivers throwing all of the accountability at everyone but himself. He roasted Rivers for never taking accountability while Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe sat there and agreed with every word. Austin Rivers and Patrick Beverley took offense, but they’re in the minority when it comes to this opinion.

The NBA All-Star Game and the entire weekend as a whole were a disappointment yet again. Who would have guessed? Just about everyone who has watched the last handful of years would have. So, is there any hope at all for it to get better in the future?

Finally, we take a look at the MVP race after Draymond Green talked about Jayson Tatum being unfairly criticized. He thinks that Tatum is being held to a higher standard than the rest of the candidates, but we think the rest of them are just flat-out better.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:03:00 AI, VR, and weird stuff
00:30:08 Is there any hope for NBA All-Star
00:44:52 MVP Race and where Jayson Tatum fits
01:03:29 JJ Redick’s Comments on Doc Rivers
01:27:47 Nikola Jokic vs Tim Duncan debate
01:38:12 NBA looking into helping defensive players
01:59:32 Outro and closing thoughts

Joel Embiid, NBA MVP, Philadelphia 76ers, NBA playoffs, Atlantic Files

Joel Embiid Wins MVP, Celtics and Knicks On The Brink | TAF271

On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Joel Embiid finally wins his first MVP over Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Philadelphia 76ers have pushed the Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination, the New York Knicks are also trying to fend off elimination in their series, and more NBA Playoffs observations!

Joel Embiid has been a part of the highly debated MVP conversation over the last 2-to-3 seasons and it was finally his time to shine. With a substantial portion of the vote, he won his first MVP award over Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. This doesn’t exactly end the debate as people will likely talk about it for years to come, but no one can take away the MVP honors.

After a surprising Game 5 win, the Philadelphia 76ers pushed the Boston Celtics to the brink of elimination. Doc Rivers doesn’t have a great track record in series-clinching games and the Celtics are not a team that will go down without a fight. Can Joel Embiid and company actually push through the second round or will it be a Game 7 and maybe even a similar fate to the last few seasons?

The New York Knicks are in the same boat as the Celtics as they find themselves down 2-3 to the Miami Heat. A big Game 5 propelled them into at least one more game with Jalen Brunson leading the way as usual. The rest of the team just needs to step up so that Brunson doesn’t have to do everything the rest of the way.

Then, there are the two Western Conference semifinals, which have been entertaining in their own right. Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets have been pushing the Suns around for the most part and LeBron James is determined to make father time look like a joke. Who do you have coming out of the West?

Finally, a surprising name popped up in the Toronto Raptors head coaching search. JJ Redick apparently was interviewed for the opening despite never openly showing any interest in actually being a coach. This could be something to watch closely moving forward!

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Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:35 Joel Embiid wins 2023 NBA MVP
00:11:13 Sixers win Game 5, could eliminate Celtics
00:31:36 Knicks down 2-3 to Miami
00:36:39 Nuggets vs Suns and Lakers vs Warriors series
00:46:49 JJ Redick interviewed for head coach of Toronto
00:48:42 outro