Tag / san antonio spurs

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

Trae Young’s Future, NBA Draft Lottery, NBA Playoffs Heat Up | TAF312

Welcome back to another episode of The Atlantic Files! In today’s show, we’ve got an exciting lineup of topics to cover, including the results of the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, the latest NBA mock drafts, swirling trade rumors involving star players Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, and an update on the ongoing action in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Join us as we delve into the latest news, rumors, and insights from the world of basketball. Let’s get started!

2024 NBA Draft Lottery Results: We kick off the episode with a breakdown of the results from the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery. With the draft order now set, teams are gearing up to make their selections and add promising young talent to their rosters. We analyze the implications of the lottery results for teams at the top of the draft board and discuss potential draft strategies.

2024 NBA Mock Drafts: Shifting our focus to the upcoming NBA Draft, we explore the latest mock drafts and projections for the top prospects in the 2024 draft class. From potential lottery picks to sleeper selections, we analyze the players expected to make waves in the NBA and discuss their fit with various teams.

Trade Rumors Surrounding Trae Young and Dejounte Murray: Next up, we delve into the swirling trade rumors involving star players Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. With speculation mounting about potential trade destinations and package deals, we examine the likelihood of these blockbuster trades and discuss the potential impact on the teams involved.

2024 NBA Playoffs Update: Turning our attention to the postseason, we provide an update on the action-packed 2024 NBA Playoffs. From thrilling matchups to standout performances, we analyze the latest developments and storylines shaping the playoff landscape. With teams battling it out for a shot at the championship, we discuss the key factors influencing playoff outcomes.

Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
03:12 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, Mock Drafts
23:17 Reports on Trae Young and Dejounte Murray
33:51 2024 NBA Playoffs updates
47:26 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

James Harden Unleashed & The Wemby and Holmgren Show | TAF293

On episode 293 of The Atlantic Files, James Harden says he was on a leash in Philadelphia and he isn’t a system player, Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are putting on a show, two Atlantic division teams are at the top of the East while the others have shown a mixed bag, and the Milwaukee Bucks haven’t been as good as expected so far.

James Harden did his first press conference since joining the Los Angeles Clippers and he talks about how he was on a leash in Philadelphia and that he needs a coach that he can trust who will also trust him. This is news to all of us, including Joel Embiid who was confused by his comments and said that they gave him the ball on every possession. Make this drama make sense, please!

Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks have yet to show their full potential after suffering a couple of bad losses in the early going of this season. Inefficient shooting, poor defense, and ejections have caused the team to look like they regressed from last year. Is this team actually as much of a title contender as everyone thought or did they ship out too much of their depth to be as good as they used to be?

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren have been garnering all the hype for quite a while now. Deservedly so, these two rookies have lived up to all of the expectations and then some! Both of them have turned into must-see TV and have raised the level of each of their teams. This race for Rookie of the Year may be one of the closest in a long time!

Finally, we take a look at the Atlantic Division so far and how they’ve fared over the first few weeks of the season. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are at the top of the division and the conference while the other three are all next to each other in play-in territory. This is shaping up to be a fun year!

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Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:07 James Harden on a leash?!
00:29:42 Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks
00:44:30 Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren are awesome
00:56:22 The Atlantic Division so far
01:09:31 Outro

by Alex Fischbein

James Harden vs Daryl Morey Cage Match! | TAF282

In episode 282 of The Atlantic Files, James Harden calls Daryl Morey a liar and won’t play for him, Daryl Morey isn’t surprised and stands his ground, the 2023 FIBA World Cup starts soon, we do our first divisional preview starting with the Southwest division, Dennis gives his fantasy basketball rankings for points leagues, and more!

James Harden was on tour in China with Adidas and fielded questions after an event where he took the chance to throw some shots at Daryl Morey. He called Morey a liar and said that he will not play for a franchise that Morey is a part of and he repeated a second time to make sure everyone understood. He obviously knew his audience and that people in China aren’t big fans of Morey. This moves the process to a whole new level of confusion.

The 2023 FIBA World Cup starts in a couple of weeks so we look at some of the rosters of the countries that are participating. We give our thoughts on the top rosters and the teams that have the best chance of taking home the gold.

Then, we kick off our divisional preview series as we take a look at the upcoming season for the Southwest Division. The Memphis Grizzlies won’t have Ja Morant for a chunk of the season and the Houston Rockets improved greatly. Will the New Orleans Pelicans finally stay healthy and realize their potential, or will they tank?

Finally, our very own Dennis Clausen put out his rankings for the 2023-24 fantasy basketball season. The rankings are geared toward points leagues so we discuss the top 30 players and whether or not we agree or think others deserve the spot instead.

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

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:54 James Harden calls Daryl Morey a liar
00:34:13 2023 FIBA World Cup thoughts
00:51:32 2023-24 Southwest division preview
01:16:34 Dennis’s 2023-24 fantasy basketball points rankings
01:43:15 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

Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans, Atlantic Files, Podcast
by Alex Fischbein

Are Zion Williamson and The New Orleans Pelicans Contenders | TAF255

On this week’s episode of the Atlantic Files Podcast, are Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans for real, Cade Cunningham is likely out for the season, the NBA awards received some new names, Jakob Poeltl is potentially on the trade block, who is returning to form more the Brooklyn Nets or the Philadelphia 76ers, Kyle Kuzma wants out and wants a lot of money, and who should trade for Bojan Bogdanovic.

Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans have been the talk of the league as they take over the first seed in the Western Conference. Both parties have been great this season and have defied many expectations. The Pelicans have had tons of injuries yet have stayed afloat to be a half-game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies. Williamson has slowly been returning to his dominant self as he continues to score with the best of them. The real question is whether or not they are true NBA Finals contenders.

In unfortunate news, Cade Cunnigham has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to receiving shin surgery. The Detroit Pistons weren’t competing for much other than a shot at Victor Wembanyama, but it’s still a big blow to the excitement surrounding the team. Hopefully, it’s only a one-season occurrence.

The NBA decided to change the names of all of their season awards to commemorate some of the best players to come through the league. On top of that, they changed the look of all of them. We went through and decided if each one was a good or bad idea.

A couple of names have appeared on the trade block, Jakob Poeltl and Bojan Bogdanovic. Naturally, that means it’s time to predict who will trade for each one and which team should be trading for each one.

It’s time for another Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers debate. Both teams are returning to the form that many expected so which team is MORE back? Sure, that might not make sense, but you knew what we meant.

Finally, Kyle Kuzma is apparently making contract demands and team requests. He wants a lot of money from either a big market team or a competing team. Two scenarios that do not favor his wishes whatsoever. This should be interesting.

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

Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
04:52 Cade Cunningham out for the year
10:20 Are Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans true contenders?
29:38 Brooklyn Nets or Philadelphia 76ers, who’s more back
38:04 New NBA Award names, good or bad idea
44:24 Jakob Poeltl and Bojan Bogdanovic, who should trade for them
51:48 Kyle Kuzma’s outrageous demands
55:00 Outro

Steve Nash, Fired, Brooklyn Nets, Ime Udoka, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Steve Nash Is Fired For Ime Udoka In Brooklyn | TAF250

This week on The Atlantic Files Podcast, Steve Nash was fired as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets and the reports said Ime Udoka was going to be hired in his place, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons continues the Nets clown show, Josh Primo gets waived by the San Antonio Spurs, the Philadelphia 76ers have two second rounders taken away, Adam Silver proposes a salary hard cap, Luka Doncic shows why he can win MVP, we talk about our favorite surprise starts, and more!

In case you haven’t heard about the big news, Steve Nash was actually fired from his head coaching position with the Brooklyn Nets. After the team started just 2-5, he’s now looking for another team to lead that doesn’t have a bunch of weird stars and sideshows. Ime Udoka, fresh off of a year-long suspension with the Boston Celtics is now the next in line. The Nets just really wanted to make things weirder than they already were.

Speaking of sideshows, the Philadelphia 76ers are now losing two of their second-round picks due to tampering. The issues stemmed from their recruitment of Danuel House and PJ Tucker. You can debate whether or not House might be worth it, but Tucker sure has been.

The other big news this week was when Joshua Primo all of a sudden was waived by the San Antonio Spurs. At first, everyone was confused. Then, Primo released a statement talking about working on his mental health. THEN, there was a statement about how Primo was caught exposing himself to multiple women. That’s a rollercoaster ride right there.

Finally, we talk about our favorite surprise starts to the season, Luka Doncic dominating like an MVP, the next coach that could possibly be fired, and we give some fantasy basketball advice!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:47 Steve Nash Fired as Brooklyn Nets Coach
00:19:51 Ime Udoka next in line for Brooklyn Coaching job
00:24:38 Kyrie Irving’s anti-semitic movie and Ben Simmons’ issues
00:34:36 Philadelphia 76ers get tampering punishments for PJ Tucker
00:40:25 Josh Primo is waived for exposing himself to women
00:44:13 Luka Doncic is the early MVP favorite
00:50:58 Our favorite surprise starts in the NBA
00:58:54 We predict the next NBA head coach to be let go
01:05:56 Fantasy Basketball minute with Big Sexy
01:11:06 Closing

Ben Simmons, Brooklyn Nets, JJ Redick, Ime Udoka, Boston Celtics, Atlantic Files
by Alex Fischbein

Ben Simmons, Ime Udoka, and Southwest Division | TAF245

This week on the Atlantic Files, we give our thoughts on the Ben Simmons interview on JJ Redick’s podcast, Ime Udoka’s suspension from the Boston Celtics, the biggest quotes and takeaways from NBA Media Day, and we continue our division preview series with the Southwest Division.

Ben Simmons finally came forward and gave his thoughts and explanations on all of the topics that Philadelphia 76ers fans and NBA fans alike wanted to hear. The topics ranged from the passed-up dunk against Trae Young, to what went wrong in Philly, to working on his shooting in Brooklyn after the debacle in the last 5 seasons. We reacted to our favorite quotes and soundbites of the interview.

The other biggest news coming out of the Atlantic Division was the suspension of Ime Udoka. Boston’s head coach was caught in a relationship with a female staffer and allegedly made unwanted comments toward women in the organization. Everyone who reported on the matter before anything was official, made the situation even messier. Reports said the relationship was consensual but then as more information came out, it sounded like the opposite was true. Now, the Boston Celtics start their training camp in turmoil instead of a team fresh off of a great Finals run with their eyes set on another.

Speaking of training camp and the start of the new season, teams around the league held their annual media day! Fans got to hear their favorite players talk about the upcoming season and any storylines still lingering. Also, we got to see any new players on their new teams. Media day is always exciting as it marks the coming days of a new season with a lot in store! We reacted to our favorite interviews, quotes, and more from this year’s media day.

Then, we continued our annual divisional preview series. This week, the Southwest division is on the docket. Will Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks take the division throne, or will the Memphis Grizzlies stay on top?

Finally, we had our “Whatchu Got” segment that ranged from pumpkin spice to Marcus Jordan getting spotted with Larsa Pippen!

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:06:19 Reaction to Ben Simmons on JJ Redick’s podcast
00:33:52 Reactions and takeaways from NBA Media day
00:59:34 Ime Udoka suspended, situation got messy!
01:12:05 2022-23 NBA Southwest division preview
01:27:49 Marcus Jordan with Larsa Pippen now??
01:30:23 New Redeem team doc teaser with Kobe Bryant
01:36:41 Matisse Thybulle vs Ben Simmons in threes
01:37:38 Are you a pumpkin flavor fan?
01:39:33 Thank you for 200 subscribers!

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