On episode 304 of The Atlantic Files, Dmitry Bergen of the Plan C Podcast joins the show again! We review the trades that went down at the NBA Trade Deadline, Dennis Schroder’s first action with the Brooklyn Nets, Buddy Hield and Cam Payne’s abilities for the Philadelphia 76ers, Deandre Ayton crumbling in Portland, and the Jusuf Nurkic versus Draymond Green beef continues!
The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers both made some moves right before the trade deadline. The Sixers made some head-scratching ones but also brought in the likes of Buddy Hield who provides the type of shooting and scoring that they’ve needed for a long time. The Nets, on the other hand, got rid of an underperforming Spencer Dinwiddie and brought in a better shooter in Dennis Schroder.
Then, there were all of the other trades that took place before the deadline. The New York Knicks were the hands-down winners of the trade deadline and they have improved their team greatly. Now, they have to put all of the pieces together on the court. Did the deadline help or hurt the top teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and Minnesota Timberwolves though?
Finally, we look at some of the “background” things happening in the NBA. Jusuf Nurkic and Draymond Green are still beefing and it doesn’t look like that’s going to end any time soon. It does make for great television! Then, there have been some bad reports coming out of Portland on the mentality of Deandre Ayton. He was once regarded as a top big man, but has fallen off that podium a long time ago.
Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:09:26 Food service industry and tipping practices 00:15:13 Buddy Hield trade and 76ers rookies 00:30:01 Chicago Bulls and trade deadline reviews 00:35:05 Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics are opposites 00:58:48 Brooklyn Nets trades and Dennis Schroder 01:19:06 Jusuf Nurkic vs Draymond Green beef 01:32:37 Bad reports about Deandre Ayton 02:01:16 Origins of the Plan C F1 Podcast 02:18:30 Outro and closing thoughts
The NBA Playoffs and Play-In Games are in full swing, and fans across the world are excited to see their favorite teams compete for the championship. Two of the teams in the spotlight this year are the Atlanta Hawks and the Los Angeles Lakers. In this episode, we’ll take a look at the past and present of the Atlanta Hawks, recap the NBA Playoffs and Play-In Games, provide predictions for the postseason, and discuss some of the off-court drama involving NBA players.
I. Atlanta Hawks: Past and Present
The Atlanta Hawks franchise has a rich history that dates back to the 1940s, but they have yet to win an NBA championship. Despite this, the Hawks have made several playoff appearances in recent years, including this year’s Playoffs. The Hawks are led by Trae Young, who is widely regarded as one of the best young players in the league. Young has been instrumental in the Hawks’ success this season, averaging 25.3 points and 9.4 assists per game.
II. NBA Playoffs and Play-In Games: Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers
The Play-In Games were introduced to the NBA this year, and they have already provided some thrilling matchups. In the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Miami Heat in a tense battle. The Hawks emerged victorious, thanks in part to Trae Young’s 25-point performance. The Hawks will now face the Boston Celtics in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
The Los Angeles Lakers have also had an eventful season, with several injuries and lineup changes. Despite this, the Lakers managed to secure the seventh seed in the Western Conference and earned a spot in the Playoffs. In their recent game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers came out on top, with LeBron James leading the charge with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.
LeBron James has been a force to be reckoned with in the NBA Playoffs throughout his career, with four championships to his name. James has won a total of 172 playoff games, which is the most in NBA history. The Lakers will face the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the Playoffs, and fans are eagerly anticipating another dominant performance from James and the Lakers.
As for predictions, it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top this year. The Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Milwaukee Bucks are all strong contenders, but the playoffs are known for producing unexpected upsets and breakout performances. One player to keep an eye on is Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies, who has been making waves with his electrifying play.
III. Off-Court Drama: Kyle Kuzma and Spencer Dinwiddie
In addition to the on-court action, there has been some drama brewing off the court involving NBA players Kyle Kuzma and Spencer Dinwiddie. The two players have been engaged in a feud on social media, with Dinwiddie calling out Kuzma for his lackluster performance on the court. It’s unclear what sparked the feud, but some speculate that it may have to do with Kuzma’s recent breakup with model Winnie Harlow.
IV. Coaching Changes in the NBA
This year has also seen several coaching changes in the NBA. The most high-profile of these changes was the firing of Nate McMillan from the Atlanta Hawks. Other coaches who were let go include Dwane Casey of the Detroit Pistons and Stephen Silas of the Houston Rockets.
There has been some discussion about whether there is discrimination among NBA coaches based on their race. In the 2020-21 season, only seven out of 30 NBA head coaches were Black. This has led to some criticism of the NBA and calls for more diversity and inclusion in coaching positions. Now, head coaches seem to be trending toward fewer white candidates as more and more coaches get their first shot with teams at all different points of competition level.
The NBA Playoffs and Play-In Games have provided fans with plenty of excitement and drama this year. The Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Lakers are both in the mix, with the Hawks looking to make a deep playoff run and the Lakers hoping to defend their championship title. Off the court, there have been some interesting developments, including the feud between Kyle Kuzma and Spencer Dinwiddie and the coaching changes across the league. Regardless of what happens, fans can look forward to a thrilling postseason full of surprises and standout performances.
Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:06:44 Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat play-in game 00:29:49 Los Angeles Lakers vs Minnesota Timberwolves play-in game 00:42:28 Toronto Raptor vs Chicago Bulls Play-In game preview 00:49:43 Oklahoma City Thunder vs New Orleans Pelicans play-in game preview 00:50:18 Spencer Dinwiddie and Kyle Kuzma beef 01:07:14 Dwane Casey and Stephen Silas no longer head coaches 01:09:08 Are NBA coaches getting fired due to race? 01:28:14 Lakers or Hawks, who is more likely to pull off an upset 01:30:01 Remember this guy? 01:36:03 Outro
On this week’s episode of The Atlantic Files, Kyrie Irving gets shipped off to the Dallas Mavericks while Spencer Dinwiddie comes back to Brooklyn, Pascal Siakam and Bones Hyland are rumored to be on the move amongst others, fights broke out between Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks plus Mo Bamba and Austin Rivers, we make our own NBA All-Star picks and talk about the snubs, plus more!
The biggest news in the Atlantic Division right now is obviously Kyrie Irving demanding a trade and then getting shipped right out to the Dallas Mavericks. He and Markieff Morris are on the way to Texas while Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, multiple second-round picks, and a 2029 first-round pick are headed to Brooklyn. Dinwiddie may not want to get too comfortable as there are already rumors that the Nets could then flip him over to Toronto for Fred VanVleet.
Other players that are rumored to be on the trade block right now include Bones Hyland, Pascal Siakam, Cam Reddish, and Furkan Korkmaz, among others. Who is most likely to get shipped to another team and who would benefit their team more if they stayed and had some pieces around them?
In non-trade news, fights have been popping up across the league at what seems like a very high rate. Not only are they entertaining because fights rarely happen, but the one between Austin Rivers and Mo Bamba was just straight comedy. Dillon Brooks and Donovan Mitchell also got into a scuffle after Brooks took a cheap shot which didn’t surprise many people.
Finally, we talked about the 2023 NBA All-Star snubs as well as the players that were selected that probably didn’t deserve to be there. So, we picked our own All-Stars! Let us know which ones you think deserved to be in the All-Star game.
Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:09:58 Kyrie Irving traded to Dallas for Spencer Dinwiddie 00:35:15 Bones Hyland, Pascal Siakam, and other rumored trades 00:46:46 Donovan Mitchell vs Dillon Brooks plus more NBA fights 01:06:13 2023 NBA All-Star snubs and we pick our own 01:30:07 Outro
