The Atlantic Files

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#269: Joel Embiid vs Mikal Bridges, NBA Playoffs Heat Up Apr 21, 2023

Show notes

The big playoff series for this podcast is the Brooklyn Nets vs Philadelphia 76ers. Mikal Bridges has proven to be a big-time scorer as he flashes his abilities in the playoffs for the first time as the number one option. Joel Embiid has shown a willingness to pass out of double teams and take more of what the defense gives him. This formula has turned into a 2-0 lead for Philly. The other two Atlantic teams are in opposite levels of entertainment values. The Boston Celtics are blowing the doors off of the Atlanta Hawks and it seems as though that series will be over in a hurry. The New York Knicks, on the other hand, could be in a seven-game classic against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jalen Brunson has led the Knicks to new heights and looks primed to take them to the second round for the first time in a long time. Then, around the league, we have entertaining series in the Suns vs Clippers, Kings vs Warriors, and Bucks vs Heat. The biggest storylines have been the injuries and Draymond Green getting tossed and suspended for stomping on Domantas Sabonis' chest. Do you think the one-game suspension is deserved or do you think it should have been more or less? Finally, Jaren Jackson Jr. and De'Aaron Fox won Defensive Player of the Year and Clutch Player of the Year respectively. During recording, Mike Brown was also named Coach of the Year. How deserving are these three? Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:10 Joel Embiid, Mikal Bridges, Sixers vs Nets 00:22:11 Knicks vs Cavs tied 1-1 00:38:20 NBA Playoffs observations from around the league 00:53:17 Draymond Green suspended for stomp 00:57:55 Jaren Jackson Jr and De'Aaron Fox win awards 01:00:29 Outro

#268: Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Lakers, And Coaches Fired Apr 12, 2023

Show notes

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 article, 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. 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. 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. 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

#267: The NBA Playoffs Are Coming! Apr 05, 2023

Show notes

On this week's episode of The Atlantic Files, we welcome BJ Boyer back to the show as we preview the 2022-23 NBA Playoffs, go over the scenarios some teams need to still make the playoffs or play-in tournament, talk about the crazy rollercoaster of a season that the Los Angeles Lakers have had, go over some things in the new CBA, talk about the downfall of the Dallas Mavericks, and more! A friend of the show and local Los Angeles Lakers fan, BJ Boyer, joined this week's episode to explain his feelings on the current iteration of the team and how much of a rollercoaster ride this season was. He even predicted how long this core will last until they finally have to blow it up again. Then, we got into some of the specifics that have reportedly been included in the league's new collective bargaining agreement. The CBA has included things from game limits to qualify for regular season awards to some very interesting salary cap rules that will force general managers to play some crazy cap gymnastics. We gave our thoughts on some of the changes and dove into a lot of details. Finally, we talked about the downfall of the Dallas Mavericks and started to preview the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Which top teams in each conference are more likely to lose in an upset and which ones will actually make the Conference Finals? Should the Philadelphia 76ers want to play against the Milwaukee Bucks instead of the Boston Celtics, or should they just jump in against either one of them? We go in-depth into those questions and more! Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:49 Los Angeles Lakers season explained 00:34:34 The NBA's new CBA, salary cap, and more 00:57:16 2023 NBA Playoffs predictions and preview 01:39:18 Remember this guy? 01:41:53 Outro

#266: Jaylen Brown Speaks On Boston Celtics Fans Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

On this week's episode of The Atlantic Files, Jaylen Brown had some things to say about the Boston Celtics fanbase and whether or not he sees himself staying in Boston longer than his current contract, Ja Morant gets an eight-game suspension and gets "treatment," Michael Jordan is selling a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets, Giannis Antetokounmpo gives his thoughts on the MVP criteria, Lonzo Ball could miss another entire season, and more! Jaylen Brown in an interview with the New York Times talked about some struggles he's been through while living in Boston. He was unable to get a business going and he wasn't even able to buy a house due to the color of his skin, and he talked about how toxic a certain part of the Celtics fan base can be. In a separate interview with The Ringer, he wouldn't commit to staying in Boston after his current contract is up. He said that he wants to feel needed and they'll see if that's the case. Giannis Antetokounmpo said something that all NBA fans are thinking. The MVP criteria change every day and he's confused as to what the criteria are now. How can he know that he deserves to win the MVP or if someone else is leading due to narrative changes and certain criteria getting thrown out the window? Ja Morant was suspended for eight games due to flashing a gun on Instagram Live while being investigated for his part in a handful of other shady reports. After seeking treatment in Florida and putting out an interview where he said he doesn't condone violence, he's set to return to the court for Memphis. Was this suspension too light? Lastly, Lonzo Ball now may miss another full season after getting his third surgery on his knee. We're wishing him a speedy recovery but the likelihood of him returning to his usual form is not very high. Also, Michael Jordan is selling a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets and the fans in Charlotte may finally see a solid team for once. Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:07:51 Jaylen Brown talks Boston Celtics fans and toxicity 00:32:18 Giannis Antetokounmpo talks about the MVP criteria 00:47:26 Ja Morant's suspension and treatment 00:55:17 Lonzo Ball may miss another season 00:57:25 Michael Jordan selling majority stake in Charlotte Hornets 01:06:46 Remember this guy? 01:18:12 Outro

#265: Ja Morant And New York Knicks Stock Watch Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

The beef of the ages is happening between Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks. Two people who aren't very relevant this season when it comes to outstanding play and winning awards. They sure now how to keep their names in the news and everyone's mind though! Stop me if you've heard this before: Kyrie Irving went on another rant. This time it was about how gambling and sports betting are ruining the sport of basketball and how he doesn't feel free right now. Yikes. Finally, Fred VanVleet has finally spoken up about some unfair officiating and other players around the league are starting to agree with him. Could this launch some sort of investigation? Probably not, but it makes everyone wonder. Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:24 Ja Morant's off-court drama 00:26:24 Draymond Green vs Dillon Brooks beef 00:36:03 New CBA and games played minimum for awards 00:45:49 American White guys are not good at basketball 00:55:38 Kyrie Irving rants about gambling and basketball 01:04:58 New York Knicks are getting hot at the right time 01:09:55 Fred VanVleet vs the NBA Referees 01:17:58 Remember this guy? 01:20:56 Outro

#264: Jayson Tatum Still Owns The Philadelphia 76ers Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

On this week's episode of The Atlantic Files, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics put away the Philadelphia 76ers yet again, the Brooklyn Nets start to struggle, Russell Westbrook's first game with the Los Angeles Clippers, historic games since the All-Star break, Jimmy Butler frustrated with Miami's record, and much more! In case anyone missed it, Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics had an instant classic type of game against Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers last weekend. The game was ultimately decided by a game-winning shot by Tatum and even though Embiid made a three-quarter-court shot, it didn't count and the Celtics won. Why can't the Sixers ever beat the Celtics and what will it take for them to actually have playoff success? To nobody's surprise, the Brooklyn Nets are starting to struggle after trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. While they found a gem in Mikal Bridges, he hasn't exactly been enough to stay afloat and keep this team in the top half of the Eastern Conference. So, where do they go from here? Ever since the worst NBA All-Star Game of all time, we've now seen some of the greatest regular season games of all time. The double overtime contest between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings was an instant all-timer while there have been even more close games, buzzer-beaters, and overtimes. Russell Westbrook contributed right away to the Clippers in their starting lineup and we've seen some more interesting performances from other additions around the league. Load management is a hot topic yet again across the league and across all the national media outlets. There was a big debate on First Take and everyone else has followed suit across other podcasts and shows everywhere. Where do you stand on the load management debate and why is it on the side that players need to be available more often? Finally, Jimmy Butler let his frustrations get out during a post-game interview and now it calls the Miami Heat to question as they continue to underperform down the stretch. They haven't had a fully healthy team all season and while the addition of Kevin Love has been great, it doesn't seem to be enough right now. Can they actually make any noise come playoff time? Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:54 Jayson Tatum's game winner over the Philadelphia 76ers 00:15:28 Doc Rivers needs to make more adjustments 00:31:52 Brooklyn Nets are struggling now 00:40:20 Load Management in the NBA is a hot topic again 01:04:57 Double overtime games and excitement so far after the break 01:13:16 Jimmy Butler is fed up with losing 01:22:44 Remember this guy? 01:27:25 Outro

#263: 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend Was Garbage Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

On this week's episode of The Atlantic Files, we give our thoughts and reactions to the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend festivities, Russell Westbrook reportedly heading to the Los Angeles Clippers, Kevin Love nearing a deal with the Miami Heat, and rest of the season predictions and outlooks. Now that we're already nearing the end of February, the 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend has come and gone. Another weekend of boring basketball, boring contests, and everyone talking about how player x saved the dunk contest and player z saved the All-Star game. The truth is that it's beyond saving and we'll explain why! Outside of the All-Star festivities, Russell Westbrook is heading to the Los Angeles Clippers to join his old friend Paul George. He doesn't even have to move cities and he went from a struggling squad to a firm playoff contender. Will Westbrook push this team over the edge though? Speaking of buyout players moving teams, Kevin Love is reportedly going to sign with the Miami Heat after getting bought out in Cleveland. Does this signing really make much of a difference for Miami's championship odds or is there a lot more needed to put them up in the top four of the East? Finally, we took a look ahead to the rest of the regular season and which teams might make a true push while others fall back and potentially miss the playoffs altogether. Who do you have as a dark-horse contender? Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:07:20 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend thoughts and reactions 00:50:00 Russell Westbrook to the Los Angeles Clippers 01:05:44 Kevin Love heading to the Miami Heat 01:11:02 Predictions for the rest of the NBA Regular Season 01:17:23 Remember this guy, trivia 01:24:02 Outro

#262: Kevin Durant To Phoenix And Brooklyn's New Start Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

On this week's episode of The Atlantic Files, Kevin Durant was finally moved to the Phoenix Suns while the madness of the NBA Trade Deadline was one to remember, we go over every big deal from the deadline, how the Brooklyn Nets will hit the restart button, Durant's frustrations with Ben Simmons, the hit pieces surround Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis not celebrating LeBron James making history, and more! Kevin Durant requested a trade so fast after Kyrie Irving was shipped out that everyone wasn't even prepared to fathom the team without him. The only possible team he could play for happened to be one of the Western favorites in the Phoenix Suns because he just couldn't see himself playing for any other team in the league. So, do the Suns automatically become title favorites, or do the Boston Celtics still have an argument? The 2023 NBA trade deadline gave us a lot of smaller deals to talk about on top of the big dominoes that finally fell. James Wiseman, Saddiq Bey, Bones Hyland, Mason Plumlee, Matisse Thybulle, and Jalen McDaniels are all on the move, and that's only a few names. We broke down the bigger trades that happened and discussed which teams won their respective deals. One report coming out of the Nets camp is that Durant was also fed up with Ben Simmons and the number of people that seem to coddle him throughout all of his mistakes and shortcomings on the court. This sounds eerily familiar as if something like this happened before with another superstar named Jimmy Butler. Simmons is now seeing his minutes disappear before his very eyes in every game. Finally, there are a couple of stories stemming from the Los Angeles Lakers dealing with both Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. Davis looked like he was really hating life as LeBron James made history while there were hit pieces galore coming out about Westbrook just because he was finally traded. Ah, don't you just love media stories that really don't mean anything and could even be made up for views? Timecodes: 00:00:00 Intro 00:02:24 Kevin Durant traded to Phoenix reactions and thoughts 00:29:33 Takeaways from 2023 NBA Trade Deadline 00:58:58 Anthony Davis hating life while LeBon makes history 01:03:30 Russell Westbrook hit pieces need to stop 01:10:50 KD frustrated with Ben Simmons and people coddling him 01:22:47 2023 NBA All-Star Weekend predictions 01:30:40 Outro

#261: Kyrie Irving Traded To Dallas Mavericks Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

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, 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

#260: Joel Embiid Snubbed From NBA All-Star Start Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

On this week's episode of The Atlantic Files, Joel Embiid was snubbed from becoming a starter in the 2023 NBA All-Star game, the Philadelphia 76ers are streaking as they took down the Brooklyn Nets and Nikola Jokic, a weird scorekeeper conspiracy surrounding Jaren Jackson Jr., Nets fans now asking for Ben Simmons to be traded, and more! The starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star game have been announced! Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Tyrese Haliburton were some notable names left off of the list, but others have been debated as snubs as well. Who do you think the biggest starting snub is this year? Once on a seven-game win streak, the Philadelphia 76ers were looking like serious championship contenders. They had everything clicking and their big three was firing on all cylinders despite Tyrese Maxey moving to a bench role. During rivals week, they took down the Brooklyn Nets and Nikola Jokic in convincing fashion, so is it time to dub them as legit contenders? Jaren Jackson Jr. has been at the center of one of the weirdest conspiracies in the NBA. If you had scorekeeper conspiracy on your NBA bingo card, then you must have known something that no one else knew. Stemming from Reddit, people found that his stats at home are bolstered way over the ones on the road despite playing the same amount of games for each. Finally, should Ben Simmons get traded again? Brooklyn Nets fans are fed up with his lack of scoring and aggressiveness. There are memes and tweets galore asking for him to be traded for someone that is actually going to help them come playoff time. Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 06:49 Sixers win streak, games against Brooklyn and Nikola Jokic 17:02 Should the Nets trade Ben Simmons? 29:18 LeBron James throws a tantrum after no foul call against Celtics 37:34 Jaren Jackson Jr. and the scorekeeper conspiracy 43:32 Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and NBA All-Star snubs 53:03 Mike's favorite sports teams, choose one 58:07 Outro

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