Game Theory Podcast

This is one of the best NBA seasons ever, and it's because the star power across the league is playing at the highest level imaginable. The league has never been deeper with stars than it is right now. For 20 minutes, Danny Leroux joins the show and we talk about all of the utterly elite performances we're seeing on a nightly basis from Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Giannis, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Steph prior to his injury, LeBron, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Ja Morant and all of the other amazing players who have continued to step up league wide. Then, we talk about the MVP race between Jokic, Embiid and Giannis, and finished with some talk about the weird Defensive Player of the Year race, which is littered with injuries from the best candidates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam Vecenie and Matt Pennie are here to break down all of the NCAA Tournament Bracket reveal. We run through region by region, breaking down all of the matchups, the NBA prospects, the big picture takeaways, and more from an eventful Sunday in sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie and they talk about eight players who have the most to gain or lose as March Madness gets going. The first of those names is Chet Holmgren, and they start with 20 minutes on the conversation surrounding Chet, including why he's such a monster and why the conversation needs to shift from what he doesn't have to how complete his game is. (0:00-20:00)Then, they chat about Ochai Agbaji, Jaden Ivey, AJ Griffin, TyTy Washington, Tari Eason, Dalen Terry, Alondes Williams and Jake LaRavia. (20:00-42:00Then, they talk NBA Draft Prospects of the Week: Ryan Rollins at Toledo and Matthew Murrell at Ole Miss. (42:00-50:00). Then, they answer mailbag questions (50:00-1:00:00). Finally they close with 15 minutes on The Batman, a fantastic new entry into the series of Batman films from Matt Reeves (1:00:00-end). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Sam Vecenie is joined by Matt Pennie to answer questions regarding the 2022 NBA Draft as we head into March Madness. We start by addressing the MANY rumors that he is a candidate to take over as head coach at his alma mater, UMass.Then we actually dive into draft questions. We address weaknesses that the top pick candidates have in 2022, the best teams to watch in the NCAA Tournament for NBA fans, the players most likely to spike up the board come March Madness. In all, I think we answered over 30 questions in 90 minutes, so we covered a lot of ground! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Andrew Schlecht joins the podcast, and we discuss a fun topic today: how do NBA teams keep fans engaged when the team is tanking? On top of that, how do you be a fan of a rebuilding team? The Oklahoma City Thunder have done a great job of both this season, featuring in the top half of all NBA teams in local TV ratings while also putting a fun, exciting product on the floor while losing, so Schlecht joins the show to break down what they've done right. On top of it, we then create a to-do list for all teams and fans for how to create an exciting tanking situation that keeps everyone enthusiastic about the product. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony Jones joins the show with Sam Vecenie to give some fun bold predictions for the rest of the 2022 NBA season in the Western Conference! This is the second part of a two-part episode. The Eastern Conference with Dave DuFour came earlier in the week.In this episode, Sam and Dave bounce back hot takes about the way the rest of the Western Conference season will go. Will the Pelicans get Zion Williamson answers? Can the Lakers do anything to end the season? Will Mikal Bridges win Defensive Player of the Year? Will the Jazz have playoff success? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie in this episode to mock the 2022 NBA Draft by doing a mock draft. At first, we dive deep on the depth of the 2022 draft, breaking down the class as a whole. Then, we make 30 picks. All of the first round. It's fun! See where Chet Holmgren, Paolo Banchero, Jabari Smith, Jaden Ivey, and plenty more end up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dave DuFour joins the show with Sam Vecenie to give some fun bold predictions for the rest of the 2022 NBA season in the Eastern Conference! This is the first part of a two-part episode, with the second part coming on Wednesday on the Western Conference. In this episode, Sam and Dave bounce back hot takes about the way the rest of the Eastern Conference season will go. Giannis for MVP? Chicago out in the playoffs early? DeMar DeRozan makes the Hall of Fame on the back of this season? The Cavaliers fall to the play-in tournament? Or the Cavaliers rise to the No. 1 seed? Boston makes a run and wins two playoff series? All those takes and more, including a random aside on Nikola Jokic and his elite play so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie to break down the 2022 NBA Draft by answering 21 Questions to re-set the process as we get beyond the Super Bowl and basketball starts to take center stage in the consciousness.1. What is your overall thought on the 2022 NBA Draft as we get past the Super Bowl and into the part of the year where everything starts to focus on basketball?2. Who are the contenders for the No. 1 overall pick?3. Chet Holmgren is dominating. Do we chalk this up to playing in the WCC or genuine improvement throughout the year?4. Paolo Banchero has slowed down just a bit from his early dominance, averaging 14.9 points on 14.9 shots per game over his last seven. Is he still a candidate?5. What makes Jabari Smith such an elite prospect?6. Whether or not you agree, scouts generally have Jaden Ivey as the clear top guard prospect. Do you think Purdue's scheme holds him back in terms of production and efficiency, or do you think believe that he's just a bit limited skill wise?7. Who has been the clear breakout prospect of the 2022 NBA Draft cycle?8. Shaedon Sharpe is the 2022 NBA Draft cycle wild card. Where would he be ranked if he enters this process?9. The G League Ignite has a group of players this year that could end up being draft picks. Who is the best of that group, and is this a particularly interesting crop of players?10. Can we expect much from the international class this year?11. Overtime Elite: How is the first year going, and are there interesting prospects there?12. How deep do we believe the 2022 NBA Draft is?13. In that vein, it seems like there is a bizarre mix this year of players who are upperclassmen and more ready to play but with lower upsides, and freshmen who are high-upside but total wild cards. What do scouts do with this?14. What do players do with this? Should these players who aren't actually ready for the NBA try to learn on the job as pros? What kind of risk factor do they have?15. Who do you see as being the player that is being undervalued right now? Is there a potential lottery guy hiding in plain sight?16. For a non-college basketball fan, which teams could they tune into in order to learn the most about this class? Are there teams that play enough of an interesting schedule, or have enough interesting prospects to make such a viewing experience worthwhile?17. Heading into the NCAA Tournament and conference touranmetns, what players do you think can really emerge, given there is SO MUCH opportunity for such emergences?18. Mailbag question19. Mailbag question20. Mailbag question21. Have you watched any movies/TV shows this week? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sam Vecenie is joined by a pair of awesome guests to break down one of the most action-packed NBA Trade Deadlines in recent memory. First, Michael Levin of The Rights to Ricky Sanchez and TV writer fame joins to break down the Ben Simmons-James Harden deal, the biggest midseason trade that has happened in the NBA in a long time. Then, Mo Dakhil joins to break down the rest of the NBA Trade Deadline. We chat Simmons-Harden for a bit at the top, then move to the Kristaps Porzingis move, the Derrick White trade to Boston, the four-teamer involving Donte Divincenzo and Marvin Bagley, the Thad Young-Goran Dragic deal and everything else that occurred -- or in the Lakers case, did not occur -- on a wild deadline day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices