Game Theory Podcast

In this episode, Sam chats with Matt Moore from The Action Network to dive deep into everything NBA MVP as we get into the final week of the season. Is this truly a three-man race between Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid? Could anyone like Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, or others crash the party? We do a dive on ALL of the candidates, including deep dives...

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins the show to break down all of the action we saw this weekend during the Sweet 16 and the Elite 8. Particularly, we focus on the teams who progressed to the Final Four. We talk for 25 minutes about Duke, its prospects, and Coach K. Is Mark Williams a lottery guy? Who is Duke's second-best prospect?  Then we move forward into Kansas, Villanova and North Carolina, a...

Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie to dive DEEP into the first and second rounds of the 2022 NCAA Tournament! We jump in about St. Peter's and how they've found success under Shaheen Holloway, then dive into some draft prospects. Who succeeded and failed in their auditions for NBA teams? Who was the player that helped themselves most? We talk Chet Holmgren and his game against Memphis, Jabari Smith aga...

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 Booke...

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 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information a...

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) Th...

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 Tourna...

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 Schlech...

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 Wil...

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/adcho...

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 ou...

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 th...

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 Deadli...

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie to dive deep into the trades that have occurred in the NBA thus far at the deadline. They start with the Tyrese Haliburton for Domantas Sabonis deal. They talk a lot about the Kings, and what exactly their plan is here. Then they move to the McCollum deal, one that seems almost impossible to evaluate without knowing the context of where Zion Williamso...

Sam Vecenie is joined by The Athletic contributor and pro basketball player Cole Huff to run through some things within the NBA. They start on the Norman Powell/Robert Covington/Keon Johnson deal briefly, then they move to the Wizards being kind of a mess. Should Bradley Beal ask out? What should the team do at the deadline? They then chat about 76ers and the Nets potentially talking again about a...

In this episode, Matt Pennie is here and Sam is sick with vaccine side effects! They trudge through anyway, diving deep on a few topics. First, they break down the race to be the first guard selected in the 2022 NBA Draft. Is it Wisconsin's Johnny Davis, or Purdue's Jaden Ivey? Then, we move to the race to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. We recap Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero and C...

James Edwards from The Athletic joins the show! We break down a few items from the NBA Trade Deadline market, including the Kings apparently being out on Ben Simmons and the Pacers setting a hilarious Caris LeVert price tag, per reports.  Then, we chat about the All-Star teams. We break down the All-Star starters that were named in the East and West last night, including the Andrew Wiggins inclusi...

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie to run through a million things. First, we start with the Ben Simmons/James Harden rumors that have percolated in the last 24 hours. Then, we move to the Shaedon Sharpe report, and what makes him such an interesting prospect for the 2022 NBA Draft if he is eligible and decides to go down that route.  Then we talk #PennieFieldTrip, where this weekend P...

The Athletic's Jared Weiss joins Sam Vecenie to talk about the NBA Trade Deadline, giving a deep dive on where the market stands by talking about the teams and players that will shape this season's event. We dive deep into the following players: Ben Simmons, Myles Turner, Caris LeVert, Jerami Grant, Eric Gordon , Marcus Smart, Talen Horton Tucker, Buddy Hield, Robert Covington, Joe Ingles, and Ken...

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie where they draft college hoops. Particularly, if you had to win a game tomorrow, who would you pick in college hoops? We dive deep, and select eight players each that we would use to fill out a lineup and bench. Team Pennie vs. Team Vecenie: Who You Got? Also, we do a mailbag section with questions on Christian Braun, most shocking NBA Draft picks we...

It's that time of the month! It's Mock Draft SZN. In this episode, Matt Pennie and Sam Vecenie trade off picks, deep diving into the 2022 NBA Draft. We deep dive into players like Jabari Smith, Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jaden Ivey, Johnny Davis, Keegan Murray, TyTy Washington, Blake Wesley, Ochai Agbaji, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy, and plenty others as we run through 30 picks over two hours....

Fred Katz joins Sam Vecenie to hand out some Game Theory midseason NBA hardware! Fred joins and we run give out our ballots for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, and Sixth Man of the Year, while also doing All-NBA and All-Defense at the end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz c...

Seth Partnow joins Sam Vecenie to re-draft the 2019 NBA Draft! Should Ja Morant have gone No. 1 overall, or Zion Williamson? Is Darius Garland a future all-star? Tyler Herro or Jordan Poole? R.J. Barrett or De'Andre Hunter? How has this draft gone so poorly in terms of providing value thus far? What happened? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast...

Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie on the show this week to break down the NBA's rookie class at the midway point of the 2021-22 NBA season. They start with asking the simple question: who has been the best rookie in the 2021-22 NBA rookie class? They talk Evan Mobley, Scottie Barnes, Jalen Green, Jalen Suggs, Cade Cunningham, Franz Wagner, Josh Giddey and plenty more. Then, they answer mailbag questio...

In this episode, Matt Pennie joins Sam Vecenie after a stint in the health and safety protocols. First, they spend 20 minutes chatting about the Boston Celtics. Why are they a mess? What can they do to fix it? How should they go about building this roster long-term? Then, they move to 2022 NBA Draft Wings. First, they break down who they believe to be the top wing in the 2022 NBA Draft, a conversa...