Game Theory Podcast

In this episode, I chat with Blake Murphy about the Eastern Conference as we head down the stretch of the seeding games. We do 30 minutes on the Raptors particularly, and what makes them such a tough out heading into the playoffs. Then we chat Bucks, Celtics, Heat, 76ers and Pacers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I chat with Fred Katz from The Athletic about the Race in the Western Conference. We chat Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Jazz, Rockets, Thunder, and Mavericks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro and NBA trends: 0:00-9:30 Jonathan Isaac Injury: 9:30-22:15 Race for the eighth seed in the Western Conference, including thoughts on Spurs, Suns, Blazers, Grizzlies and Pelicans: 22:15-1:11:00 Philadelphia 76ers: 1:11:00-1:16:30 Skylar Mays Interview: 1:16:30-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro, combine discussion, notes on Big Board: 0:00-16:30 Cole Anthony, Tre Jones, and Kira Lewis: 16:30-40:00 Who is the best wing in the draft?: 40:00-57:30 Elijah Hughes Interview: 59:30-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro: 0:00-3:00 NBA Scrimmage Overreactions with Dave DuFour: 3:00-28:00 Interview with Freddie Gillespie: 30:00-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro and explaining the landscape within which kids have to make their early entry decision: 0:00-22:30 Xavier Tillman: 22:30-30:30 Tyrell Terry: 30:30-35:00 Robert Woodard: 35:00-38:30 Corey Kispert, Jared Butler: 38:30-43:00 Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn, Isaiah Joe, Chris Smith, other rapid fire players: 43:00-51:00 Cassius Winston Interview: 54:00-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a two-part episode, first I chat with Michael Pina about 10 high-variance players who can swing the NBA title race. Then, for the final 25 minutes, I chat with Utah State guard Sam Merrill, who is a top-50 2020 NBA Draft prospect and has helped himself as much as anyone in the pre-draft process. Conversation with Michael Pina: 0:00-1:18:00. We run through Eric Gordon, Eric Bledsoe, Jamal Murray, Kemba Walker, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, OG Anunoby, Marcus Morris, Kristaps Porzingis, Shake Milton and Joel Embiid. Conversation with Sam Merrill: 1:21:00-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro: 0:00-1:30 What does Spencer look for in scouting? 1:30-6:20 Isaiah Stewart: 6:20-14:00 Obi Toppin: 14:00-34:00 Tyrese Haliburton: 34:00-50:00 Killian Hayes: 50:00-1:05:00 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intro: 0:00-4:30  Portland Trail Blazers: 4:30-20:00 Los Angeles Lakers: 20:00-31:00 Los Angeles Clippers: 31:00-41:00 Denver Nuggets: 41:00-52:00 Houston Rockets: 52:00-59:00 Dallas Mavericks: 59:00-1:05:00 Utah Jazz: 1:05:00-1:11:00 Oklahoma City Thunder: 1:11:00-1:18:00 (Rudy Gobert interlude: 1:18:00-1:20:00 Memphis Grizzlies: 1:20:00-1:30:00 New Orleans Pelicans: 1:30:00-1:48:00 Phoenix Suns:  1:48:00-1:52:00 Sacramento Kings: 1:52:00-1:55:00 San Antonio Spurs: 1:55:00-1:57:00 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode Time Stamps:  General Overall Thoughts on the East: 2:00-5:40 Milwaukee Bucks: 5:40-15:30 Toronto Raptors: 15:30-23:10 Miami Heat: 23:10-30:15 Boston Celtics: 30:15-37:45 Philadelphia 76ers: 37:45-46:20 Indiana Pacers: 46:20-50:50 Orlando Magic: 50:50-54:45 Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets: 54:45-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timestamps:  Intro to The Athletic: 0:00 to 4:00 Matt Pennie Intro: 4:10-7:00 Overall Thoughts on 2020 Draft: 7:00-16:00  Nico Mannion: 16:30-24:00 Who would you take at No. 1?: 24:00-31:00 Anthony Edwards: 31:00-39:00 Who is Pennie's favorite prospect? 39:30-45:00 Rapid Fire Prospects: 45:00-End Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Sam is joined by Jon Krawczynski and Danny Leroux to break down NBA defensive standouts. On Wednesday, Krawczynski and Josh Robbins published their anonymous coaches poll of who should make the All-NBA defensive team. What did the coaches look for in their conversations with Jon? What were the trends? Did anything surprise them about how the coaches voted?  Then, I chat with Danny Leroux, and we chat about what we look for when evaluating defenders as public facing analysts. How do we contextualize scheme? How do we look at effort defensively throughout the regular season? Who are some of the best defenders, and what are some of the differences we'd have with the coaches from taking a league-wide view?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A two-part episode. First, I chat with Brian Snow of 247Sports about Emoni Bates and his decision to commit to Michigan State. How good is Bates? Is he a superstar in waiting? What does this mean for Michigan State? And what do you need to know about when he can enter the NBA? Then, Seth Partnow from The Athletic joins and we break down my recently released 2020 NBA Rookie Scale Prospect Rankings. What is the process for something like this? Where does Seth think I missed? Did I get the top 10 guys right?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dieter Kurtenbach is back in this episode of the Game Theory Podcast, where we break down a few different topics about the Bubble, about labor strife in baseball, and most importantly: what are we most looking forward to watching when the NBA returns?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I chatted with Tony Jones from The Athletic, and we chatted about the Kyrie meeting, the NBA Bubble and restart, and the 2020 NBA Draft.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've wanted to get Rashad Phillips on the podcast to chat for a while, so I got on the phone with him today to chat about some of the guards in the 2020 NBA Draft. We disagree a lot! We both like LaMelo Ball, but have very different evaluations on RJ Hampton. We like Grant Riller, but disagree on Jahmi'us Ramsey. All that and more on all of the guards in the 2020 NBA Draft.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I chatted with former NBA agent Matt Babcock from over at Babcock Hoops. We chatted about the top of this draft class, the point guard group, the big men, the weakness of the wing class, and some of the guys you would pound the table for in this class in the second round.  We ran through just about everyone in an hour.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I chat with Dieter Kurtenbach. First, we discuss the G League's initiative to pay high school prospects to turn pro. Why I like the idea of it, but am a bit skeptical going forward.  Second, we chat about The Last Dance, and how great it is while also not bringing anything new to the table.  Finally, we chat about the NFL Draft for a while, and Dieter yells about SPARQ scores.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, current senior writer at The Athletic and former Memphis Grizzlies executive John Hollinger and I break down the 2020 NBA Draft. We run through what we look for in prospects, the pre-draft process's value, and break down a lot of the highest profile prospects in the 2020 draft.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, actual basketball content! We break down the NBA Awards we would vote for if the season ends today (and it looks like it might). MVP, All-NBA, DPOY, all the good stuff. But we open on a couple of things, including a hilarious scuttled Knicks-Hornets deal, and the sham that is the NCAA's agency accreditation process. Finally, we talk about Tiger King and the Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, both of which were definitely experiences.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices