PODCAST · sports
The Playgrounder
by Zach Wilson & Matt Esposito
NBA analysis through the rivalry of a Raptors and a Celtics fan.
Episodes
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Fixing All Star Weekend & Projecting All Star Players' Futures
On this episode, Matt (@MattEsposito_) and Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) talk about ways which they can switch up and fix all star weekend, to make it more entertaining. Then they go through the all star rosters, and project how the remainder of some of the players' careers will play out.
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Western Conference Outlook w/ Jake Fischer
Rob Shaw (@ShawsLawPodcast) joins Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) to discuss the Lloyd Pierce firing, the New York Knicks, and more. Then Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) of Bleacher Report joins the pod to discuss the current outlook of the West, and how he expects it to play out to end the season.
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Are Philly & Utah Real?
Matt (@MattEsposito_) and Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) start by talking about a couple bigs who could be in different uniforms soon, in Kristaps Porzingis and Demarcus Cousins. They then talk about Top Shot, and why they're skeptical. They end the show by discussing some contenders in the league,...
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Toronto Raptors' Trade Deadline Plans w/ Imman
The boys start the show off by discussing the Jalen Johnson situation, and some of the snubs they left off their all star teams. Imman (@_nopename) then joins the show to discuss the Raptors' season, a potential Andre Drummond trade, and if they should be buyers or sellers at the deadline.
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All Star Team Selections
Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) and Matt (@MattEsposito_) discuss the Derrick Rose trade, their thoughts on if the all star game should be played this year, and make their all star selections for the season.
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Top 10 Centers in the League
Matt (@MattEsposito_) and Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) discuss the LeBron vs Fan beef, rank their top 10 centers in the NBA, and finish with a couple rounds of Scary Hour.
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Ranking The League's Top Young Guards
On this episode, the boys discuss the rise of the Cleveland Cavaliers, early-season MVP, and ranking seven of the league's top young guards.
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Canada Basketball w/ Tariq Sbiet
Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) and Matt (@MattEsposito_) kick off the show by discussing the new Nets, Kevin Porter Jr. and Miami's rough start (0:14). Tariq Sbiet (@Tariq_NPH) of North Pole Hoops joins the show to discuss the rise of Canada basketball, and its recruiting, team Canada, Canadian NBA…
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The 4-Way Harden Extravaganza
Matt and Zach discuss the crazy 4-way James Harden deal from the perspective of each team, if each team won or lost the trade, and how it structures the layout of the East.
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Golden State Warriors w/ Connor Letourneau + Kyrie's Absence
Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) begins with his rant about the Toronto Raptors and their struggling season, he and Matt (@MattEsposito_) then discuss Kyrie Irving and his absence, and CJ McCollum's amazing season thus far. To finish the show, Connor Letourneau (@Con_Chron) of the San Francisco Chronicle...
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Early Season West Observations
The Playgrounder Duo discusses all of their observations from the Western Conference, so far this season. From Steph Curry being underrated, to the roller coaster ride of the Clippers, and the classic Embiid vs Jokic debate!
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Early Season East Observations
The boys are back with some early season observations of the Eastern Conference!
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Western Conference Predictions + MVP, DPOY & 6-MAN Predictions
The boys predict standings, all star teams, surprise teams, disappointing teams and more for the Western Conference. They also end the show by predicting their MVP, DPOY and 6-Man of the year for the upcoming season.
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Eastern Conference Predictions + COY, ROY & MIP Predictions
The boys start off by discussing Giannis' max extension, and how the NBA can fix contracts to help smaller markets. They then preview and make all their predictions for the Eastern Conference, including predictions for COY, ROY and MIP.
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Top 50 Players w/ Andrew Lawlow + Houston, We Have A Problem
Today, the boys discuss the Wall - Westbrook trade, Harden not showing up for practice, Kyrie rejecting the media, and the NBA fining players for sitting out prime time games. Andrew Lawlor (@lawlorpalooza) then joins them, as the three discuss and debate their top 50 players lists heading into…
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Philadelpia 76ers - Yaron Weitzman, Christmas Games & Battle of LA - Rob Shaw
Rob Shaw (@ShawsLawPodcast) joins Zach (@ZachWilsonNBA) to discuss Christmas/Opening day games, LeBron's extension, Kawhi's diva'ness, and LiAngelo Ball signing with the Pistons. Zach and Matt (@MattEsposito_) are then joined by Yaron Weitzman (@YaronWeitzman) to discuss his book, "Tanking to the...
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Off Season Review - Western Conference
This time, Zach and Matt bring you the West! Reviewing every west team's draft, free agency and trades. Discussing who did well, who could've done better, and who is set to make the playoffs in this loaded Western Conference.
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Off Season Review - Eastern Conference
Matt and Zach are finally back, reviewing every Eastern Conference team's draft, free agency, and trades.
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Trade Season & Free Agency Frenzy w/ Gerald Brown
Matt and Zach start off by discussing Fred VanVleet's contract, Gordon Hayward's option, Boston trading up in the draft and Chris Paul to the Suns (1:56). Gerald Brown (@GeraldBlss) of SiriusXM NBA Radio then joins the guys to discuss some more free agents, the news of Russell Westbrook wanting...
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Non-All Star Draft w/ Joseph Casciaro, Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History w/ Pat Benson
Matt and Zach are joined by Joseph Casciaro (@JosephCasciaro) to draft teams of players who have never made an all star team in their careers (1:24). They are then joined by Pat Benson (@Pat_Benson_Jr), author of his new book "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History" to discuss the content of the book, his...
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Cleveland Cavaliers w/ Chris Fedor, NBA Would You Rather
Chris Fedor joins the show to discuss the Cavaliers' off season, Tristan Thompson's free agency, trading Kevin Love, Drummond's player option, and more (1:48). Matt and Zach then play would you rather with NBA themed questions, and a couple Non-NBA themed ones as well (30:17).
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Dream Christmas Game Slate, Gordon Hayward + Andre Drummond Player Options
With the news of the new NBA start date, Zach lays out his dream Christmas day slate of games for the upcoming season (1:26). They then discuss Gordon Hayward and Andre Drummond's player options, what they think should and will happen, and some potential destinations for both players (27:37).
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Top 6 Most Intriguing Teams This Off Season
Matt and Zach follow up last week's episode, but this week they discuss the most intriguing teams of the off season. They talk about what they think teams will or should do in free agency, the draft, and trade-wise.
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San Antonio Spurs w/ Jeff Garcia, 2010's Champions Draft w/ Rob Shaw & Geoff Campbell
Matt and Zach start off the show with two fellow Playgrounder's and they compete by drafting teams full of guys who have won championships from 2010-2020 (2:08). Zach then solo interviews Jeff Garcia about the San Antonio Spurs and their off season, DeMar's free agency, the rebuild, and how many...
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Top 10 Most Intriguing Free Agents
Matt and Zach welcome back The News in 5 where they discuss all the recent coaching hires. They then talk about their top 10 most intriguing free agents this off season. Talk about where they'll sign, how much money they'll get, and the lack of potential spending this off season due to the 2021...
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Finals Recap, LeBron vs Jordan, Playoff vs Regular Season Power Rankings, Lakers Future
Matt and Zach hop on the day after game 6 of the finals to talk Canadian Thankgiving, how the Lakers won, the age old Jordan vs LeBron debate, ranking players in the regular season vs playoffs, LA and Miami's future, and Giannis' future decision/current supporting cast!
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Lessons From The Playoffs + Game 4 Recap + Spin Zone
Matt and Zach kick off the episode by recapping game 4 of the NBA Finals (1:10). They then discuss some takeaways and lessons they've learned from the playoffs, including Zach's top 25 players list (26:42). Matt and Zach finish off with a game of Spin Zone to end the podcast (55:21).
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Finals Preview w/ Josh Eberley, Heat vs Celtics Recap, Doc Rivers Out
Matt and Zach kick off the show with the news that Doc Rivers is out in LA (1:36). They then recap the Heat vs Celtics series, and discuss how surprising the Heat have been, what Boston should do this off season and how they can improve (14:58). Josh Eberley then joins to preview the NBA finals,...
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Heat vs Celtics, Voting LeBron MVP w/ Mark Medina, Lakers vs Nuggets Game 3 Recap w/ Rob Shaw
Mark Medina joins Zach and Matt to discuss this Heat vs Celtics series, Jimmy Butler's coffee, and why he voted LeBron for Mvp (1:40). Rob Shaw then joins Zach to recap game three of Nuggets vs Lakers (34:09).
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Can the Celtics Complete the Comeback?
Zach and Matt jump on The Playgrounder to recap game 3 of the Heat vs Celtics series. They talk about some trends, and strategies they've been seeing, what to look for going forward, give some strong opinions and takes, and cap it off with their series predictions.
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Nuggets/Clippers Game 7, Heat/Celtics Game 1
Zach and Rob hop on directly after Denver vs LA to recap both of the great games from Tuesday's action!
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Pascal Siakam is Not A Super Star, But That's OK
Pascal's playoff performance left a sour taste in a lot of Raptor and NBA fans' mouths. I'm here to put his season and playoffs into perspective, and calm everyone down.
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Heat vs Celtics Preview w/ Sekou Smith, Raptors vs Celtics Recap & Rockets vs Lakers Recap
Sekou Smith joins the show to preview the ECF matchup between the Heat and Celtics (1:40). Matt and Zach then recap the Celtics vs Raptors by giving away player awards, and then recap the Lakers vs Rockets series (32:17).
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Raptors vs Celtics Game 6 & 7, Billy Donovan/OKC Thunder w/ Brady Trantham
Matt and Zach start off the show by expressing their emotions, and talking about this series as a whole, but especially game 6. They then make predictions and discuss game 7 (1:24). OKC Thunder insider, Brady Trantham joins The Playgrounder to discuss Billy Donovan, OKC's coaching search their...
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Playoff All Stars w/ Matt Moore, Raptors vs Celtics & Nuggets vs Clippers
Matt and Zach kick off the show by discussing the Raptors vs Celtics, and Nuggets vs Clippers series' (2:06). Then Matt Moore (Hardwood Paroxysm) joins Zach as they list their top five playoff performers so far (32:20).
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Second Round Series w/ Rob Shaw, Memphis & Portland Trades w/ Jesse Cinquini
Rob joins Zach to discuss every second round series (1:23). Jesse Cinquini joins Matt and Zach as they discuss some potential off season trades for the Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers (35:18).
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Raptors vs Celtics w/ Blake Murphy, Los Angeles Lakers w/ Harrison Faigen, Black Female Athletes w/ Jada Lea
Zach and Matt start the show with Blake Murphy. They talk about the Raptors, and the current series against the Celtics (1:19). Harrison Faigen then joins to talk about the Lakers, their upcoming second round matchup, and on Anthony Davis playing center (25:48). Lastly, Jada Lea joins to talk…
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NBA Strike and Plan for Action w/ Gu Mohamood & Rob Shaw
Matt and Zach are joined by Gu Mohamood (1:07) and Rob Shaw (37:04) to continue the conversation surrounding social injustice, the NBA strike, and the action and change going forward.
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Jacob Blake and the Raptors' response w/ Rob Shaw
Rob Shaw joins The Playgrounder today to discuss the Jacob Blake incident, our opinions on it, and the NBA's response towards it.
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Hot Takes & Milwaukee Bucks w/ JR Radcliffe
Matt and Zach start off the show with the news in 5, then kick it to some of their playoff hot takes (13:52) and then are joined by JR Radcliffe to talk about the Milwaukee Bucks (41:08).
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Boston Cetlics w/ Dante Turo, Draft Lottery w/ Derek Murray, Shark Tank Pitches
Matt and Zach start off the show with the news in 5. They then make shark tank pitches for each 8th seed, and make their cases for why they can win their series' (18:44). Dante Turo joins the show to talk about the Boston Cetlics, and Connecticut vs Canadian food (37:11). Lastly, Derek Murray…
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Playoff Bracket Predictions
Matt and Zach spend five minutes previewing each first round matchup, and then conclude the show with their full playoff bracket predictions.
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Play-in Game(s) Preview w/ Sean Highkin
Sean Highkin joins The Playgrounder to preview the play-in matchup between the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies. They also touch on the Suns and Pelicans, and what a potential first round matchup would look like against the Lakers.
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Single Digit Jersey Number Draft w/ Justin Rowan & Most Improved Player Award w/ James Herbert
Zach starts off the show, hitting you with the news around the association, then is joined by Justin Rowan as they draft teams full of players with single digit jersey numbers, and James Herbert comes on to conclude the show and discuss the Most Improved Player Award.
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Denver Nuggets w/ Joel Rush, Miami Heat w/ Richard Anselmo, All-NBA Teams
Matt and Zach get you caught up on everything around the league, they are then joined by Denver Nuggets beat writer, Joel Rush to talk about the Nuggets' playoffs chances, MPJ, Bol Bol, and Jokic. Wolf Rock Radio host, Richard Anselmo then joins the programs to discuss the Miami Heat, the Andre...
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Under 25 Draft with Dan Favale, Restart Takeaways, and Coach of the Year
Dan Favale joins The Playgrounder as we draft the under 25 draft, then Matt and Zach discuss some of their takeaways from the first few days in the Orlando bubble, and conclude by discussing their coach of the year selections!
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All-Undrafted Players Draft, Rookie Awards & Rookie of the Year
Matt and Zach hop on The Playgrounder to bring you the news in 5, including Lou Williams leaving the bubble for a strip club, they draft teams of undrafted players, give out rookie awards, and decide their rookie of the year!
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Ben Simmons at the 4, All-European Draft, & MVP Picks
Matt and Zach jump on The Playgrounder to break down this week's news, analyze the move towards Ben Simmons at the 4, make their MVP picks, and draft All-European teams to see who can build the best squad.
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Karl Anthony-Towns' offense vs Rudy Gobert's defense
Matt and Zach jump on The Playgrounder today to talk about people entering and leaving the bubble, Dwight Howard's solo DJ night, another "guess the player," Boston Celtics rookie reviews, and a good old debate of Karl Anthony-Towns' offense vs Rudy Gobert's defense.
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Will the bubble survive?
Matt and Zach hop on the pod to discuss Matt's accident, the delete-eight bubble, and the Brooklyn Nets' signings. The guys also play a game of "Guess the Player" and talk about the likelihood of the season, and which franchise they would want to buy most. Ending with a rookie review of Michael...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
NBA analysis through the rivalry of a Raptors and a Celtics fan.
HOSTED BY
Zach Wilson & Matt Esposito
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Playgrounder have?
The Playgrounder currently has 51 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Playgrounder about?
NBA analysis through the rivalry of a Raptors and a Celtics fan.
How often does The Playgrounder release new episodes?
The Playgrounder has 51 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Playgrounder?
You can listen to The Playgrounder on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Playgrounder?
The Playgrounder is created and hosted by Zach Wilson & Matt Esposito.
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