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Ben Pfeifer

Sports Editor

About

Ben Pfeifer graduated from the University of Missouri with degrees in Psychology and Journalism. He has worked in basketball scouting covering the NBA and the draft for over a half-decade, working for various outlets. Now, he covers the NBA, the draft and high school basketball.

Articles by Ben Pfeifer (138)

How The Pacers Exploited Damian Lillard On Both Ends To Win Game 2

The Indiana Pacers are intimately familiar with Damian Lillard’s playoff heroics. During his four games against the Pacers in Milwaukee’s 4-2 loss last postseason, Lillard averaged a sparkling 31.3 points and 5.0 assists per game on 64 percent true shooting. This time around, the Pacers have proven ready for Lillard’s deadly offense. Lillard miraculously returned […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  23 Apr 2025
2025 NBA Playoffs Preview: Can The Grizzlies Cause Trouble Against The Top-Seeded The Thunder?

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the NBA Playoffs with sky-high expectations. After a historic season, stemming from a lockdown defense and a possible MVP in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Thunder are heavy favorites to reach the NBA Finals. Memphis enters the postseason after a narrow loss to the Golden State Warriors before bashing the Dallas Mavericks […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  19 Apr 2025
2025 NBA Playoffs Preview: Cavaliers Look To Continue Historic Season Against Heat In Round 1

For the first time since LeBron James left town, the Cleveland Cavaliers will enter a playoff series as heavy favorites. After a historic regular season, the East’s top team will begin its postseason journey looking to dispatch the Miami Heat. In what has become a yearly tradition, The Heat escaped the Play-In Tournament, this time […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  19 Apr 2025
College Basketball Recruiting: Where Will Acaden Lewis Land?

Four-star point guard Acaden Lewis de-committed from Kentucky last week. Lewis, one of the 2025 high school class’s most dynamic guards, will look for a new home as one of the top uncommitted prospects. Mark Pope added Pittsburgh point guard Jaland Lowe in the portal, which could have contributed to Lewis’s departure. Looking at Lewis’s […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  16 Apr 2025
2025 NBA Awards Picks: Selecting MVP, DPOY, Most Improved, 6th Man, and More

The regular season roaring to its end means it’s time for our final award ballot of the year. I don’t have an NBA awards vote (maybe, next year!), but this is how I would vote if I did. 🏆 Most Valuable Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander  Making a case for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the league’s MVP doesn’t […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  16 Apr 2025
Duke Basketball Recruiting: Will Nate Ament Pick Duke Over Kentucky, Louisville, & Tennessee?

Duke has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, led by twins Cameron and Cayden Boozer, but one unsigned five-star forward could move the needle on the Blue Devils’ national championship aspirations. Nate Ament has delayed his college decision and Duke is reportedly at the top of a short list of teams in contention […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  16 Apr 2025
Why Charles Barkley Is Wrong About The Minnesota Timberwolves’ Playoff Hopes

During the final halftime show of the NBA on TNT era, Charles Barkley drew the ire of certain NBA fans for old times’ sake. He chose to highlight the Los Angeles Clippers as a Western Conference threat, expressing his distrust in the two teams playing that night — the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves — […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  11 Apr 2025
These are the Five Most Underrated Recruits in the 2025 High School Class

Each year, we see unheralded high school recruits break out in college. Equally, we’ll watch some highly touted high school players underwhelm relative to expectations. Let’s discuss five of my most underrated prospects in the 2025 high school class, using 247 Sports’s recent recruiting rankings as a benchmark. Cayden Boozer, G, Duke 247’s rank: 24 […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  10 Apr 2025
NBA
NBA Most Improved Ladder, Vol. 5: Evan Mobley, Tyler Herro Could Win Award Over Cade Cunningham

With only a few weeks remaining in the 2024-25 NBA season, we’re close to a full season of data for players. Let’s dive into another update for our Most Improved Player ladder as the basketball year winds down (read our last edition here). 1) Evan Mobley Betting odds view this award as a two-man race […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  09 Apr 2025
College Basketball Recruiting: Cayden Boozer, Darryn Peterson Top List of Chipotle Nationals Standouts

This year’s Chipotle Nationals tournament ended with a familiar scene, as Columbus took the crown behind Cameron and Cayden Boozer. We saw plenty of the best players and most intriguing long-term prospects showcase their skillsets throughout the tournament, though. Let’s discuss some of my brightest standouts from this year’s Chipotle Nationals field. Cayden Boozer — […]

Ben Pfeifer  •  09 Apr 2025