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Pat Heery

Pat Heery began his sports writing career in 2016 for The Has Been Sports Blog. He practices real estate law during the day and runs pick & rolls at night. Follow him on Twitter: @pheery12

Grading the Eastern Conference a third of the way through the season

A third of the way through the NBA season, the Eastern Conference looks to have a handful of worthy contenders, a couple of teams with major trade deadline decisions to make and a handful of teams tanking for Cooper Flagg.

Heaven to hell: Grading every Western Conference NBA team

More than a third of the way through the NBA regular season, several notable trends have developed, including the brilliance of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Look who has made 'The Leap' in the NBA

One of the cooler things about every NBA season is witnessing young players make “The Leap” — a noticeable improvement in their games over the previous season or seasons.

Goodbye, LeBron?! Four NBA mega-trades we want to see 

NBA trade season officially opened last week with the Golden State Warriors acquiring the ever-pesky (and talented) Dennis Schröder from the Brooklyn Nets.

Let's cut LeBron James slack in his duel with Father Time

The basketball world has obsessed over LeBron James' age since he broke into the NBA in 2003.

Look who's crashing the NBA contenders' party

Three teams have joined the Celtics and Thunder as bonafide title contenders, but it's not the teams we expected when the season started.

Why Arkansas' men's basketball team is better than advertised

The 2024-25 men's college basketball season is here. Dan Hurley has UConn gunning for a three-peat, Kansas and Alabama return very experienced rosters, and everyone's heard about the freshman talent at Duke and Rutgers. But let's not forget about coach John Calipari's squad down at Arkansas

Fool's gold or not? Let's assess Celtics, Lakers and Nuggets

We are a little more than a week into the NBA season. Every team has played four or five games, so, of course, the hot-take artists on TV and internet have these fun topics to talk about.

Betting the NBA's awards futures: Where do Wemby, Ja Morant stand?

A search for value among the odds for various NBA awards in 2024-25.

Why star Ohio State, Alabama freshmen would have a case for the 2025 NFL Draft

A pair of star freshman receivers have taken the college football world by storm this season. And they look ready for the NFL. Right now.

What betting industry's over/under win totals tell us about NBA season

The NBA season is almost upon us and that can only mean that it's time to analyze over/under win totals.

Let's do the math: Here's how Lakers will be different under JJ Redick

If you've followed Redick's career as a player, commentator and podcaster, he has left more than a few breadcrumbs about his basketball philosophy. 

Why Rockets are poised to be a disruptor

Most NBA rotations are eight or nine deep. The Rockets are 13 deep.

NBA fan's guide to watching college basketball this season

Watch the following three teams, and you'll have a good understanding of just how special this draft class could be.

Four Team USA players who could make MVP leap in NBA this season

One of the coolest parts of Team USA basketball is the best American players spend months together, observe one another's preparation and craft and push

After Olympic showings by LeBron James and Steph Curry, Lakers and Warriors are out of excuses

The two superstars aren't getting what they deserve from their respective franchises.

Projecting Team USA men's basketball roster for 2028 Games

With seven of Team USA's current 12 players over 30, one can expect a youth movement in the U.S. program as it prepares its invite list for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Which newly developed Team USA friendships will impact NBA future?

Since the 2008 Olympics, Team USA has served as a breeding ground for friendships that later changed the NBA landscape.

Bold predictions for the rest of the 2023-24 NBA season

We're about a quarter of the way through the NBA season, so it's time for some bold predictions. Remember folks - these are bold  predictions. 

2024 NBA first-round mock draft

The first edition of the 2024 mock draft will feature the first round, with every pick being compared to a current or recent NBA player. As the season progresses, there will be updates and added analysis based on how the prospects fare the rest of the season.

The most intriguing player on every NBA team

The NBA is as talented as it has ever been. Every team in the NBA has a number of talented players (well, besides the Wizards), and there's plenty of intrigue in following almost every team. These are our picks for most intriguing player on every team in the Association.