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We’ve got another exciting Southeast Division matchup on the NBA schedule as the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets are set to tip at 7:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday at State Farm Arena. Atlanta is 31-34 overall and 16-16 at home, while Charlotte is 16-48 overall and 6-24 on the road. The Hawks are 4-1 in their last five games, while the Hornets have won just two of their past 11 games overall. Trae Young (quad) and Caris LeVert (finger) are both questionable for Atlanta, while Brandon Miller (wrist), Tre Mann (back), Josh Okogie (hamstring) and Grant Williams (knee) are all out for Charlotte.

The Hawks are favored by 8.5 points in the latest Hornets vs. Hawks odds via SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 237 points. Before entering any Hawks vs. Hornets picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 21 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 148-107 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It’s also an outstanding 19-10 (65%) on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Charlotte vs. Atlanta. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for the game:

Hawks vs. Hornets spread: Hawks -8.5
Hawks vs. Hornets over/under: 237 points
Hawks vs. Hornets money line: Hawks: -373, Hornets: +293
Hawks vs. Hornets picks: See picks here
Hawks vs. Hornets streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Hawks can cover
The Hawks came out on top against the 76ers by a score of 132-123 on Monday. The Hawks can attribute much of their success to Dyson Daniels, who almost dropped a double-double with 25 points and nine assists. The Hawks are undefeated when Daniels posts 25 or more points, but 28-34 otherwise.

Atlanta was working as a unit and finished the game with 34 assists. The Hawks are averaging 29.4 assists per game this season, which ranks second in the NBA. Atlanta is also scoring 117.3 points per contest, the fifth-best mark in the league. Atlanta is 7-3 against the spread in its last 10 games played in March. See which team to pick here.

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Why the Hornets can cover
On Monday the Hornets overcame some tough odds to beat the Heat 105-102. The Hornets can attribute much of their success to Miles Bridges, who shot 63.2% from the field en route to 35 points, five assists and five rebounds, and Mark Williams, who dropped a double-double with 24 points and 10 boards. For the season, Bridges is averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game.

Charlotte has also been profitable against the spread in its most recent meetings against the Hawks. In fact, the Hornets are 7-1 against the spread in their last eight games against Atlanta. See which team to pick here.

How to make Hornets vs. Hawks picks
The model has simulated Hawks vs. Hornets 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under the total, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Hornets vs. Hawks, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.

Where to bet on NBA games
Here are some of the sportsbooks to bet on NBA games today, along with the various NBA sportsbook promos they currently offer.

The Denver Nuggets (42-23) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (37-29) match up in a Western Conference battle on Wednesday. The Timberwolves have put together a five-game winning streak, and on Sunday, Minnesota defeated the San Antonio Spurs 141-124. Meanwhile, the Nuggets have won three of their last four matchups. Denver topped the Oklahoma City Thunder 140-127 on Monday. Aaron Gordon (calf) is doubtful, while Nikola Jokic (elbow/ankle) and Jamal Murray (ankle) are probable for Denver. Rudy Gobert (back) is questionable for Minnesota.

Tipoff from Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., is at 10 p.m. ET. The Wolves have won both matchups this season, after defeating Denver 4-3 in last year’s playoffs. The Nuggets are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Nuggets vs. Timberwolves odds from SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 233. Denver is at -145 on the money line (risk $145 to win $100), while Minnesota is at +122 (risk $100 to win $122). Before locking in any Timberwolves vs. Nuggets picks, make sure to check out the NBA predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past six-plus seasons. The model enters Week 21 of the 2024-25 NBA season on a sizzling 148-107 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning nearly $4,000. It’s also an outstanding 19-10 (65%) on top-rated spread picks this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.

Now, the model has simulated Timberwolves vs. Nuggets 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Timberwolves vs. Nuggets:

Timberwolves vs. Nuggets spread: Denver -2.5
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets over/under: 233 points
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets money line: Denver -145, Minnesota +122
MIN: Timberwolves are 30-35-1 against the spread this season
DEN: Nuggets are 32-32-1 against the spread this season
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Timberwolves vs. Nuggets streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
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Why the Timberwolves can cover
Guard Anthony Edwards is a smooth three-level scorer with the strength to finish in the lane. He ranks fourth in the NBA in points (27.2) with six rebounds and 4.6 assists per game. He also knocks down 40% of his 3-point attempts. In the Jan. 25 win over the Nuggets, Edwards finished with 34 points and nine dimes.

Forward Julius Randle gives the Timberwolves a playmaker who can create his own shot and be a sound rebounder. Randle logs 18.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He’s finished with a double-double in two of his last three games. On March 5 against the Charlotte Hornets, 25 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Nuggets can cover
Jokic thrives in multiple areas on the court. He can score, rebound, and dish out assists with ease. He’s second in the league in assists (10.5) while being third in both points (28.9) and rebounds (13). In his last outing, Jokic racked up 35 points, 18 rebounds and eight assists.

Murray has been a crafty floor spacer who has the ability to put the ball on the deck. He averages 21.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. Murray has scored 24-plus points in four of the last six outings. In Monday’s win over the Thunder, Murray poured in 34 points, four rebounds, and six assists. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Timberwolves vs. Nuggets picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Timberwolves vs. Nuggets and is leaning Under the total, projecting 231 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread has all of the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NBA picks.

So who wins Timberwolves vs. Nuggets on Wednesday, and which side of the spread has all of the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Timberwolves vs. Nuggets spread to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.

here’s going to be some temptation, especially given the quality of the game itself, to treat Wednesday’s battle between the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder as an NBA Finals preview. It makes sense on paper. The Celtics are the defending champions. The Thunder have one of the best net ratings in NBA history and are on pace to win 67 games. There is a pretty reasonable chance that the Celtics and Thunder face off in June with the Larry O’Brien Trophy on the line.

But calling this game — a 118-112 road victory that clinched a playoff spot Oklahoma City — a Finals preview ignores the wider picture. The Thunder didn’t have Jalen Williams. They obviously expect to have him in the postseason, and if they don’t, they aren’t winning the West. The same is true for the Celtics and Kristaps Porzingis. Cleveland, the first-place team in the East, gives Boston problems even at full strength. Neither the Thunder nor the Celtics were at full strength in this one.

That makes combing through the decisions and outcomes within this game so important. These teams might see each other again, but they hopefully won’t see each other under the conditions present on Wednesday. So let’s try to figure out what we can learn from this clash and put that in perspective ahead of a possible Finals matchup.

Here are our biggest takeaways from Oklahoma City’s enormous win over Boston.

The Thunder want the Celtics to shoot 3-pointers
Typically, the teams that succeed against the Celtics are the ones that limit their 3-point volume. Take the Orlando Magic. They’ve beaten the Celtics twice in five matchups across the last two seasons and have held them to 35.4 3-point attempts per game in that span. Boston’s average, by comparison, was 42.5 attempts per game last season and 48 this season. When a team shoots as well as Boston does, it makes sense to limit their volume.

The Thunder don’t play that way. They willingly surrender 3s, allowing the seventh-most attempts overall and more valuable corner 3s than anyone in an effort to maximize their rim defense and force turnovers. They entered this game with a plan: let the Celtics shoot as many 3s as they want. Here’s how that worked out for Boston:

The Celtics attempted 22 3s in the first quarter. That’s the second-most 3s any team has ever taken in a quarter, trailing only when they took 23 earlier this season against Memphis.
The Celtics took 36 3s in the first half. That’s the most 3s any team has ever attempted in the first half of a game.
The Celtics attempted 63 total 3s. That’s tied for the third-most any team has ever taken in a game.
The Celtics had a 3-point attempt rate of 67.02%. That’s the sixth-highest ever for a single game.
In terms of the outcome, this strategy worked. Oklahoma City won the game. It’s worth wondering, however, how viable this strategy would be in a possible Finals matchup. The Celtics have, after all, shot a pitiful 28 of 109 (25.7%) from deep in two games against the Thunder. Sure, defense matters on those long shots to an extent, but a lot of that is just bad variance. The Celtics aren’t going to shoot like that four times in seven tries.

The Thunder could survive hotter Celtics shooting if the tradeoff at the rim proves worthwhile. In some ways it did. The Thunder outscored the Celtics by eight at the rim, and more importantly, they drew 23 more free-throw attempts. The Thunder foul a lot by design, it’s the nature of their ultra-physical defensive style, so winning the free-throw battle by that margin is notable. You’re not going to get to the line much when you’re shooting 63 3s.

But Boston shot 11 of 12 in the restricted area and 18 of 22 in the paint overall. That Thunder defense was good at incentivizing 3s over layups, but when the Celtics did get to the rim, they scored there. The third quarter was especially important in this respect. All year, and really, throughout this entire Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown era, the question surrounding the Celtics was whether or not they’d be willing to pivot off of 3-pointers when they stop falling in high-leverage games. They did so in that third frame, attacking the basket relentlessly when the opportunity presented itself. Their rim offense was more than good enough to win them this game. Their jump shooting just failed them.

Oklahoma City can’t rely on that in the Finals, so expect to see the Thunder introduce several wrinkles if these teams see each other again. Fortunately, with Williams and Alex Caruso available, a lot of defensive doors open for the Thunder.

Oklahoma City’s role players can score
Even in a loss, the Celtics answered an important question we covered above. When they need to, they are capable of scoring at the basket against the Thunder. Oklahoma City had a different question to answer in this one, and it dates back to last postseason.

Oklahoma City’s offense is much more reliant on MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander than Boston’s or Cleveland’s is on any single player. The idea is for Gilgeous-Alexander to score his standard 30 or so points, of course, but also to leverage his rim gravity to create open 3s for everyone else. As Boston saw on Wednesday, those 3s can be fickle. The advantages that lead to them, though, can be used in other ways. The Thunder couldn’t beat the Mavericks in the playoffs last season in part because the rest of their offense couldn’t punish a Dallas defense that keyed in on Gilgeous-Alexander.

Jalen Williams injury update: Thunder All-Star out vs. Celtics, has no return timeline from hip strain
Jasmyn Wimbish
Jalen Williams injury update: Thunder All-Star out vs. Celtics, has no return timeline from hip strain
It’s a one-game sample, and Williams wasn’t even involved, but the Thunder have to be encouraged by what they saw offensively on Wednesday. Even in a scoreless night from Aaron Wiggins, the Thunder generated enough offense around Gilgeous-Alexander to win. They even won the minutes he rested by three points. There was no single, offensive sidekick for Gilgeous-Alexander. It was a group effort centered on their bulk. Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein proved problematic for Boston’s front court near the basket and are skilled enough with the ball in their hands to punish mismatches even when they get the ball far away from it. Cason Wallace and Luguentz Dort showcased why this team gets away with minimal perimeter height. They’re so strong and have such low centers of gravity that they can finish against longer defenders and even push some of them around.

Boston’s defense has been on cruise control for lengthy stretches this regular season. Porzingis changes everything as well. A lot of those acrobatic finishes Thunder guards pulled off on Wednesday aren’t going to be available when he’s patrolling the basket at 7-foot-2. But getting Williams back means a good deal to Oklahoma City as well.

This wasn’t the Dallas series. Oklahoma City’s supporting cast has improved substantially.

Boston can dictate the terms of engagement
Rim defense is a big component of Oklahoma City’s willingness to allow 3s, but the other major component is turnover generation. This is what the Thunder do best, especially to teams with reluctant ball-handlers. The Thunder generate 17.5 turnovers per game, which is not only the most in the league, but is a full turnover more than any other team. They want to take the ball away from you and turn games into track meets in which they score easy points in transition.

The Celtics are the opposite. Only the Thunder give the ball away less than they do, and Boston ranks 27th in the NBA in pace. They want a slow, grind-it-out game because they know they can out-execute basically anyone in a half-court setting. Through two head-to-head games, they’ve largely been able to dictate these terms. They turned the ball over just 13 times on Wednesday and 16 in their first matchup. That’s more than their average of just under 12, but it’s below Oklahoma City’s season-long average (17.3) pretty comfortably. Additionally, the Thunder average 16.1 fast break points per game, but have reached only 13 in both Celtics games.

This should give the Thunder an idea of what to expect in a series against the Celtics. They’re going to operate methodically, protect the ball and try to keep the pace down. This is playoff basketball in a nutshell, and no team in the current NBA does it better than the Celtics. The Thunder winning both of their regular-season games against Boston is in some respects a testament to their adaptability, but also, as we’ve covered, partially just shooting luck. If they do see the Celtics again, they probably have to go into such a series knowing that they’re not going to be able to generate turnovers quite as easily as they usually do and that Boston will eventually make the 3s it missed in the regular season.

This game was, in some ways, a bit of an experiment for the Thunder. They’ve seen how Boston reacts to a defense that gives it all of the 3s it wants. The Celtics will have adjustments ready if there is another matchup ahead between these teams. That’s the benefit of the doubt that champions get.

The Thunder are still working to receive that same treatment, but these two regular-season wins are a good start.

The Milwaukee Bucks have some concern about Khris Middleton’s’s status for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Pacers on Friday. While speaking to reporters after practice on Thursday, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said that Middleton didn’t practice after spraining his ankle during Milwaukee’s 125-108 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday.

When asked if there was concern about Middleton’s status for Game 3, Rivers said “yeah, a little,” while also saying, “It’s another holding our breath situation, so honestly, I don’t know.”

Middleton exited Tuesday’s game in the first quarter after rolling his right ankle trying to plant his foot while trying to get past Pacers forward Pascal Siakam. He walked back to the locker room, but soon returned back to Milwaukee’s bench and proceeded to play the rest of the game.

Khris Middleton went to the locker room momentarily after an apparent ankle injury, per the Bucks.

He’s back on the bench but has yet to return to the game. pic.twitter.com/2ZZEIf0yyQ

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 24, 2024
After the game, Middleton said “I’ll be all right,” in regards to his ankle, but despite playing for the rest of the game on Tuesday, it appears as though the injury has worsened. With Middleton’s status suddenly in question for Friday, it delivers another blow for the Bucks who are still without star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Rivers said on Thursday that Giannis — who injured his calf earlier this month — did the most work that he’s seen since being out, including shooting and moving around, however he didn’t participate in any live drills. That doesn’t sound like he’ll be ready to return in Game 3, and adding in Middleton’s status that means the Bucks could find themselves extremely short staffed against a Pacers team that had no difficulty scoring in Game 2.

Without Antetokounmpo and potentially Middleton, that means more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of Damian Lillard, who has had two solid back-to-back performances for Milwaukee. It will also mean the Bucks will need to lean a bit more on Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis to score in the starting unit, and will require guys like Jae Crowder and Pat Connaughton to knock down some shots. Perhaps Middleton will be able to play in Game 3 and this is just all precautionary, but from the sounds of Rivers comments, his status is something to monitor before Game 3.

Several options in Thursday’s NBA DFS player pool, who are off to inauspicious starts to the 2024 NBA playoffs, will get another shot at redemption tonight. Tobias Harris, OG Anunoby, Austin Reaves and Jalen Suggs are all averaging 11 points or fewer in the postseason, thus disappointing both their teams and those daily Fantasy basketball players that rostered them in NBA DFS lineups. Harris has been the biggest disappointment as he came into this year with a 17.1 ppg postseason average but is putting up just 8.5 ppg so far on 39% shooting.

His price tags on NBA DFS sites like FanDuel and DraftKings have dropped, which means he could be a value pick for Thursday. However, it would be beneficial to your NBA daily Fantasy strategy to know that Harris was locked down by the Knicks in the regular season, averaging just 6.3 points across four games. What other trends should you be aware of before setting your daily Fantasy basketball lineups for Thursday? Before making your NBA DFS picks, be sure to check out the NBA DFS advice, player rankings, stacks, and top daily Fantasy basketball picks from SportsLine’s Mike McClure.

McClure is a DFS professional with more than $2 million in career winnings. He’s also a predictive data engineer at SportsLine who uses a powerful prediction model that simulates every minute of every game 10,000 times, taking factors like matchups, statistical trends and injuries into account.

This allows him to find the best NBA DFS values and create optimal lineups that he shares only over at SportsLine. They’re a must-see for any NBA DFS player.

On Wednesday, McClure highlighted Heat forward Nikola Jovic as one of his top picks in his NBA DFS player pool on both sites. The result: Jovic had 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block, returning 38.25 points on DraftKings and 37.8 points on FanDuel. Anybody who included him in their lineups was well on the way to a profitable day.

McClure has turned his attention to NBA action on Thursday and locked in his top daily Fantasy basketball picks. You can only see them by heading to SportsLine.

Top NBA DFS picks for Thursday, April 24
For Thursday, one of McClure’s top NBA DFS picks is rostering Lakers forward LeBron James who is listed at $9,500 on DraftKings and $10,500 on FanDuel. The Lakers being in a 2-0 hole isn’t the fault of James, who is averaging 26.5 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in the series. Despite L.A. suffering 10 straight defeats to Denver, James has still scored at least 21 points in each of his last 11 games against the Nuggets, with five double-doubles over that stretch.

James gets a two-day rest between Games 2 and 3, and he’s been at his best this season when having two days off. James averages his most points (27.1), rebounds (8.4) and assists (9.1) with two days of rest compared to any other rest interval. He’s also been on an incredibly efficient shooting run as of late as over his last nine games, counting both the regular and postseason, James is converting on 61.1% of his field goal attempts and 52.5% of his 3-point attempts.

Another part of McClure’s optimal NBA DFS strategy includes rostering Magic forward Jonathan Isaac ($4,800 on DraftKings and $5,700 on FanDuel). In part due to injuries, Isaac started just two regular season games over the last four years. However, he started in each of the first two games of Orlando’s series versus Cleveland, getting the nod ahead of Wendell Carter Jr. and Moe Wagner at center.

Isaac is a defensive ace who contributes across the board, doing so on a very affordable NBA DFS price point. Over his last six games versus Cleveland, he’s averaging 8.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. Like many young players, Isaac performs notably better at home as the series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 tonight. He averaged more points, rebounds, assists and blocks at home than on the road this season, while also shooting better percentages from the floor, the free throw line and from beyond the arc. See McClure’s other NBA DFS picks right here.

How to set your NBA DFS lineups for Thursday, April 25
McClure is also targeting a player who could go off for massive numbers on Thursday because of a dream matchup. This pick could be the difference between winning your tournaments and cash games or going home with nothing. You can only see who it is here.

Who is DFS pro Mike McClure putting in his optimal NBA DFS lineups for Thursday? Visit SportsLine now to see optimal NBA DFS picks, rankings, advice, and stacks, all from a professional DFS player who has over $2 million in career winnings, and find out.

The series has shifted over to the Sunshine State as the No. 5 seed Orlando Magic are hosting the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday. These teams split the season series 2-2 but that hasn’t been the case in this series. On Monday, the Cavaliers outlasted the Magic 96-86 to go up 2-0 in this 2024 NBA playoffs series. Orlando plays better at home, logging a 29-12 record at Kia Center during the regular season.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at the Kia Center in Orlando, Fla. The Magic are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Cavaliers vs. Magic odds, while the over/under for total points is 201.5. Before making any Magic vs. Cavaliers picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the proven computer model at SportsLine.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters the second week of the 2024 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 90-58 roll on all top-rated NBA picks this season, returning more than $2,800. Anyone following the model has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on Cavaliers vs. Magic and just locked in its picks and Game 3 predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are several NBA betting lines and trends for Magic vs. Cavaliers:

Cavaliers vs. Magic spread: Orlando -2.5
Cavaliers vs. Magic over/under: 201.5 points
Cavaliers vs. Magic money line: Orlando -141, Cleveland +119
CLE: The Cavs are 4-2 ATS in their last six games
ORL: The Magic are 1-5 ATS in their past six games
Cavaliers vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why the Cavaliers can cover
Forward Evan Mobley joins Jarrett Allen in the frontcourt and makes a serious impact. Mobley is an agile big man who has the skill to handle the rock if needed. The USC product plays with good timing as a shot blocker and is always crashing the boards. Mobley averaged 15.7 points and 9.4 rebounds per game in the regular season. In Game 1, the 22-year-old had 16 points, 11 boards, and three blocks.

Guard Darius Garland is a shifty playmaker who has a quick release with a knack for hitting shots off the dribble. The Vanderbilt product also owns a nice floater in the lane. He put up 18 points and 6.5 assists per contest in 2023-24. In his last outing, Garland notched 15 points, four assists, and went 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. See which team to pick here.

Why the Magic can cover
Forward Paolo Banchero continues to be the Magic’s best player on the floor. Banchero is an all-around threat due to his playmaking and scoring ability. The Duke product gets into the lane consistently and has the vision to get his teammates good looks. Through the first two contests, Banchero leads the team in points (22.5) with five boards and four assists per game. He had 21 points, three assists, and three rebounds in his last outing.

Forward Franz Wagner gives the Magic another capable ball handler and scorer. Wagner plays with good instincts and has a smooth jumper to space out the floor. In the regular season, the Michigan product averaged 19.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. In the Game 1 loss, Wagner racked up 18 points, seven boards, and three steals. See which team to pick here.

How to make Magic vs. Cavaliers picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 206 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 50% of simulations. You can see the picks only at SportsLine.

So who wins Cavaliers vs. Magic, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Magic vs. Cavaliers spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 90-58 roll on top-rated NBA picks this season, and find out.

Roman Reigns and Logan Paul are touching down in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, Nov. 5. The undisputed WWE universal championship is on the line as the superstars of WWE make the long flight over for the Crown Jewel PPV event.

WWE’s Crown Jewel events are notorious for recruiting legends and outsiders for rare appearances, for better or worse. Shawn Michaels, Triple H, The Undertaker, Goldberg, Tyson Fury and Cain Velasquez have all previously appeared at the show. The 2022 edition takes a more measured, story-driven approach yet features Reigns defending his world title against social media superstar Paul. The main event is built around Paul’s desire to one-up his exhibition boxing match against Floyd Mayweather and the potential that he can land one lucky shot on Reigns. Paul impressed in performances at WrestleMania 38 and SummerSlam, but few expected him to receive a main event title shot so soon.

Also on the card is a real-life recreation of Godzilla vs. Kong. Two of WWE’s largest superstars, Braun Strowman and Omos, will test the durability of the ring when they exchange blows on Saturday. Other notable matches include Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair vs. Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match, and Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross in a steel cage.

Take a look below at the confirmed and predicted matches.

2022 WWE Crown Jewel matches
Undisputed WWE universal championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul: Paul made his first appearance since SummerSlam on an episode of SmackDown in September. Paul set his sights on the top and challenged Reigns. WWE hosted a press conference in Las Vegas on Sept. 17 that formally set the groundwork for Crown Jewel’s main event. Paul and The Bloodline have repeatedly traded barbs on episodes of SmackDown since.

The O.C. (A.J. Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) vs. Judgement Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Dominick Mysterio): Balor had spent weeks attempting to recruit his old friend Styles into Judgement Day. The villainous group gave Styles an ultimatum on Raw: either you’re with them or against them. Styles appeared and feigned allegiance to Balor. It was all a ruse to welcome Anderson and Gallows back into the fold. The two factions, each boasting Bullet Club alumni, will meet in a six-man tag team match.

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley: There is unfinished business between Lesnar and Lashley. The two collided at the 2022 Royal Rumble in a WWE championship match that left something to be desired. Lashley emerged victorious to kickstart his second reign as WWE champion. Lesnar has not forgotten the taste of defeat. The former UFC champion made an unexpected return to Raw and leveled Lashley. The impact of the attack left Lashley vulnerable in his United States championship defense that same evening. Seth Rollins usurped the title from Lashley and avoided backlash as Lashley focused on Lesnar.

Braun Strowman vs. Omos: Much like Thanos vs. Galactus, there is only room for one destroyer in the WWE universe. Omos, flanked by his manager MVP, made it clear that Strowman was a target. Strowman officially challenged Omos on the Oct. 21 episode of SmackDown. Omos appears to have the upper hand, effortlessly shoving Strowman out of the ring in the first physical encounter between the two.

Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Steel cage match): McIntyre is on the warpath. Kross and Scarlett have repeatedly ambushed McIntyre since the duo returned to WWE in August. McIntyre was on the verge of defeating Kross in a strap match at Extreme Rules before Scarlett sprayed mace in McIntyre’s eyes. Tensions boiled over the following week on SmackDown after McIntyre laid out Kross with a car door. All this leads to a steel cage match at Crown Jewel that intends to cut off Kross from his lifeline Scarlett.

Undisputed tag team championship — The Usos (c) vs. Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland): The Bloodline kicked their feud with the Brawling Brutes into overdrive on the Oct. 21 episode of SmackDown. After burying Butch and Holland under an announcer’s table, The Bloodline brutally attacked Sheamus’ left arm with two steel chairs. The severity of the assault should theoretically write Sheamus off TV and buoy a motivated Butch and Holland. This should be a fun follow-up to their solid tag team title match on the Sept. 23 episode of SmackDown.

Raw women’s championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley (Last Man Standing match): WWE announced a Raw women’s championship match between Bayley and Belair The booking comes after Bayley defeated Belair in a non-title match on the Oct. 24 episode of Monday Night Raw. Belair looked prime to defeat Bayley before Nikki Cross interfered and attacked everyone, opening the door for Bayley to capitalize.

Women’s tag team championship — Asuka & Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Damage CTRL: Asuka and Bliss beat Dakota Kai and IYO SKY on Raw to win the titles, now the former champions get their rematch at Crown Jewel. The two sides have had several prior run-ins with Asuka and Bliss backing Bianca Belair and Damage CTRL backing their leader, Bayley.

WWE Crown Jewel is set to go down on Saturday as WWE returns to Saudi Arabia. WWE is bringing most of its top stars to the event, taking another big swing in its controversial relationship with the country’s government.

In the main event, Roman Reigns will defend the undisputed WWE universal championship against social media star Logan Paul. Reigns has been the universal champion since August 2020 and unified that title with the WWE championship at WrestleMania 38 in April. Paul has only had two matches in his career, teaming with The Miz to defeat The Mysterios and then defeating The Miz in a singles match.

Also on the card is a real-life recreation of Godzilla vs. Kong. Two of WWE’s largest superstars, Braun Strowman and Omos, will test the durability of the ring when they exchange blows on Saturday. Other notable matches include Raw women’s champion Bianca Belair vs. Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match, and Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross in a steel cage.

Let’s take a closer look at who our CBS Sports experts predict will come out on top at WWE Crown Jewel, which begins Saturday at noon ET from Mrsool Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and streams live on Peacock.

2022 WWE Crown Jewel predictions
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul: This is such an odd match. It seemed WWE would build Paul up through more special matches before throwing him into any sort of title match. While he has been truly outstanding in his two matches, there’s basically no way Paul walks away as undisputed champion. That said, there’s a chance he could win by disqualification to remain undefeated while not taking the title off of Reigns. It makes more sense that Reigns just takes the win here while Paul looks good enough that there’s no damage done to him as a rising star. Pick: Roman Reigns retains the title — Brent Brookhouse (also Shakiel Mahjouri)

Raw Women’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley (Last Woman Standing Match): In any other match type, I’d likely lean toward Bayley to end Belair’s long run and freshen things up a bit. But having Bayley go over under Last Woman Standing rules just doesn’t feel right and Belair managing to Superwoman her way through another challenge is far more likely. Pick: Bianca Belair retains the title — Brookhouse

The trajectory of Damage CTRL is confusing. The group was primed to take over the women’s division upon its debut. Dakota Kai and IYO SKY lost a tag team title match, won them two weeks later and recently dropped the belts to Alexa Bliss and Asuka. The trio was also single-handedly thwarted by Belair at Extreme Rules. WWE was probably wise to not replicate The Bloodline’s title dominance with Damage CTRL, but their momentum has felt very start and stop. Salvaging the group probably means handing Bayley the title through nefarious means. Pick: Bayley wins the title — Mahjouri

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley: Lesnar lost to Lashley at Royal Rumble earlier this year. That was the first time the two men had ever met in a one-on-one match. WWE likely would like to be able to return to this match again in 2023 and letting Lesnar get the win back is the most direct way to accomplish that. It’s also hard to imagine Lesnar losing three straight matches. You have to go back to 2003 to find the last time that happened. Pick: Brock Lesnar wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Steel Cage Match): McIntyre cannot afford three consecutive pay-per-view losses. The Scotsman was one of WWE’s few believable main eventers at the end of Vince McMahon’s tenure and it would be a shame to see him fall from grace after a strong showing at Clash at the Castle. Kross has been presented very well so far. His aura is certainly worth preserving, but Kross has no clear and immediate route to the world title. Give McIntyre a much-needed win in a competitive showing against Kross to set up the trilogy. Pick: Drew McIntyre wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Braun Strowman vs. Omos: Omos is very much a work in progress and that is fine. He should not pick up the win. Strowman is a much more seasoned big man that you can reliably insert into a major feud. Strowman’s departure last year was bizarre. WWE had put so much time into developing a monster of a human with surprising athleticism only to drop him. Shredded and looking better than ever, Crown Jewel should be Strowman’s stepping stone to something bigger. Pick: Braun Strowman wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

The O.C. vs. The Judgement Day: The Judgement Day earned much-needed momentum against Edge at Extreme Rules and you would like to see them build off it further. Unfortunately, it may not be worth having The O.C. lose. Styles is the most successful of all six competitors in the match. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows recently returned to WWE after being woefully underutilized in their last stint. The three have cohesion and a longtime friendship, so there shouldn’t be much disjointedness in their chemistry. Expect The O.C. to emerge victorious to capitalize on The Good Brothers’ recent returns. Pick: The O.C. wins — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Undisputed Tag Team Championship — The Usos (c) vs. The Brawling Brutes: The Brutes, along with leader Sheamus, have developed into a consistently entertaining group. That said, it’s nearly impossible to see The Usos losing the undisputed belts in a match without much more build than this. Pick: The Usos retain the titles — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Women’s Tag Team Championship — Alexa Bliss & Asuka (c) vs. Damage CTRL: The women’s tag belts still feel as though they’re lacking any real consistent direction. On IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, they felt like a tool that could help prop up Damage CTRL as a force. But the run was relatively short-lived and the titles were flipped to Bliss and Asuka in what felt like something of a random Raw match. It’s hard to see flipping them back less than a week later. What would the point of the title change have been if they do that? Pick: Alexa Bliss & Asuka retain the titles — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

WWE Crown Jewel offers mainstream faces, MMA crossovers, a battle of behemoths and more. Roman Reigns vs. Logan Paul headlines the company’s return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

Reigns will defend his undisputed WWE universal championship against Paul at a rare daytime premium live event. A family feud is bubbling with Jake Paul joining his brother at Crown Jewel to fend off Reigns’ tribe, The Bloodline. Paul impressed in his two previous WWE matches, but he’ll need to land a lucky punch against one of the most dominant champions in WWE history.

Brock Lesnar lends his star power to the card in a sequel to his 2022 Royal Rumble match against Bobby Lashley. Both former WWE champions have significant MMA experience. Lesnar is the former UFC heavyweight champion while Lashley achieved a solid 15-2 record fighting in organizations including Bellator and Strikeforce.

Below is how you can catch all the action on Saturday afternoon in Saudi Arabia.

Watch 2022 WWE Crown Jewel
Date: Nov. 5
Location: Mrsool Park — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Start time: Noon ET (kickoff show starts at 11 a.m. ET)
Watch live: Peacock

2022 WWE Crown Jewel match card
Undisputed WWE universal championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Logan Paul
The O.C. (A.J. Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) vs. Judgement Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Dominick Mysterio)
Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross (Street Cage Match)
Braun Strowman vs. Omos
Raw women’s championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley (Last Woman Standing Match)
Undisputed tag team championships — The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) (c) vs. Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland)
Women’s tag team championships — Alexa Bliss and Asuka (c) vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky) vs.

Only one premium live event remains on WWE’s calendar for 2022. Survivor Series WarGames gets an upgrade from the traditional format of elimination team matches to a battle of attrition fought inside of a cage. WWE’s final major event of the year takes place at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts on Nov. 26.

The Bloodline and Damage CTRL are expected to battle their rivals in men’s and women’s WarGames matches, respectively. WarGames is a team-based match featuring two rings contained within a large cell. The match begins with one representative from each team duking it out. The remaining competitors enter in a staggered format and the contest cannot conclude until all participants are locked in the cage. The winner is determined by pinfall, submission, surrender or knockout.

SmackDown women’s champion Ronda Rousey will defend her crown against Shotzi at Survivor Series. Shotzi was awarded the title shot after defeating Lacey Evans, Liv Morgan, Sonya Deville, Raquel Rodriguez and Xia Li in a Six-Pack Challenge on the Nov. 11 episode of SmackDown.

In order to ensure you stay up to date with all of WWE’s signature events — each of which will be covered right here by CBS Sports — check out the entire 2022 pay-per-view schedule (at least the events we know about at this time) below along with the dates and locations of all key upcoming events.