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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.

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.

There’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 Los Angeles Clippers, when it was announced that Kawhi Leonard would be out for the foreseeable future, were written off in the crowded Western Conference. While they haven’t been world-beaters, James Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac have kept the Clippers afloat, leading them to a 14-11 record and the sixth seed in the West.

Once Leonard comes back (and it looks like he’s getting closer), the Clippers are expected to continue their unlikely surge and enter the upper echelon of the conference. However, Leonard has proven to be unreliable and delicate during his tenure with the Clippers, and owner Steve Balmer, who is desperate to win, might want to bring a marquee star to his franchise.

With murmurings that LeBron James could be made available, the chances that he gets sent to the crosstown rival Clippers is unlikely, but if the Los Angeles Lakers can get a solid return, they might be interested in swapping the face of their franchise.

The Clippers could offer Leonard and a 2031 first-round pick swap to the Lakers for LeBron and Bronny James, who are expected to be a package deal.

When healthy, Leonard is the better player on both ends of the floor at this point in James’ career, but health is a factor, especially in the midst of a playoff run. By the spring, James will be 40 years old but has proven to be more reliable than Leonard. A starting five of Harden, Kris Dunn, James, Powell and Zubac would be dangerous, and the Clippers would be able to keep Terance Mann, Amir Coffey, Nicolas Batum and Derrick Jones Jr. on the bench as depth pieces.

The Lakers, meanwhile, get the printer defender they’ve been looking for, and if he’s healthy, Leonard would immediately create the best defensive duo in the NBA with Davis, and Los Angeles could flip draft picks and D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract for a facilitator to help orchestrate the offense.

Pritchard is arguably the leading Sixth Man of the Year candidate right now, which is a huge surprise to most people outside of Boston’s locker room. Pritchard is averaging 16.5 points per game off the bench this season, leading many people to sing his praises.

One of those people is former Houston Rockets forward Chandler Parsons, who also played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, and Atlanta Hawks during his career.

Per a new report from ClutchPoints’ Malik Brown, Parsons was extremely complimentary of Pritchard this past week.

“In the Celtics’ last game against the Detroit Pistons, Pritchard came off the bench and finished with a game-high 27 points while dishing out ten assists, Brown said. “He’s been big to the team’s success, and on the Run it Back show, Chandler Parsons gave the guard his flowers.”

“He’s so valuable to this team,” Parsons said, per Brown. “I’ve always loved Payton Pritchard, and then when Jrue Holiday came on the show and said he’s the hardest player to guard in 1-on-1s, I was like, ‘Oh s—, this kid is for real.’”

“He’s averaging 17-3-3, he’s a bonafide starter that’s mastered his role off the bench. He takes nine threes a game, and he’s shooting 44% from the three. Payton Pritchard’s got the best true shooting percentage outside of Steph Curry…the dude’s making history. I never thought he’d be this good; he just keeps getting better and better, and he’s an absolute hooper.”

Pritchard is in year one of a four-year, $30 million deal, a contract that seems like a bargain already.

This season, the Lakers have relied heavily on their title-winning superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis to carry the offensive load.

Even with two NBA 75th Anniversary Team members on the roster and Davis specifically scoring 27.5 points on a 61.0% true shooting percentage, the Lakers’ offensive unit has floundered.

Los Angeles’ 112.1 points ranks as the No. 17 highest team scoring figure in the NBA, but they’ve been forced to stand firmly behind their middle-of-the-pack offense due to their atrocious No. 26 ranked 117.0 defensive rating.

For this reason, Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka could be tempted to pick up the phone to inquire about trading for a former All-Star and NBA champion from the Indiana Pacers to fully lean into their hopeful identity as a lethal offense.

With Los Angeles needing to establish themselves in a historically tough conference, acquiring Pascal Siakam from Indiana makes perfect sense.

The 30-year-old forward is currently the driving force behind one of the NBA’s best offensive systems in Indiana.

Siakam is contributing 19.7 points and 6.6 rebounds on a career-best 41.1% shooting clip from three-point range for a Pacers team that’s been losing steam since their Eastern Conference Finals appearance last postseason.

Indiana’s putrid 10-15 record through 25 games this season could be a sign that the franchise could sell the two-time All-Star Siakam and head in a different direction.

Siakam’s arrival in Indiana via trade during the 2023-24 season made one of the NBA’s greatest offenses at the time even deadlier, and his career-high 61.8% true shooting percentage this season could exponentially boost the Lakers’ scoring effectiveness.

With a Siakam acquisition, Los Angeles could compete for a title as one of the best offensive teams in the league that also happens to possess a five-time All-Defensive Team selection in Davis.

To land Siakam who cannot be dealt until Dec. 15, Los Angeles would have to unload sizable contracts, young prospects and plenty of draft capital.

This would include a combination of Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell or Gabe Vincent along with prospects Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Christie, Maxwell Lewis and first-round draft compensation.

That’s why Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey believes Orlando should go after Zach LaVine. On Friday, Bailey proposed a deal for LaVine that would send Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard, and a 2025 second-rounder to the Bulls.

“Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is one of those 2024 free agents who can be moved after December 15,” Bailey said.

“And while his defense and leadership have been important ingredients in the Orlando Magic’s strong start, the team is 23rd in the league in offense, with KCP averaging 8.2 points and Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner both out for the next several weeks.”

“Zach LaVine could give the Magic the kind of scoring punch they need (with or without the star forwards), and their abundance of rookie and otherwise affordable contracts makes them a suitor that can probably justify taking on his deal (which has a player option for $49 million in 2026-27).”

“Whenever Banchero and Wagner are back, the 29-year-old can recede into a lesser role, while still helping the Magic pump up their three-point volume and giving those forwards a more reliable scorer to kick out to.”

“For the should-be-rebuilding Chicago Bulls, this is decent value for a player who’s been a mainstay in the trade rumor mill for at least a year.”

“If the Bulls were going to get a first-round pick for LaVine, they probably already would have gotten it. He’s a good player averaging 22.1 points and shooting 43.2 percent from deep this season, but his contract and sometimes shaky defense have scared off suitors.”

“This deal gives Chicago a second-round pick, a young wing with plenty of time to develop in Jett Howard and two tradeable contracts (KCP’s deal has a $21.6 million player option in 2026-27, while Cole Anthony’s has a $13.1 million team option the same season).”

Should the Magic pursue this sort of deal for LaVine, or should they follow the lead of the rest of the NBA and steer clear of LaVine’s contract?

Fans of the Timberwolves and Mavericks will be in for a real treat this Christmas, when their squads meet for a Western Conference Finals rematch in Dallas. Tickets have already been flying for this Luka Doncic-Anthony Edwards duel, the second game of the holiday quintuple-header.

The Mavs are right back in the thick of the playoff chase in the West, sitting well within the top four through mid-December. The Wolves have endured a bumpier road, but they’ve started to catch fire since Thanksgiving.

Will Dallas clean the Timberwolves’ clock like it did in last spring’s gentleman’s sweep of the WCF? Or, will Minnesota exact revenge of Luka, Kyrie Irving and company and mount the road upset?

Interested in catching this one live on Christmas afternoon? Here’s how to secure the best and most affordable tickets to Timberwolves-Mavericks in Dallas.

BUY NOW: Get tickets to Wolves-Mavs in Dallas on StubHub

Timberwolves at Mavs tickets for Christmas 2024
Game: Wolves at Mavs
Date/time: Dec. 25 at 2:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. CT)
Venue: American Airlines Center
City: Dallas, TX
Tickets: StubHub
Tickets for the Christmas Day NBA game between the Wolves and Mavs are available now on StubHub. The website has listed tickets to this game as a “high demand” event, meaning that tickets have been selling fast.

As of Dec. 13, the cheapest price range for Wolves-Mavs Christmas seats is $66-$86 per ticket. You may want to act fast, though, as the prices could go up between now and Christmas week.

“Bronny had the best game of his young professional career, tallying a career-high 30 points on 13-of-23 shooting with three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal,” Phelps said.

“With only three games of NBA action on Thursday due to the NBA Cup, the league decided to make a post celebrating Bronny’s big night, which included a highlight reel.”

“Bronny James dropped an NBA G League career-high 30 PTS tonight!” the NBA wrote on X.”

“However, this choice by the NBA didn’t sit well with some fans, calling the league out for posting about a G League performance. Despite it reaching 500,000 views and Bronny being one of the more popular names, given he is the son of LeBron James, fans took to social media to leave their complaints about the post.”

“The amount of attention he gets is disrespectful to players that are actually good,” one fan wrote.”

“NBA Account posting g-league Highlight lmao,” added another. “LeBron really has a lot of pull.”

“They should highlight more g league players if they’re gonna do this,” said a third. “Props to bronny for sure but he shouldn’t be the only one getting attention for his play in the g league.”

“I ain’t never seen a G league player get this much media coverage,” commented a third. “Might as well start covering players from LA Fitness or the YMCA.”

“LMAOOO this is so lameeeee,” chimed in a fifth.”

“This why the viewership is down… don’t nobody wanna hear about what Bronny doing in the G League, it’s too many young hoopers in the league that needs some attention,” posted a sixth.”

Do you agree with the backlash Bronny’s coverage received online?