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The Chicago Bulls will host the Brooklyn Nets for an Eastern Conference showdown on Thursday in the NBA. The Bulls are currently 10th in the East standings with a 27-38 record, while Brooklyn is 13th at 22-43 after losses in eight of its last nine games. The Nets have won and covered the spread in four of their last five head-to-head meetings with the Bulls, but Chicago is 8-2 against the number over its last 10 games.

Tipoff on Thursday night is at at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago. The Bulls are favored by 1.5 points in the latest Bulls vs. Nets odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 230 points, an increase from opening at 226. Chicago is at -129 on the money line (risk $129 to win $100), with Brooklyn at +109 (risk $100 to win $109). Before entering any Nets vs. Bulls picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the 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 Chicago vs. Brooklyn. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Nets vs. Bulls:

Bulls vs. Nets spread: Chicago -1.5
Bulls vs. Nets over/under: 230 points
Bulls vs. Nets money line: Chicago -129, Brooklyn +109
Bulls vs. Nets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Bulls vs. Nets streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Bulls can cover
Chicago is on a three-game winning streak that has given the franchise a 4.5-game lead over the Raptors for the final spot in the NBA play-in tournament. The Bulls are coming off a dominant 121-103 win over the Pacers where they held Indiana to 39.6% shooting from the floor.

Josh Giddey and Coby White both had 29 points in the victory, and Nikola Vucevic recorded his 37th double-double of the season while coming off the bench with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Bulls have covered the spread in four of their last five home games and are 6-2 against the number in their last eight games against Eastern Conference opponents. See which team to back at SportsLine.

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Why the Nets can cover
Meanwhile, the Nets suffered a 109-104 loss to the Cavaliers on Tuesday but did cover comfortably as 14.5-point underdogs against the best team in the conference. Brooklyn has now covered the spread in three of its last four games and is also 5-1 against the spread in its last six games played on a Thursday.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 27 points in the loss to Cleveland, and Cameron Johnson added 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. These two franchises have split their two previous matchups this season both straight up and against the spread but haven’t played yet in this calendar year. Brooklyn could get a bit of a break tonight as Chicago may be without two key players in Lonzo Ball (wrist) and Giddey (ankle), both of whom are listed as doubtful. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Bulls vs. Nets picks
The model has simulated Brooklyn vs. Chicago 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, projecting 224 combined points. It’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Bulls vs. Nets on Thursday, and which side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nets vs. Bulls 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 Chicago Bulls will host the Brooklyn Nets for an Eastern Conference showdown on Thursday in the NBA. The Bulls are currently 10th in the East standings with a 27-38 record, while Brooklyn is 13th at 22-43 after losses in eight of its last nine games. The Nets have won and covered the spread in four of their last five head-to-head meetings with the Bulls, but Chicago is 8-2 against the number over its last 10 games.

Tipoff on Thursday night is at at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago. The Bulls are favored by 1.5 points in the latest Bulls vs. Nets odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 230 points, an increase from opening at 226. Chicago is at -129 on the money line (risk $129 to win $100), with Brooklyn at +109 (risk $100 to win $109). Before entering any Nets vs. Bulls picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the 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 Chicago vs. Brooklyn. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Nets vs. Bulls:

Bulls vs. Nets spread: Chicago -1.5
Bulls vs. Nets over/under: 230 points
Bulls vs. Nets money line: Chicago -129, Brooklyn +109
Bulls vs. Nets picks: See picks at SportsLine
Bulls vs. Nets streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Bulls can cover
Chicago is on a three-game winning streak that has given the franchise a 4.5-game lead over the Raptors for the final spot in the NBA play-in tournament. The Bulls are coming off a dominant 121-103 win over the Pacers where they held Indiana to 39.6% shooting from the floor.

Josh Giddey and Coby White both had 29 points in the victory, and Nikola Vucevic recorded his 37th double-double of the season while coming off the bench with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Bulls have covered the spread in four of their last five home games and are 6-2 against the number in their last eight games against Eastern Conference opponents. See which team to back at SportsLine.

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Why the Nets can cover
Meanwhile, the Nets suffered a 109-104 loss to the Cavaliers on Tuesday but did cover comfortably as 14.5-point underdogs against the best team in the conference. Brooklyn has now covered the spread in three of its last four games and is also 5-1 against the spread in its last six games played on a Thursday.

Cam Thomas led the Nets with 27 points in the loss to Cleveland, and Cameron Johnson added 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. These two franchises have split their two previous matchups this season both straight up and against the spread but haven’t played yet in this calendar year. Brooklyn could get a bit of a break tonight as Chicago may be without two key players in Lonzo Ball (wrist) and Giddey (ankle), both of whom are listed as doubtful. See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Bulls vs. Nets picks
The model has simulated Brooklyn vs. Chicago 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, projecting 224 combined points. It’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Bulls vs. Nets on Thursday, and which side of the spread hits in over 60% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Nets vs. Bulls 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 New Orleans Pelicans will host the Orlando Magic for a cross-conference clash in the NBA on Thursday night. New Orleans is 18-48 on the season and has the second-worst record in the Western Conference, while Orlando is 30-36 overall and is currently the eighth seed in the East. The Magic have won and covered the spread in eight of their last 10 head-to-head meetings with the Pelicans, including a 115-88 win as 8.5-point home favorites in their only previous matchup of the season on Nov. 8.

Tipoff is at at 8 p.m. ET at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. Orlando is favored by 2.5 points in the latest Pelicans vs. Magic odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 216 points. Orlando is at -134 on the money line (risk $134 to win $100), with New Orleans at +113 (risk $100 to win $113). Before entering any Magic vs. Pelicans picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions from the 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 New Orleans vs. Orlando. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA betting lines for Magic vs. Pelicans:

Pelicans vs. Magic spread: New Orleans +2.5
Pelicans vs. Magic over/under: 216 points
Pelicans vs. Magic money line: New Orleans +113, Orlando -134
Pelicans vs. Magic picks: See picks at SportsLine
Pelicans vs. Magic streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Pelicans can cover
New Orleans ended a four-game losing streak with a 127-120 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. Zion Williamson posted a triple-double with 22 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the victory. Williamson has played in 17 of the team’s last 21 games after missing 35 of the first 45 games on the schedule.

The Pelicans have now covered the spread in five of their last six games at home and have won four of those games outright with two of those victories coming as underdogs. New Orleans had seven players reach double-figures in scoring during its win over Los Angeles. See which team to back at SportsLine.

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Why the Magic can cover
Meanwhile, Orlando is coming off a 97-84 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday. Paolo Banchero led the team with 25 points in the game, but the team shot an abysmal 32.6% from the floor overall. The team is now 1-6 against the spread over its last seven games.

However, the Magic have covered the spread six times in a row against the Pelicans, and they’ve covered seven in a row in New Orleans. Banchero is now averaging 24.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, and he could be in for a big night against a shorthanded New Orleans frontcourt that’s missing Kelly Olynyk (personal) and Yves Missi (ankle). See which team to back at SportsLine.

How to make Pelicans vs. Magic picks
The model has simulated Orlando vs. New Orleans 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over, projecting 217 combined points. It’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in almost 70% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Magic vs. Pelicans on Thursday, and which side of the spread hits in nearly 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Pelicans vs. Magic 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 San Antonio Spurs need to be careful not to waste their time with Victor Wembanyama.

It may seem like Wemby is years away from his prime, but he’s already an elite NBA defender. The Spurs should be making win-now moves if they are wise, or at least attempting to embody that mindset in 2024-25.

San Antonio added Chris Paul over the summer, which was a great move despite Paul’s age, but the Spurs will still struggle to score at times. Another bona fide bucket-getter would do wonders for Gregg Popovich’s ball club.

Is adding someone like Trae Young an impossibility for San Antonio? Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes certainly doesn’t think so, seeing as Hughes recently discussed why a Young-to-Spurs deal would make sense.

“Adding Young would mean an almost top-down stylistic change for his acquiring team, but no organization has the malleability San Antonio does with Victor Wembanyama,” Hughes said. “On defense, specifically, Wemby might be the best player in the league to solve the problems Young causes.”

“The main drawback would be taking the ball out of Wembanyama’s hands, but it’s not yet clear he’ll develop into an offensive alpha who dominates touch time. Young could raise the level of San Antonio’s attack while Wemby ensures elite production on the other end.”

“Atlanta’s interest would stem from the potential to get back the first-rounders it sent away in the Dejounte Murray deal a couple of years ago.”

At the very least, a Young-Wemby pairing would sell a ton of tickets and enhance the Spurs’ brand presence. There’s no doubt that San Antonio would be interested in the idea; it would just be a matter of putting together an attractive enough package for Atlanta or bringing in a third team if necessary.

After a weeks-long search, ESPN finally found its replacement for longtime NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski. You might be familiar with some of his work.

Shams Charania is heading to ESPN to serve as the network’s lead NBA insider, he announced on X — the website formerly known as Twitter — on Monday afternoon.

Charania previously served at The Athletic, Stadium and Yahoo Sports. The Chicago native was Wojnarowski’s understudy while at Yahoo Sports. As the years wore on, the two became adversaries, competing with one another to see who could produce the bigger news drops.

Charania beat out a host of candidates, including fellow ESPN stars Jeff Passan and Adam Schefter, to receive the gig. Here’s what you need to know.

SN’s NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule

Why did Shams Charania leave The Athletic for ESPN?
Charania’s decision to join the Worldwide Leader in Sports was all about timing. His contracts with The Athletic and FanDuel TV were nearing their expiration, making him among the hottest commodities in sports media.

NBC Sports and Prime Video were among the other platforms interested in securing Charania’s services. In the end, ESPN’s pursuit was impossible to pass up.

ESPNer Pat McAfee was among Charania’s biggest advocates, per Front Office Sports’ Michael McCarthy. McAfee publicly endorsed Charania’s candidacy for Wojnarowski’s job on his show. Charania is a regular guest on the program.

“Shams Charania’s the answer. I know there’s conversations happening. … But if you take our bias out of this conversation, there’s only one answer. It’s Shams Charania,” McAfee said.

MORE: Expert NBA award predictions for 2024-25 season

Adrian Wojnarowski reacts to Shams Charania filling his job at ESPN
Former NBA insider Wojnarowski hopped on Jim Rome’s show and broke the silence on Charania filling his job at ESPN for the first time.

“Shams texted me after I announced my retirement. What I told him is what I’ll say today. I hope he has as fulfilling and as rewarding of a career as I’ve had. I certainly wish that for him,” Wojnarowski said.

“He’s right about the incredible group of colleagues that he’s going to find at ESPN. The best of the best. Incredible reporters, on-air talent,” Wojnarowski mentioned, referencing Charania’s announcement post.

“For me, that was always the best part of working at ESPN: the colleagues who elevate you. You’re around the best of the best. That was true on the NBA, and that was true being around [Adam] Schefter, [Pete] Thamel and [Jeff] Passan and those guys.

“I wish [Shams] the best and he’s got a great team around him at ESPN. I miss those guys already,” Wojnarowski concluded.

Shams Charania net worth
It’s unclear quite how much money Charania is worth at this point in his career. He reportedly fetched between $3 million and $4 million annually during his time with The Athletic, Stadium and FanDuel, per Front Office Sports.

Wojnarowski, meanwhile, reportedly earned $7 million a season with ESPN, per the Los Angeles Times.

Wojnarowski is believed to have left around $20 million on the table when he decided to retire from the industry and return to St. Bonaventure as the men’s basketball team’s general manager.

Charania’s new deal very well could have fallen somewhere between those two figures, although it hasn’t yet been revealed.

MORE: Where LeBron James, Stephen Curry and other stars land in updated player rankings

Shams Charania age
Born on April 1, 1994, Charania is 30 years old.

With his hire, Charania becomes ESPN’s youngest-ever “lead news-breaker,” per Sports Business Journal.

Which teams will be the biggest over and underachievers for the 2024-25 season?

Win totals are out for all 30 teams, and those gambling lines serve as a good proxy for expectations that fans should have.

Sometimes, these totals are unpredictable. The Grizzlies were by far the biggest underachievers last year, hitting their under by 18.5 games due largely to injury. Other times, the evidence is right there for those willing to adjust their expectations quickly. The Wolves, Thunder, Magic and Pacers were all teams led by young stars who showed promise at the end of their previous years. They all completely smashed their overs last season.

The last time I did this, I went 3-1. My best over bet, the Warriors, crashed and burned, but I correctly picked the Knicks as overachievers and the Spurs and Lakers as hitting their unders. Before I pat myself too hard on the back, two years ago I went 0-3. Follow this advice at your own risk, if the reasoning makes sense to you.

With that caveat, here are my favorite over and unders this year.

With the NBA season around the corner, now is the perfect time to lock in awards predictions.

Last season, I had a couple of easy hits on MVP and Rookie of the Year winners. I vastly overestimated the Warriors’ representation in awards, incorrectly picking Chris Paul and Steve Kerr for Sixth Man and Coach of the Year, respectively.

This season is going to prove even more challenging than last. The bar is higher than ever to win the league’s most prestigious awards.

Here are my picks for MVP, Sixth Man of the Year, DPOY and more.

MORE: Updated NBA Power Rankings after Karl-Anthony Towns trade

NBA award predictions 2024-25
Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic, Mavericks
Doncic has finished no worse than eighth in MVP voting in each of the last five seasons. He was the No. 3 finisher last season.

That voting occurred before the playoffs, where he was the MVP of the Western Conference Finals and unstoppable throughout the Mavs’ Finals run. He proved that no defense can contain him, beating every single scheme with averages of 28.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists during the playoffs.

Doncic has a great chance to repeat that success this upcoming season. The Mavericks should be better given their additions of Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie. Doncic has another year of chemistry with Kyrie Irving, and Dereck Lively II should continue to improve from a promising rookie campaign.

Better spacing around Doncic will make him even tougher to guard. Thompson will get the easiest 3s of his life, and teams can’t sag off a poor shooter like Derrick Jones Jr. anymore.

Doncic is entering his age-25 season and will be better than ever. Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo won their first MVPs at age 24. Jokic won his at 25. Doncic will end his career in that same realm as one of the top 25 players to ever play the game. His time is now.

MORE: Why Klay Thompson chose Mavericks over Lakers in free agency

Zach Edey dunks on Walker Kessler in the Summer League.
Rookie of the Year: Zach Edey, Grizzlies
This is not a good rookie class, and many of the top picks in this draft looked like they were a long way away from contributing during Summer League. Alex Sarr is a work in progress offensively to put it kindly, as is Zaccharie Risacher. Reed Sheppard could compete for the award but may not get the minutes needed to win given Houston’s depth at guard.

That leaves Edey winning the award by default. He’s going to play a lot — the Grizzlies don’t have much else behind him at center. He also has NBA-ready skills with his interior scoring and rebounding, and Memphis is a good place to disguise his weaknesses.

Edey isn’t going to be a great shooter or mobile defender, but Memphis has OK shooting in its starting lineup and a power forward in Jaren Jackson Jr. who can help mitigate those issues. Edey is going to be a screen-setting giant for Ja Morant, who should have nice pick-and-roll chemistry with him from Day One.

Edey isn’t going to be the best player in this class, but he might be the most productive rookie. This feels similar to Malcolm Brogdon’s win in a meh 2016 draft class. While some players ended up becoming way better than Brogdon, his age — like Edey, Brogdon played four years in college — and immediate contributions to a playoff team were enough to win it.

MORE: Zach Edey recreates iconic Muggsy Bogues-Manute Bol photo at media day

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama, Spurs
Wembanyama finished runner-up to Gobert last season, and he didn’t even know opposing player tendencies for most of the year. With a full season of film and learning how NBA rotations work, he’s going to be much better.

That’s a scary thought given that Wembanyama led the league with 3.6 blocks per game last season. Players often pulled the ball back rather than challenging him, and he still got to that absurdly high number. He’s more than just a rim protector, too. His 8-foot wingspan allows him to grab for steals that no one else can, and he’s pretty good at moving his feet on the perimeter.

The biggest thing holding Wembanyama back last season was that his Spurs teammates were horrible defenders, dropping their team defense down to 21st in the league. That shouldn’t be the case this year. Chris Paul isn’t nearly what he once was, particularly one-on-one, but he is a smart positional defender who can still get steals and organize the defense. Harrison Barnes is likewise past his prime but still a massive upgrade defensively over the sieve that is Keldon Johnson. And rookie Stephon Castle is a gritty point-of-attack defender.

San Antonio should be at least in the top half of the league defensively this season. That will make it very tough to deny Wembanyama this award.

MORE: Victor Wembanyama’s DPOY potential in two blocks

Most Improved Player: RJ Barrett, Raptors
Barrett has been on a tear ever since being traded from the Knicks. He closed out the season for the Raptors by averaging 21.8 points per game and dramatically increasing his 3-point percentage, from 33.1 percent to 39.2 percent.

That may seem fluky, but Barrett continued that hot streak through the Olympics for Team Canada, averaging 19.8 points per game and hitting 43.8 percent of his 3s. The shooting improvement could be real.

Barrett’s improved scoring looks sustainable for a couple of reasons. First, he’s learned to lean into his strengths. He’s a bully driver at his best. When he puts his head down and tries to muscle through defenders, nobody is stopping him. Second, his new role in Toronto allows him to focus more on being a pure scorer. That is going to help him put up big stats in his first full year there.

Barrett has good passers around him in Immanuel Quickley and Scottie Barnes who can further simplify his job. He just needs to finish plays, which he is great at. Not many people were paying attention to a bad Raptors team at the end of the year, but the evidence is right there. Barrett is poised for a huge year.

MORE: Gradey Dick, Trey Murphy III, Dyson Daniels are dark horse Most Improved Player candidates

RJ Barrett
Sixth Man of the Year: Buddy Hield, Warriors
Sixth Man voters usually pick the guy who guns the most off the bench. That is Hield in a nutshell. Steve Kerr loves Brandin Podziemski, and Stephen Curry is going to start. Hield should be in a bench role where he’s free to go off.

Hield did not find a good role with the Sixers last year, but he still shot fireballs when he was in. And as a member of the high-flying Pacers, he was dynamite on his 3s. He’s a high-volume shooter with a quick trigger, and he’s going to get even more looks than ever in a movement offense where he’s filling in for one of the greatest shooters in league history in Klay Thompson.

Hield has shown that he is capable of huge scoring outputs in the past. He averaged 20.7 points per game in nearby Sacramento earlier in his career. He’s also been a relative iron man, even playing in 84 games last season. The minutes should come to him, and he’s going to hit a lot of shots.

MORE: Three trades to get Stephen Curry the Warriors help he needs

Clutch Player of the Year: Nikola Jokic
There isn’t a better player to get the ball down the stretch than Jokic. He plays at his own speed and knows exactly what he’s doing at all times. He’s unstoppable one-on-one and will make the perfect pass when teams double-team him.

Jokic was one of the most clutch players last season by statistical measures. He didn’t get too much consideration for the award because the Nuggets were too good. Curry and DeMar DeRozan finished first and second in the award, respectively, because they played on more mediocre teams who faced closer games.

The Nuggets won’t have that problem this year. They lost a key starter in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and are counting too heavily on unproven young players like Christian Braun, Julian Strawther and Peyton Watson. Russell Westbrook is another wildcard that could be difficult to incorporate.

Jokic is going to have to put these guys on his back, and he is going to win a ton of close games with heady defensive plays, his unstoppable floater and his Sombor Shuffle jump shot.

MORE: Nikola Jokic could lead the NBA in scoring if he wanted

Coach of the Year: Taylor Jenkins, Grizzlies
Jenkins finished runner-up for this award in 2022 but should still be considered a spicy pick for Coach of the Year in 2025. He’s reportedly on the hot seat, so he could be fired rather than winning this award if the Grizzlies disappoint.

I don’t think that will happen. Memphis was a 51-win team last time we saw it healthy. Injuries decimated almost everyone on the roster last season — the Grizzlies were forced into playing 33 guys. It was a minor miracle that they even won 27 games.

This Grizzlies team also has good reason to believe they will be better than that team from two years ago. They’ve added Marcus Smart, Zach Edey and GG Jackson, though Jackson will miss time at the start of the season with an injury. Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. should all be better with more experience.

Most importantly, Jenkins is a brilliant coach who has shown previously that he can get the most out of this roster. He is one of the best X’s and O’s minds in the league. He draws up great stuff at the end of games, and he should have a talented roster now that can execute his vision.

A new NBA season is upon us and so is the latest installment of The Sporting News’ ranking of the top 30 players in the league.

While it’s nearly been four months since the Celtics were crowned NBA champions for a record 18th time, the 2024 offseason seemed to have flown by thanks to a historic NBA Draft and an electrifying Olympic basketball tournament that saw LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant lead Team USA to its fifth consecutive gold medal.

Now that the dust has settled from a busy offseason, the focus shifts to an NBA campaign in which every team in the league will have its sights set on dethroning Boston.

In each of the past two years, fans are reminded that talent always prevails, as Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets to the promised land in 2023 before the duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum got the job done for the Celtics in June.

With that in mind, eight members of The Sporting News staff collaborated to rank the top 30 players in the NBA. Participants ranked their top 35 players. From there, players were ranked 1-30 based on average ranking across the board.

While Jokic was the consensus No. 1 overall, the group did not have a consensus agreement on any other player, adding to the intrigue of this year’s rankings. Take a look at the updated top 30, taking last year’s postseason, the Olympics and preseason projections into account.

Click here for the full list.

NBA player rankings 2024-25
Anthony Edwards

10. Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves
    Highest rank: 9

Lowest rank: 13

Edwards’ meteoric ascent toward superstardom continues with a place in the top 10 of SN’s latest NBA player rankings.

After leading the Wolves to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history, Edwards won Olympic gold with Team USA and is unquestionably the face of the franchise following the trade sending Karl-Anthony Towns to New York.

MORE: Grading the blockbuster Knicks-Wolves trade revolving Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle

9. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
   Highest rank: 6

Lowest rank: 14

Few people had a year as good as Tatum’s. In addition to his first-ever NBA title, he won his second Olympic gold medal and signed a historic contract extension to remain in Boston.

Tatum’s rebounding, playmaking and defensive abilities make him one of the most well-rounded stars in the league.

8. Kevin Durant, Suns
   Highest rank: 6

Lowest rank: 9

Durant is a generational talent with a game that continues to age gracefully.

Despite Phoenix getting swept in the opening round of the 2024 playoffs, Durant averaged an efficient 26.8 points in the series and again displayed his natural scoring ability during the Olympics. Expect more of the same in 2024-25.

MORE: Is Kevin Durant or LeBron James the USA Basketball GOAT?

7. LeBron James, Lakers
   Highest rank: 5

Lowest rank: 11

Even as he prepares for his 22nd NBA season, it isn’t much of a surprise that James lands among the top 10.

The soon-to-be 40-year-old was the star who shined brightest at the Olympics and reminded himself — and the rest of the world — that he’s still got plenty left in the tank. Whether that leads to team success in LA remains to be seen.

MORE: Why LeBron James won MVP over Stephen Curry in Paris

Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors

6. Stephen Curry, Warriors
   Highest rank: 4

Lowest rank: 7

While several questions surrounding the Warriors this season, very few pertain to Curry, if any.

The 36-year-old put forth an otherworldly shooting display at the Olympics and rides that momentum into his 16th NBA season, where he will look to propel Golden State back into the playoffs after a Play-In Tournament exit in 2024.

5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
   Highest rank: 4

Lowest rank: 8

Last year’s MVP runner-up lands in the top five as he continues to build upon one of the most impressive superstar leaps in recent memory.

In addition to scoring over 30 points per game for a second straight season, SGA led OKC to the West’s No. 1 seed. With an even better roster, he’ll look to lead the Thunder even further in 2025.

4. Joel Embiid, 76ers
   Highest rank: 4

Lowest rank: 8

Even in a year marred by injury, Embiid did enough to stay in the top five of SN’s player rankings. He averaged a shade under 35 points over 39 regular-season games and, despite being clearly hobbled, averaged 33.0 points over six playoff games.

Ahead of the new season, Embiid has slimmed down and has his sights set on new heights with Paul George now in Philly.

MORE: Joel Embiid inks three-year extension with the 76ers

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
   Highest rank: 2

Lowest rank: 3

A calf injury robbed fans of the opportunity to watch Antetokounmpo during last year’s playoffs but he looked healthy and in prime form while leading Greece to the Olympics. Now, Antetokounmpo will look to build upon last season’s averages of 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game while having the benefit of a full training camp under Doc Rivers and alongside Damian Lillard.

Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic

2. Luka Doncic, Mavericks

Doncic’s role in leading Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals has a huge hand in him landing at No. 2 ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

While Doncic and the Mavs fell well shy of capturing the title, the five-time All-Star continues to display his generational abilities and should benefit from an even better roster around him this season. A run to the title might be what it takes to propel Doncic to No. 1, and the 25-year-old is well aware.

1. Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
   Highest rank: 1

Lowest rank: 1

The No. 1 spot feels like it’ll be Jokic’s for now and the foreseeable future.

Even after running out of steam during the Western Conference Semifinals, there shouldn’t be much pushback around Jokic’s standing as the best in the world. He put that prowess on display at the Olympics, where he pushed Team USA to its limit in the semifinals before ultimately leading Serbia to a bronze medal.

Denver’s roster took another hit this offseason but Jokic’s ability to make everyone around him better means his team will always have a chance to win big.

Which team has the best starting point guard, and which one has the worst? The Sporting News is ranking every team’s starter at each position for the 2024-25 NBA season.

The bar has never been higher to be a starting point guard in the league.

Lead ball-handlers who can create for themselves and others are what drive most NBA offenses. Seventeen of the top 18 point guards on this list have made at least one All-Star game. The lone exception, Jamal Murray, is considered by many to be one of the best players to never make one.

Here are all 30 projected starters at point guard for the 2024-25 season, ranked 1 to 30.

SN’s NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule

Luka Doncic
NBA point guard rankings 2024-25

1. Luka Doncic, Mavericks

This is Doncic’s first season atop this list. He may be holding onto the top spot for a while.

Doncic earned his first scoring title last season, averaging 33.9 points per game to go along with his 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds. That helped him earn his fifth consecutive First Team All-NBA selection and finish third in the MVP race. He was unstoppable in leading the Mavericks to a surprise Finals berth before running out of gas against the Celtics.

Doncic’s 3-point shot has become deadly — he connected on a career-high 38.2 percent of his looks last year. That, combined with his unstoppable 1-on-1 scoring and unreal passing, makes him one of the toughest covers of all time.

MORE: Inside Klay Thompson’s decision to leave Warriors for Mavericks

2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

Gilgeous-Alexander finished runner-up in the 2024 MVP race after averaging 30.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. The crafty guard led the league in drives per game for the fourth consecutive year, finding a way to slither into the lane with his herky-jerky motion.

Gilgeous-Alexander has become a much-improved defender, garnering some All-Defensive consideration after averaging 2.0 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. He has great anticipation in the passing lanes, and he’s now a good two-way player.

3. Jalen Brunson, Knicks

There’s no point guard with a deeper bag than Brunson. He uses every move in the book to get to his favorite spots. He’s deadly from the midrange, he hit 40.1 percent of his 3s last season and he is a good finisher at the rim.

Despite standing at only 6-2, Brunson loves initiating contact. He’s comfortable working in the post and while he can get picked on defensively, he competes hard on that end. He was No. 2 in the league in charges drawn last season.

4. Stephen Curry, Warriors

Curry is still arguably the greatest shooter in the league. He led the league with 357 3-pointers made last season, connecting on 40.8 percent of his attempts. His 92.3 percent from the line was No. 2 behind former teammate Klay Thompson.

Curry was the No. 1 player on this list last season, but age has started to catch up to him. He always seems to miss a handful of games and entering his age 36 season, that trend will likely continue. He does save his best for the end of games — he won his first Clutch Player of the Year award last season and was fantastic in the last two games of the Olympics.

Stephen Curry Golden State Warriors

5. Tyrese Haliburton, Pacers

There isn’t a better player in transition than Haliburton. The Pacers have leaned into his free-flowing offensive capabilities, finishing as the No. 2 offense behind the Celtics last season.

Haliburton has great range on his 3-pointer and he’s one of the best passers in the league. His 10.9 assists per game led the NBA last season. He’s also turned himself into a scoring threat, scoring 20.1 points per game and helping to lead the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2023-24.

6. Damian Lillard, Bucks

Lillard is coming off a down year by his standards. His averages of 24.3 points, 7.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds still don’t look too bad, but he’s a better shooter than the 35.4 percent he canned from 3. He proved that by winning the All-Star Weekend’s 3-Point Contest in convincing fashion.

Lillard should be better with a full training camp to acclimate to Doc Rivers and the Bucks. He did show flashes of brilliance, topping 40 points three times last year.

7. Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Morant has fallen off the collective radar after playing in only nine games last season and facing off-court issues. But he was excellent in that short healthy stretch, averaging 25.1 points and 8.1 assists per game. He’s an athletic freak who is one of the best players in the league going downhill.

The Grizzlies were a mess last season, but a healthier roster should have Morant back in the discussion of top point guards in the league.

8. De’Aaron Fox, Kings

Fox has gotten better every year that he’s been in the league. He averaged a career-high 26.6 points per game last season, driven in large part by his much-improved 36.9 percent from 3. That shooting has made him even tougher to guard when he uses his blazing speed in transition or off screens.

Fox also made great strides as a defender, leading the league with 2.0 steals per game. He’s one of the more underappreciated stars in the league.

9. Tyrese Maxey, 76ers

Maxey had a breakout 2023-24 season for the Sixers, averaging 25.9 points and 6.2 assists per game as the new lead ball-handler for the team. He’s a great shooter who developed quick chemistry with Joel Embiid to form one of the best pick-and-roll duos in the league.

10. Jamal Murray, Nuggets

Murray averaged 21.2 points and 6.5 assists per game as Denver’s No. 2 option. He hit some big shots in the playoffs, as has become the norm for him, but nagging injuries limited his effectiveness.

UPDATED NBA PLAYER RANKINGS: Where LeBron, Curry and other stars land ahead of 2024-25 season

Holiday has become a rock-solid role player for the Celtics. He’s one of the best corner 3-point shooters in the league and a terrific All-Defensive guard who will take on any assignment.
Young is a wildly productive point guard who averaged 25.7 points and 10.8 assists last season. The departure of Dejounte Murray should allow him to have the ball in his hands even more for a retooled Hawks team.
Harden’s scoring took a big step back last season. His 16.6 points per game were the lowest since his sophomore season as a reserve on the Thunder. He’s still a great facilitator and 3-point shooter who will find ways to get to the line.
Ball has not been able to stay healthy, playing in just 58 games over the past two seasons. He’s been great when he has been available, averaging 23.9 points and 8.0 assists last season.
Cunningham averaged 22.7 points and 7.5 assists per game last season. The next step for him is improving his efficiency.
Fred VanVleet

VanVleet’s teams always seem to do a lot better with him on the floor. He helped Houston take a big step forward last season, while the Raptors weren’t able to overcome his departure. He’s a tough defender and a good 3-point shooter who finds ways to compensate for his lack of height.
Garland had a bit of a down year last season due in large part to injuries suffered at inopportune times. He’s an All-Star talent, though, who can bomb away from 3 and has excellent court vision.
Murray is in a new home in New Orleans, which may help him unlock more of his potential. He’s a good shot creator but he was playing below his defensive capabilities in Atlanta.
Suggs has turned into one of the best defensive guards in the league. He’s tough, gets around screens well and is a ballhawk. He’s become a much better 3-point shooter, hitting 39.7 percent from deep last season.
Quickley gets to star in a bigger role in Toronto now. He’s a smart help defender and a do-everything guard whose one weakness is getting all the way to the rim.
Mike Conley Minnesota Timberwolves

21. Mike Conley, Timberwolves

Conley remains one of the smartest guards in the league and a great 3-point shooter even entering his age 37 season.
Rozier is a good shot creator who averaged 19.8 points per game last season. Injuries prevented him from finding his footing in Miami last season.
Russell is capable of getting hot from 3 and putting up big scoring outputs, but his defense can be problematic. He has had issues because of that in the playoffs.
Paul is still a genius passer and a midrange master, but entering his age 39 season, he can’t be counted on for major minutes.
Giddey gets a bigger role in Chicago to show he can be a lead ball-handler in the league. He’s got great passing vision and rebounding. Turnovers, poor efficiency, bad defense and a shaky jumper all remain question marks.
Josh Giddey

Jones is a solid distributor who’s not going to make many mistakes. He’s improved his 3-point shooting over the years, hitting 41.4 percent from deep last season. That makes him a great fit next to higher volume shooters in Phoenix.
Brogdon is two seasons removed from winning the Sixth Man of the Year award. Injuries will always be an issue for him, but he’s a great shooter and smart decision-maker.
Schroder has a blazing first step and can be a defensive menace. Attitude questions and a streaky jump shot are lingering issues.
Henderson didn’t have the rookie year that many had hoped for, but he’s still a great athlete who showed flashes of very high potential.
While George is still learning how to play the point guard role in the NBA, he had a solid rookie year in which he averaged 13.0 points and 4.4 assists per game.

Andy Dalton wasted no time elevating the Carolina Panthers in his first start of the 2024 NFL season Sunday, becoming the first quarterback of the new year to throw 300 yards and three touchdowns in a rout of the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 3. Not only did the veteran backup appear much more at ease than Bryce Young, the former No. 1 overall draft pick who was demoted two games into the season, but he also reminded everyone that, well, he still exists.

At 36, Dalton is among the older active players in the NFL. This is his 14th season at the professional level. History suggests that his sudden Panthers stardom, giving new coach Dave Canales his first career win, will ultimately give way to more mercurial results — sooner rather than later, perhaps. Still, the fact he can still take the field and sling it like he did against Antonio Pierce’s defense is a testament to his underrated durability on the NFL stage.

Consider how much has changed, for both Dalton and the NFL at large, since the veteran first entered the scene. Here’s a timeline of notable Dalton happenings, emphasizing just how long the red-headed gunslinger has survived:

USATSI
April 29, 2011: Dalton is drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. With Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer threatening retirement over a failed trade request, Cincy takes Dalton No. 35 overall out of TCU, quickly installing him as the starter at a position dominated by Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints), Tom Brady (New England Patriots) and a young Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions). His arrival comes months after Aaron Rodgers won the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers and Peyton Manning took his last snap with the Indianapolis Colts.

Jan. 1, 2012: Dalton leads his first playoff berth. His four fourth-quarter comebacks help Cincinnati finish with a 9-7 record and earn a spot in the postseason. Also drawing Offensive Rookie of the Year consideration, Dalton goes on to throw three picks in a 31-10 season-ending loss to the Houston Texans, led by rookie backup T.J. Yates. The New York Giants go on to win the Super Bowl, with Eli Manning outdueling Brady and the Patriots for a second time.

Nov. 27, 2012: Dalton continues his record pace. He becomes just the third player in NFL history at the time to throw at least 20 touchdown passes in each of his first two seasons, after Peyton Manning and Dan Marino.

Jan. 5, 2013: Dalton falls to the Texans in the playoffs once again. After guiding the Bengals to a 10-6 finish, headlined by late-year wins over division rivals in the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers, he can’t outdo a Houston team led by Matt Schaub, falling 19-13. The Ravens go on to win it all with a 28-year-old Joe Flacco.

andy-dalton-bengals-redskins-tie-10-30-16.png
USATSI
Dec. 29, 2013: Dalton sets franchise records before another postseason flop. While leading the Bengals to yet another improved season, this time finishing 11-5 atop the AFC North, he throws 4,293 yards and 33 touchdowns. The breakout doesn’t translate to the playoffs, however, as his three turnovers doom Cincy in a 27-10 wild-card loss to the San Diego Chargers, raising questions about his value as a postseason signal-caller.

Aug. 4, 2014: Dalton signs a six-year Bengals extension worth nearly $100 million. Before lucrative quarterback deals become near-daily talking points, Dalton strikes it rich despite an 0-3 playoff record.

Jan. 4, 2015: Dalton falls to 0-4 in the playoffs. Despite another 10-win finish with the Bengals, the quarterback throws double-digit interceptions for the fourth straight year, and manages just 155 passing yards against the Indianapolis Colts in a 26-10 wild-card defeat, leaving him winless in the postseason after five years.

Nov. 5, 2015: Dalton guides an 8-0 start, then gets sidelined. Back in Pro Bowl form, he feeds top wide receiver A.J. Green en route to the first unbeaten eight-game stretch in franchise history. Weeks later, the quarterback suffers a fractured thumb and misses games for the first time in his career, with A.J. McCarron taking over for the remainder of the year, including a fifth straight wild-card loss for the franchise.

NFL: Houston Texans at Cincinnati Bengals
USATSI
Sept. 11, 2016: Dalton begins a four-year slide of missing the playoffs. Responsible for an enviable 50-26-1 record during his first five seasons, Dalton starts 2016 hot but can’t elevate an aging Cincinnati roster during four straight losing campaigns. He misses five games due to another thumb injury in 2018, which also proves to be longtime coach Marvin Lewis’ final season on the job.

Sept. 8, 2019: Dalton ushers in the Zac Taylor era. With Lewis out, the quarterback makes a splash in his first game under the former Los Angeles Rams coordinator, hired following L.A.’s run to Super Bowl LIII with Jared Goff. Dalton’s career-high 418 yards against the Seattle Seahawks come in defeat, however.

Oct. 29, 2019: Dalton is benched for Ryan Finley, but returns weeks later. Cincinnati finally demotes the veteran after an 0-8 start, turning to the fourth-round rookie out of NC State, only to rename Dalton the starter following an 0-3 stretch with Finley. Dalton finishes the year under center, and leads a win in Week 17.

April 30, 2020: Dalton is released by the Bengals. One week after using the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft on LSU star Joe Burrow, Cincinnati officially says goodbye. Dalton exits as the club’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (204), with the second-most career victories (70) behind Hall of Fame finalist Ken Anderson. Burrow proceeds to miss half his rookie season with a torn ACL, but helps Cincy advance to the Super Bowl in 2021.

USATSI
May 2, 2020: Dalton joins the Dallas Cowboys, then takes over for Dak Prescott. Resigned to a backup role, Dalton opens his first year outside of Cincinnati on the bench, only to replace Prescott following the latter’s season-ending ankle injury in October. He goes 4-5 as the replacement starter, throwing 14 touchdowns to eight picks as Dallas finishes 6-10 and out of the playoffs under new coach Mike McCarthy.

March 17, 2021: Dalton joins the Chicago Bears, who quickly tab him “QB1.” Freshly split from former top-two draft pick Mitchell Trubisky, the Bears publicly proclaim the 33-year-old Dalton an unquestioned starter, only to spend a first-round pick on Justin Fields, then turn to Fields as the permanent starter following a Dalton knee injury. The ex-Bengals starter ends up going 3-3, with more picks (9) than scores (8), in spot starts.

March 29, 2022: Dalton continues his backup tour with the New Orleans Saints. Embracing the journeyman stage of his career, he becomes Jameis Winston’s new No. 2, only to take over for an injured Winston by Week 4. Dalton goes on to keep New Orleans in the wild-card picture with arguably his most productive performance in years, throwing for 18 touchdowns and nine picks in 14 starts.

USATSI
March 15, 2023: Dalton swaps sides in the NFC South. Fresh off his reasonable relief outing for New Orleans, he lands a two-year deal with the Panthers to mentor No. 1 draft pick Bryce Young. Initially, Dalton is ruled the expected Week 1 starter under coach Frank Reich, only to lose the summer competition to the rookie.

Sept. 24, 2023: Dalton throws more than any QB in relief of Young. Replacing the injured rookie as the Panthers’ top backup early in his first year, Dalton throws 58 passes against the Seahawks in a losing effort, the most by any signal-caller for the entire season. He at least keeps Carolina competitive as a result.

Sept. 16, 2024: Dalton is named the Panthers’ starter. With Young struggling mightily in an 0-2 start to his second season, already coming off a hapless 2-14 rookie campaign, new coach Dave Canales promotes the 36-year-old Dalton to the top job. The veteran proceeds to throw 319 yards and three scores in a near-flawless rout of the Las Vegas Raiders, giving the Panthers their most convincing victory in years.