For years, WWE fans rejected the idea of Roman Reigns as the top star in the promotion. The pushback came from feelings that WWE had forced Reigns down the WWE Universe’s collective throat, removing the organic ascension that has marked professional wrestling’s biggest all-time superstars. Perhaps no moment had exemplified WWE’s seeming desperate need to push Reigns as “the man” as much as the 2015 Royal Rumble, a match Reigns won as the crowd chanted “We want refunds” and where The Rock showed up to provide a sort of endorsement of his cousin, with even the superstar’s appearance doing nothing to win the crowd over to Reigns’ side.

Things finally changed for Reigns in August 2020. After choosing to skip WrestleMania earlier that year and remain on the sidelines for months at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic — a personal choice for being immunocompromised from multiple battles with leukemia — Reigns made a surprise return at SummerSlam.

Reigns, having transformed his already impressive physique into an even more impressive physique while on the sidelines, appeared after the main event between universal champion Bray Wyatt and challenger Braun Strowman to demolish both men. By the following Friday, it was official that this was a new Reigns, aligning with Paul Heyman and turning heel — a move fans had long demanded as they had clearly rejected the idea of him as the promotion’s top babyface — in preparation for an Aug. 30 triple threat match with Wyatt and Strowman for the universal title at Payback.

Reigns won the title as he chose to not even join the match until the final moments and finish off Wyatt with a low blow and Strowman with a spear. In that moment, a historic title reign kicked off and signaled that Reigns had become so much more than he ever had been before.

Carrying the ThunderDome era
Reigns’ return and new persona had created a buzz, and it was a buzz WWE needed as they embraced the new world created by the ongoing pandemic, launching the ThunderDome, an experience in arenas where fans appeared on LED boards as a virtual crowd while WWE piped in artificial noise, making the best of an unprecedented situation.

The ThunderDome also allowed Reigns to develop his character in ways that would not have been possible with live crowds. Reigns leaned on a lot of in-match dialogue in those early months as champion, working a slower, more methodical style all while talking to his opponents every step of the way.

That new style was quickly put on display in Reigns’ first feud after becoming champion, a very well-received program with Jey Uso that not only cemented Reigns’ new heel persona but also elevated Uso to a new status as a believable main event star.

The rivalry with Jey — and his twin brother, Jimmy — also established The Bloodline. After Reigns defeated Jey in an I Quit match inside Hell in a Cell, he forced his cousin to acknowledge him as “The Tribal Chief” and new leader of the legendary Anoaʻi family.

A dominant run to the undisputed title
Having brought The Usos to his cause, Reigns continued to steamroll contenders to his universal championship. This included great rivalries with Kevin Owens, Edge and Daniel Bryan — in a rivalry that ended Bryan’s WWE career. Just shy of one year after winning the universal title, Reigns defeated John Cena at SummerSlam, adding another big name to his championship resume.

Things were not perfect, of course, and keeping consistently positive momentum for a yearslong championship reign is an impossible ask.

At times, The Usos constant interference to tilt things in Reigns’ favor could grate on audiences. And a match with Finn Balor at Extreme Rules in 2021 sticks out as a particularly sore spot, with Balor appearing in his “Demon” persona only to lose the match when the top rope “broke,” causing him to fall to the canvas and allowing Reigns to pick up the win. This angle never went anywhere, the program with Balor was ended and both men moved on as if nothing had happened.

Challenger after challenger stepped up and was swatted away, all leading to a showdown with WWE champion Brock Lesnar in a unification clash at WrestleMania 38 in April 2022, more than 580 days after Reigns won the universal championship. Slightly more than 12 minutes after the match started, Reigns was officially the undisputed WWE universal champion.

The Bloodline drama escalates
Reigns becoming undisputed champion coincided with a new contract that saw him on television far less. Since WrestleMania 38, Reigns has defended his titles on television or pay-per-view a total of six times, with four other matches in which he teamed with Bloodline members.

The Bloodline, however, continued to be the premier storyline on WWE television. Solo Sikoa, cousin of Reigns and The Usos, joined the group, as did Sami Zayn. Zayn first began pushing for inclusion in Reigns’ inner circle in the weeks following Reigns’ WrestleMania win over Lesnar and pitched himself as an honorary member of the group, or an “honorary uce.” While The Usos, who went on to unify both the Raw and SmackDown tag titles, initially welcomed Zayn as something of a joke, he helped them win matches and took bullets for Reigns, slowly gaining trust until August 2022 when Reigns presented Zayn with his own “honorary uce” shirt. All the while, Jey Uso was the lone holdout on trusting Zayn, only fully coming around when Zayn was put “on trial.”

Sikoa, meanwhile, joined the group when he debuted to save Reigns against Drew McIntyre at Clash at the Castle, one of the moments many felt Reigns dropping the title would have been the right call, with a rabid crowd in England behind their countryman, only for The Bloodline numbers game to win out again.

Reigns eventually pushed Zayn too far during this period. Despite Zayn repeatedly siding with Reigns over his former best friend, Kevin Owens, it never seemed that Zayn had done enough to earn Reigns’ loyalty. That built to Zayn snapping and hitting Reigns with a steel chair, rather than a defenseless Owens at January’s Royal Rumble.

The betrayal led to a singles match between Zayn and Reigns at February’s Elimination Chamber. Again, Reigns was able to retain his title in front of an opponent’s hometown crowd. And again, Reigns turned away the challenger, disappointing a rabid audience both live and watching at home.

Zayn also lost his final connection to The Bloodline when Jey Uso turned on him in the wake of the loss to Reigns, again cementing that all members of The Bloodline stood with Reigns above all else.

Cody Rhodes and the road to Roman Reigns’ fallen kingdom
Zayn and Owens eventually reunited and set themselves to challenge The Usos for the undisputed tag titles at WrestleMania, the same show where Reigns would be forced to defend his undisputed title against Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes.

Like many of Reigns’ challengers over the more than 940 days since he first won the universal championship, the crowd is firmly behind Rhodes. But perhaps only McIntyre and Zayn have had the same level of time, place and momentum with the fans to be “the right guy” to end Reigns’ incredible run with the title.

And, quite frankly, not having Rhodes win at WrestleMania would be a WrestleMania mistake on par with Triple H defeating Booker T at WrestleMania 19.

Fans were deflated when Zayn didn’t beat Reigns in February. Zayn had become arguably the most popular member of the entire WWE roster and his story had built so perfectly to a shot at Reigns. Similarly, since returning from helping create All Elite Wrestling, Rhodes has been red-hot both in the ring and with the fans, with only injury hampering his momentum.

To have the two most popular babyfaces on the roster lose to Reigns in back-to-back matches would be a mistake that would loom over the promotion and Reigns.

There is good news for Reigns, however. The story of the fall of a king and the aftermath can often be more interesting than their time on the throne.

Reigns has sat atop the WWE for nearly 950 days, fending off challengers, navigating familial drama and controlling every top title in the promotion. What happens when The Usos are no longer undisputed tag team champions and Rhodes takes Reigns’ two world championships? Can Reigns hold The Bloodline together or will failure shatter the bonds that have been built during the longest WWE world championship reign since Hulk Hogan held the WWE championship from January 1984 to February 1988?

Reigns’ time as champion has had incredible highs and some forgettable lows, but he has elevated every current and former member of The Bloodline. The Usos are now superstars whether as a team or as singles, Sikoa has become a legitimate force on the roster and Zayn reached a level of popularity few ever manage in professional wrestling while the group combined to tell one of the best stories in WWE history.

It’s time to move to the next step for both the story and for Reigns as an individual. It’s time to see Reigns sitting in the middle of a fallen kingdom, finally forced to reckon with his own mortality.

We’ll see if WWE pulls the trigger and sets Reigns down that path on Sunday night. Not doing so would be the biggest mistake the company can make.

The greatest spectacle in sports entertainment has arrived. After months of buildup and storylines all funneling toward this weekend, it’s time to reach a boiling point as WrestleMania 39 kicks off inside SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The two-night event kicks off on Saturday with a slew of intriguing matches.

Night 1 of WrestleMania 39 is currently set to feature seven matches, ranging from a clash between father and son, to a social media superstar battling one of the best wrestlers of his generation, to a long-awaited showdown for the undisputed tag team championships. There’s something for wrestling fans of all tastes on the card, including John Cena’s return to the ring as he takes on Austin Theory for the United States championship.

But that’s not the match most people are tuning in for. That belongs to the epic tag team title match set between undisputed titleholders The Usos and the team of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Zayn had been intertwined in The Bloodline story for months as he became an “Honorary Uce” while betraying Owens, but things changed at the Royal Rumble when Zayn finally turned on Roman Reigns and set off the chain of events leading to this wild matchup between the four men.

With such a big card ahead, CBS Sports’ wrestling experts have taken a look up and down the card to provide predictions for every match on Saturday’s card. Let’s take a look at the way we think things will play out at Night 1 of WrestleMania 39.

WrestleMania 39 Night 1 predictions
Undisputed Tag Team Championship — The Usos (c) vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

WWE should be looking to take all titles off The Bloodline at WrestleMania. It makes for the best story and rewards the babyfaces who have gotten incredibly over with fans in recent months. That means putting Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn over on Night 1. Zayn has been red-hot thanks to the thriving story of his involvement with, and eventual break from, The Bloodline. WWE couldn’t pull the trigger on putting the undisputed WWE universal championship on Zayn right before WrestleMania, but they can reward his work by putting the tag titles on him and his best friend. Hopefully this match is the start of WWE moving to the post-championship stage of The Bloodline story. Pick: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn win the titles — Brent Brookhouse (also Shakiel Mahjouri)

SmackDown Women’s Championship — Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

Ripley earned the title shot by winning the Royal Rumble, as was the expectation heading into the event. Challenging Flair makes sense, given the history between the two, but it is an odd move as Judgement Day has been a Raw staple since the group’s inception. The women haven’t gotten much of a build heading into WrestleMania, but the match should deliver solid action. The right move here is to put the belt on Ripley and let her have another go at a run with a major championship. Pick: Rhea Ripley wins the title — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

United States Championship — Austin Theory (c) vs. John Cena

The build to this match has been so poor that I’m hesitant to pick Theory, but I’m not sure where you go with Cena as champion considering his hefty Hollywood schedule. This no longer feels like a passing of the torch moment, so a cheap finish in Theory’s favor feels like the safest way out. Cena has also expressed regret over derailing the Nexus’ white-hot run in 2010. This is a vastly different situation, but I have a hunch that Cena would feel better elevating superstars at this stage in his career. Look for Theory to win via shenanigans. Pick: Austin Theory retains the title — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul

Paul has proven that he can be half of a very good match given the right amount of preparation. There’s no reason to think that won’t be the case again against Rollins, a proven high-level talent. Rollins should get the win here if for no other reason than it benefits him far more than Paul, who is a special attraction regardless of wins or losses. Rollins has been on the losing end of the build-up to the match, which also suggests he should get the momentum back by picking up a win here and staying a relevent player at the top end of the card. Pick: Seth Rollins wins — Brookhouse (also Mahjouri)

Trish Stratus, Lita & Becky Lynch vs. Damage CTRL

I am in favor of the established faction in Damage CTRL getting the win over a made woman in Becky Lynch and two part-time Hall of Famers. The problem is that Damage CTRL has been booked terribly inconsistently and has generally been on the losing end of their exchanges with the tag champs and Stratus. All of this means that Damage CTRL will most likely win at WrestleMania, but I’m pushing back against that. Unless there are concrete, long-term plans to make Damage CTRL a dominant force coming out of WrestleMania, what’s the point? Might as well put a smile on fans’ faces. Pick: Trish Stratus, Lita & Becky Lynch win — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio

The sensible choice is Rey winning as he has been pushed too far by his son and is also going to be fresh off an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame. But, speaking as a father, it’s hard to imagine a dad not wanting his kid to get a win on a stage this big. It’s also very easy to see how much the win could benefit Dominik’s character moving forward. Rey is bulletproof and losing to his kid for the good of that kid’s career makes too much sense. Pick: Dominik Mysterio wins — Brookhouse

It was so satisfying to see Rey finally clock his bratty, punk kid and WrestleMania should offer more of the same. I was initially inclined to give the younger Mysterio the rub, especially considering that the masked man’s career is winding down. Looking back on the feud, Dominik has gotten the better of his father so many times and it just doesn’t feel right to have Rey lose after all of that. Dominik is still very young and has grown leaps-and-bounds in his new role. A loss to his father, arguably the greatest luchador in history, won’t undo his progress. Pick: Rey Mysterio wins — Mahjouri

Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. The Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy vs. The Viking Raiders

These teams are in a weird predicament. They’ve all been presented relatively well on television, perhaps with the exception of Alpha Academy, but are generally used as fodder to the top stars. Street Profits are the most established of the WWE teams, but it still feels like a temporary split is on the horizon. Strowman and Ricochet have stumbled upon something interesting with their time-tested big man, small man dynamic. They’ve had consistently strong showings on SmackDown. Ricochet is a phenomenal talent between the ropes and Strowman is too physically imposing to suffer frequent losses. Braun Strowman & Ricochet win — Mahjouri (also Brookhouse)

Since debuting in WWE, Logan Paul has impressed at every opportunity to perform in the ring. At WrestleMania 39, he managed to show out yet again, but ultimately came up short as he took on Seth Rollins.

The two men made entrances befitting the spectacle of WrestleMania. Paul took a short zipline ride to the entrance ramp before being accompanied to the ring by someone dressed as a Prime sports drink bottle. Meanwhile, an orchestra conductor led the crowd in singing Rollins’ theme song before Rollins walked to the ring in an outfit that needs to be seen to be truly appreciated.

WrestleManiia DRIP!@WWERollins pic.twitter.com/q1iTJBV537

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2023
Unsurprisingly, Paul quickly proved he was up to the task of hanging with Rollins, tossing him from the ring, hitting a buckshot lariat and unleashing a flurry of punches to the body. Paul would continue to hold onto the advantage for a long stretch of the match, until missing a moonsault during which he got tremendous height.

That mistake allowed Rollins to achieve a moment of catharsis, throwing Paul over the top rope in the same fashion in which Paul had eliminated him during the Royal Rumble.

Momentum would continue to swing back and forth, with big near falls for both men, including after the same big right hand with which he’d knocked out Rollins several times in the lead-up to WrestleMania.

Eventually, the man in the Prime costume was revealed to be YouTuber KSI — who is Paul’s business partner in the sports drink. After aiding Paul, KSI attempted to shoot cell phone video of Paul diving from the ring post through Rollins on the announce table. Rollins was able to reverse the situation, however, pulling KSI onto the table to take the splash in his place.

A @PrimeHydrate #WrestleMania Moment!

Thanks to @WWERollins, @LoganPaul just frog splashed @KSI through a table! pic.twitter.com/Us1Dt7QvQ3

— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2023
Shortly after the KSI reveal — and after both men scored with a few more big moves — Rollins was able to get the win with a stomp, finally getting back at Paul after months of being one-upped by the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

Yet again, Paul proved he can hang with one of the best talents in the business, continuing his impressive run in the WWE ring.

We’ve got another exciting Northwest Division matchup on Friday’s NBA schedule as the Minnesota Timberwolves will host the Portland Trail Blazers. Minnesota is 26-11 overall and 14-2 at home, while Portland is 10-27 overall and 5-16 on the road. The Blazers won three of four matchups last season, while the teams split the two games in Minnesota. The Wolves are 18-16-3 against the spread in the 2023-24 NBA season, while the Blazers are 16-21 ATS.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m. ET at the Target Center in Minneapolis. Minnesota is favored by 15.5 points in the latest Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers odds, per SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 221.5 points. Before entering any Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves 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 profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 12 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Portland vs. Minnesota. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves:

Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers spread: Timberwolves -15.5
Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers over/under: 221.5 points
Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers money line: Timberwolves: -1322, Trail Blazers: +792
Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers picks: See picks at SportsLine
What you need to know about the Timberwolves
The Timberwolves fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result as they fell 127-120. Despite their loss, the Timberwolves saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Karl-Anthony Towns, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 13 rebounds, was perhaps the best of all.

Despite the defeat, Minnesota still tops the Western Conference standings, thanks primarily to its defense. With three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, as the anchor, Minnesota is both allowing the fewest points per game and has the best defensive rating. The offense sits just 20th in rating, and a big reason for struggles on that end is because the Wolves commit the third-most turnovers per game. Gobert (hip) is questionable after not playing on Wednesday. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Trail Blazers
Meanwhile, it’s hard to win when you don’t work as a unit and post 25 fewer assists than your opponent, a fact the Trail Blazers found out the hard way on Thursday. They were completely outmatched by Oklahoma City on the road and fell 139-77. The result shouldn’t come as a shock considering that’s the fewest points the Trail Blazers have scored all season.

Scoring has been an issue all season for Portland, which ranks last in the NBA in points per game, offensive rating and field goal percentage. The last of those rankings can, in part, be attributed to No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson, who is shooting just 36% from the field and 29.3% from beyond the arc. His true shooting percentage of 44.9% is the worst of 199 qualified players. Portland’s injury list is unclear on the second night of a back-to-back, but both Deandre Ayton (knee) and Malcolm Brogdon (rest) did not play on Thursday. See which team to pick here.

Key Betting Info
The Trail Blazers better be ready for this one, as the Timberwolves are 22-5 when favored to win this season. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers have really struggled as the underdog this season and are currently 9-24 in that position.

Some of the betting trends to consider are:

The Blazers are 4-7 ATS in their last 11 games vs teams that win more than 55 % of games.
The Wolves are 17-14-3 ATS in their last 34 games after a day off.
The Blazers are 15-18 ATS in their last 33 games when not the favorite.
How to make Timberwolves vs. Trail Blazers picks
The model has simulated Timberwolves vs. Blazers 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, 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 Trail Blazers vs. Timberwolves, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Wolves vs. Blazers spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 112-62 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.

The Detroit Pistons will take on the Houston Rockets in an interconference matchup on Friday. Detroit is 3-35 overall and 2-16 at home, while Houston is 18-18 overall and 3-12 on the road. The Rockets defeated the Pistons, 136-113, at home on January 1 in their first matchup of the season.

Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Houston is a 7.5-point favorite in the latest Pistons vs. Rockets odds, according to the SportsLine consensus, and the over/under is 227 points. Before entering any Rockets vs. Pistons picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer simulation model.

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 Week 12 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Houston vs. Detroit. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Rockets vs. Pistons:

Pistons vs. Rockets spread: Rockets -7.5
Pistons vs. Rockets over/under: 227 points
Pistons vs. Rockets money line: Pistons: +242, Rockets: -303
HOU: The Rockets are 4-0 in their last four games against the Pistons
DET: The Pistons are 3-2 ATS as a road underdog over their last five games
Pistons vs. Rockets picks: See picks at SportsLine
What to know about the Rockets
The Rockets have dropped back-to-back games after knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks, 112-108, on Saturday. Alperen Sengun, a 6-foot-11 center, has been a dominant force inside lately, averaging nine rebounds per game and recording at least nine boards in each of his last three games. The No. 16 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft is averaging 21.6 points per game this season, including 26.2 ppg over his last 10 contests.

Point guard Fred VanVleet has added 17.6 points and 8.5 assists per game, including 18.8 points and 9.8 assists over his last five contests. Teams are shooting 56% against the Pistons over their last three contests, the highest clip in the NBA over that span, and Detroit has allowed at least 130 points in five of their its six games, including three straight. The Rockets are also 11-2 ATS over their last 13 games against a team with a 45% win percentage or lower, and they are 8-2-1 ATS over their last 11 games as the favorite. However, Houston will be without Dillon Brooks (oblique) and Tari Eason (leg) on Friday. See which team to pick here.

What to know about the Pistons
The Pistons have been historically bad to begin the season. They set the NBA single-season record with a 28-game losing streak this season, which is tied for the longest losing streak of all time when including stretches from multiple seasons. The Pistons (3-35) have lost 34 of their last 35 games.

Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, has been one of the few bright spots for Detroit this season. The 22-year-old is averaging 22.8 points and 7.3 assists this season, ranking 10th in the NBA in assists per game. He’ll be out (knee) Friday as another huge blow for the Pistons after Cunningham had scored at least 30 points in five of his last seven games. Center Jalen Duren was the team’s leading scorer with 21 points on Wednesday with Cunningham out. See which team to pick here.

How to make Pistons vs. Rockets picks
The model has simulated Rockets vs. Pistons 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Pistons vs. Rockets, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Rockets vs. Pistons spread you need to jump on Friday, all from the model on a 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, and find out.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been sliding since winning the NBA’s first-ever In-Season Tournament and dropped to 19-20 following a 127-109 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. But the Lakers remain committed to second-year coach Darvin Ham and are prioritizing improving their backcourt with a defensive-minded guard who can also push the pace, according to a report from Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.

Rival executives believe the Lakers, among other teams, are likely to make a push for Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, according to Haynes. It’s unclear whether the Lakers have the desired assets to acquire him, though. Atlanta is also not urgently looking to move the 2022 All-Star and could wait until after the 2023-24 season to evaluate his future with the Hawks.

Austin Reaves is averaging career highs across the board since signing a four-year extension with the Lakers over the summer, but D’Angelo Russell has underperformed and Gabe Vincent has largely been a non-factor due to a string of injuries.

The Lakers have had difficulties but think they can right the ship in ways that don’t involve firing Ham less than two years into his four-year contract.

“I speak to Rob [Pelinka] every day, and we’re always discussing ways to improve our team and what we can do better as a coaching staff,” Ham told Bleacher Report. “It’s an open dialogue that I embrace and that is helpful. We’re all trying to get this right, and we will.”

People close to Ham recently reached out to him following a report about a growing disconnect in the Lakers’ locker room, but he feels confident in his job security and his team’s ability to overcome adversity.

“I had like 50 texts when I checked my phone that day. I’m not on social media, so I don’t know what people are saying,” Ham said. “But I’m getting text messages saying, ‘Hang in there. Are you OK? It’s going to be OK. I’m here for you.’ I thought somebody died. That was my initial reaction. Then someone sent me a story with some unnamed sources and I was like, ‘This shit?’ Everything is going to be alright. We’ve got a good team. We just got more work to do.”

The defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets are set to host the New Orleans Pelicans in a key Western Conference matchup on Friday at Ball Arena. Denver is 26-13 overall and 15-4 at home, while New Orleans is 23-15 overall and 11-7 on the road. The Nuggets are coming off a tough 124-111 loss to the Utah Jazz on the road, while the Pelicans are looking to build off a dominant 141-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday.

Tip-off is at 10 p.m. ET. The Nuggets are favored by 8.5 points in the latest Nuggets vs. Pelicans odds, and the over/under is 228.5 points.Before making any Nuggets vs. Pelicans picks, you’ll want to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from the red-hot computer simulation 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 Week 12 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.

The model has set its sights on Pelicans vs. Nuggets and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NBA odds and betting lines for the game:

Nuggets vs. Pelicans spread: Nuggets -8.5
Nuggets vs. Pelicans over/under: 228.5 points
Nuggets vs. Pelicans money line: Nuggets: -357, Pelicans: +283
Nuggets vs. Pelicans picks: See picks here
What you need to know about the Pelicans
Winning is just a little bit easier when you work as a team to post 13 more assists than your opponent, a fact the Pelicans proved on Wednesday. They took their game on the road with ease, bagging a 141-105 victory over Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors. Jonas Valanciunas was the offensive standout of the game for New Orleans as he scored 21 points along with nine rebounds.

The Pelicans are led by the trio of Brandon Ingram (22.0 points, 5.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds per game), Zion Williamson (21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists per game), and CJ McCollum (19.7 points, 5.0 assists, 4.2 rebounds per game). New Orleans has won six of its last seven games, and enters this matchup with a 22-15-1 record against the spread this season. See which team to pick here.

What you need to know about the Nuggets
Meanwhile, Denver came up short against the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, falling 124-111. The Nuggets were down 99-78 at the end of the third quarter, which was just too much to recover from. The Nuggets’ defeat came about despite a quality game from Nikola Jokic, who dropped a double-double on 27 points and 11 rebounds.

For the season, Jokic has averaged 25.5 points, 9.2 assists, and 11.8 rebounds, and is currently the betting favorite to win this year’s NBA MVP award. Denver has struggled with fatigue this season, but enters this matchup with its full starting five healthy and available to play. The Nuggets are 17-21-1 against the spread this season. See which team to pick here.

How to make Nuggets vs. Pelicans picks
The model has simulated Nuggets vs. Pelicans 10,000 times and the results are in. We can tell you that the model is leaning Over on the point total, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s pick at SportsLine.

Who wins Nuggets vs. Pelicans, and which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see the picks, all from the model that is on an 112-62 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.

Two of the biggest pieces of the Chicago Bulls legendary team from the mid-1990s weren’t in attendance for Thursday’s inaugural Ring of Honor celebration. Both Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen were absent from the festivities that honored one of the most iconic teams in NBA history.

Dennis Rodman also didn’t attend the gala. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the team is hoping that the legendary rebounding machine attends the team’s halftime festivities during Friday’s game against the Golden State Warriors.

Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was hopeful that Jordan and Pippen could attend.

“I actually don’t know how much effort went into it,” Reinsdorf said. “Obviously, it would be better if everybody were here, but we knew going in that not everybody could be here.”

Jordan did send in a recorded video message for the occasion.

Michael Jordan sent this message ahead of our Ring of Honor celebrations: pic.twitter.com/0HjOFFpXUj

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 12, 2024
In his video message, Jordan stated that he was “bummed” that he wasn’t able to attend the gala. The Bulls legend also thanked the Reinsdorf family for the tremendous as well as wishing his former teammates well.

“I would be excited for everyone to come, but we announced it six weeks ago,” Bulls president/CEO Michael Reinsdorf said. “People have schedule issues, and so this is just our way of saying thank you to the players and the staff, so that’s what we’re looking forward to.”

Many of the team’s prominent players and coaches, including the likes of head coach Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr and Toni Kukoc, were in attendance for the event.

“It’s something that we’re really proud of,” Michael Reinsdorf added. “Having all the guys come back, seeing guys like Ron Harper, Luc Longley and Toni [Kukoc] here.

“It’s a big part of our history. We won six championships in eight years, and these players, the staff members that are here, Phil Jackson coming back, it means so much to the Chicago Bulls, but it also means so much to our fans.”

Friday’s main NBA slate will feature 10 games, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET. Several significant fantasy names are set to sit out, but it appears like LaMelo Ball’s return to the hardwood could spice things up. There’s value at every position in a larger slate like this one, and we’ve broken down three of them ahead of tip-off.

Are you looking to sort through all the options on DraftKings and FanDuel? Here’s who you should keep an eye on as you look to build optimal lineups on both sites:

Wemby’s minutes limit hasn’t stopped him from eclipsing 50 DraftKings fantasy points in three straight games. The San Antonio Spurs rookie is fresh off his first career triple-double and has averaged 22.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.3 blocks per game over his last three outings. The Charlotte Hornets are extremely undersized without Mark Williams or Gordon Hayward. Additionally, PJ Washington is listed as doubtful, so Wembanyama shouldn’t have a tough time racking up points in the paint and rebounds in this contest.

Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry are doubtful for the Miami Heat’s matchup against the Orlando Magic. Jaquez, who has already played a huge role for his team as a rookie, will surely be asked to play heavy minutes. The UCLA product has logged at least 34 minutes in 10 consecutive games, posting averages of 16.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He totaled at least 30 DraftKings fantasy points in six of those contests. Herro’s absence will surely boost his scoring upside. Few lower mid-tier options will match Jaquez’s workload on Friday.

The Houston Rockets appear ready to let Whitmore loose. The 20th pick from last year’s draft had the best performance of his NBA career with 16 points, five rebounds, two steals and an assist in 33 minutes off the bench his last time out. He made some big plays throughout his team’s overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls and could thrive again against the depleted Detroit Pistons. Dillon Brooks’ absence has opened up a role for the rookie and a blowout could help him hit his fantasy ceiling on Friday.

We are less than one month away from the NBA’s February 8 Trade Deadline, and rumors continue to swirl around the league. To this point, there’s been little in the way of actual moves, but that should change as the big day approaches. Until then, here’s a look at some of the latest notes on who may or may not get moved.

Raptors, Siakam likely to part ways
Chris Haynes did a live appearance on Bleacher Report’s app on Friday, where he discussed the Pascal Siakam situation. The veteran forward is “on the verge of parting ways” with the only team that he’s ever known (the Toronto Raptors), but it remains unclear if that will happen at the trade deadline or in free agency this summer.

Siakam’s contract status is affecting his trade market, per Haynes. Some teams — such as the Kings, who were reportedly close to a Siakam deal earlier this month — are reluctant to give up anything significant out of fear that he will be a rental. On the other end of the spectrum, teams with cap space don’t want to trade for a player they believe they can sign in free agency. Finally, one must consider the Raptors’ perspective. They want a decent return for a former All-NBA forward, but if they believe he’ll walk in the summer, they may lower their asking price as the deadline nears.

At this point, it seems more likely than not that Siakam will be traded, but to where and for how much will be fascinating to see play out over the coming weeks.

Markkanen not untouchable, but Jazz have set a high price
This has been a strange season for the Jazz, who got off to a brutal start, but look fantastic now that they’re fully healthy. They’ve beaten the 76ers, Bucks and Nuggets in consecutive games and have won nine of their last 11 games to surge into the Play-In Tournament mix.

Early on, it certainly appeared as though they’d be sellers at the deadline. While they still might be, their recent form has made that question more difficult than it was a month ago. Veterans such as Kelly Olynyk and Kris Dunn would be the most likely trade candidates, but the more interesting question is whether they’d sell high on Lauri Markkanen. The 7-foot forward earned his first All-Star nod last season en route to the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

Here’s what ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on that front:

“I’ve been told they will listen on anybody on the roster. The way I would describe it with Markkanen is he’s not untouchable, but it’s gonna take one of your untouchables to get him. I think the odds of Markkanen getting moved are extremely slim, just because the asking price would be astronomical.”

Lakers interested in Murray
This season has not gone to plan for the Hawks, who at 15-21 are outside of even the Play-In Tournament picture entering Friday’s games. It’s not a surprise, then, that they’ve been the subject of near-constant trade rumors, with many of them focusing on Dejounte Murray.

The Hawks paid a steep price to get Murray from the Spurs just a few years ago, but it’s clear that the partnership between him and Trae Young isn’t working, and the latter is not going anywhere any time soon. The only other answer, then, is to try and recoup some value on Murray and look to find a better fit next to Young.

A number of teams have been connected to Murray, with the Lakers the most recent to join the chase. They have also had a disappointing season and will be looking to make moves to improve their playoff chances. One option could be Murray, according to Haynes, who noted the Lakers want to bolster their backcourt. Whether they have the assets to pull off such a deal remains to be seen, however.