An AFC North battle has the Cleveland Browns (1-6) hosting the Baltimore Ravens (5-2) on Sunday on CBS and Paramount+. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have kept the win streak going, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-31 last week. That was Baltimore’s fifth win in a row. Meanwhile, the Browns have lost five straight games. In Week 7, the Cincinnati Bengals beat Cleveland 21-14. You may be able to stream Sunday’s game live on Paramount+, which you can now try free for the first seven days when you sign up here.
Paramount+ is the only place to watch every minute of every NFL on CBS game this season. A subscription also gives you access to other sports content including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, NWSL, Serie A, and countless movies and shows. You can now get a free 7-day trial, so sign up right here.
Before tuning into Sunday’s Ravens vs. Browns game, you need to see the NFL picks from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 11-3 hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, it is on a 192-132 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 46-24 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
For Ravens vs. Browns, the model is backing Baltimore to cover the spread. Jackson is a dual-threat playmaker under center who makes things tough on defenses. This season, he’s fifth in the NFL in passing yards (1,810) and tied for second in passing touchdowns (15). Last week, Jackson went 17-of-22 for 281 yards and five passing touchdowns. Cleveland is 13th in the NFL in total defense (317.9), giving up 23.1 points per game on average.
Running back Derrick Henry is another explosive playmaker on Baltimore’s offense. Henry leads the NFL in carries (134), rushing yards (873), and rushing touchdowns (8). He’s notched 130-plus yards four times in 2024, a big reason why the model has the Ravens covering in over 50% of simulations. You may be able to stream the game here.
The Battle of Ohio is reimagined between two struggling divisional rivals as the Cleveland Browns (1-5) host the Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) in an NFL Week 7 matchup on CBS and Paramount+. Deshaun Watson and the Browns have been on the wrong side of the scoreboard in four straight games heading into Sunday’s tilt, most recently falling 20-16 to the Philadelphia Eagles. Joe Burrow and the Bengals haven’t fared much better this season, although they could have some momentum after getting a 17-7 win against the New York Giants in Week 6. You may be able to stream Sunday’s game live on Paramount+, which you can now try free for the first seven days when you sign up here.
Kickoff from Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland is set for 1 p.m. ET. The Bengals are 5.5-point favorites in the latest Bengals vs. Browns odds via SportsLine consensus, and the over/under for total points scored is 41.5. Cincinnati is a -250 money line favorite (risk $250 to win $100), while Cleveland is a +203 underdog (risk $100 to win $203). Sunday’s game will be streamed live on Paramount+ with their must-have Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan, which you can now get on a 7-day free trial.
Paramount+ is the only place to watch every minute of every NFL on CBS game this season. A subscription also gives you access to other sports content including the UEFA Champions League and Europa League, NWSL, Serie A, and countless movies and shows. You can now get a free 7-day trial, so sign up right here.
Before tuning into Sunday’s Browns vs. Bengals game, you need to see the NFL picks from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 11-3 hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, it is on a 192-132 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 46-24 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022.
For Browns vs. Bengals, the model is backing Cleveland to cover the spread at home. The Browns have dominated this rivalry in recent years, winning seven of the last 10 meetings against the Bengals. Cleveland enters Sunday’s showdown having won six straight at home against Cincinnati.
Cincinnati’s defense has been leaky this season, giving up 25.3 points per game on average, which ranks 25th in the NFL. Browns running back Nick Chubb (knee) is expected to make his season debut, which could be the spark Cleveland’s offense has been missing. The Browns will likely lean on their defense to keep them in Sunday’s game, and the model has them covering the spread in almost 60% of simulations. You may be able to stream the game here.
The Cincinnati Bengals will need to break a trend in Week 7 by stealing a road win against the Cleveland Browns.
Should Joe Burrow and the Bengals make that happen, they would move the needle on the season to 3-4. Lose, and 2-5 effectively ends everything.
But the Bengals haven’t done that since 2017 — and Burrow never has.
Normally, the way Burrow’s offense has played lately would be a major reason for hope this time. He had an MVPish stretch for a trio of games and has settled on a 71.6 completion percentage with 1,578 yards and 12 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins have played great and Chase Brown averages 5.5 yards per carry in the backfield.
But the defense is a cause for concern. The unit looked better in a Week 6 win over the New York Giants as players like Sheldon Rankins got healthy. But the process has been slow, with a serious lack of pass rush and fundamentals like proper angles causing issues.
And the offense is now a concern, too. What has been the best line of Burrow’s career to date collapsed against the Giants, a team that sports about as AFC North-like front seven as one can possibly be. Now, the task is asking that same offensive line to rebound against the likes of Myles Garrett.
The saving grace could be the Browns offense. Cleveland is, after all, a 1-5 team for a reason. Deshaun Watson has been a disaster again, this time throwing just five scores and three picks over six games while averaging just 5.1 yards per attempt. The front office just traded Amari Cooper away. Browns star running back Nick Chubb will return, but on an unknown snap count. Still, it could open up the offense some.
But at this point, all Bengals fans can do is hope that the defense has learned from the past six weeks and will continue to gel now that this is the healthiest it has been all season, minus the loss of Dax Hill.
From a broader perspective, this is one of the most lopsided quarterback matchups of the week, if not possible in the NFL right now. The Browns have played a handful of their recent losses close, but expect Burrow to bail out the Bengals late in a close one.
Feeling real confidence in these Atlanta Falcons after the past six years is perhaps a dangerous thing to do, but after the past couple of weeks it’s difficult not to feel pretty good about the team’s direction. That’s especially true with a really injured, shaky opponent next on the docket.
Will that add up to a road win for the Falcons? Adnan Ikic and I weighed in with our predictions for today, and then we welcome yours.
Falcons 27 – Panthers 17
Look at this matchup from any angle and you’ll be hard-pressed to find an area where the Panthers outmatch the Falcons. They might be about the same against the run and a little better at forcing the occasional turnover, but in every other way you can think of, the Panthers are worse. What we all fear is the Falcons coming out flat, making loads of mistakes, or both.
I think a team that has shown some real signs of improvement and learning from their past mistakes, and now they get by far their most straightforward matchup of the season with the passing game humming, clear improvement attainable and a favorable matchup for the ground game, and a weak offense for this scuffling defense. I don’t think it’ll be lopsided and I doubt it will all be pretty, but the Falcons should win this one, and they should do so by two scores. -Dave Choate
Falcons 31 – Panthers 14
I get that this is a road divisional game, and that anything can happen when two NFC South teams clash. I understand the apprehension to fully trust the Falcons to not play down to their competition when they have made that not only a habit but even an identity over the past seven years, but this is the moment when this Atlanta team will prove to be different from past renditions who have let us down over the years.
The Panthers are maybe the worst team in football. They sit in a cluster of disappointing 1-4 teams and have by far the worst net point differential in the league, having lost by two scores or more in all four of their defeats. Atlanta is on a heater right now and coming off of an extra three days of rest. I expect the offense to continue where they left off from in Week 5 and for the defense to stifle Carolina for the most part. This should not even be close. –Adnan Ikic
Iowa is looking to bounce back today, but more importantly, at least for Kirk Ferentz, he is trying to keep the crowd at bay and is currently calling for his job. The Hawkeyes took an absolute beating from Ohio State last week when they went to Columbus, but the big part of it was the fact that the game was 7-0 at halftime, and they ended up losing 35-7.
A disastrous third quarter on offense, led by quarterback Cade McNamara with three turnovers, led to the Buckeyes scoring 28 unanswered points in the second half. Now, Washington doesn’t have the explosive offense that Ohio State has, but they still have a solid offense that can make defense pay.
The Iowa defense isn’t the worry in this game; it is the offense yet again. That is why fans are calling for Ferentz’s job because he is refusing to make any changes on the offense to try and improve something.
This Iowa team took some hits this week, losing running back Leshon Williams and wide receiver Kaleb Brown. Brown and Williams were projected to be big players on the offense this season, but instead, injuries and suspension have kept them off the field quite a bit. Both announced their intent to enter the transfer portal at the end of the season.
This game shouldn’t be affected too much by their decisions. The biggest thing that Iowa can do in their favor today is to just rely on the run game, Kaleb Johnson has shown he can take the lion’s share of the offense on his shoulder and lead it. Quarterback Cade McNamara just needs to focus on making clean passes and not turning the ball over.
The Iowa defense will take care of business as they usually do, but the offense just needs to play a clean game today in order to give Iowa the best chance to walk away with the win.
One of the biggest fights of the year takes place on Saturday when WBC, IBF and WBO light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev meets WBA champion Dmitry Bivol in a long-awaited clash to crown an undisputed champion. The fight takes place at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
For years, Bivol and Beterbiev have dominated the 175-pound division, with a bout between the two seemingly inevitable, though failing to come together until the two sides finally reached an agreement to meet on June 1. That fight ended up getting delayed to Saturday after Beterbiev suffered a training camp injury.
Beterbiev (20-0, 20 KO) is the only current champion in boxing with a 100% stoppage rate. That power suggests Beterbiev is a pure brawler, and his mauling style backs up that assumption. Beterbiev is, however, a talented technician who was a successful amateur who won European and world championships before turning professional.
In 2017, Beterbiev stopped Enrico Kolling to win the IBF title, his first world championship as a professional. Interestingly, Beterbiev stopped Kolling with just 27 seconds remaining in the 12th and final round, the closest he’s come to reaching the judges’ scorecards.
Beterbiev stopped Oleksandr Gvozdyk in a much-anticipated 2019 unification bout to add the WBC title to his collection. Three fights later, Beterbiev thumped Joe Smith Jr. in the second round to capture the WBO title. He has gone on to defend his three world titles against Anthony Yarde and Callum Smith.
“I don’t know about it but if [Alalshikh] helped for this fight to happen, I think we know that man. He helped us for this fight. But we never know if it wouldn’t have happened [without him],” Beterbiev said. “Every good boxer wants to have an opportunity like this. I’m really happy. I’ve been working toward this goal everyday.”
Like Beterbiev, Bivol (23-0, 12 KO) transitioned from a successful amateur career to the professional ranks. His path to becoming the WBA “super” champion was a fairly confusing one.
Bivol defeated Felix Valera in 2016 to win the WBA interim title. He would fight four times, twice defending the interim title, before being elevated to “regular” champion in late 2017 after a chain of events that saw Andre Ward retiring as “super” champion and Badou Jack vacating the “regular” title.
Bivol would defend the “regular” version of the title five times before finally being elevated to the true world championship “super” champion status in 2019.
While already recognized as one of the best boxers in the world, Bivol finally got exposure in the larger boxing world when he was selected by generational superstar Saul “Canelo” Alvarez as an opponent in Alvarez’s attempt to move up to light heavyweight and become a 175-pound champion for the second time in his career.
Against Alvarez, Bivol put on a boxing masterclass, using effective defense and technique to score a massive upset and hand Alvarez just the second defeat of his professional career.
“Just like how a soldier wants to be a general, [becoming undisputed champion] is the same,” Bivol told TNT Sports this week during his “Face-Off” with Beterbiev. “This is the final step for all of pro boxers. What are you going to achieve more in this weight class if we talk about trophies and belts? Everything was for this.”
With Bivol and Beterbiev cemented as the best light heavyweights in the world, the wills preventing their meeting have finally been broken down and the pair now meet with an upcoming bout between David Morrell and David Benavidez establishing an immediate “next man up” for the winner.
Elsewhere on the card, IBF cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia is back when he puts his strap on the line against Jack Massey. Opetaia, the 29-year-old Aussie, has looked tremendous in recent outings. He bested the veteran and former cruiserweight titleholder Mairis Briedis in May to claim the vacant IBF title. Opetaia has stopped 19 of the 25 opponents he’s faced in the ring.
“I don’t think it’s going to be an easy fight. I’ve prepared for a hard 12 rounds, he’s very durable, he’s been in the ring with some great fighters,” Opetaia told iFL TV. “I’m going to adapt in the ring, find it and capitalize on it. We’re comfortable being uncomfortable. We’re always chasing pain in the gym. This is just another day in the office for us.”
Plus, there’s some more international flair to the rest of the undercard. Heavyweights Fabio Wardley and Frazer Clarke are set to square off. Wardley is 17-0-1 with 16 knockouts on his resume. There’s also Chris Eubank Jr. set to return when he takes on Kamil Szeremeta in a middleweight contest. And women’s WBC featherweight champion Skye Nicholson is set to defend her crown against Raven Chapman in an intriguing contest.
Let’s take a closer look at the complete fight card with the latest odds before getting to predictions and expert picks on the main event.
Bivol vs. Beterbiev fight card, odds
Dmitry Bivol (c) -125 vs. Artur Beterbiev (c) +110, undisputed light heavyweight championship
Jai Opetaia (c) -2000 vs. Jack Massey +900, IBF cruiserweight title
Fabio Wardley -140 vs. Frazer Clarke +125, heavyweights
Chris Eubank Jr. -2500 vs. Kamil Szeremeta +1000, middleweights
Skye Nicolson (c) -600 vs. Raven Chapman +400, WBC featherweight title
Ben Whittaker -2000 vs. Liam Cameron +900, light heavyweights
Where to watch Bivol vs. Beterbiev
Date: Oct. 12
Location: Kingdom Arena — Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Start time: 6 p.m. ET (main event
Streaming: ESPN+ for main event, DAZN PPV for undercard fights ($19.99)
Prediction
Brian Campbell: In what can only be described as a true, 50/50 matchup between future Hall of Famers, this light heavyweight summit comes down to whether Bivol can handle the power of Beterbiev in the second half, particularly into the championship rounds when Beterbiev typically is at his best. Bivol has never been knocked down as a professional and a large part of that is due to his quickness, defense and ability to dart in and out of trouble. But to win a fight against a boxer as talented as the power-punching Beterbiev, it will require Bivol taking more chances than ever before. Look for Bivol to claim the majority of the first six rounds as he establishes his rhythm as the younger and busier boxer. But even Bivol is bound to find out what all 20 of Beterbiev’s opponents already have: no one lasts 12 full rounds against this absolute destroyer. Beterbiev via KO10
Brent Brookhouse: On a surface level, this fight would appear to be a battle between Bivol’s technical prowess and Beterbiev’s brute power. That overlooks that Bivol — while not as powerful as Beterbiev — has enough power that it must be respected, and Beterbiev — while not a ring tactician like Bivol — is only able to apply his power because he has phenomenal technique.
The odds shading slightly Bivol’s way make sense considering Beterbiev, 39, is starting to see his body break down a bit. He has had a plethora of injuries in recent years and has only fought three times since the start of 2022. Beterbiev has been dominant in those fights, mind you, but in a fight as competitive as Bivol vs. Beterbiev, you’re looking for the little things that could determine a fight and Beterbiev’s age may be that “little thing.”
Even so, Bivol’s chin is going to have to hold up because Beterbiev is going to land, and when he lands, it hurts. Ultimately, the fight comes down to whether or not Bivol can use his ring IQ to stay off the ropes and out of corners where Beterbiev can best ply his trade. Given how well Bivol navigated the dangers of his fight with Alvarez, there’s reason to think he’ll be able to do so against an even more dangerous opponent in Beterbiev. Pick: Dmitry Bivol via UD
Former Pac-12 rivals will go toe-to-toe in the Big 12 on Friday night when the Arizona State Sun Devils host the Utah Utes. Both teams are 4-1 on the season and are off to 1-1 starts in conference play, but ASU is coming off a win over Kansas, while Utah lost to Arizona in its last outing. The Utes have won and covered the spread in each of the last four head-to-head matchups between these programs, but Utah is 2-6 against the spread in its last eight, while Arizona State has won and covered in four of five.
Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET at Mountain America Stadium, where ASU is a perfect 3-0 on the season. The Utes are favored by 6 points in the latest Arizona State vs. Utah odds via SportsLine consensus, up a point from the opener, and the over/under is 46.5. Before entering any Utah vs. Arizona State picks, you’ll want to see the college football predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also went a sizzling 8-4 on top picks the last two weeks. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.
Arizona State vs. Utah streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Arizona State can cover
The Sun Devils are off to their first 4-1 start since 2021 after collecting the program’s first-ever win in the Big 12 last week against Kansas. Sam Leavitt threw for four touchdowns in the 35-31 victory and Cameron Skattebo continued his incredible season by rushing for 182 yards and a score.
Skattebo has now accounted for 378 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns over his last two games. His bruising running style has helped Kenny Dillingham’s squad control the line of scrimmage and the second-year head coach will continue to lean on his star tailback heavily against Utah after the Utes gave up 161 rushing yards in a loss to Arizona. See which team to pick here.
Why Utah can cover
The Utes are ranked No. 16 in the AP Top 25 despite suffering a loss two weeks ago against the Wildcats. Coming off a bye week, Utah will reportedly get starting quarterback Cam Rising back into the lineup and their College Football Playoff aspirations may hinge on his health going forward. Rising has been bothered by a hand injury for the last five weeks but he’s been one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football when healthy throughout his career.
Utah also has one of the best defenses in college football. The Utes only allow 15.0 points per game (15th in the nation) and rank 16th in the nation in yards allowed per game (280.2). Defensive end Van Fillinger in particular has been a game wrecker, as he ranks first on the team in tackles for loss (7.0) and sacks (5.5) as well as second in tackles (24). See which team to pick here.
How to make Arizona State vs. Utah picks
The model has simulated Utah vs. Arizona State 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Over, and it’s also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.
Today’s game between the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears isn’t exactly the type that you circle on your calendar when the NFL schedule is relased. However, it is nevertheless a critical game for this franchise that stands at 1-3 heading into today’s matchup.
Let’s review everything that you need to know about the Panthers and the Bears going in, including the latest odds, the major injuries, what to watch for and our pick.
We will begin with the betting community, which is the largest driver of growth in the NFL. The line for today’s game hasn’t changed this week. According to the latest Week 5 odds listed at DraftKings Sportsbook, Chicago is still favored by four points at home. The over/under is set at just 41 points, so don’t expect a shootout.
The biggest injury that Carolina suffered this week was at linebacker, where the team lost two starters. Shaq Thompson is done for the season with an Achilles tear, while Josey Jewell is out at least one game with a hamstring/groin issue. Rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace will be taking over at Thompson’s spot, but we honestly don’t know who will be starting net to him in place of Jewell. Carolina was already down one key starter for the year when star defensive tackle Derrick Brown suffered a meniscus tear in Week 1. On the other side of the ball, starting guards Damien Lewis and Robert Hunt were limited at practice this week and Hunt is listed as questionable, but both are expected to play.
Chicago is in much better shape than Carolina when it comes to injuries in general. However, there is at least one key starter that’s questionable: left tackle Teven Jenkins is dealing with a rib injury. He missed Wednesday’s practice and was limited both Thursday and Friday. Wide receiver DeAndre Carter is also questionable with a rib injury. Defensive tackle Zacch PIckens (groin) and cornerback Terell Smith (hip) have already been ruled out for the Bears.
The Bears will ruin every quarterback they come across, but they usually have a strong defense. So far this year the pattern has held true, as Caleb Williams is struggling and only seven teams around the league are allowing fewer points per game than Chicago. That should provide quarterback Andy Dalton with his first real test of the season, as the units he faced for Cincinnati and Las Vegas are among the league’s worst defenses. Diontae Johnson has been Dalton’s favorite target by far – so expect the Bears to hone in on him in coverage.
On the other side of the ball the big thing we’ll be watching is the debut of Trevin Wallace, who’s being thrust into Shaq Thompson’s former role as the defensive playcaller. It’s a big responsibility for a rookie, but at least he’s getting a relatively soft landing facing a Chicago offense that ranks 20th in scoring and 30th in total yardage.
The oddsmakers do what they do for a living for good reason, so Chicago is probably rightfully favored despite the rough start to the year for their new potential franchise quarterback. However, given the disparity between how poorly Caleb Williams is playing the game’s most-important position and how Andy Dalton has been balling out the last couple of weeks, we think an upset is a legitimate possibility. All it takes is one turnover from the rookie to swing a game that should be relatively close. Panthers 23, Bears 20.
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Can the Las Vegas Aces and superstar A’ja Wilson three-peat as WNBA champions? Can the New York Liberty or the Connecticut Sun get their franchise’s first title? Might the Minnesota Lynx claim their fifth crown? Or could the league champion come from beyond the top four seeds? That includes the Indiana Fever appearing in the playoffs for the first time since 2016, led by rookie point guard Caitlin Clark.
The WNBA playoffs open Sunday. The final playoff team, the No. 8 seed Atlanta Dream, earned their spot Thursday, the last day of the regular season. The Dream got a 78-67 victory at New York, a game that admittedly meant nothing to the Liberty, who were already assured of their seed and the league’s best record.
But now those teams will turn around and start the playoffs at 1 p.m. ET Sunday (ESPN) in New York, followed by No. 6 Indiana at No. 3 Connecticut (ABC, 3 p.m. ET).
Then Diana Taurasi, in her 20th and possibly last WNBA season, will lead the No. 7 seed Phoenix Mercury against No. 2 Minnesota (5 p.m. ET, ESPN). That’s followed by the No. 4 Aces hosting the No. 5 Seattle Storm (10 p.m. ET, ESPN). The first round is best-of-three series, with the higher seed hosting the first two games.
No WNBA team has won three championships in a row since the Houston Comets won four straight in the league’s first four seasons. The Comets disbanded after the 2008 season.
The Aces, however, could face a potential meeting with the Liberty in the semifinals; those teams met in the WNBA Finals last year. New York has played for the WNBA championship five times but hasn’t won a title yet.
The first-round winners will play best-of-five semifinal series, followed by the best-of-five WNBA Finals. We break down what we’ll see as the postseason gets underway and predict which teams will advance.
Regular season series: New York won 3-1
How New York got here: The Liberty fell short of their goal for a championship in last year’s WNBA Finals but have been better in Year 2 of their superteam, occupying the top spot in the standings for most of the season. Their starting five has another year of chemistry under its belt. Reigning MVP Breanna Stewart is still the second-best player in the world. Jonquel Jones had stretches where she looked like her 2021 MVP form, while Sabrina Ionescu took a step forward in her development. Their retooled bench helped them defensively and with their overall depth. Altogether, it has left Liberty fans optimistic that this might finally be their year.
play
1:38
Tina Charles breaks two WNBA records in one night
Check out the highlights from Tina Charles’ night as she becomes the WNBA’s all-time leader in rebounds and double-doubles in the Dream’s victory over the Liberty.
How Atlanta got here: The 2024 Dream have been a roller coaster. Injuries to Jordin Canada and Rhyne Howard during the first half of the season hampered their early development, and the Dream went 7-17. Even with those players back in the lineup after the Olympics, they were just .500 in the second half, and it took a win over the Liberty on the final day of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot. But Atlanta will enter its first-round series — its second consecutive playoff appearance — on a three-game winning streak, tied for its longest run of the season. One bright spot regardless of the ups and downs: All-time great Tina Charles has been a steadying force in her first season back in the WNBA since 2022, nearly averaging a double-double in her 13th campaign.
How they match up: New York dominated this regular-season series until Thursday, when the Dream looked like they were fighting for their playoff lives, while the Liberty looked like they knew they had nothing to gain or lose. Atlanta’s defense has been more reliable than its offense this season, but can it really twice slow down a Liberty offense that has been best in the league all summer? On paper, the reigning WNBA Finals runners-up with a plus-11.7 net rating (first in the league) should comfortably handle the team with the minus-3.6 net rating (seventh) that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018. We’ll see if Thursday ends up being a preview of a more competitive series than expected.
Biggest concern for the higher seed? Dropping two of their last three regular-season games (to the Lynx and Dream) wasn’t the most confidence-instilling stretch for the Liberty. Ionescu hasn’t been as efficient in the second half of the season, Jones not as dominant. And their defense left a lot to be desired in those losses. New York will hope to leave those issues behind as it seeks to clinch the franchise’s first title.
What will most impact the series? This matchup features two recent No. 1 picks and U.S. Olympians: Ionescu (2020, 5-on-5 Olympian) and Howard (2022, 3×3 Olympian). It’s hard to see Atlanta pulling off the upset without a sensational series from Howard. Ionescu, meanwhile, will look to find some rhythm and efficiency as the postseason gets going. — Alexa Philippou
Who will win the series:
Pelton: Liberty in 2 Philippou: Liberty in 2 Voepel: Liberty in 2
play
1:41
Lynx outlast Sun in wild back-and-forth finish
The Lynx outlast the Sun 78-76 after four lead changes in the game’s final 23 seconds.
Regular season series: Minnesota won 3-1
How Minnesota got here: The Lynx added two key free agents, guard Courtney Williams and forward Alanna Smith, both of whom played for Chicago in 2023. Combined, they have averaged just over 21 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. Among Minnesota’s returning players from 2023, forward Napheesa Collier has been an MVP candidate, forward Bridget Carleton is having the best of her six seasons and guard Kayla McBride is averaging the most 3-pointers per game (2.7) of her 11 years in the league.
Minnesota is first in the WNBA in defensive rating and in 3-point percentage. The Lynx won the Commissioner’s Cup final over New York on June 25, but then hit a lull tied to Collier missing time with plantar fasciitis. Between June 27 and July 17, Minnesota was 4-5. But Collier played more like herself at the Paris Games, and since the Olympic break ended, the Lynx are 13-2. It’s notable those two losses include a meaningless 68-51 loss Thursday vs. Los Angeles in a game in which Minnesota rested Collier and McBride. The Lynx have been one of the league’s most consistent teams.
How Phoenix got here: The Mercury have been consistent, too, but not in as positive a way as the Lynx. Phoenix has hovered around .500 the entire season. Center Brittney Griner missed the first 10 games with a toe injury. Guard Natasha Cloud, wing Kahleah Copper and coach Nate Tibbett are all newcomers to the Mercury this season. Taurasi said there is still a lot this team is figuring out about itself. When the Mercury have looked good, they’ve been impressive. But they’ve also been blown out in some games. Copper (back injury) returned for the regular-season finale Thursday after missing the previous three games. She leads Phoenix in scoring, and it seems unlikely the Mercury can upset the Lynx without a big series from Copper.
How they match up: Minnesota’s three victories against Phoenix were all by double digits. The Mercury’s win in the series came on a last-second 3-pointer by Copper for an 81-80 win on June 7. The most recent matchup — an 89-76 Minnesota victory on Aug. 28 — was an example of why the Lynx are so hard to beat. They play exceptionally well as a team, their chemistry has been good even with the new pieces that they have added and their bench has been dependable.
Biggest concern for the higher seed? The Lynx have had very few games in which they just haven’t played well, and that’s especially true since the Olympic break. There is no reason to expect a letdown now. But the Mercury might be playing with a lot of emotion, especially with Taurasi potentially being in her last playoff. Because of the first-round format, a possible Game 3 in Phoenix is something the Lynx want to avoid.
What will most impact the series? How well Copper and Griner play will be a big factor in whether the Mercury can hang around and potentially force Game 3. The Mercury also must defend the perimeter at a high level with how well the Lynx shoot 3-pointers. If these playoff games go the same way the regular-season series went, Minnesota will sweep. — Michael Voepel
Who will win the series:
Pelton: Lynx in 2 Philippou: Lynx in 2 Voepel: Lynx in 2
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Fever-Mystics set WNBA attendance record with 20,711 fans
The Fever and the Mystics play in front of a sellout crowd of 20,711, which is the most attended game in WNBA history.
Regular season series: Connecticut won 3-1
How Connecticut got here: The formula for the Sun has been the same for a while, even with the change in Stephanie White taking over as coach last season when Curt Miller went to Los Angeles. Connecticut is very strong defensively — which sets the tone for everything else the Sun do — and balanced offensively. Guard/forward DeWanna Bonner and guard Marina Mabrey (acquired from Chicago via trade on July 17) lead six Sun players who average double figures in scoring. Alyssa Thomas leads Connecticut in assists and rebounds.
The Sun started the season 9-0, then lost their first game to New York on June 8. Connecticut’s performance has been a little more uneven since, but all 12 of the Sun’s losses are to playoff teams.
Obtaining Mabrey was an important move, as she fits very well with the Sun’s offense, shooting better than 41% from 3-point range. She also is a good personality fit for Connecticut, which has long leaned into the “you’re underestimating us” mentality.
How Indiana got here: One of the most interesting storylines in the league this year: the Fever going from a 1-8 start to getting the No. 6 seed and ending their seven-season playoff drought. They’ve done it led by lottery picks: back-to-back No. 1’s Aliyah Boston (2023) and Clark (2024) and No. 2 Kelsey Mitchell (2018). Clark seems a lock to follow Boston as Rookie of the Year; she leads the WNBA in assists and is in the top 10 in scoring. Clark’s connections with Boston in the post and fellow guard Mitchell have steadily grown and made the Fever a fun team to watch when they are clicking on offense.
Forward NaLyssa Smith has had big games and can be an important factor on the boards. Guard Lexie Hull has been an energizing force on defense. Guard Erica Wheeler and center Temi Fagbenle have shown terrific leadership as veterans in how they have treated young star Clark and helped her adjust to the league. For all the heat coach Christie Sides has taken from social media critics, she has kept the Fever’s focus on improving.
How they match up: Their first matchup — a 92-71 Sun victory — was the season-opening game for both teams, as well as Clark’s WNBA debut. The teams met again six days later at Indiana and it was a much different game, with the Sun winning 88-84. Connecticut won big again over Indiana 89-72 on June 10. The Fever’s 84-80 victory came Aug. 28.
The most obvious difference between the teams is experience: The Sun’s core of Thomas, Bonner and Brionna Jones have played in the WNBA Finals together. The Fever are a younger team, including a rookie point guard in Clark.
“We’re a different team than we were to start the season,” Sides said. “We’re ready and prepared for Sunday. [The Sun] can play some hella defense, and we’ve just got to be ready. They’re going to make everything hard.”
This will be the first chance in the playoffs for Mitchell, and Sides said that is one of the most gratifying parts of this season.
Biggest concern for the higher seed? Stopping Indiana’s offense has to be a concern, even for a good defensive team like the Sun. Mitchell and Clark have been a dynamic force in the backcourt, especially since the Olympic break.
Clark finished the regular season Thursday with 8 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds in 20 minutes, playing limited time because the game had no impact on the Fever’s seed. Mitchell played just 5 minutes, getting 4 points — she was briefly shaken up and left the game. Sides said afterward Mitchell was fine but she didn’t want to take any chances. For the season, both Mitchell and Clark averaged 19.2 points, with Clark adding a league-best 8.4 assists plus 5.7 rebounds.
What will most impact the series? Indiana really needs to prove it can defend well when it means the most. The Fever have shown growth in that area, and they do have individual players who are strong defenders. But as a team, defense hasn’t been the Fever’s main calling card. Turnovers are the other major factor; the Fever sometimes have had stretches where their offense gets sloppy. And a team with veterans like Connecticut can take advantage of it. — Voepel
Who will win the series:
Pelton: Sun in 3 Philippou: Sun in 2 Voepel: Sun in 3
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3:00
How A’ja Wilson made WNBA history
Chiney Ogwumike takes us on a journey through A’ja Wilson’s record-breaking season in the WNBA with the Las Vegas Aces.
(4) Las Vegas Aces vs. (5) Seattle Storm
Regular season series: Las Vegas won 3-1
How Las Vegas got here: After cruising to the No. 1 seed last year with a 34-6 record, the back-to-back champs faced more adversity during the 2024 regular season. The Aces matched their 2023 losses during a 6-6 start without injured All-Star Chelsea Gray, and after four Las Vegas players helped the U.S. women to gold in Paris, the team came out of the Olympic break 2-4. Since then, the Aces have looked more like themselves, going 9-1 over their past 10 games with the only loss in that stretch to the Liberty with presumptive MVP A’ja Wilson sidelined by an ankle injury.
How Seattle got here: A year ago, the Storm were preparing for the lottery. Having added All-Stars Skylar Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike in free agency, Seattle more than doubled last season’s 11 wins. Despite Diggins-Smith’s strong play after the Olympic break, however, the Storm went 7-6 and played the final week of the season without key starters Jewell Loyd (knee) and Ezi Magbegor (concussion). Seattle hopes both will be back to start the playoffs.
How they match up: It’s a rematch of the 2020 WNBA Finals and a 2022 semifinals series, but the Storm now have different All-Stars around holdovers Loyd, Magbegor and Gabby Williams. Seattle won the first meeting between the teams in Las Vegas, but the Aces won the next three thanks in part to their shooting edge. Las Vegas outscored the Storm 66-27 from beyond the arc in the three wins.
Biggest concern for the higher seed? Seattle is an atypically difficult first-round matchup for the Aces, who swept below-.500 teams in the first round in each of the past two years as the No. 1 seed. At 24-15 heading into Thursday’s regular-season finale, the Storm have the best record for any team without home-court advantage since 2002. In a year where five teams separated themselves from the rest of the league, Las Vegas might have to beat three of them to win a third consecutive title.
What will most impact the series? It’s simplistic, but Seattle’s health. Without Loyd and Magbegor, the Storm’s spacing and depth were issues when these teams played Tuesday in Seattle. The Aces were able to stifle the Storm with a zone, holding them to 11 points in the fourth quarter. If Loyd and Magbegor aren’t 100%, it will be difficult for Seattle to pull the upset, so it’s notable that Storm coach Noelle Quinn said Thursday night that “there’s no question” Loyd will play in Sunday’s Game 1. — Kevin Pelton
Who will win the series:
Pelton: Aces in 2 Philippou: Aces in 2 Voepel: Aces in 2
The 2024-25 UEFA Champions League season is here and a new general pool play format means we’ll get a high-profile matchup on Matchday 1 when AC Milan hosts Liverpool on Tuesday on Paramount+. These two clubs have combined to win the European Championship on 13 occasions, with Liverpool most recently winning the UCL in 2019, while AC Milan’s last triumph was in 2007. AC Milan is eighth in the Italian Serie A table after a 4-0 win over Venezia, while Liverpool is fourth in the English Premier League after a 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest. Stream the match live on Paramount+, which you can now try free for the first seven days and get 50% off your first year when you sign up here (expires 9/23/24), and catch full analysis on the CBS Sports Golazo Network.
Paramount+ is the place to watch every Champions League match this season. A subscription also gives you access to other sports content including the Europa League, Serie A, NFL on CBS, Big Ten on CBS and countless movies and shows. You can now get 50% off one year of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, plus a free 7-day trial. The offer is valid until 9/23/24, so sign up right here.
How to watch AC Milan vs. Liverpool
AC Milan vs. Liverpool date: Tuesday, Sept. 17
AC Milan vs. Liverpool time: 3 p.m. ET
AC Milan vs. Liverpool live stream: Paramount+ (Get half-off your first year and seven days free)
How to get in-depth soccer coverage daily
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Champions League picks for AC Milan vs. Liverpool
Before you tune in to Tuesday’s match, you need to see the UEFA Champions League picks from betting expert Martin Green. After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year he was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer picks, including Euro qualifying (+6.30 units), the EFL Cup (+4.47), the FA Cup (+3.07) and the Champions League (+3.05) among others.
For Liverpool vs. AC Milan, Green is backing the visiting team to win on the 90-minute money line for a -110 payout. Both of these teams were just outside of serious title contention domestically last season, with AC Milan finishing 19 points behind Inter Milan for second in Serie A while Liverpool was nine points off the title pace for third in the EPL.
However, it’s been Liverpool that has looked like the bigger trophy threat early in 2024-25, with clean sheet wins over Ipswich Town, Brentford and Manchester United before finally suffering their first loss this weekend. Meanwhile, AC Milan drew against Torino at home to open their season, lost to Parma and then drew against Lazio before finally earning their first win this weekend against Venezia.
“Liverpool’s players are rapid on the counterattack and dangerous at set pieces, so they have enough quality to capitalize upon AC Milan’s defensive vulnerabilities,” Green told SportsLine. “That could ultimately allow them to leave Italy with all three points on Tuesday.” Stream the game here and check out full soccer coverage on CBS Sports Golazo Network.
How to watch, live stream UEFA Champions League on Paramount+
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