Home-court advantage can make all the difference in the NBA playoffs, and the top seeds in each conference will try to maintain it on Thursday, providing another NBA playoff doubleheader to claim the just in BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS, which gives new users $150 in bonus bets if their first bet wins or up to $1,500 in bonus bets if their qualifying wager loses. The Detroit Pistons will host the Cleveland Cavaliers at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Oklahoma City Thunder hosting the Los Angeles Lakers at 9:30 p.m. ET. The SportsLine Projection Model is backing both home teams to win and cover as part of its Thursday NBA best bets at BetMGM Sportsbook.
The model sees value in the Pistons (-3.5) and Thunder (-15.5) winning and covering like each team did in their Game 1 contests on Tuesday. The model also sees value in the Baltimore Orioles defeating the Miami Marlins as +105 underdogs in its Thursday BetMGM Sportsbook MLB best bets. Claim the just in BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS and bet on Thursday’s top games:
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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 eight-plus seasons. The model entered the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-9 roll (74%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Thursday best bets at BetMGM
- Pistons (-3.5) vs. Cavaliers (-110)
- Thunder (-15.5) vs. Lakers (-110)
- Orioles (+105) vs. Marlins
Combining the three picks into a Thursday parlay at BetMGM would result in a payout of +647 (risk $100 to win $647, odds subject to change). Click here to take advantage of the just in BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS:
Pistons (-3.5) vs. Cavaliers (-110)
Cade Cunningham wasn’t his traditional dominant scoring self in Game 1 with 23 points, his lowest in eight postseason games this year, yet the Pistons still had enough production around him for a 10-point victory. All five starters and six total players scored more than 10 points for Detroit, including 20 from Tobias Harris and 19 from Duncan Robinson. The veteran Harris has gone from averaging 13.3 points per game during the regular season to 21.4 ppg this postseason, providing a consistent secondary scorer next to Cunningham. The Detroit superstar is averaging 31.3 ppg this postseason, which leads all NBA players. The Pistons have won four straight games by an average of 13.3 ppg, and they are 9-3 against the spread over their last 12 home games, including the playoffs. Cleveland is 0-4 straight up and against the spread on the road this postseason, and the model expects that to drop to 0-5 with the Pistons covering in 63% of simulations. Back the Pistons by claiming the just in BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:
Thunder (-15.5) vs. Lakers (-110)
Even when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t playing nearly his best basketball, the Thunder remain one of the toughest teams in the NBA to keep pace with. SGA had 18 points and seven turnovers in Game 1 on Tuesday, yet the Thunder won by 18 points (108-90). The Thunder shot 43% on 3-pointers (48% without SGA’s 1-for-5 performance). The Thunder dominated the Lakers during the regular season as well, going 4-0 and winning by an average of 29.3 ppg. The model certainly doesn’t expect SGA to perform as he did in Game 1, and it projects OKC to cover in 54% of simulations. Back the Over by claiming the just in BetMGM bonus code CBSSPORTS here:
Orioles (+105) vs. Marlins
The Orioles are aiming to complete the three-game sweep over Miami after victories of 9-7 and 7-4 this series, and the model doesn’t expect the offensive success to disappear Thursday. Pete Alonso, after a slow start, is starting to heat up, blasting a three-run home run on Wednesday after two doubles and two RBI on Tuesday for the Orioles. He’s hitting .364 with three home runs, seven RBI and eight runs scored in six games in May. The Orioles are starting Cade Povich, who allowed two runs or fewer in two of his three starts this season, and the model projects another productive start from him Thursday. The Marlins have lost four straight and five of their last six games. The model projects the Orioles to win in 52% of simulations, showcasing nice value at plus-money odds. Back the Orioles by claiming the just in BetMGM promo code CBSSPORTS here:
Want more NBA and MLB picks on Thursday?
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