NBA Best Bets: Three Picks to Know for Thursday Night

Oct 28, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) dribbles the ball in the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Imagine Jake from State Farm and Atlanta-reared rapper Chris “Ludacris” Bridges conjuring their commercial magic to fix the State Farm Center scheduling situation with the snap of a finger.The Hawks’ home venue may have housed a WNBA championship celebration by the time Atlanta hosts Cleveland tonight. Or perhaps the Atlanta Dream will win their midweek Finals matinee against the Golden State Valkyries to force a decisive Game 7 by the bay.In any event, logistics figures to be a hot topic during the Cavs-Hawks telecast, certainly more than it will for the other two games in the Association tonight – including a meeting of Western Conference unbeatens.With that, let’s get to it with these NBA best bets.CLEVELAND CAVALIERS at ATLANTA HAWKS, 8 p.m.Both teams are finishing the second leg of back-to-backs. Skidding Atlanta lost 129-117 to visiting Miami on Wednesday while Cleveland outscored Washington by 20 after halftime to roll by 10 at home.Evan Mobley drilled a career-best five treys en route to scoring 24 points against the Wizards. The Cavaliers have shown balance and poise during a three-game winning streak after coughing up a 29-point lead to lose their season opener.A second win in as many nights is theirs for the taking.Cleveland +1.5 (-118) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting SACRAMENTO KINGS at NEW ORLEANS PELICANS, 8 p.m.Twenty-five, eight, 11, 27.Those aren’t the beginnings of your state’s next winning Powerball ticket (no one’s offered an avenue for those predictions yet) but rather the Kings’ margin of defeat in their first four games.Winless Sacramento boasts an exciting backcourt, anyway, with veteran Zach LaVine (27.3 points per game) and rookie Darius Acuff Jr. (21.5) providing punch in routs and closer losses alike.LaVine has scored at least 20 points in each game and is averaging 23.8 points in 25 career contests against New Orleans.The 0-4 Pels lost their first three games by 10 points combined before visiting Denver secured a 104-91 win on Wednesday despite Zion Williamson’s 25-point night.Look for New Orleans to regroup and leave Sacramento as the last Western Conference club without a victory. But expect LaVine to do his thing in the process.Zach LaVine 20+ points and New Orleans as part of two-leg parlay (+145)MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS, 10 p.m.The 4-0 Grizzlies are off to their best start since the 2014-15 team won its first six out of the gate. They’re rolling behind Ty Jerome (29.8 points per game) and a young, quick-learning core that’s earned three straight road victories in clutch time.Memphis will aim to cap a perfect road trip when it meets veteran-laden, 3-0 Portland.Deni Avdija (23 points) Ja Morant (23) and Damian Lillard (21) paced the balanced Blazers to a 136-129 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. Early returns on Morant’s response to a reduction in minutes and shots are encouraging as Lillard makes the Moda Center faithful recall his days of yore.Experience and home court propel Portland.Portland -7.5 (-110 with FanDuel) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting