Best bets today: Avalanche-Stars best NHL play, plus more picks for MLB and NBA for May 3

Saturday features the best two words in sports: Game 7. We don't have just one Game 7, but two, as the Dallas Stars host the Colorado Avalanche in the NHL while the Los Angeles Clippers visit the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. Additionally, we've got a full 15-game MLB slate on the action, which means there's plenty of intrigue in the sports betting world to kick off the weekend. 

Here's a closer look at the top betting opportunities for each league with links to full game analysis and picks throughout the article while providing betting tips for today's matchups. 

There is also a link to the best sportsbook promotion today from DraftKings, which is offering $200 in bonus bets for new users who place a first wager of at least $5. Learn more about the promotion below. 

Best NBA bets today

Los Angeles Clippers at Denver Nuggets (-1.5, 205.5): 7:30 p.m. ET

This series has gone back and forth and had a little bit of everything. We've seen low-scoring affairs, such as Game 4, which had a buzzer-beating dunk for a Denver win, as well as the Nuggets dropping 131 to the Clippers' 115 in Game 5. Nikola Jokic and James Harden rank second and fourth, respectively, in assists dished out per game in the playoffs thus far, and Kawhi Leonard leads this series in points per game at 25.5. Jokic has, once again, shined in all phases, and the three-time MVP is averaging a triple-double this series. The Nuggets entered the postseason in strange fashion as the franchise fired its head coach and general manager with just three games remaining in the regular season. Now, interim head coach David Adelman has his team on the verge of moving on to the next round. 

The model has one side of the total hitting in nearly 70% of simulations, as well as one side of the spread hitting in over 50% of sims. 

Get full analysis and expert picks, including a prop pick on Christian Braun from expert Stephen Oh, for Clippers-Nuggets Game 7 at SportsLine!

Best NHL bets today

Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars (+137, 5.5): 8 p.m. ET 

These two Central Division foes face off in a winner-take-all game Saturday night in Dallas, and it's worth noting these head coaches have very different track records in Game 7s. Stars head coach Peter DeBoer is a perfect 8-0 in Game 7s in his career, while the Avs' Jared Bednar has never won a Game 7, checking in at 0-3. Bednar has a Stanley Cup ring to his name as a head coach, though, while DeBoer does not. 

These teams have alternated wins and losses each of the last three games, and while the series as a whole is locked up, only Games 2 and 3 were close, with Dallas winning both in overtime. The other four games saw the victor win by at least three goals, and  at least six goals have been scored in four of these games. The Stars are 2-1 on home ice this series, winning each of their last two home games against the Avs after falling 5-1 in Dallas in Game 1.

Get analysis and expert picks, including from Matt Severance, who's 22-8-1 on his last 31 Dallas ATS picks, for Avalanche-Stars Game 7 at SportsLine!

Best MLB bets today

Arizona Diamondbacks at Philadelphia Phillies (-124, 9.5): 6:05 p.m. ET

There is only one game between teams with winning records on today's MLB slate, so might as well give that matchup top billing here. The 18-14 Phillies sit in second in the NL East, 3.5 games behind the New York Mets. The Diamondbacks are 17-15 and are 2.5 games behind... the third-place San Francisco Giants in the NL West. That division is an absolute battle, with the Los Angeles Dodgers on top of the standings with MLB's best record at 22-10.

Philadelphia took the first game of this series 3-2 on Friday after Kyle Schwarber and Max Kepler each hit homers in the seventh inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. The Diamondbacks are sending out Brandon Pfaadt (5-1, 2.78 ERA) while the Phillies are countering with Aaron Nola (0-5, 5.40 ERA). We don't think anyone had Pfaadt having two more wins than Diamondbacks aces Corbin Burnes and Zac Gallen COMBINED at this point. Or the fact that Nola is responsible for over a third of Philadelphia's losses in the beginning of May. 

Get analysis and expert picks, including from Jason La Canfora, who's 14-7 on his last 21 MLB ML picks, for Diamondbacks-Phillies at SportsLine!

Today's featured sportsbook promo

New users who sign up with DraftKings Sportsbook receive $200 in bonus bets after placing a first bet of at least $5. It doesn't matter if that first bet wins or loses. Your account will be credited with eight $25 bonus bet tokens, which can be used to be on a variety of different games and events. If you win a bet using bonus bets, you receive only the winnings and not the stake back. The bonus bet tokens hold no cash value. 

Terms and conditions for the DraftKings welcome bonus:

• The bonus is available to new DraftKings customers only in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington D.C., Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. You must be 21 or older in all states except D.C., Kentucky and Wyoming, where you can be 18 or older. 
• New users must deposit a minimum of $5 and place a first bet of at least $5.
• Bonus bets are received as eight $25 bonus bet tokens within 72 hours of your initial bet settling.
• Bonus bets must be wagered once before any winnings can be withdrawn.
• Bonus bets aren't included in any cash winnings. They also are not transferable or refundable.
• Bonus bets expire seven days after they are credited.

Other games to bet on for Saturday, May 3

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (1:05 p.m. ET)
MLB: Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers (7:10 p.m. ET)
MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Atlanta Braves (7:15 p.m. ET)

SportsLine has you covered with expert predictions and suggested bets from our projection model. You can also join the SportsLine Discord channel for even more betting tips from our experts and other bettors in the SportsLine community.

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