Best bets today: Jets-Blues among SportsLine's top plays for NBA, MLB, NHL for May 2

Friday's slate of games is relatively small, but the single playoff games in both the NBA and the NHL carry huge ramifications, as both are Game 6 clashes with teams facing elimination. MLB also kicks off its weekend series with a full 15-game Friday schedule. And of course, bettors across the country eagerly await Saturday and the Kentucky Derby.  

Let's look at Friday's top betting opportunities, with links to full game analysis and picks throughout the article while providing the top betting tips for today's matchups

There is also a link to the best sportsbook promotion today from bet365. Bet365 grants new users a bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets offer by using the bonus code SPORTSLINE. See more about the promotion below. 

Best NBA bets today

Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors (-5, 207.5) 9:00 p.m. ET

The Warriors won the two games at home in this series over Houston. Golden State needs one more victory at Chase Center on Friday night to end the Rockets' season. 

Houston crushed the Warriors in Game 5, 131-116. The one bright spot in the blowout loss was Golden State head coach Steve Kerr took his starters out of the game with the Warriors down 29 with six minutes left in the third quarter. With the game out of hand, Kerr opted to rest his players and try to close out the series at home on Friday.

If the Rockets are going to force a Game 7, they need star Jalen Green to regain his form. Green exploded for 38 points in Game 2, but he has scored just 35 total points in the other four meetings. 

Four SportsLine experts have plays in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Rockets-Warriors Game 6 at SportsLine!

Best NHL bets today

Winnipeg Jets at St. Louis Blues (-115, 5.5) 8:00 p.m. ET

The Blues will try to force a Game 7, and St. Louis has to like its chances to get a win at home, where it's outscored Winnipeg 12-3 so far in this series. The home team has won the first five games by a combined score of 24-10. 

The Blues will need goaltender Jordan Binnington to bounce back after allowing four goals in Game 5. Despite that poor performance, Binnington is 10-4-1 with a .909 save percentage over his last 15 starts. 

Winnipeg will be short-handed on Friday. Captain Mark Scheifele suffered a head injury and has been ruled out for Game 6. 

Matt Severance, who is 135-66-7 in his last 208 NHL side picks, has a play on this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Jets-Blues Game 6 at SportsLine!

Best MLB bets today

Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (-230, 8.5) 7:05 p.m. ET

The Rays try to get back on track Friday after being swept at home by the Royal. Tampa Bay was outscored 14-3 in the three-game series. Ryan Pepiot will get the ball for the Rays. Pepiot allowed 3 runs over six innings against the Yankees on April 20 in a game Tampa Bay lost 4-0. 

The Yankees will turn to Max Fried. The left-hander has been sensational this season, sporting a 5-0 record and 1.19 ERA. In his one start against Tampa Bay, Fried pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. The Rays have struggled against lefties, batting just .196 as a team. 

Both the Yankees and Rays have gone Under in seven of their last 10 games.

Get full analysis and expert picks for Rays-Yankees at SportsLine!

Today's featured sportsbook promo

Bet365 grants new users a bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets by using the bonus code SPORTSLINE. New customers deposit a minimum of $10 in your account and bet $5 on any market. Upon settlement of the bet, the user will receive $150 in bonus bets, regardless of whether or not the bet wins. The bonus bets must be used within seven days from when they hit your account. 

For example, let's say you bet $5 on the Golden State Warriors to beat the Houston Rockets in the NBA Playoffs Friday. You will receive $150 in bonus bets whether the Warriors win or lose the game. 

bet365 welcome bonus terms and conditions:

• A minimum deposit of $10 is required to claim this promo.
• The bonus is available for new customers only.
• The initial wager must settle within 30 days.
• Bonus bets cannot be cashed out and must be used within seven days of receiving them.

Other games to bet on for Friday, May 2

• MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Philadelphia Phillies (6:45 p.m. ET)
• MLB: Minnesota Twins at Boston Red Sox (7:10 p.m. ET)
• MLB: Seattle Mariners at Texas Rangers (8:05 p.m. ET)
• MLB: Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee Brewers (8:10 p.m. ET)

Make sure to check out all the game breakdowns and expert advice at SportsLine for every sport, every day. You can also join the SportsLine Discord channel for more betting tips. 

Get more out of your SportsLine subscription! 

• Picks: Golf | NBA | MLB | NHL | NASCAR | UFC | More
• Early Edge: YouTube | Apple Podcasts
• Newsletters: SportsLine Daily | Fantasy
• More: Download App | New at SportsLine

Qualifying SportsLine members receive a 30-day free trial of Paramount+ with SHOWTIME. Sync your account right here.