Best bets today: Knicks-Pacers among SportsLine's top plays for NBA, NHL, MLB for May 29

Bettors have many different options to choose from on Thursday, May 29, with the NBA playoffs, NHL playoffs and a handful of MLB games all on the schedule. In the NBA, the Indiana Pacers try to close out their series on the road against the New York Knicks. The Stanley Cup Playoffs features the Dallas Stars trying to stay alive against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final.

We highlight the top betting opportunities with links to full game analysis and picks throughout the article while providing the top betting tips for Thursday's matchups.

There is also a link to the best sportsbook promotion today from bet365. The bet365 promo 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

Indiana Pacers at New York Knicks (-5, 222.5): 8:00 p.m. ET

It's do-or-die time for the New York Knicks after Indiana won Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. Tyrese Haliburton recorded a triple-double, finishing with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds, to help put the Pacers one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 2000.

Karl-Anthony Towns is dealing with a knee injury, so the Knicks will need Jalen Brunson to have another big game. Brunson is averaging 33.3 points in the series, and he's topped 30 in three of the four games. 

New York will have the home crowd behind them, but that hasn't bothered Indiana lately. The Pacers are looking to win their seventh straight road playoff game on Thursday. 

Four SportsLine experts have plays in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Pacers-Knicks Game 5 at SportsLine!

Best NHL bets today

Edmonton Oilers at Dallas Stars (-130, 5.5): 8:00 p.m. ET

The Stars have been very good at home this season, going 35-12-3 at American Airlines Arena. Dallas will need some of that home magic on Thursday night to keep its season alive after dropping three straight games to Edmonton. 

The Stars have fallen in the Western Conference Final in three consecutive years. The odds say that streak will eventually reach four. Teams up 3-1 in a best-of-seven series in the NHL playoffs have gone on to win 93% of the time. Win or lose on Thursday, the Oilers are in good shape to return to the Stanley Cup Final. 

If Dallas is going to force a Game 6 in Edmonton, they have to find some offense. The Stars have scored just twice in the last three games. The main reason for that is Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner, who has stopped 86 of the last 88 shots he's faced in the series. 

Matt Severance, who is 158-84-8 in his last 250 NHL picks, has a play in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Oilers-Stars Game 5 at SportsLine!

Best MLB bets today

Tampa Bay Rays at Houston Astros (-115, 8): 8:10 p.m. ET

Two hot teams meet on Thursday when Houston hosts Tampa Bay. Both squads are 7-3 in their last 10 games. The Astros have won four straight, while the Rays are 7-1 in their last eight. 

Shane Baz gets the ball for Tampa Bay. Baz is coming off a strong outing against Toronto, where he allowed just one run over 5.2 innings. However, he was roughed up in his four prior starts, giving up 21 runs in 19.2 innings. 

The Astros will turn to Ryan Gusto. The 26-year-old splits his time between being a starter and working out of the bullpen for Houston. He hasn't thrown more than 5.2 innings this season, so expect the Astros' bullpen to play a major role in this game. That's not a bad thing. Houston has the second-lowest bullpen ERA (2.67) in MLB. 

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

Today's featured sportsbook promo

The bet365 promo code 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 New York Knicks to beat the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Playoffs tonight. You will receive $150 in bonus bets whether the Knicks 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 Thursday, May 29

• MLB: Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies (6:45 p.m. ET)
• MLB: Sacramento Athletics at Toronto Blue Jays (7:05 p.m. ET)
• MLB: Washington Nationals at Seattle Mariners (9:40 p.m. ET)

At SportsLine, you'll get top-notch analysis, including game breakdowns, betting trends, predictions, and expert advice, on all the NBA Playoff, NHL Playoff and MLB games slated for Thursday, May 29. You can also join the SportsLine Discord channel for even more betting tips and expert picks.

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