Best bets today: Thunder-Nuggets among SportsLine's top plays for NBA, MLB, NHL for May 15

Three teams will be trying to stave off elimination across the NBA and NHL on Thursday, and there's also a six-game MLB slate to boot. In the NBA, the Denver Nuggets are in a must-win spot at home, trailing 3-2 in the series to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The NHL has two games on Thursday, with the Winnipeg Jets and Washington Capitals both needing wins to extend their seasons.

We highlight the 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

Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (+4.5, 217.5): 8:30 p.m. ET

Denver fell short in Game 5, despite a tremendous effort from Nikola Jokic. The Joker scored 44 points on 17-of-25 shooting, grabbed 15 rebounds, and dished out five assists. It wasn't enough, though, as OKC outscored the Nuggets by 15 in the fourth quarter to win 112-105 and take a 3-2 series lead. 

If Denver is going to force a Game 7, it needs someone other than Jokic and Aaron Gordon to step up. That duo went 23-of-38 from the field, while the rest of the Nuggets shot a dismal 17-of-59. 

The Thunder will try to lock down their first appearance in the Western Conference finals since 2016. Denver is the home underdog on Thursday, although the Nuggets have covered seven of the last 10 meetings between the two teams. 

Five SportsLine experts have plays in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Thunder-Nuggets Game 6 at SportsLine!

Best NHL bets today

Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets (-120, 5.5): 9:30 p.m. ET

The top seed in the Western Conference is on life support as Winnipeg enters Game 5 in a 3-1 hole. Luckily for the Jets, they return home for this must-win game, where Winnipeg is 35-8-4 this season. 

The Jets' playoff road woes continued when they dropped both games in Dallas. Winnipeg is now 0-5 away from home this postseason, getting outscored 25-8. Jets' goaltender Connor Hellebuyck is happy to be back on home ice. Hellebuyck has been shelled on the road in the playoffs but is 5-1 with a 1.99 goals against at Canada Life Centre. 

These two teams typically produce lower-scoring games when they get together, with nine of the last 10 meetings going under the total. 

Get full analysis and expert picks for Stars-Jets Game 5 at SportsLine!

Best MLB bets today

 Houston Astros at Texas Rangers (-125, 7): 8:05 p.m. ET

Houston and Texas start a four-game series on Thursday. The Rangers are coming off a sweep of lowly Colorado and have won five straight. The Astros took two of three from the Royals at home but are just 7-11 on the road.

Texas will look to stay hot behind the arm of Jacob deGrom. deGrom has been in top form lately, allowing two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. The Rangers' offense has come alive for deGrom, winning his last three outings by a combined score of 33-6. 

Houston turns to Hunter Brown, who sports a 6-1 record and 1.48 ERA in eight starts. Brown hasn't allowed a run in four of those starts, and the Astros have won five straight with him on the mound. 

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

Today's featured sportsbook promo

bet365 Sportsbook 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 Denver Nuggets to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday. You will receive $150 in bonus bets whether the Nuggets 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 15

NHL: Carolina Hurricanes at Washington Capitals (7:00 p.m. ET)

MLB: Minnesota Twins at Baltimore Orioles (12:35 p.m. ET)

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays (3:07 p.m. ET)

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Athletics (10:10 p.m. ET)

For all the key games today, head over to SportsLine to get top-notch analysis, including game breakdowns and expert advice. You can also join the SportsLine Discord channel for even more expert picks. 

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.