Best bets today: Thunder-Timberwolves among SportsLine's top plays for NBA, NHL, MLB for May 26

One NHL team looks to become the first to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, while an NBA team is aiming to become the first to reach three wins in the conference finals on Monday night. In the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves look to even their series at home against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The NHL Playoffs features the Florida Panthers going for a sweep over the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final. There's also a 12-game MLB slate that includes day baseball.

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 offer today from DraftKings. New users who risk at least $5 on their initial wager will receive $300 in bonus bets if their bet wins, with no promo code required. See more about the offer below.

Best NBA bets today

Oklahoma City Thunder (-3, 218.5) at Minnesota Timberwolves: 8:30 p.m. ET

Minnesota needed a big effort at home Saturday night to avoid going down 0-3 in the series, and the team delivered, defeating the Thunder 143-101. Anthony Edwards stepped up with 30 points, while Julius Randle added 24.

The difference in Game 3 for the Timberwolves was rebounding and turnovers. Minnesota got beat on the boards in the first two games but was +19 Saturday night. The Timberwolves also struggled with turnovers throughout the playoffs, committing 31 in the first two games. In Game 3, Minnesota flipped the script and was +4 in turnovers. 

OKC had lost three playoff games prior to Saturday. In each case, the Thunder won the next game by an average of 26.6 points. 

Five SportsLine experts have plays in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Thunder-Timberwolves Game 4 at SportsLine!

Best NHL bets today

Carolina Hurricanes at Florida Panthers (-185, 5.5): 8 p.m. ET

The defending Stanley Cup champions are one win away from reaching the finals for the third straight season. Florida swept Carolina in the 2023 Eastern Conference Final, and it looks like more of the same this year. The Panthers have dominated the first three games of the series, outscoring the Hurricanes 16-4.

Carolina just can't seem to figure out Florida. The Panthers have won five of the six meetings this season. Florida won those five games by a combined score of 28-7. Overall, the Panthers are 14-5 in their last 19 games against the Canes. 

Get full analysis and expert picks for Hurricanes-Panthers Game 4 at SportsLine!

Best MLB bets today

Los Angeles Dodgers (-155, 7.5) at Cleveland Guardians: 6:10 p.m. ET

The Dodgers and Guardians kick off a three-game series on Monday. Los Angeles dropped two straight to the Mets over the weekend, while Cleveland took three of four from division rival Detroit. 

The Dodgers have to feel good about ending their two-game slide with Cy Young contender Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the mound. Yamamoto has been dominant, allowing two runs or fewer in seven of 10 starts. Los Angeles is 7-3 when Yamamoto starts this season. 

Cleveland counters with right-hander Gavin Williams. Williams looks to continue his strong month, where he has given up just 17 hits and five runs over 20 innings of work. The Guardians went 3-1 in those four starts. 

Two SportsLine experts have plays in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Dodgers-Guardians at SportsLine!

Today's featured sportsbook promo

DraftKings Sportsbook is offering new users the opportunity to earn $300 in bonus bets with an initial wager of at least $5. No promo code is required. If your first bet wins, customers will receive $300 in bonus bets to use within seven days. 

The initial bet can be placed on Monday's NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs, MLB, or another sport of interest. Let's say you bet $5 on the Thunder to beat the Timberwolves, and they successfully do. You will receive your $5 initial bet plus winnings from the bet in cash. As part of the introductory promotion, DraftKings will also give you 12 $25 bonus bets to use within seven days.

DraftKings Sportsbook promo code terms and conditions:

• The bonus is available to new DraftKings customers only in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, VT, WY and WV.
• New users must deposit a minimum of $5.
• The bonus bets are received as 12 $25 bonus bet tokens within 72 hours of your initial bet settling as a win.
• The bonus bets must be wagered once before any winnings can be withdrawn.
• The bonus bets are not included in any cash winnings, nor are they transferable or refundable.
• The bonus bets expire after seven days.

Other games to bet on for Monday, May 26

MLB: St. Louis Cardinals at Baltimore Orioles (3:05 p.m. ET)
MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Texas Rangers (4:05 p.m. ET)
MLB: Minnesota Twins at Tampa Bay Rays  (7:05 p.m. ET)
MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates at Arizona Diamondbacks (8:10 p.m. ET)
MLB: New York Yankees at Los Angeles Angels (9:40 p.m. ET)

At SportsLine, you'll get top-notch analysis, including game breakdowns and expert advice, on all the key games. Make sure to join the SportsLine Discord channel for even 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.