Best bets today: Warriors-Timberwolves among SportsLine's top plays for NBA, MLB, NHL for May 8

Even with just one NBA playoff game on tap for Thursday night, there is still plenty of action overall in the sports world. In the NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves will look to avoid going down 2-0 to the Golden State Warriors, who are without star Steph Curry. The NHL has two teams trying to even the series after Vegas and Washington both lost Game 1 on home ice.

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. At bet365, the sportsbook grants new users a bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets offer by using the bonus code SPORTSLINE. See more about the promotion below, and make sure to also check out all the best betting apps and top sportsbook promos. 

Best NBA bets today

Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves (-10.5, 201.5): 8:30 p.m. ET

There is good news and bad news for Golden State heading into Game 2. The good news is they are up 1-0. The bad news is the Warriors will be without future Hall of Famer Steph Curry, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. 

Even with Curry sidelined, Minnesota will need to play better offensively to even up the series. The Timberwolves shot just 39.5% from the field and went 5-for-29 (17.2%) from 3-point range in Game 1. Anthony Edwards scored 23 points, although he made only nine of 22 shot attempts. 

Golden State has won four straight over Minnesota, holding the Timberwolves to an average of 103 points during that span. 

Mike Barner, who is 156-107 in his last 263 NBA player prop picks, has two plays in this game. Get full analysis and expert picks for Warriors-Timberwolves Game 2 at SportsLine!

Best NHL bets today

Edmonton Oilers at Vegas Golden Knights (-140, 6.5): 9:30 p.m. ET

The Oilers were moments away from being down 3-1 to the Los Angeles Kings in the opening round. Then a late comeback in Game 4 led to an overtime win, and Edmonton hasn't looked back since. The Oilers have now won five straight after defeating Vegas 4-2 on Tuesday. 

Edmonton fell behind 2-0 in Game 1 but dominated the Golden Knights over the final two periods, out-shooting Vegas 12-1. In the process, the Oilers set a Stanley Cup Playoff record with their fifth straight come-from-behind victory. 

The Golden Knights are still 31-11-3 at home this season but will need a better effort from goaltender Adin Hill to even the series. Hill allowed four goals on 28 shots (.857 save percentage) in the opener. 

Get full analysis and expert picks for Oilers-Golden Knights Game 2 at SportsLine!

Best MLB bets today

Los Angeles Dodgers at Arizona Diamondbacks (+128, 8.5): 9:40 p.m. ET

Arizona has dropped four of six games and is coming off a 7-1 loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday. The Diamondbacks will try to get things turned around, but it won't be easy with the World Series favorite Dodgers coming to town. 

Brandon Pfaadt will get the ball for the D-Backs. The right-hander looks to rebound from his worst start of the season against the Philadelphia Phillies, where he allowed nine hits and seven runs over 4.2 innings. 

The Dodgers counter with Cy Young candidate Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto sports a 0.90 ERA and has allowed one run or fewer in five of seven starts this season. 

Despite Yamamoto being on the mound, recent history suggests we could be in for a higher-scoring game. Nine of the last 10 meetings between the two teams have gone Over the total. 

Get full analysis and expert picks for Dodgers-Diamondbacks 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 Timberwolves to beat the Warriors in the NBA Playoffs on Thursday. You will receive $150 in bonus bets whether Minnesota wins or loses 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 8

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

MLB: Texas Rangers at Boston Red Sox (1:35 p.m. ET)

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Tampa Bay Rays (7:05 p.m. ET)

MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels (9:40 p.m. ET)

Over at SportsLine, you'll get top-notch analysis for every major game on Thursday, including game breakdowns and expert advice. The SportsLine Discord channel is also available for bettors to join to get more insights.

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