NBA Predictions Today: Game 2 Picks and Player Props for Thursday’s Games

The conference semifinals of the NBA playoffs roll on Thursday night with two more games. The Pistons and Thunder both held serve at home in Game 1 and will look to do the same in Game 2. After examining the betting markets at Kalshi, we’ve picked out both a spread bet and a player prop to consider for each of Thursday’s games.

Best NBA Predictions for Thursday, May 7

Values courtesy of Kalshi. If you’re new to prediction markets, you can sign up today using the Kalshi promo code WSN and claim a $10 bonus after trading your first 100 contracts. Find more info in our detailed Kalshi review.

Pistons Beat Cavaliers by 3.5 Points in Game 2 (Yes, 50%)

We doubted the Pistons ahead of Game 1, but we’re willing to admit that was a mistake. After getting down 3-1 to the Magic last round, Detroit has rattled off four straight wins, with the last three all coming by at least 10 points. It’s as if the team’s young core is learning how to win playoff games on the fly.

Of course, the Cavaliers are desperate to even up the series before things move to Cleveland. But the Cavs have yet to win a road game during the playoffs. They’re also 0-4 against the spread in road playoff games. Meanwhile, the Pistons are 31-9 straight up this season as home favorites. They don’t have a big spread to cover, so we’ll get behind the Pistons to keep things rolling, while Cleveland’s road woes are likely to continue.

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Tobias Harris 20+ Points in Game 2 (Yes, 40%)

Cade Cunningham has been the star for the Pistons during the playoffs, but Harris has been an excellent running mate. After averaging 13.3 points per game during the regular season, Harris is scoring 21.4 points per game during the playoffs. After eight playoff games, that’s not exactly a small sample size, so with lucrative odds, it’s safe to bet on this trend continuing.

Harris scored exactly 20 points in Game 1, and that was on a slightly below-average shooting night for him. It’s safe to assume that he’ll be just as good, if not better, in Game 2. On the heels of six straight games with 20 or more points, we’re going to ride the wave and back Harris to reach that threshold again in Game 2.

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Thunder Beats Lakers by 15.5 Points in Game 1 (No, 51%)

The Thunder covered the spread in Game 1, winning by 18 points. However, 15.5 points is a big number to cover in back-to-back playoff games. Just as we saw from the Knicks on Wednesday night, the favored team can easily become a little complacent with a series lead in Game 2. Keep in mind that the Thunder failed to cover a big spread in Game 2 of its series with the Suns, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see things play out the same way in this series.

Equally important, the Lakers aren’t likely to roll over and make it easy for Oklahoma City. Despite being outmatched from a talent perspective, the Lakers showed plenty of fight in Game 1. They know their backs are up against the wall, and they need a response. Plus, the Lakers went 19-12 against the spread when coming off a loss during the regular season. They were the fourth-best team in the NBA at bouncing back from losses, which is why we’re backing them in Game 2.

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LeBron James 25+ Points in Game 2 (Yes, 34%)

Of course, James is another reason to believe the Lakers can keep things interesting and beat the spread in Game 2. He knows the end of his career is coming, and even if it’s futile to believe the Lakers can win the series, James is going to try. He’s bound to put everything on his shoulders, which is why he’s worth taking a chance on to have a big scoring night.

Outside of Game 4 against the Rockets, James has been both aggressive and efficient as a scorer throughout the playoffs. He’s scored at least 25 points in five of his last six games, making this a relatively safe bet, especially based on the odds. While Oklahoma City is a solid defensive team, the Thunder didn’t have a lot of answers for James in Game 1, so look for his string of high-scoring games to continue.

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