{"id":624194,"date":"2026-04-22T19:43:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T19:43:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/624194\/"},"modified":"2026-04-22T19:43:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T19:43:10","slug":"todays-top-games-to-watch-best-bets-odds-nba-nhl-playoffs-take-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/624194\/","title":{"rendered":"Today’s top games to watch, best bets, odds: NBA, NHL playoffs take the spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"

The early portion of the first round of the 2026 NBA<\/a> playoffs was largely marked by drama-free contests that saw the favored clubs crushing their lesser opponents and covering massive point spreads in the process. <\/p>\n

However, this script has done a rapid about-face and created the potential for more compelling first-round theater than most basketball observers anticipated. Heading into Wednesday’s playoff double-header, underdogs have now won outright in five consecutive contests. <\/p>\n

This unlikely streak includes a 3-0 sweep Tuesday night as the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> (+11.5) toppled the Boston Celtics<\/a> 111-97, the Portland Trail Blazers<\/a> overcame a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter to beat the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> 106-103 and the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> defeated the Houston Rockets<\/a> 101-94. <\/p>\n

If you’re interested in tailing SportsLine and CBS experts, you can check out the latest FanDuel promo code<\/a> for the latest offer for new users.<\/p>\n

While the 76ers and Trail Blazers each tied their first-round series at 1-1, the Lakers, by virtue of protecting their home court, now have a commanding 2-0 series lead and are -125 betting favorites to win the series after they were priced as +425 underdog to do so before Game 1.<\/p>\n

We’ll see if there is any more drama in store Wednesday night amid a pair of No. 8 seeds taking on the top seeds in their respective conferences. The Orlando Magic<\/a> (+8.5), who beat the Detroit Pistons<\/a> 112-101 on Sunday in Game 1, square off in Game 2 (7 p.m. ET) in Detroit.<\/p>\n

Fans interested in betting on NBA and much more can check out the latest DraftKings promo code<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In the nightcap, the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a> host the Phoenix Suns<\/a> in Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round matchup. In Game 1 on Sunday, the Thunder cruised to a 119-84 victory over an overmatched and lifeless Phoenix squad, covering the 15.5-point spread in the process.<\/p>\n

While most basketball observers expect to witness a similar result, we’ll see if the Suns can play with the sense of urgency required to at least make Game 2 a competitive contest. Oklahoma City is a 17.5-point favorite, and the Over\/Under for total points scored is 216.5 in the latest NBA sportsbook odds for Suns vs. Thunder.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to this NBA matchup, we’ll take a look at a key\u00a0MLB<\/a>\u00a0showdown and an NHL<\/a> playoff game. Here are the games to watch for Wednesday, April 22.\u00a0All times Eastern.<\/p>\n

NBA best bets, where to watchSuns at Thunder<\/p>\n

Time:\u00a09:30 p.m.\u00a0|\u00a0Location: Oklahoma City\u00a0|\u00a0TV:\u00a0ESPN |\u00a0Stream:\u00a0Fubo<\/a>\u00a0(Try for free)<\/p>\n

SportsLine pick<\/a>\u00a0— Model:\u00a0Suns +17.5\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oddsmakers have logically anticipated a lack of faith in the Suns from the basketball audience and accordingly bolstered the Game 1 point spread by two full points in Game 2 in an attempt to at least provide a tempting carrot for underdog bettors. The SportsLine Projection Model sees just enough value in the adjusted number to warrant a moderate confidence play on Phoenix. <\/p>\n

The model’s 10,000-game simulation projects an average final score of 113-110 in favor of the Thunder, with the underdog covering the spread at a notable rate of 61%. While placing your bet, you might want to set $5 aside for a mouthpiece to bite down on if you back the Suns, but the 17.5-point spread is nearly unheard of for the NBA playoffs, and the Suns basically need to just show something resembling a pulse in order to reward their brave backers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

MLB best bets, where to watchDodgers at Giants<\/p>\n

Time: 9:45 p.m.\u00a0|\u00a0Location: San Francisco |\u00a0TV:\u00a0MLB.TV\u00a0|\u00a0Stream:\u00a0Fubo<\/a> (Try for free)<\/p>\n

SportsLine pick<\/a>\u00a0— Model: Over 7.5 runs<\/p>\n

The rebuilding Giants<\/a> slumped to a 3-8 start but have shown recent signs of life behind a streak in which they have won four of five, including a 3-1 victory Tuesday over the defending World Series champion Dodgers<\/a> in the first of their three-game set. The Dodgers are sizable favorites (-205) in Game 2 behind ace Shohei Otani, who is 1-0 with an ERA 0.50 in three career starts against the Giants. The struggling Tyler Mahle<\/a> (0-3, 7.23) is set to take the mound for San Francisco. <\/p>\n

The SportsLine Projection sees little value on either side of the money line but forecasts a higher-scoring game than the 7.5 total suggests. The model’s 10,000-game simulation produced an average final score of 5.3-4.4 in favor of the Dodgers and a combined output of 9.7 runs. This projection sends the total Over 7.5 with ease and, as such, the model is offering a top-rated play on the Over. The model sees the Over hitting a whopping 70% of the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

NHL best bets, where to watchDucks at Oilers\u00a0<\/p>\n

Time:\u00a010 p.m.\u00a0|\u00a0Location: Edmonton\u00a0|\u00a0TV:\u00a0TBS |\u00a0Stream:\u00a0Fubo<\/a> (Try for free)<\/p>\n

SportsLine pick<\/a>\u00a0— Expert: Oilers<\/a> -182 (Matt Severance)<\/p>\n

The Oilers used a 2-0 third period in Game 1 to prevail 4-3 against the Ducks<\/a> behind the game-winner from Kasperi Kapanen<\/a>, his second goal of the game, with 1:54 left in regulation. Now, Edmonton will attempt to build on that victory and take command of the series with a Game 2 victory on its home ice Wednesday. <\/p>\n

The thick price suggests the Oilers will do just that, and top SportsLine NHL expert Matt Severance (+767 in his last 11 NHL selections) is backing the home favorite. He notes the Oilers statistically dominated Game 1 outside of the second period and prevailed despite getting zero points from Connor McDavid<\/a>. Severance expects Edmonton to have continued success against Ducks goalie Luka Dostal and come out on top again.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The early portion of the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs was largely marked by drama-free contests…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":624195,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[556],"tags":[1419,64,63,615,1664,724,18672,7214,3275,7220,177496,1187,7232,591,48834,9925,590,139020,139019,575,135435,123162,5548,12985,9688,7185,4621,10549,5157,85,133484,133479,133480,302328,302329,33572,302327],"class_list":{"0":"post-624194","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nhl","8":"tag-anaheim-ducks","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-betting","12":"tag-boston-celtics","13":"tag-college-basketball","14":"tag-connor-mcdavid","15":"tag-detroit-pistons","16":"tag-edmonton-oilers","17":"tag-houston-rockets","18":"tag-kasperi-kapanen","19":"tag-los-angeles-dodgers","20":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","21":"tag-mlb","22":"tag-mlb-odds","23":"tag-mlb-picks","24":"tag-nba","25":"tag-nba-odds","26":"tag-nba-picks","27":"tag-nhl","28":"tag-nhl-odds","29":"tag-nhl-picks","30":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","31":"tag-orlando-magic","32":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","33":"tag-phoenix-suns","34":"tag-portland-trail-blazers","35":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","36":"tag-san-francisco-giants","37":"tag-sports","38":"tag-todays-best-bets","39":"tag-todays-top-games","40":"tag-top-games-to-watch","41":"tag-top-games-wednesday","42":"tag-top-sports-wednesday","43":"tag-tyler-mahle","44":"tag-what-to-watch-wednesday"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=624194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/624195"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=624194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=624194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=624194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}