The Cavaliers got off to a slow start against the Pistons in Game 1, but Cleveland’s playmakers were on full display despite suffering a double-digit loss on Tuesday. Guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 23 points but finished with just two assists in the loss. Mitchell averaged 5.7 assists per game during the regular season, and his over/under for total assists in Game 2 is 3.5. The SportsLine Projection Model projects he’ll go over that total, predicting he’ll finish with 4.8 assists on average, and identifies it as one of Thursday’s top NBA player props and NBA best bets today.
For Game 2 of Lakers vs. Thunder, SportsLine NBA expert Larry Hartstein is backing Thunder center Chet Holmgren to be an effective rebounder. Holmgren pulled down 12 rebounds against Los Angeles in Game 1, and his over/under for total rebounds on Thursday is 8.5. Before locking in Thursday’s NBA prop picks and other NBA bets on betting sites like FanDuel, be sure to check out top picks from the proven computer model and team of experts at SportsLine.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 26-9 roll (74%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at online betting sites and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Top NBA player prop picks on Thursday
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers, Over 3.5 assists
- Tobias Harris, Pistons, Over 17.5 points
- Chet Holmgren, Thunder, Over 8.5 rebounds
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers, Over 3.5 assists
Mitchell was effective as a scorer in Game 1, finishing with 23 points. He knocked down 9-of-19 field goal attempts and 4-of-10 from 3-point range. He struggled to get his teammates involved, recording just two assists. Mitchell averaged 5.7 assists per game during the regular season, and SportsLine’s computer model is projecting that he’ll finish with 4.8 assists on average in Game 2.
Tobias Harris, Pistons, Over 17.5 rebounds
“Tobias Harris scored 20 points over 39 minutes in Game 1,” SportsLine NBA expert Mike Barner pointed out. “That marked his sixth straight game with at least 20 points. During the playoffs, he is averaging 36 minutes and 16.9 shot attempts a night. The increased usage rate is important to note because he is generally an efficient scorer, shooting 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from behind the arc this season. In what should be another close game, Harris is in a favorable position to hit this over.”
Chet Holmgren, Thunder, Over 8.5 rebounds
“In each of the past two games — Game 1 vs. the Lakers and Game 4 at Phoenix — Chet Holmgren grabbed 12 boards,” SportsLine NBA expert Larry Hartstein said. “I like him to continue that pace, or close to it, against the offensively-challenged Lakers. Holmgren averaged 9.7 rebounds at home during the regular season, compared to 8.2 on the road. He is a total mismatch for LA, so he should see plenty of minutes before garbage time.”
