The all-new DraftKings promo code\u00a0gives new users $200 in bonus bets instantly after placing a $5 bet. While college basketball gets the majority of the attention this week, the NBA isn’t stepping aside, with a potential NBA Finals preview as a part of its nine-game NBA slate with Celtics vs. Thunder at 9:30 p.m. ET. The SportsLine Projection Model has locked in a top pick from this contest for its Thursday NBA best bets at DraftKings Sportsbook.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The model is backing the Celtics to cover as 6.5-point underdogs for its Thursday NBA best bets at DraftKings. The Celtics are 5-2 over their last seven games. The model is also backing the Detroit Pistons to cover as 14.5-point favorites against the injury-riddled Philadelphia 76ers, and one of SportsLine’s top experts has locked in one of his college basketball best bets on UConn vs. Xavier in the Big East tournament at 7 p.m. ET.\u00a0Claim the latest DraftKings promo code, where new users get $200 in bonus bets instantly with a $5 wager<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n Check out our DraftKings promo code<\/a> review for full details.<\/p>\n The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in\u00a0betting<\/a>\u00a0profit for $100 players on its top-rated\u00a0NBA picks<\/a>\u00a0over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered Week 21 on a sizzling 42-19 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its\u00a0NBA betting<\/a>\u00a0advice at\u00a0sportsbooks<\/a>\u00a0and on\u00a0betting apps<\/a>\u00a0could have seen huge returns.<\/p>\n Thursday best bets at DraftKings SportsbookUConn (-15.5) vs. Xavier (-108)Pistons (-14.5) vs. 76ers (-115)Celtics (+6.5) vs. Thunder (-110)<\/p>\n Combining the three picks into a Thursday parlay at DraftKings would result in a payout of +587 (risk $100 to win $587, odds subject to change).\u00a0Bet it at DraftKings here<\/a>:<\/p>\n UConn (-15.5) vs. Xavier (-108)<\/p>\n “UConn has been stewing for five days since losing its regular-season finale to Marquette. Now they get a team they match up with as well as any in the Big East,” SportsLine expert Thomas Casale said. “The Huskies rolled Xavier twice this season, 92-60 and 90-67. I expect more of the same on Thursday. I’m not going to overthink the Big East Tournament. There are two teams, then everyone else. I think UConn wins big.\u00a0Back UConn to cover at DraftKings here<\/a>:<\/p>\n Pistons (-14.5) vs. 76ers (-115)<\/p>\n The 76ers are without Joel Embiid (oblique) and Tyrese Maxey (finger), heading to Detroit to face the Pistons, who have the best record in the East at 46-18. Although the Pistons have lost four of their last five games, they are coming off a 38-point win over the Nets, and their losses during that span included games at San Antonio, at Cleveland and at Miami. The Pistons are 23-8 at home this season. Detroit is 6-3 against the spread in its last nine games when favored by double-digit points, as the Pistons have easily taken care of the teams they are significantly better than. The model projects that to be the case again against a depleted 76ers team, which has lost four of its last six games, as the Pistons cover in 66% of simulations.\u00a0Back the Pistons to cover at DraftKings here<\/a>:<\/p>\n Celtics (+6.5) vs. Thunder (-110)<\/p>\n The Celtics had double-digit wins over the Mavericks and Cavaliers in their first two games with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) back before a 125-116 road loss to the Spurs on Tuesday. The Celtics were one of the best teams in the league even without Tatum, who is questionable for Thursday, so whether he’s active or not, Boston has the proven capability to keep pace with the elite teams, such as the reigning champion Thunder. The Celtics are 8-5 against the spread as an away underdog this season, while the Thunder are 15-18 ATS at home despite being 27-6 overall on their home floor. The Celtics are 22-12 ATS on the road this season, and the model projects Boston to keep pace with OKC on Thursday, \u00a0with the Celtics covering in 61% of simulations.\u00a0Back the Celtics to cover at DraftKings here<\/a>:<\/p>\n Want more NBA and college basketball picks on Thursday?<\/p>\n