I only have a few plays for the loaded NBA slate on Thursday, March 26. So, while I normally break things down with two separate articles, I’m bringing everything under one roof instead of splitting up sides/totals and player props — a streamlined look at my favorite bets for the day’s slate. Keep reading for my NBA picks and predictions for Thursday.

RELATED: Check out the Pro Picks page for more selections from our talented VSiN hosts and analysts!

NBA Best Bets Today

PARLAY: Hornets Alt +8.5 vs. Knicks & Pelicans Alt +10.5 vs. Pistons (-130 – 2 units)

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Knicks at Hornets – 7:00 pm ET
Pelicans at Pistons – 7:00 pm ET

I thought hard about taking the Pelicans on a normal spread, but I was really looking for closer to 6.5/7.5. With that in mind, I’m firing up an alternate spread parlay, using the Hornets +8.5 to give myself some extra cushion all around.

With Charlotte, a good argument can be made that the team is better than New York. Since the start of 2026, the Hornets have a better advanced stats profile, and Charlotte also has a higher net rating (+13.7 vs. +9.0) since the All-Star break. I just like the Hornets’ elite offense to take advantage of a team with two minus-level defenders — Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns — playing important spots. I also like that New York is just 3-7 straight-up as a road underdog this season, while Charlotte is 14-6 SU as a home favorite under Charles Lee.

As far as the other game goes, I just want to fade the Pistons after last night’s overtime loss to the Hawks. Jalen Duren played 42 minutes in that game, while Daniss Jenkins played 45. Those are the two most important pieces for Detroit now that Cade Cunningham is out a couple of weeks. I’m just not sure the Pistons are going to have the legs required to win convincingly against the Pelicans, who are quietly 10-7 with a net rating of +3.1 since the All-Star break.

NBA Player Props Today

Maxime Raynaud Over 15.5 Points (-110) vs. Magic

Kings at Magic – 7:00 pm ET

Raynaud’s point totals have been closer to 16.5 and 17.5 recently, so I’m going Over on the 15.5. He has scored at least 16 points in four straight games, and he’s averaging 19.2 points per game over the last 13 games — while scoring at least 22 points in seven of those contests. I also don’t think this matchup is as tough as it might seem. While Orlando is excellent defensively, the team is merely average when it comes to guarding around the rim. That means Raynaud should do plenty of damage as a pick-and-roll finisher. Also, even if you do view this as a difficult matchup, Raynaud had 23 points against the Clippers two weeks ago, 32 against the Spurs on March 17, and 16 against the Hornets on Tuesday. He should make his mark around the rim here. We just need Sacramento to avoid a blowout loss.

Additional Plays (Late Adds, Parlays, Teasers, Futures)

Nothing yet.

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