TST Best Bets: May 9, 2026
May 7, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes up for a basket in front of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the second half during game two of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. Two teams down 0-2 face the brink of elimination on Saturday, as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers try to steer their respective series in their favor on their homecourts. For the Cavs, the solution may be as simple as being back in Cleveland, as they are undefeated at home and winless on the road so far this postseason.
However, it seems to be almost too tall a task for the Cavs to secure a win with the level of play they have gotten from James Harden, who has 11 turnovers to just nine field goals in this series, while also being a major liability on the defensive end. While it was reasonable to expect Cleveland to get back into the series behind improved performances from its stars, the Lakers’ problems against the Oklahoma City Thunder appear far more difficult to solve. Despite limiting soon to be back-to-back MVP Shai-Gilgeous Alexander to a slow start, relative to him, in this series, Los Angeles has lost each game by 18 points.
Can being back at home be the answer for these two floundering championship hopefuls? To come out a winner during these NBA Playoffs, here are tonight’s TST Best Bets brought to you by BetOnline. ag.
Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets. First Pick: Oklahoma City Thunder -8.
5 over the Los Angeles Lakers Rundown: Missing Luka Doncic in their current form, the Lakers played exceptionally well through two and a half quarters against the Thunder in Game 2. LA was able to get Gilgeous-Alexander in foul trouble, and limited him to just 22 points in 28 minutes played. However, what that loss showed is how massive the defensive gap is in this series.