Best NBA Bets Thursday, February 26: Trends, Predictions & Picks for Tonight

Ten NBA games tonight, and the board has a very specific smell. Two teams are walking in on the back end of a back-to-back. A couple of home teams are absolute landmines in their last ten at home. And we’ve got injury tags on real-use players who can swing a spread fast. I’m riding the two spots where the matchup profile and the recent against-the-spread form line up clean.

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Best Bet: San Antonio Spurs -12.5 (3 units)

Where to Watch the Brooklyn Nets vs. San Antonio Spurs Tonight

• Matchup: BRK vs. SAS
• Arena: Barclays Center
• Location: Brooklyn, NY
• Where to Watch: NBA League Pass
• Date: February 26, 2026
• Time: 07:30 PM ET

NBA Betting Odds Today: Brooklyn Nets vs. San Antonio Spurs Moneyline, Spread & Kalshi Probabilities

Odds as of February 26, 2026

Yes, -12.5 is a big number. But Brooklyn has done nothing to suggest they’ll keep this close. The Brooklyn Nets are 2-8 in their last ten at home and 2-8 against the spread in that same sample. They’re not just losing; they’re losing badly and consistently failing to cover. San Antonio is the flip side. The Spurs are 10-0 in their last ten and 8-2 against the spread in their last ten. That’s a team that wins and covers. That’s the profile you want when you’re laying double digits.

And it gets uglier when you consider the matchup. San Antonio ranks third in defensive rating (111.3) against a Brooklyn offense ranked 29th in offensive rating (110.1). The Nets won’t be able to score enough to keep this respectable.

A healthy Spurs team on a ten-game win streak? I’ll lay the points.

Expert Pick: Houston Rockets -3 (2 units)

Where to Watch the Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets Tonight

• Matchup: ORL vs. HOU
• Arena: Kia Center
• Location: Orlando, FL
• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
• Date: February 26, 2026
• Time: 07:30 PM ET

NBA Betting Odds Today: Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets Moneyline, Spread & Kalshi Probabilities

Odds as of February 26, 2026

This is a tight number, and I respect it. But the edge is real.

Houston checks both boxes. The Rockets are third in points allowed (109.1) and fifth in defensive rating (112.5). They also lead the league on the glass. Houston is first in rebounds per game (48.4) and second in rebounds allowed (39.7). Orlando is fine, but not special, and the matchup gets tighter when you’re tired.

Orlando’s also dealing with availability. Franz Wagner (ankle) is out, and Jalen Suggs (back) is questionable. That’s not a small thing for a team that already sits 24th in threes made per game (11.6). If the spacing is compromised, Houston’s defense can squeeze this game. I’m taking one of the best teams in the West against a play-in team in the East, who struggles to cover (12-17) when Franz Wagner sits.

The SportsGrid Betting Edge

• Best Bet (3 units): San Antonio Spurs -12.5
• Expert Pick (2 units): Houston Rockets -3

I’m not trying to win the whole slate. I’m trying to win the best two spots. Brooklyn at home has been a disaster, and a shorthanded Orlando team against Houston’s defense and rebounding is a fight I want no part of. Ride with me or fade me. Either way, pick a side and live with it.

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Our picks against the spread are produced by the SportsGrid NBA editorial team, which is a collaborative unit of basketball and betting experts, data scientists, and market specialists dedicated to uncovering high-probability edges. By combining proprietary predictive modeling with real-time market data, the team distills complex situational trends—including rest advantages, injury impacts, and schedule spots—into actionable bets.

Data from Blitz. Stats as of February 26. This article has been published by Senior Editor Tyler Mason.