Thursday’s slate had a little of everything: a couple games got ugly fast, and a couple stayed tight until the last breath. Detroit again had answers for New York, Orlando’s shooting flipped a shaky start into a runway, and Cleveland’s streak kept rolling with another wire-to-wire type of night. If you’re tracking betting angles, turnovers and late-game execution showed up over and over.
Latest NBA Odds & Lines
Before you lock anything in, check the board for the latest NBA odds and lines and compare moneylines, spreads, and totals across the slate. After nights with blowouts and key absences, the market usually reacts in small but meaningful ways, even when it’s not obvious at first glance. Use it to sanity-check your reads before you bet.
NBA Picks of the Day
If you’re playing NBA daily, you want more than one opinion, especially after a chaotic slate like this. Start with Sportshub’s free NBA picks and see what the card looks like from multiple angles before you decide what’s worth following.
Los Angeles Lakers
vs
Los Angeles Clippers
Open
vs
Feb 20, 2026 22:10 EST
–
Score
–
-7.50 -108
Spread
+7.50 -112
o+223.50-110
Total
u+223.50-110
-278
Moneyline
+230
Portland Trail Blazers
vs
Denver Nuggets
Open
vs
Feb 20, 2026 22:10 EST
–
Score
–
+3.00 -110
Spread
-3.00 -110
o+238.50-108
Total
u+238.50-112
+130
Moneyline
-154
New Orleans Pelicans
vs
Milwaukee Bucks
Open
vs
Feb 20, 2026 20:10 EST
–
Score
–
-4.00 -110
Spread
+4.00 -110
o+224.50-110
Total
u+224.50-110
-175
Moneyline
+146
Top Takeaways
- Detroit’s second-half separation kept showing up vs. New York, and the Knicks’ 3-point droughts mattered again when the game tilted.
- Orlando’s 3-point volume was the story of the night, and that 22-5 third-quarter finish is exactly how a close game turns into a dead ticket fast.
- Cleveland’s pressure and control stayed consistent, and when starters sit a full fourth quarter, you know how one-sided it got.
- Turnovers shaped multiple results, including Washington forcing 23 and Toronto cashing in on 23 Chicago turnovers.
- Availability moved the edges, from Philadelphia missing Joel Embiid and Paul George to Phoenix losing Devin Booker for the second half.
- Late-game execution decided the tightest outcome, with Denver getting three free throws with 0.9 seconds left and still coming up short.
NBA Game Recaps
Pistons vs Knicks Recap: Pistons wins 126-111
Detroit completed the season sweep behind Cade Cunningham’s 42 points, 13 assists, and eight rebounds. Paul Reed filled in for Jalen Duren (NBA suspension) and added 18 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks, while Jalen Brunson’s 33 points paced New York.
The swing was the third quarter and early fourth, when Detroit rebuilt separation after the Knicks briefly got it close. New York went cold from deep to end the first half, and once Detroit started stacking stops into open looks, the margin kept growing.
Hawks vs 76ers Recap: Hawks wins 117-107
Atlanta snapped a three-game skid as Jalen Johnson went for 32 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. CJ McCollum scored 23 off the bench, and Tyrese Maxey’s 28 points led Philadelphia, who played without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (suspension).
This one turned late. The Hawks pushed it to 108-94 with 5:12 left, the Sixers ripped off 10 straight to make it uncomfortable, and then Atlanta steadied the finish with Johnson’s scoring and free throws down the stretch.
Cavaliers vs Nets Recap: Cavaliers wins 112-84
Cleveland made it six straight wins as Donovan Mitchell scored 17 and James Harden added 16 with nine assists. Jarrett Allen posted 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Cavaliers had seven players in double figures.
It wasn’t really a “moment,” it was a full-game squeeze. Cleveland jumped out 34-16 after one, ballooned it to 70-48 by halftime, then stretched the margin to 102-59 in the third. No Cavaliers starters even played the fourth quarter.
Rockets vs Hornets Recap: Rockets wins 105-101
Houston opened the post-break slate with a road win as Kevin Durant scored 35 on 14-for-20 shooting. Jabari Smith Jr. added 15, and the Rockets benefited from 16 Charlotte turnovers.
Charlotte had it within striking distance late, but Durant’s buckets in the final minutes kept shutting the door. The Hornets made one last push to get within two at 5.7 seconds, and Houston closed it out at the line.
Spurs vs Suns Recap: Spurs wins 121-94
San Antonio won its seventh straight behind Stephon Castle’s 20 points and Victor Wembanyama’s 17 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks, and four assists. Jalen Green scored 26 for Phoenix, and Devin Booker missed the second half with right hip soreness.
The middle quarters decided it. The Spurs ripped off 13 straight early in the second, carried a 61-49 halftime lead, then blew it open coming out of the break and took a 98-71 cushion into the fourth.
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Wizards vs Pacers Recap: Wizards wins 112-105
Washington snapped a three-game skid with balance, getting seven double-figure scorers led by Bub Carrington, Jaden Hardy, Anthony Gill, and Kadary Richmond at 13 each. Jarace Walker nearly filled the sheet for Indiana with 19 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists.
The betting takeaway is simple: turnovers. The Wizards forced 23, and that gave them extra possessions to survive without a single huge scorer dominating the headline.
Raptors vs Bulls Recap: Raptors wins 110-101
Toronto beat Chicago again as Brandon Ingram scored 31 with eight rebounds and six assists. Scottie Barnes added 14 points and nine rebounds, and the Raptors benefited from 23 Bulls turnovers.
Chicago made it interesting late, cutting it to 103-101 with 2:12 left, but Toronto answered immediately with a three-point play and an Ingram step-back jumper. That’s the kind of closing sequence that matters when you’re sweating a side.
Magic vs Kings Recap: Magic wins 131-94
Orlando set a franchise record with 27 made 3-pointers as Paolo Banchero scored 30. Anthony Black added 20, and Jett Howard had 16 on 6-of-6 shooting while hitting key late 3s that pushed the record over the top.
Sacramento actually led early and was within 80-79 with 5:08 left in the third, then the game flipped hard. Orlando closed the third on a 22-5 surge and never looked back, while the Kings’ loss streak hit 15.
Clippers vs Nuggets Recap: Clippers wins 115-114
The Clippers survived Denver as Bennedict Mathurin scored a season-high 38 in his home debut for Los Angeles, with Kawhi Leonard adding 23. Nikola Jokic had 22 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists for the Nuggets, and Jamal Murray finished with 20 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists.
The ending was chaos in the way bettors recognize instantly. L.A. led 115-112 with 9.1 seconds left, Denver got three free throws with 0.9 seconds remaining, and Murray made the first two but missed the third. That was it.
Celtics vs Warriors Recap: Celtics wins 121-110
Boston won for the seventh time in eight games as Jaylen Brown posted 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists. Payton Pritchard scored 26 off the bench, and Golden State was without Stephen Curry again (knee).
The Celtics broke it in the second quarter, outscoring the Warriors 38-19 to take a 74-51 halftime lead. Golden State made one run in the fourth to cut it to 111-99, but Boston answered with back-to-back Pritchard 3s to restore control.
NBA Picks and Handicappers
If you’re betting NBA daily, you already know the edge is often small and the volume is the point. The best way to stay consistent is to treat your card like a process, not a vibe, and lean on tools that let you compare reads. That’s where Sportshub’s sports handicappers page helps, because you can see different styles next to each other and decide what actually fits your approach.
If you like quick-hit action, the free service plays hub keeps the daily menu simple without forcing you into one opinion. And if you’re building longer-term skill, the Bettor’s Handbook is a good place to tighten up how you think about timing and live spots, while the NBA betting guide gives a cleaner big-picture framework for how to attack the sport.
If you want a simple “who’s hot” snapshot before you tail anything, check the picks leaderboard and compare results across different styles. When you’re ready to scale up, you can also look at Sportshub’s pricing packages to match your betting volume. For more daily content, hit the Sportshub blog, and if you want everything in one place, log in to Sportshub.
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