Today's top games to watch, best bets, odds: Rockets-Magic, No. 13 Michigan State-No. 8 Purdue and more

The Houston Rockets have been an average team on the road this season but have had a good amount of success of late, winning five of their last six away games. They've also played well overall, going 13-6 over their past 19 contests.

Houston (36-21) has a tough task at hand on Thursday as it visits the Kia Center to take on the Orlando Magic (31-26) at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Magic own one of the best home records in the Eastern Conference at 17-9, and they enter this matchup having won eight of their last 12 overall contests.

Orlando has struggled against the Rockets of late, losing each of their last four meetings. One of those defeats took place on Nov. 16 in Houston, where the Magic squandered a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and went on to drop a 117-113 overtime decision as superstar Kevin Durant scored a game-high 35 points while Alperen Sengun was one of three Rockets to record a double-double with 30 points and 12 rebounds.

Nine other games are on Thursday's NBA schedule, including a matchup between the Charlotte Hornets (28-31) and Indiana Pacers (15-44) at 7 p.m. ET at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Pacers are in the midst of a four-game losing streak but have won three consecutive meetings with the Hornets, including a pair earlier this season.

The NHL has 12 games on its slate, one of which has the Carolina Hurricanes (36-15-6) hosting the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning (38-14-4) at 7 p.m. ET at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. in a clash between division leaders. The Lightning, who are two points ahead of the Hurricanes for first place in the Eastern Conference, have won six straight contests and improved to 20-1-1 over their last 22 with Wednesday's 4-2 home victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Meanwhile, Carolina has won three in a row and earned points in 15 of its past 16 games (12-1-3).

A packed college basketball schedule features a Big Ten Conference showdown between No. 13 Michigan State (22-5) and No. 8 Purdue (22-5) at 8 p.m. ET at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. The Boilermakers have won seven consecutive meetings against the Spartans at Mackey Arena and nine of their last 11 overall clashes.

The Rockets are 2.5-point favorites against the Magic in the latest consensus NBA odds, while the Hornets are 12.5-point favorites over the Pacers. The Hurricanes are -147 on the money line against the Lightning and Purdue is a 7.5-point favorite against Michigan State.

Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Thursday, Feb. 26. All times Eastern

NBA best bets, where to watch

Hornets at Pacers

Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Indianapolis | TV: NBA League Pass | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine pick -- Model: Over 229.5 (-109)

The Hornets are in the top half of the NBA in scoring with an average of 115.9 points, and produced 129 and 131 in their last two games. Indiana is one of the worst defensive teams in the league as it is allowing 119.2 points per game. These clubs combined for 262 points in their last meeting and the SportsLine Projection Model doesn't see them having much difficulty scoring on Thursday as the Over hits in more than 68% of its simulations.

Rockets at Magic

Time: 7:30 p.m. | Location: Orlando | TV: Prime Video

SportsLine picks -- Model: Rockets -150 | Expert: Alperen Sengun Under 35.5 points + assists +rebounds (-112, PropBetGuy)

The Rockets have won five of their last seven contests and easily could be entering this matchup with a seven-game winning streak as they lost 105-102 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 11 on a three-point play with two seconds remaining and squandered an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter of a 108-106 setback against the New York Knicks last Saturday. While Orlando has won six of its last eight games, it has lost four consecutive meetings with Houston. The SportsLine Projection Model believes the Rockets will extend that streak as its simulations have them winning 68% of the time. SportsLine props expert PropBetGuy (107-76, +1867 on his last 183 NBA player prop picks) doesn't think Sengun will come close to duplicating the performance he had Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings (26 points, 11 assists, 13 rebounds) as the Houston center has gone Under his projected PRA line for Thursday's contest in 12 of his last 16 outings.

NHL best bets, where to watch

Lightning at Hurricanes

Time: 7 p.m. | Location: Raleigh, N.C. | TV: ESPN+ | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Over 6.5 (+108) | Expert: Hurricanes -149 (Matt Severance)

The Lightning and Hurricanes are among the top eight offensive teams in the NHL, with the former ranking third with 199 goals and the latter tied for seventh with 193. They also are two of the top five defensive clubs in the league, but they combined for 10 goals in their first meeting this season. Tampa Bay has netted at least four tallies in five consecutive games and six of its last seven, and the SportsLine Projection Model doesn't feel the squads will have trouble scoring on Thursday as the Over hits in almost 60% of its simulations. SportsLine expert Matt Severance (39-15, +1744 on his last 54 NHL money line picks involving Carolina) likes the Hurricanes to extend their winning streak to four games and end Tampa Bay's at six. The Lightning likely will have backup Jonas Johansson in the crease after Andrei Vasilevskiy played against Toronto on Wednesday and Carolina couldn't be fresher as it has been idle for three weeks. 

CBB best bets, where to watch

No. 13 Michigan State at No. 8 Purdue

Time: 8 p.m. | Location: West Lafayette, Ind. | TV: Peacock | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)

SportsLine picks -- Model: Over 142.5 (-110) | Expert: Purdue -3.5 first half (-115, Chip Patterson)

Both squads are in the top half of the 18-team Big Ten Conference in scoring, as the Boilermakers rank third with an average of 82.9 points and the Spartans are ninth at 78.4 per game. Three of Purdue's last four contests have gone Over the projected total for Thursday's showdown, while six consecutive Michigan State games did the same prior to the team's last outing. The SportsLine Projection Model doesn't think points will be at a premium in this matchup as its simulations have the Over hitting more than 71% of the time. SportsLine expert Chip Patterson (4-1, +295 on his last five college basketball game prop picks) sees Purdue going into intermission with at least a four-point lead as Michigan State has trailed by double digits at halftime in each of its last three conference road games.