Best First Basket Prop Bets for Friday, Feb. 25 (2022)

Check out all of today’s First Basket Player Prop Bets >>

MIAMI HEAT @ NEW YORK KNICKS – NBA on TNT @ 7:30 EST

In this east coast matchup, Bam Adebayo (Tip Win: 71%) faces off against Mitchell Robinson (Tip Win: 53%) for the 2^nd time this year. In the 1^st matchup back in January, Adebayo beat Robinson in the tip. Jimmy Butler took the 1^st game attempt and missed for the Heat, Kemba Walker missed an attempt for the Knicks, and Duncan Robinson cashed 1^st basket the next time down for the Heat.  Adebayo has won 8 of his last 10 tips, scored 1^st in 7 of those, and the Heat have gotten an attempt to score 1^st basket in 25 straight games. I’ll be playing looking at the Heat players here.

-Bam used to have value back in November, now every game he’s sitting around +375. I don’t see value playing him considering the Knicks haven’t allowed a Center to score 1^st against them in their last 8 games.

-Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and PJ Tucker have taken the Heat 1^st FG attempt in 6 of their last 8, cashing in 4 of them (Butler 2x, Lowry/Tucker 1x). In the Knicks’ last 5 games they were scored on 1^st, it was a guard or forward in all 5.

-In the event that the Heat miss their attempts, I like the value on Mitchell Robinson at +1300. In the last 5 games the Heat got scored on 1^st, it was a PF or C in all 5.

Top Plays: Jimmy Butler +800, Kyle Lowry +1000

Value Plays: PJ Tucker +1100, Mitchell Robinson +1300

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS @ LOS ANGELES LAKERS – NBA on TNT @ 10:00 EST

Anthony Davis goes back down with an injury for the Lakers – insert: Dwight Howard. Dwight’s won 55% of his tips this year, and beat Zubac (Tip Win 31%) in their one tip matchup in December. Although the Lakers won the tip, the Clippers scored 1^st in that game (Serge Ibaka). The teams matched up back in early February, with Davis beating Zubac in the tip and Avery Bradley scoring 1^st possession down for the Lakers.

I like the Lakers to get a look here for 1^st basket. In Dwight’s 11 games he’s jumped, the Lakers had an opportunity at 1^st basket in 10 of them, cashing in 6 1^st FGs.

-Lebron James at +700 is a terrific play. I haven’t seen Lebron above +600 in a long time. He’s taken a 1^st basket attempt in 3 of the last 4 games that AD was out. The last time the Lakers won the tip and scored on 1^st possession, it was Lebron.

-Zubac is a surprisingly good defender on 1^st baskets, so I’ll be staying away from Dwight at +500.

-I’ll also be playing Malik Monk +850 & Stanley Johnson +1400. Russell Westbrook has only cashed 1^st basket 1 time in 2022. In the last 9 games that the Lakers have scored 1^st basket, it’s been James, Johnson, or Monk in 8 of them.

-I’ll be playing multiple Lakers tonight, but in the event the Clippers get a stop, I like the value on Zubac at +800. He’s been hot lately for the Clips, and Dwight has allowed opposing teams’ Centers to score 1^st team basket in 5 of his last 6 (1 of those cashing as 1^st basket).

Top Plays: LeBron James +700 & Ivica Zubac +800

Value Plays: Malik Monk +850 & Stanley Johnson +1400

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