NBA First Basket Scorer Odds & Picks: Monday (12/9)
It’s going to be a slow week in the NBA. Ultimately, there’s only one regular-season game tonight. It’s between the Knicks and the Raptors.
That’s because the NBA will have spread out the four quarter-final games of the NBA Cup tomorrow and Wednesday. Thursday features only three scheduled regular-season matchups.
But hey, at least we’ve got games on every day of the week, even if there are not that many. I’ve added my favorite first-basket bet for tonight’s Knicks-Raptors matchup.
Also, make sure to check out our NBA First Basket Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for help identifying all of today’s best prop bets.
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Monday’s Best NBA First Basket Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Who will score the first basket in today’s NBA game? We compare historical first-basket stats to prop bet odds to help identify today’s best bets. View first-basket odds across sportsbooks here.
New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors
Karl-Anthony Towns will likely return to the Knicks’ lineup tonight. He’ll compete against Jakob Poeltl for the tip. Ultimately, Poeltl has won the tip-off 48% of the time, while Towns has only won the tip-off in 43% of games.
In addition, the Raptors have scored first in 63% of games, while the Knicks have scored first in only 52% of games. With a larger slate, this wouldn’t be a game I’d target in the first-basket prop market. With that said, the Raptors have a higher chance of scoring first and winning the tip.
The Knicks have given up the first basket to small forwards 36% of the time to begin the year. Meanwhile, shooting guards have scored the first basket in 27% of games this season against the Knicks. I’ll be eying those two positions on the Raptors tonight.
RJ Barrett is an intriguing option here. While Barrett won’t be returning to Madison Square Garden, he’s still facing his old team and will want to get cooking early. Barrett has added the first basket in 19% of games this season and has attempted the team’s first shot in nearly a quarter of the games he started. He’s also got four first baskets this season.
Let’s give Barrett a chance tonight.
Pick: RJ Barrett (+650)