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NBA First Basket Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (1/14)

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Saturday brings us seven games including some really interesting matchups.

Let’s take a look at the games and find some First Basket plays.

Here are our other best bets for Saturday:

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Top NBA First Basket Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions: Saturday (1/14)

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat

This is a really interesting game for a lot of reasons. This Saturday matinee will be a rematch between two teams that played on Thursday night where Miami won against a short-handed Milwaukee without Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The expected return of Giannis is a key for my pick here as I like him for First Basket in this spot. Miami is one of the worst teams in the league at scoring First Basket props, doing so in just 30.2% of their games on the season, meanwhile, Milwaukee is at 57.1% on the year. Giannis is key in that as the Bucks’ leading scorer.

Miami has given up over 50% of their First Baskets to bigs, which is another factor that bodes well for Giannis. He should thrive in this matchup and is a solid play for First Basket in this spot.

Pick: Giannis Antetokounmpo (+450)

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Indiana Pacers

After a few nights off, Memphis will take on the Pacers who are playing the second night of a back-to-back. Season-long and recent stats show that the Grizzlies are the best team in the league at cashing First Basket props doing so in 73.2% of their games, nearly three quarters. With this information, I’m going to target two Grizzlies.

Dillon Brooks has been a solid play for much of the season. He hasn’t cashed this prop in the last ten games for Memphis but he has two first team field goals. It hasn’t been for a lack of opportunities, however. He’s taking, on average, one out of the first three field goals for the Grizzlies. It’s a good matchup with Indiana who gives up 29% of their First Baskets to small forwards. His season numbers are really solid, so with the matchup, I like Brooks for this prop.

Steven Adams is a long shot for Memphis that I’ll sprinkle a little on. He hasn’t been a factor in First Baskets lately, especially with Jaren Jackson back in the lineup, but that will just make his number longer. His season-long numbers are solid, cashing a First Basket prop five times in 37 starts on the year. He’s worth a play too as the Pacers are giving up 26% of their opponents’ First Baskets to centers.

Pick: Dillon Brooks (+550) & Steven Adams (+1300)

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Utah Jazz

When you have a perennial MVP candidate big man who scores over 30 points per game, he’ll always be a solid play for First Baskets. I just can’t resist, Joel Embiid is my pick no matter how square it seems.

Embiid is the cog that makes the 76ers’ offense move. Not only is he the team’s leading scorer, but he also leads in First Baskets and early shot attempts. He is attempting nearly half of the first three field goal attempts for Philadelphia on the season. All of these stats point to this being a really solid play.

The opponent angle is the one I like the most, however. Utah gives up over 40% of their First Baskets to centers. This is just a perfect storm matchup for Embiid and it is too good to pass up. He is a must-play for Saturday night.

Pick: Joel Embiid (+310)

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