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NBA First Basket Scorer Prop Bet Picks & Predictions: Friday (1/13)

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The calendar turns to Friday, but the NBA schedule never rests. We have a solid NBA slate of games.

Check out our other best bets for Friday:

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

NBA First Basket Scorer Player Prop Bets for Friday

Let’s take a look at some games to find First Basket winners.

Golden State Warriors at San Antonio Spurs

This game will be played in front of the largest crowd ever for an NBA game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. It isn’t much of a matchup on paper, but I like two angles for First Basket.

Steph Curry returned to the lineup on Tuesday. The Warriors will continue to look to get him back into the flow of the offense. However, for First Basket, I like another player. Klay Thompson leads the Warriors in first-field goals. In Steph’s absence, he was on fire with First Baskets and scored the Warriors’ first field goal in five of his last seven starts. In addition, the Spurs give up a whopping 29% of First Baskets to shooting guards. It is a great spot and a great matchup to ride Klay Thompson.

On the Spurs’ side, I have a play too. Much like Thompson, this is a solid matchup play. Golden State gives up a crazy 35% of their First Baskets to centers, and with Jakob Poeltl in the lineup, he’s a must-play. Since his return to the lineup, he’s led the Spurs in first field goals, scoring the team’s first field goal in four of nine starts. With all of the youth and injuries in the San Antonio lineup, Poeltl is a steady presence. This incredible matchup makes this a must-play.

Pick: Klay Thompson (+550) & Jakob Poeltl (+750)

Orlando Magic at Utah Jazz

The Magic travel out to Utah to take on the Jazz amid a western road trip. It’s an interesting matchup for the Magic because the Jazz are one of the worst teams in the league at cashing First Basket props, doing so in only 25% of their games this season. With this information, I’m focusing on the Magic.

There is one particular player on Orlando who stands out here. Wendell Carter has been one of the best First Basket scorers in Orlando, as he’s done so in five of 20 starts, leading the team. His high volume of early shots, 1.0 average of the teams’ first three field goals is one of the reasons he’s been good at cashing this prop.

The matchup with Utah also makes Carter a play. Utah has given up 42% of its First Baskets to centers, nearly half. The inability to defend the post has been a problem all year for Utah, and this stat highlights that. With this matchup and Carter’s strength in this spot, he is a big play for Friday’s First Baskets.

Pick: Wendell Carter (+500)

Houston Rockets at Sacramento Kings

I will go with a little longer play for this game. When these teams matched up on Wednesday, Jalen Green had a strong performance, scoring a team-high 26. That confidence is key for a young player like him, and he’s never one to shy away from getting attempts up.

Green has scored 10 of the team’s first field goals in his 41 starts, trailing only Alperen Sengun. The Kings give up 23% of their First Baskets to shooting guards on the season. Given the matchup, his hot night on Wednesday and his ability to get shots off, Jalen Green is a play for me on Friday night.

Pick: Jalen Green (+650)

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