NBA First Basket Scorers: Lakers vs. Clippers (Tuesday)
Tuesday’s NBA slate is filled with seven games on the schedule. Plenty of ways exist for our NBA first-basket scorer predictions, so let’s narrow it down. Before the action tips off, let’s target NBA first-basket picks for the Lakers vs. Clippers and the Heat vs. Bulls matchups.
NBA first-basket bets are quick and easy ways to place wagers with bigger payouts - and you'll know if they cash right away. Let's try to find some winners for a pair of games on Tuesday night. Note that all betting lines are accurate as of writing, but shop around for the best odds. Enjoy these NBA first-basket picks and predictions for Tuesday, February 4th’s game Lakers vs. Clippers.
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Tuesday's Best NBA First Basket Bets: Lakers vs. Clippers
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Who will score the first basket in today’s NBA games? We compare historical first-basket stats to prop bet odds to help identify today’s best bets. View first-basket odds across sportsbooks here.
Los Angeles Lakers at Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the sports world this past weekend by trading for Luka Doncic. Tonight they play their first game since acquiring Doncic and dealing away Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks. When it comes to who might score the first basket, though, Doncic won't be an option.
Doncic has been sidelined with a calf strain injury and isn't expected to return until later this week at the earliest. The Lakers' first basket scorer options are narrowed significantly with Doncic out and Davis departing. The Davis trade also means Los Angeles will have someone new taking opening tip-offs (at least for tonight).
Jaxson Hayes is slated to start at center for the Lakers with Davis gone. Hayes is 4-1 on opening tips this season, including four straight wins in his past four starts. The only time he lost a jump ball was to 7-foot-4 Zach Edey.
Hayes has a tough head-to-head matchup against Clippers center Ivica Zubac. Still, he can win the tip-off to give the Lakers the first possession. Hayes is 1-0 on tips vs. Zubac over their careers.
As for the Lakers, LeBron James may seem like the obvious choice to score first. Yet, he hasn't been the first basket scorer in 10 straight Lakers vs. Clippers matchups. James also hasn't taken the Lakers' first shot in nine of those 10 games. James looks to facilitate on the first possession or two to get his teammates going. That's even more paramount now with Doncic out and Davis gone.
So, let's grab Austin Reaves to score first. He leads the Lakers in first-shot percentage and first baskets made per start (17.1% for both). Reaves has a favorable matchup with James Harden likely guarding him.
Pick: Austin Reaves (+850)