The NBA season is finally underway. We've got 10 games to consider as we predict who will score the first basket in some of them. Below are my NBA first basket scorers for the day.
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Friday’s Best NBA First Basket Scorers
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Who scores first in today’s NBA slate? 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. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers have been great at winning opening tip-offs. They've won three in the four games they've played, while the Knicks have won two in their first five games of the season.
From that standpoint, LeBron James has pretty solid value. He's not even among the top five favorites to score first. He also hasn't taken the first shot yet, and I think he will soon.
Pick: LeBron James (+850)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Timberwolves haven't been superb with opening tip-offs, winning only one in their first five games. But the Clippers haven’t won any this season, so I'm leaning toward Minnesota winning the opening tip tonight at home.
I like Jaden McDaniels to score first. With Anthony Edwards out, McDaniels is a much bigger part of the offense. Plus, he's already scored first in two games. I believe he'll bring that high energy from the start.
Pick: Jaden McDaniels (+700)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors
The Lakers have won the opening tip in three of their first four games, while the Warriors are 0-5 on opening tips. The Warriors have only been first to score as a team once.
I'm predicting the Lakers will score first. But I don’t think Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves will score first. I'm going with Matisse Thybulle. He has the longest odds (+1400), but he's already scored first for the Lakers this season. There's value and opportunity here.
Pick: Matisse Thybulle (+1400)
