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NBA First Basket Scorers & Picks: Saturday (10/31)

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The NBA season is finally underway. We've got seven 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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    Saturday’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.

    Philadelphia 76ers vs. Charlotte Hornets

    I went with LeBron James yesterday, but it didn't materialize. Tyrese Maxey made a three-pointer in the first 16 seconds against the Knicks on Friday.

    But the 76ers won the tip-off, and you know who got the ball right away? James. Philadelphia is winning opening tip-offs at a high rate, and I think James will have another chance to score early. He's still a major part of this offense, even at 41, so I think he'll be the first to score soon.

    Pick: LeBron James (+750)

    Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs

    Victor Wembanyama is probably going to be the heavy favorite to score first in every game he plays. That's for good reason. The Spurs have won every opening tip-off in their first five games.

    But do you know who has the most first baskets for the Spurs? It's not Wembanyama, who has one. It's De’Aaron Fox with two.

    And even if the Spurs win the tip-off again, I expect Fox to get the ball early in this one. So I'll go with him to score quickly.

    Pick: De’Aaron Fox (+650)

    Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Houston Rockets

    Both teams are winning opening tip-offs at similar rates. The Rockets have won four of their first six, while the Thunder have won three of their first five.

    But here's the thing: Thunder center Chet Holmgren will miss eight to 10 weeks. So I expect the Rockets to win the tip-off.

    And I like Jabari Smith Jr. to score right away. He made some great shots against Dallas last night and is averaging 17.2 points per game. Plus, he's not among the top five favorites to score first, so there's good value.

    Pick: Jabari Smith Jr. (+900)

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