Last night, we nailed Nolan Traore to score the first basket at +1000 odds. Let’s keep the momentum going with two more NBA first basket plays tonight.
Follow along and make sure to check out our NBA First Basket Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for help identifying all of today's best prop bets.
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Saturday's Best NBA First Basket Bets
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings 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.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Orleans Pelicans
The Cleveland Cavaliers will have Evan Mobley compete for the opening tip tonight. Mobley has won the tip in 58% of his 19 attempts this season. He’s helped the Cavaliers score first 61% of the time this year.
Meanwhile, he’ll battle Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans. Williamson has only participated in the opening tip five times this year. However, he’s won the tip in just two of those five games. Plus, the Pelicans have scored first in just 48% of games this year.
It’s likely the Cavaliers win the tip and take the first shot.
That said, the Pelicans have allowed the first basket to small forwards 27% of the time. Point guards have scored the first basket 24% of the time, and centers have added the first basket in 22% of games. Those are the positions to attack tonight.
Mobley is currently the center for the Cavaliers. He leads the Cavaliers’ current starters in first-basket rate and first field-goal attempt rate. He’s scored the team’s first basket in 32% of games and has attempted the team’s first field goal in 30% of games. He’s also earned 11 first baskets this season. Let’s roll with Mobley here.
Pick: Evan Mobley (+450)
Los Angeles Clippers vs. Dallas Mavericks
The Los Angeles Clippers no longer have Ivica Zubac. However, Brook Lopez has done well with the opening tip. He’s won the opening tip in 61% of his 28 opening tips this season.
Lopez will battle Daniel Gafford of the Mavericks, who has won the tip in just 37% of his 38 opening tip attempts this year.
Neither team has scored the first basket at a good rate this season. Ultimately, both teams have scored the first basket in fewer than 45% of games this season. However, someone has to score first tonight. The Clippers should at least have possession first.
Dallas has allowed the first basket to centers 30% of the time and to small forwards 28% of the time. Those are the two positions we’ll want to target.
Derrick Jones Jr. will play small forward for the Clippers tonight. He’s scored eight first baskets, leading all Clippers starters. He’s also added the team’s first basket in 30% of games started this season and has added the first basket in 24% of games started this year.
Ride Jones to score first tonight.
Pick: Derrick Jones Jr. (+600)
