You’ve been asking for more NBA first basket content. Well… you’ve got some. I looked over every game in the NBA tonight and decided on my top two first basket bets.
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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Wednesday'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.
Utah Jazz vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
It’ll be Kyle Filipowski for the Utah Jazz versus Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves for the opening tip. Filipowski has been involved in the opening tip 19 times this season. In those 19 games, he’s only won the tip in 32% of games this season. Gobert has won the tip in 50% of his 66 attempts. The Timberwolves have scored the first basket in 62% of games this season.
What stands out most is the fact that the Jazz have allowed small forwards to score the first basket in 36% of games this season. That’s a very high rate.
Anthony Edwards is currently out with an injury, giving all Timberwolves players a better chance to score first. Jaden McDaniels is the current small forward. He’s scored five first baskets this season, which is just as many as Gobert. Let’s back McDaniels at +700 odds to score first.
Pick: Jaden McDaniels (+700)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets
Deandre Ayton will face off against Alperen Sengun in tonight’s matchup for the opening tip. Ayton has won the tip in 64% of games this season. Because of that, the Lakers have scored first 56% of the time this year. On the other hand, Sengun has won the tip in just 40% of 52 opening tips. The Rockets have scored first only 46% of the time this season.
Ironically, Sengun already earned an opening tip over Ayton this season. The law of averages would suggest Ayton will win this time around. Houston has allowed small forwards to score the first basket 28% of the time. The point guard has scored the first basket 22% of the time. Those two positions stand out.
Lakers point guard Luka Doncic has scored first nine times this season. He’s added the first basket in 32% of games this season and has attempted the team’s first field goal in 52% of games. Doncic is the play here.
Pick: Luka Doncic (+450)
