There are five games tonight as the WNBA closes out the regular season. Make sure to stay up to date on all the incoming information for the day on the BettingPros app. Here are a few players to consider in the WNBA first basket scorers market.
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Thursday's Best WNBA First Basket Scorer Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Indiana Fever @ Minnesota Lynx
We are coming in hot with one of the most polarizing players in basketball. The Iowa sensation has now navigated through three seasons in the WNBA, and it's obvious that Caitlin Clark is here to dominate and entertain for a very long time. She may not usually be the first option to score the first basket, as she prefers to facilitate early on. That hasn't been the case lately, though, and Clark is looking to score on one of the first few possessions.
The Fever guard is averaging 7.8 points in the first 10 minutes over the last five contests, ranking fourth over that span. Clark has improved her scoring average to 5.6 points per game in the first quarter of this season. The young legend is averaging 5.5 attempts per game in the first quarter, while shooting 50% from beyond the arc.
Minnesota may once again engage in some gamesmanship by sitting a few starters. Clark is here to play basketball, and we think she makes for a fantastic candidate to score first tonight.
Pick: Caitlin Clark (+600)
Chicago Sky @ Washington Mystics
Our next selection is not as straightforward as it seems. Shakira Austin is clearly one of the best bigs in the league this season. Washington seems to be trying to get Austin going early, and tonight should be no different. The Mystics center has been one of the most lucrative and consistent first-basket scorers this season.
Austin leads the league with 10 straight first baskets. Chicago has allowed 20 first baskets this season. Austin averages 4.7 points through the first 10 minutes. She is always a strong candidate to be the first player to crack the scoring column. That becomes even more so when the opponent is not very astute at preventing the other team from opening the scoring.
Pick: Shakira Austin (+300)
Las Vegas Aces @ Phoenix Mercury
No surprise here whatsoever. The four-time WNBA MVP ranks second in the league in first-quarter scoring with 6.5 points per game and will more than likely not play her full allotment of minutes. Las Vegas is still positioning for playoff seeding. However, the sooner they can dispatch the Phoenix Mercury, the more time they will have to rest going into the first round of the playoffs.
Even if Las Vegas does not win the opening tip, they can easily force a miss and get it to Wilson immediately for a quick score on the other end. Phoenix leads the league in first baskets allowed with 27 on the season - with almost 30% of them coming from the center position. Wilson ranks third in the league in first-quarter scoring, averaging 6.3 points on 5.0 attempts per game.
Pick: A'ja Wilson (+370)
