WNBA First Basket Scorers & Picks: Tuesday (6/10)

Four WNBA teams are in action tonight, beginning with the Indiana Fever and Atlanta Dream. We take a look at who would be most likely to score a basket for each of those teams, then turn our attention to the lopsided affair between the Chicago Sky and New York Liberty. With the Liberty expected to dominate, who is most likely to score the first basket for them?

Here are the best WNBA first basket scorers picks and bets for Tuesday, June 10th.

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Tuesday’s Best WNBA First Basket Picks

(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)

Indiana Fever at Atlanta Dream First Basket Picks

I'm looking at one player from each team, in what will certainly be the closer of the two contests being played this evening. Brionna Jones has scored the first basket for the Dream in both of their meetings with the Fever this season. Though Jones is only averaging 13 points per game and has yet to score more than 19 points in a game, she's still managed to get off to hot starts against Indiana.

Four of her teammates currently have better odds than she does to make the first basket of the game. Interestingly, Brittney Griner, who is averaging 13.2 points per game, has the shortest odds. Considering the Dream does such a great job of scoring by committee, I'll back Jones for a great price to make the Dream's first basket against the Fever for the third time this season.

What if the Fever scores the first bucket of the game? They haven't had a consistent early scorer in this series like the Dream have. Kelsey Mitchell made the first basket of the first meeting between these two teams, scoring just five seconds into the game. But in the second meeting, it was Caitlin Clark who got on the board first. However, Clark won't play tonight, so it is wide open for the Fever.

Aliyah Boston is favored to make the first basket for the Fever, but I'm going to back Natasha Howard instead. Howard only scored six points in 29 minutes in the first meeting between these two teams, but she scored 26 in the second contest. She's only averaging 11.5 points per game this season, but with Clark out, the Fever could look to anyone on the first possession of the game. For a great price, this is worth the risk.

Picks: Brionna Jones (+850) & Natasha Howard (+800)

Chicago Sky at New York Liberty First Basket Picks

In the first meeting between these two teams, Kia Nurse made the first shot of the game, knocking down a three-pointer on the second possession of the game. However, oddsmakers aren't expecting her to have similar success today, as her odds to make the first basket sit at +1400.

Breanna Stewart took the first shot for the Liberty in their dominant 99-74 win, but it was Sabrina Ionescu who scored two of the first three New York baskets. Ionescu doesn't lead the team in scoring, but she's only 1.8 points per game behind Stewart at the moment.

While Stewart is the favorite to score the first basket, currently sitting at +350, there is more value in backing Ionescu. The two players score at almost the same rate, and Stewart averages 3.1 more made free throws per contest. With that in mind, the two players average almost the same number of made field goals per game. In a game the Liberty will dominate, take a chance on their second-leading scorer.

Pick: Sabrina Ionescu (+550)

Make sure to check out our other best bets for Tuesday:

Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.