We are officially in full swing of the WNBA season with the All-Star break on the horizon. WNBA first basket props are some of the best ways to get into the action, as you don't have to sweat the entire game before it cashes. Of course, these are high-variance, long odds similar to the first touchdown in football, but that is why the odds allow for a nice payout when you get one right. Over a long sample size, the risk gets rewarded. Remember to shop around as odds vary widely across books, and remember this is for first point scorer, so free throws also count.
We've gone a bit cold over the last couple weeks, but we're still prime for recovery. It's a good time to bounce back. Here are the best first basket bets for the Wednesday, July 22nd slate.
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Wednesday’s Best WNBA First Basket Scorers & Bets
Last Time: 0-3 | Season: 6-36 (-1.15U)
Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever
On a loaded six-game slate today, we start in Indiana with a lot of injuries that open this game up for some ripe opportunities for the first basket. Brittney Griner is questionable tonight, which will make things interesting for the tip, while Damiris Dantas is out for Indiana and Caitlin Clark is questionable as well.
Assuming Griner does play, this tip should go to the Sun. Griner is 9-1 lifetime against Aliyah Boston in the circle. Back in June, Griner won the tip, and Leila Lacan sank a jumper. Lacan actually leads the Sun in first baskets and has only scored one when I'm not backing her. That's how it is sometimes.
But for Indiana, their defense forces everything inside. Opponents take the fewest number of perimeter attempts against the Fever than any other team in the league. So of course that means I'm going back to my roots. Assuming Griner plays, she's a clear option tonight. If she's out, I might go back to Lacan or Aneesah Morrow, but there is value in picking a Sun player, considering the discrepancy in teams we have here.
Pick: Brittney Griner (+400 DraftKings)
Chicago Sky vs. New York Liberty
Next on the docket, we have the Chicago Sky traveling to the Big Apple to take on the New York Liberty. The Liberty have been in a bit of a tailspin recently, going 2-6 with the third-worst defense in the league over their last eight games. It obviously doesn't help that Satou Sabally, Leonie Fiebich, and Marine Johannes are out right now, with others going on and off the injury report, but it is helpful to consider for the first basket.
This one has got to go to Chicago. They too are dealing with injuries, but Kamilla Cardoso should still take the jump, and she's been great so far this year. She's already beaten Jonquel Jones once this year and is 4-2 lifetime against the should-be Liberty jumper. The Sky have surprisingly jumped to the sixth-best offense in their last eight games during the same time frame as the Liberty struggling, so I trust their ability to capitalize on the first shot attempt.
For Chicago, Cardoso is the heavy favorite, but I'm going a bit down the ladder to Azura Stevens. She's tied for the team lead in first shot attempts, and she's been playing well of late, going for 20 points in two of her last three games. She's capable of scoring from deep but can take it inside as well with her 6'6" frame, and I trust her to capitalize if the opportunity calls for it.
Pick: Azura Stevens (+730 DraftKings)
Minnesota Lynx vs. Seattle Storm
Finally, we're actually going earlier in the evening with a 3:00 pm ET tip between the Minnesota Lynx and the Seattle Storm. These two actually just faced off with Olivia Miles securing the first basket. Usually, I'd lean Minnesota, but the tip matchup favors Seattle, and I expect some value on options from the home team based on odds.
To match up today, it should be Natasha Howard for the Lynx going against Dominique Malonga for Seattle. Howard surprisingly has been bad on the tip this year, winning just six of her 27 tips this year for the Lynx. Malonga beat Howard the other night too. So I feel good about the Storm at least getting the first attempt at a bucket here this afternoon.
For who that is going to be, I'm going right back to Malonga. She leads the team in scoring and in first baskets. She's capable of pulling from deep with a pair of threes every game, but at 6'6" can obviously handle the post. If you want to get creative, you can go with a Natisha Heideman or Flau'jae Johnson, but going with a Seattle option already feels risky enough, so my choice here is Malonga.
Pick: Dominique Malonga (+387 DraftKings)
