Now that we are past the WNBA All-Star Game, the second half of the season is underway. WNBA first basket scorers are among the best ways to get in on the action, since you don't have to sweat the entire game.
Of course, these are high-variance bets with long odds similar to first touchdown scorer bets in football, but that is why the odds allow for a nice payout when you get one right. With a large sample size, the risk is rewarded. Remember to shop around as odds vary widely across sportsbooks. Remember, these bets are for the first point scorer, so free throws also count.
Here are the best first WNBA basket picks for Wednesday, August 26th.
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Wednesday's Best WNBA First Basket Scorers & Bets
Last Time: 0-2 | Season: 7-52 (-10.75 units)
Golden State Valkyries vs. Connecticut Sun
We start in the Northeast, where Connecticut is on the second leg of a back-to-back. They are banged up, eliminated from the playoffs and are missing Brittney Griner, arguably the best jump ball tipper in the league.
On top of that, no defense has performed better over their last 10 games than the Valkyries. They are still playing for the top seed, so I expect them to come out of the gate hot and are absolutely the team to back today.
The easy pick to score first is Cecilia Zandalasini. The 6-foot-2 forward has almost half the first baskets for Golden State, with seven this season. But the last time these two teams faced off, Kayla Thornton attempted the first shot. She leads the team in first shots, and her odds offer much more value. You can spin the wheel and pick any Golden State player, but my preference is Thornton.
Pick: Kayla Thornton (+700 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
Toronto Tempo vs. Seattle Storm
For our other matchup of the day, the Toronto Tempo travels West to take on the Seattle Storm. Both squads are well out of the playoffs, but there's still money to be made.
Dominique Malonga has been elite in the box for Seattle, winning 60% of her tips this season. Nyara Sabally counters for the Tempo, but she's dropped two-thirds of her tips this season and only has a 22% tip win rate on the road. I expect first looks to go to Seattle.
Assuming that's the case, I'm going to keep it simple and back Malonga. She has seven first baskets for the team, and no one else has more than three. She leads the squad in first shot attempts too, and playing at home gives Seattle a bit of a boost offensively.
There hasn't been a worse road defense this year than Toronto, and it's by a healthy margin. The difference between their defensive rating and the second-worst (Dallas) is the same as the difference between Dallas and the third-best defense in the Atlanta Dream. I do advise Storm overs for this one if you're betting this game.
Pick: Dominique Malonga (+420 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
