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Top NBA First Basket Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (12/23)

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Tonight we get our last NBA action before Christmas Day. Let’s look at the Friday slate and find some first-basket prop winners.

(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)

San Antonio Spurs at Orlando Magic

The Spurs will be playing the second night of a road back-to-back while the Magic will look to build on a hot streak. Both of these teams have had success in first basket props, and I am going to target one player from each team.

For the Spurs, I am targeting Devin Vassell. He’s been up at the top of first-field goal scorers for the Spurs all season with Keldon Johnson. Johnson may be out after missing Thursday’s game in New Orleans, so I’m targeting Vassell. Recently, Vassell has been getting a lot of attempts early in games for San Antonio, putting up an average of 1.2 shots in the Spurs’ first three field goal attempts per game. This has led to four first-team field goals in his last six starts. I like him in this matchup with Orlando.

From Orlando’s side, I’m taking Bol Bol. Bol creates matchup nightmares when teamed up with Wendell Carter and Paolo Banchero in the frontcourt. Because of this, he’s led the Magic in first-team field goals on the season with seven, even though he’s only attempting 0.4 field goals of the team’s first three field goal attempts. Poeltl expects to be back in the Spurs lineup, and he adds some size, but with the other frontcourt players Orlando has, Bol will have another opportunity to get the scoring started early.

Pick: Devin Vassell (+550) & Bol Bol (+1000)

Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets

The Bucks play the red-hot Nets on Friday night with a Christmas Day matchup in Boston on deck. No team is playing better right now, and no player is hotter right now than Kevin Durant. I’m going to target him here for the first basket.

The offense seemed to struggle earlier in the season when the Nets were dealing with some on-the-court and off-the-court issues. They’ve appeared to put all of that behind them and are firing on all cylinders. Durant has led that charge, resulting in first basket props cashing.

Durant leads the Nets in team first field goals in his last nine starts, with three. In a big-time matchup at home against another Eastern foe, he should look to take control from the tip. Durant has averaged 33.7 points against the Bucks since joining the Nets. This includes an unforgettable 2021 playoff series. I expect more of the same from Durant here to cash the first basket prop.

Pick: Kevin Durant (+500)

Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks 

This will be the third matchup between these two teams in the last two weeks. In the first meeting, Julius Randle led the way with 31 points in a close Knicks victory. Two nights later, Randle scored 19 on 16 shots in 10 fewer minutes because the Knicks won in the blowout. In Friday’s rematch, I’m targeting Randle again.

Randle is always a sure bet to attempt a lot of field goals, and high volume leads to high opportunity. Randle is the guy to score the Knicks’ early field goals, scoring the first field goal for the Knicks in 14 of 32 starts on the season. The Bulls pose an interesting matchup for Randle as they’ll rely on a young Patrick Williams to keep Randle, a huge matchup threat for most teams, in check.

I like Randle to pick up where he left off against the Knicks last week and score us a first-basket prop win tonight.

Pick: Julius Randle (+390)

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