Top NBA First Basket Betting Odds, Picks & Predictions: Wednesday (10/19)
For most fans of the NBA, your favorite team’s tipping off for the first time tonight.
And there’s nothing like betting on a player to score the game’s first basket. You can just rip the band-aid right off in the game’s opening minute.
I’ve got multiple options for players to score the first basket that I’m willing to take a chance on tonight. Follow along below!
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(Odds courtesy DraftKings)
Top NBA First Basket Odds, Picks & Predictions
Kristaps Porzingis (+550)
The Washington Wizards will kick off their season on the road against the Indiana Pacers. The Wizards should have a healthy Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis to start the season.
They’re not going to be dangerous but will surely be a tough out throughout the season.
Porzinigis had 51 starts last season and took Washington’s first field goal 26 times. That’s 51% of the time when Porzingis took the team’s first shot. Of those 26 shots, Porzingis nailed 18 of them, converting on 35% of those field goals made. He scored first between both teams in 29% of those games.
Let’s take a chance on Porzinigis tonight.
Bet: Kristaps Porzingis (+550 at FanDuel)
De’Aaron Fox +550
Jusuf Nurkic +550
The Sacramento Kings will face the Portland Trail Blazers in the season’s first game. I’ve got two selections for this game.
De’Aaron Fox is another guy who continues to be the first player involved in the Kings’ offense. Last season, he took 42% of the team’s first shot after starting in 59 games.
He made the team’s first shot attempt for the Kings 39% of the time and converted 11 of 59 times as the game’s first field goal scorer.
Meanwhile, if you believe Portland will score the first bucket, a player like Jusef Nurkic could be in play. Nurkic made 36% of Portland’s first shot attempt last season through 56 games. He also scored the team’s first bucket 38% of the time when he got the start.
The big man converted the first basket on 13 of 56 chances, scoring the first basket 23% of the time.
Bet: De’Aaron Fox (+550 at FanDuel)
Bet: Jusuf Nurkic (+550 at FanDuel)
Donovan Mitchell +500
Donovan Mitchell has changed teams from the Utah Jazz to the Cleveland Cavaliers. We don’t have stats with Mitchell on his new team. He ultimately took a lot of the first shots in Utah.
With Cleveland, you’d like to think that the Cavaliers will want to get Mitchell comfortable early in his first game with the Cavaliers against the Raptors.
Mitchell took 36% of Utah’s first shot attempts last season and should carry that over to Cleveland this season.
Bet: Donovan Mitchell (+500 at FanDuel)
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