NBA First Basket Scorer Odds & Picks: Monday (11/4)
All 16 teams are playing on tonight’s NBA slate since there are no games tomorrow during Election Day. That means we’ll get 16 players to score first baskets.
Let’s see if we can add at least one winner tonight. Make sure to check out our NBA First Basket Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for help identifying all of today’s best bets.
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Monday’s Best NBA First Basket Bets
Odds courtesy of FanDuelFanDuel Sportsbook
NBA First Basket Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
Who will score the first basket in today’s NBA games? We compare historical first basket stats to prop bet odds to help identify today’s best bets. View first basket odds across sportsbooks here.
Utah Jazz vs. Chicago Bulls
The Utah Jazz will face the Chicago Bulls tonight. Utah’s Walker Kessler will compete for the tip against Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic.
Kessler has won the tip in 67% of games this season. The Jazz have also scored the first basket in 83% of games this season. On the other hand, Vucevic has earned the tip in only 17% of games and has helped the Bulls score the first basket in only 17% of games this season.
It’s way more likely that Kessler will win the tip, and the Jazz will attempt the first shot. That’ll give them a better chance at scoring first.
Meanwhile, Chicago has allowed the first basket to every position by the point guard to start the season. There are no glaring trends in that area. However, Collin Sexton currently leads the Jazz with two first baskets in only four games started. Sexton has ultimately scored the first basket in 50% of games that he’s started. That’s enough to get me to back him.
Pick: Collin Sexton (+600)
San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Clippers
Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs will face the Los Angeles Clippers in the Intuit Dome tonight. Wembanyama will be the man in the middle for the Spurs, while Ivica Zubac will look to win the tip for the Clippers.
Wembanyama has already gone 2-1 against Zubac in his career. In addition, he’s added a tip win in four of the first six games for the Spurs this season.
Meanwhile, Zubaxc has only won the tip 50% of the time this season. This number could get lower. After all, Zubac earned the tip in only 28% of games last season. Wembanyama earned the tip in 63% of games last year.
Therefore, it’s likely the Spurs win the tip and get the ball first. Although the Clippers have only allowed the first basket twice, it went to the point guard both times.
San Antonio’s point guard is Chris Paul, who is +850 odds. Paul hasn’t attempted a first shot with the Clippers this season. That’s why he’s sitting at +850. But the value is certainly there tonight.
Pick: Chris Paul (+850)