NBA First Basket Scorer Odds & Picks: Monday (3/17)
With 10 games on the NBA slate, the first-basket market has plenty of options. I’ve added two of my favorite longshots below.
Follow along and make sure to check out our NBA First Basket Prop Bet Cheat Sheet for help identifying all of today’s best prop bets.
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Monday’s Best NBA First Basket Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
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.
Memphis Grizzlies vs. Sacramento Kings
The Memphis Grizzlies will use Zach Edey as the opening tip-off man. He’s participated in 44 opening tips and has won 73% of them. As a result, Memphis has scored the first basket in 62% of games this season, which is one of the highest rates in the NBA.
Meanwhile, Edey will compete against Domantas Sabonis of the Kings. Sabonis has been involved in the opening tip 56 times this season. However, he’s only won the tip in 32% of games. Therefore, the Kings have scored the first basket in just 44% of games this season.
It’s way more likely Edey wins the tip and gives the Kings the first chance to score tonight. That said, the Kings have allowed shooting guards to score the first basket in 24% of games and power forwards to score first in 22% of games. We’ll want to target those two positions.
At shooting guard, the Grizzlies have Desmond Bane. Bane has recorded 13 first baskets to lead the team. He’s also earned the team’s first basket in 31% of games and has attempted the team’s first field goal in 29% of games. Let’s give Bane a shot at.
Pick: Desmond Bane (+460)
Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
On tonight’s 10-game slate, no center has done a worse job at winning the tip than Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic. Vucevic has won the tip in only 16% of games this season. As a result, the Bulls have scored first only 31% of the time.
On the other hand, he’ll go up against Walker Kessler of the Jazz. Kessler has earned the tip in 55% of 51 starts. That’s helped the Jazz score first 51% of the time. In addition, Kessler already beat Vucevic for the tip in a game earlier this season.
Ultimately, the Bulls have allowed the first basket to centers 37% of the time. We’ll want to roll with Kessler to win the opening tip and score first. Kessler has five first baskets this season. He’s also scored the team’s first field goal in 25% of games this season. That’s just one percentage point below Lauri Markkanen for the lead in Utah.
Pick: Walker Kessler (+550)