NBA First Basket Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions: Friday (11/10)
Friday is here again and with it comes more in-season tournament games! Another great sports weekend is upon us, including a full slate of NBA action. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite spots to back for First Baskets on Friday night to start your betting weekend off with some wins!
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Friday’s Best NBA First Basket Player Prop Bets
Philadelphia 76ers at Detroit Pistons
The 76ers are traveling to Detroit to take on a very undermanned Pistons team. Detroit is nursing quite a few injuries, predominantly at the guard and wing positions. Normally I love to take Joel Embiid when I’m targeting the Sixers, but I’m going in a different direction this time.
Detroit is still a very young team and typically that would mean a dip in defensive production from the bigs, but Detroit is actually pretty solid in the frontcourt. The backcourt, however, is a different story. The Pistons have given up over 40% of their opponent’s first scores to guards dating back to last year. With this info, I’m going after Tyrese Maxey for First Basket.
Maxey has filled in the space left by James Harden and is flourishing in his new role. He’s second on the team in scoring, behind Embiid, with over 25 points per game. I love him in this matchup with a young Detroit backcourt to score the First Basket.
Pick: Tyrese Maxey (+1100)
Brooklyn Nets at Boston Celtics
The Celtics have come out the gates red-hot on the season. They’re distributing the ball really well, with three players scoring over 20 points per game and all five starters averaging over 13. It’s no surprise that they’ve distributed their first field goals as well. With Brooklyn coming into town, there is one matchup I’m targeting.
In a stretch going back beyond the past year, Brooklyn has given up nearly half of their opposing first field goals to bigs. Granted, Boston doesn’t really start traditional bigs. Kristaps Porzingis has played the center role, taking the opening tips, and Jayson Tatum has played the role of a point forward. From a matchup perspective, Tatum is considered a a big.
Tatum is the leading scorer for the Celtics at 28.4 PPG and is on a MVP trajectory. None of that really matters, but it makes me like this pick even more. Tatum is a solid First Basket play for Friday night.
Pick: Jayson Tatum (+490)
Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies
It’s been a rough start to the Grizzlies’ season, and the loss of Ja Morant to suspension has been clear. Thankfully, I’m not looking for whether this team will win or lose. Utah has been one of the worst teams when it comes to First Baskets since the beginning of the 2022-23 season. Even though they haven’t been winning games, I like the Grizzlies to cash a First Basket.
One matchup I really like is Jaren Jackson. Utah has struggled against opposing centers when it comes to First Baskets, giving up over a quarter of those to the big men. This is a matchup Jackson can exploit given his ability to score almost anywhere on the court. He’s one of my top plays for Friday night First Baskets.
Pick: Jaren Jackson (+430)
Make sure to check out our other best bets for Friday:
- NFL Betting Primer: Top Picks & Player Prop Bets for Every Game (Week 10)
- NFL Week 10 Player Prop Bets Odds, Picks & Predictions: Fitz’s Favorites (2023)
- Thor Nystrom’s Best College Football Week 11 Bets (2023)
- NBA First Basket Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions
- Top NBA Odds, Picks, & Predictions
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