NBA First Basket Scorer Odds, Picks & Predictions: Monday (11/14)
Betting on a first basket is always exciting to wager. There is a lot of variabilities when it comes to who scores first but looking at trends and stats, there are a lot of options when it comes to betting the first basket. Let’s get right to it.
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Jayson Tatum (+440)
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been the one-two punch of the Celtics this season. Tatum’s usage has only been increasing of late, however, with a 38 percent usage rate in his last game, while in each of the Celtics’ last four games, he’s sat at around 32 percent.
I trust Al Horford in the tip here over presumably Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, as well as Boston’s ability to score in their first possession, considering they’re the most efficient offense in the NBA. I really expected Tatum’s odds to be the shortest in this game with Brown coming off his knee injury so even at +440 I still see this as some good value.
LaMelo Ball (+650)
The books don’t seem to know what to think here in this Hornets-Magic matchup, with the shortest odds being Wendell Carter Jr. and Paolo Banchero at +500. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect for Ball’s return, and while he didn’t perform too well, he did earn a respectable 31 percent usage rate.
Speaking to the narrative, I am sure Ball is hungry to score and get a lot of looks on this struggling Charlotte offense. I don’t exactly trust Orlando’s ability to score on their first possession, so I’m taking the value play here because Ball gives Charlotte a much-needed boost they have been looking for.
Paul George (+650)
When looking at the other options in this Clippers-Rockets game, George is the clear go-to at a juicy +650. The Rockets rank 26th in offensive efficiency and I don’t exactly see Kevin Porter Jr. or Jalen Green as someone to get it done early on, even though the books like them both over George.
The Clippers guard has been doing it all of late in Los Angeles, scoring at least 26 points in six of their last seven games with over 20 shots taken in five of those contests. While LA’s offense isn’t anything to write home about, George can get a basket when needed, so I’m riding him for this first-basket bet.
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Ryan Coleman is a featured writer at BettingPros. Follow him on Twitter @ryancoleman_98. For more from Ryan, check out his archive.