NBA First Basket Scorer Odds & Picks: Thursday (11/7)
With only three games on tonight’s NBA slate, there won’t be much opportunity to hit a first basket. However, I still see a couple of value plays on the board. Let’s attack.
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Thursday’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.
Portland Trail Blazers vs. San Antonio Spurs
DeAndre Ayton will be the tip-man for the Blazers tonight. He’s won the tip in 75% of the team’s eight games, but the Trail Blazers have still only scored the first basket in 25% of games. That number figures to rise if Ayton continues to win the tip first.
On the other hand, Victor Wembanyama has won the tip in 57% of games. Despite having a winning record in the opening tip, the Spurs have only scored the first basket in 25% of games.
Therefore, using this data, Ayton and the Blazers still have a better chance at scoring first.
The Spurs have already allowed small forwards and power forwards to score the first basket 33% of the time each. Toumani Camara and Jerami Grant are the projected forwards in the Blazers’ starting lineup tonight.
Camara has only scored the team’s first basket in one out of eight games. However, he hasn’t taken the first attempt. On the other hand, Grant has added the team’s first basket in 38% of games. He’s also attempted the team’s first field goal attempt in 25% of games and legitimately has a first basket made this season.
Let’s try Grant to score the first basket in this game at +800 odds.
Pick: Jerami Grant (+800)
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Chicago Bulls
Rudy Gobert has only won the tip in 29% of games this season. However, Minnesota has still scored the first basket in 57% of games.
He’ll battle Nikola Vucevic of the Bulls, who has only won the tip 13% of the time in eight starts. As a result, the Bulls have scored the first basket in only 13% of games.
Even if the Timberwolves don’t win the tip, Minnesota has already shown positive defense to begin games. Still, it’s more likely Gobert and the Timberwolves begin the game with the ball.
Chicago has also allowed the first basket to centers 43% of the time this season. While Gobert isn’t a high-volume shooter or scorer, you can’t dismiss those stats early in the season.
Gobert is +850 to score first. That’s good value.
Pick: Rudy Gobert (+850)