NBA First Basket Scorer Odds & Picks: Wednesday (12/11)
There are two more NBA Cup quarter-final matchups tonight. While there’s not much opportunity in the first-basket market with only two games, we’ll still examine these two games and decide on the best value.
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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Wednesday’s Best NBA First Basket Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Who will score the first basket in today’s NBA game? We compare historical first-basket stats to prop bet odds to help identify today’s best bets. View first-basket odds across sportsbooks here.
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks
It’ll be Clint Capela going up against Karl-Anthony Towns for the opening tip in tonight’s first NBA Cup quarter-finals matchup.
Capela has won the tip-off in 56% of games this season and helped the Hawks score first in 60% of the games. On the other hand, Towns has won the tip in only 41% of games, and the Knicks have scored first in just 50% of the games.
Additionally, Capela already earned the tip over Towns in an earlier game this season in Atlanta. In that game, the Hawks started with a three-pointer from Zaccharie Risacher.
The Knicks have allowed shooting guards to score the first basket 33% of the time and small forwards 33% of the time this season. We’ll want to attack those two positions with the Hawks tonight.
Risacher is expected to start for the Hawks tonight. He’d be at small forward. Ultimately, he’s nailed the first basket in four of his first 23 games started. He’s also scored the team’s first basket in 35% of the games and has added the team’s first field goal attempt in 26% of games.
Let’s see if Risacher can score first against the Knicks for the second straight time. At +950 odds, it’s worth the gamble.
Pick: Zaccharie Risacher (+950)
Golden State Warriors vs. Houston Rockets
The Warriors will likely roll with Kevon Looney at center tonight. He’s had three starts this season and has only won the tip-off in one of those three games.
Meanwhile, he’ll go up against Alperen Sengun of the Rockets, who has won the tip-off in 52% of games. Sengun’s success has helped the Rockets score first in 67% of their games. They’ve got the edge, especially since Sengun already beat Looney for the tip in an earlier game this season.
Ultimately, the Warriors have allowed small forwards to score the first basket 42% of the time. Houston’s current small forward is Dillon Brooks.
Brooks isn’t the most prolific scorer. However, he’s scored the first basket in two out of 24 games and has attempted the team’s first basket in 17% of games this season. He has a great matchup tonight. At +900 odds, I’ll try Brooks.
Pick: Dillon Brooks (+900)