NBA Playoffs First Basket Scorer Picks & Predictions: Friday (4/21)
Last Saturday we had Joel Embiid cash a First Basket for us to finish a positive day. This Friday brings us three exciting game Game 3’s. Let’s take a look at the matchups to find some more First Basket plays.
Season to Date: 16-41-5, +7.09 units
Friday’s Best First Basket Player Prop Bets
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Cleveland Cavaliers at New York Knicks
These two teams head to MSG tied at one game a piece. In the two games so far this series, Jarrett Allen has won both opening tips, but the Knicks have managed to score the First Basket. On the season Allen is 3-1 in tips against Robinson, but this is likely due to a small sample size as both players won tips at an over 60% success rate. Due to this, I’m going to make a play for each team.
Jalen Brunson is my pick for the Knicks. He has cashed this prop in both games so far in this series, but I like this play because he’s been shooting a lot in the early moments of the games. Due to this trend, and the Cavaliers’ giving up nearly 40% of their opponent’s first field goals to guards, I love the Brunson play again.
For the Cavaliers, I’m going to target Mobley. He’s attempted at least one of the first three field goals for Cleveland in each game this series and he’s shot well. On the season, New York has given up first field goals to opposing power forwards more than any other position, having done so in nearly 30% of games on the year. This points to Mobley being another great play to sprinkle a quarter unit on.
Pick: 0.25u on Jalen Brunson (+600) & 0.25u on Evan Mobley (+1000)
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
Rudy Gobert has been one of the better centers in the league at winning tipoffs but against Nikola Jokic he is 0-for-5 on the season. This has resulted in the Nuggets scoring the First Basket in each of the last two games. I’m going to target a Nugget again for Friday night.
Michael Porter Jr. is the player I’m focused on for this matchup. He managed to score the First Basket in Game 1, attempting two of the first three shots. This is a great matchup for Porter as Minnesota gives up first field goals to small forwards in around 30% of games on the season. Given his recent success and the matchup with the Timberwolves, he’s one of my favorite plays of the night.
Pick: 0.25u on Michael Porter Jr. (+950)
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