Best first basket scorer picks for Nuggets vs. Heat in NBA Finals Game 3

One of the most exciting bets to place on the NBA Finals is the first basket scorer of the game, as it provides a ton of anticipation and bettors find out the result extremely quickly.

These bets are hard to predict, but that usually means they have some pretty favorable odds as well. The Miami Heat have a slight edge in this prop, as Bam Adebayo has won a higher percentage of his jump balls this season than Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, meaning the Heat are more likely to have the first possession of the game.

Here’s a player from each team to consider for Game 3 of the NBA Finals:

Odds to score the first basket in Nuggets vs. Heat Game 3

Nuggets vs. Heat best first basket scorer picks

Bam Adebayo (+550)

Not only has Adebayo been Miami’s best offensive player in this series, but he’s taken the team’s first field goal attempt in one of the two games.

On the season, Bam leads the Heat in first field goals made (30 percent) and first field goals attempted (33 percent).

He’s made the first shot for Miami 22 times this season, while no other player has 10 made first field goals. Given the fact that he’s likely to win the tip, I love him to score first in this game.

Jamal Murray (+550)

Jamal Murray hit as the first basket scorer in Game 1 of this series, and he’s been hot all playoffs long for Denver, scoring at least 18 points in all but one game.

Murray attempts the first shot for Denver 25 percent of the time this season (second behind Jokic), and he’s made it 12 times, which is also the second highest on the squad.

If we know one thing, it’s that Jokic and Murray are the two most likely Nuggets players to initiate offense throughout a game. I’ll ride with Jamal at slightly better odds than Joker in this one.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.