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Best NBA First Basket Scorer Picks for Monday, May 13 (Target Donovan Mitchell, Luka Doncic)

Here's who you should bet to score first in the NBA playoff matchups on Monday, May 13.

By Peter Dewey

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) celebrates. / David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
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Two pivotal Game 4s tip-off on Monday night with the Cleveland Cavaliers (down 2-1) hosting the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks (up 2-1) hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There are plenty of ways to bet on these matchups, but what if you’re looking for a bet that will be settled quickly? 

Betting on a first-basket scorer is a great way to do that, as even though they’re hard to predict, they offer the chance to cash in on some really favorable odds.

I have two stars that I think are worth betting on for Monday’s action: 

NBA First Basket Scorer Picks and Predictions

  • Donovan Mitchell First Basket Scorer (+425)
  • Luka Doncic First Basket Scorer (+600)

Donovan Mitchell First Basket Scorer (+425)

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell is having quite the series against Boston, averaging 31.7 points per game while shooting 51.5 percent from the field.

On the season, Mitchell has 17 first baskets, and he takes the first shot a ton – 15.4 percent of time.

With Kristaps Porzinigs out, the Boston Celtics don’t have nearly as big of an advantage to win the jump ball, allowing the Cavs to jump ahead of Boston in that statistic this season. 

If Cleveland gets the ball first, don’t be shocked if Mitchell hunts a shot to get the crowd into things at home. 

Luka Doncic First Basket Scorer (+600)

Luka Doncic got off to a great start in Game 2, and he played well again in Game 3 despite dealing with knee and ankle injuries.

This series is a tough one to predict first baskets in since there is no runaway player when it comes to first baskets made or first shot percentage. 

Plus, there’s a chance OKC changes its starting lineup after struggling with Josh Giddey on the floor in this series. 

I don’t mind taking Doncic – even though he only takes the first shot 15.2 percent of the time – since he’s up to 12 first baskets on the year and has one of the highest usage rates in the NBA this postseason. 

At +600, he’s worth a shot to score first.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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