Best NBA First Basket Scorer Picks for Tuesday, March 5 (Target Kevin Durant, Bam Adebayo)
By Peter Dewey
One of the most exciting ways to immediately get into an NBA game is by wagering on the first basket scorer in the game. It is a hard market to predict, but you'll almost always get odds of +300 or better, meaning the payout can be quite large if you do pick correctly.
There are nine games on Tuesday night in the NBA, which means we could bet on nine different players to score the first basket.
Truth be told, I'm not that bold.
Still, I have a few players that bettors should consider targeting in this market, including Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant.
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NBA First Basket Scorer Picks and Predictions
- Kevin Durant First Basket Scorer (+460)
- Donte DiVincenzo First Basket Scorer (+750)
- Bam Adebayo First Basket Scorer (+370)
Kevin Durant First Basket Scorer (+460)
Devin Booker is out tonight for the Phoenix Suns, which means a bigger load is going to fall on Kevin Durant to score the ball against the Denver Nuggets.
The Suns are a solid team to bet on in the first-basket market since they are winning the jump ball 72.1 percent of the time, and Durant has the highest first-shot percentage of the team’s projected starters tonight at 18.9 percent.
The two-time Finals MVP has six first buckets on the season, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Suns go to him early and often without Booker.
Donte DiVincenzo First Basket Scorer (+750)
This is a play hedging that Jalen Brunson won’t play for the New York Knicks after suffering a knee injury on Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
With Brunson this season, DiVincenzo is averaging 21.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, attempting over 20 shots in each of the last two games the star guard has missed.
Donte only has two first baskets on the season, but he’s the Knickls’ best offensive option if Brunson does sit, which gives him some value at +750 to score the first basket. New York also has a higher jump ball win percentage than the Atlanta Hawks on the season.
Bam Adebayo First Basket Scorer (+370)
This may be the most straightforward pick tonight, as Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo is dominant in this market.
On the season, Adebayo is winning the jump ball over 58 percent of the time, and he takes the first shot for Miami in 26 percent of the games that he starts. That’s led to 11 first baskets for Bam, and I think he could get another against the Detroit Pistons tonight.
Of all the players that could be in action tonight, only Brunson takes the first shot for his team more than Bam.
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.