Best NBA First Basket Scorer Picks for Wednesday, March 20 (Target Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant)
By Peter Dewey
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With eight games in action, there are plenty of players to choose from as a first basket scorer, which will keep you on the edge of your side from the opening tip until the first bucket is scored.
While this wager is hard to predict and over quickly, it also offers a fun chance to cash in on some rather favorable odds.
Breaking down today's slate, there are a couple of players that I'm targeting to score first:
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NBA First Basket Scorer Picks and Predictions
- Desmond Bane First Basket Scorer (+450)
- Kevin Durant First Basket Scorer (+500)
- Jaylen Brown First Basket Scorer (+550)
Desmond Bane First Basket Scorer (+450)
Desmond Bane has just a couple of first baskets on the season, but he’s missed a ton due to injury.
The Grizzlies guard has attempted 36 shots in his first two games back, and he takes the first shot of the game 23.7 percent of the time this season – the second-highest percentage of any player in action tonight.
The only issue? The highest is his teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. Still, we’re getting a better price on Bane than JJJ, and the Grizzlies win the jump ball 68.1 percent of the time this season. They should get the first possession against a Golden State Warriors team that only wins the tip in 37.3 percent of its games.
Kevin Durant First Basket Scorer (+500)
There’s a common theme tonight – I love teams that win the jump ball at a high rate to score first.
The Phoenix Suns fit that mold in their matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Suns have won the jump ball in 72.1 percent of games this season, putting Kevin Durant and company in a great spot to score first.
KD is running away with first baskets (10) and first shot percentage (23.3 percent, third highest of any player in action tonight) to lead the Suns.
He once again has worse odds than Devin Booker, who only takes the first shot 5.8 percent of the time. This is a value play on Wednesday night.
Jaylen Brown First Basket Scorer (+550)
Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is questionable tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks, but if he plays tonight, I love him to score first.
Boston’s jump-ball success should be back now that Kristaps Porzingis has returned to action, as the team is winning the tip 69.1 percent of the time this season.
Brown is a perfect first basket candidate, tallying 13 on the season while taking the first shot 21.7 percent of the time. Both of those numbers lead the C’s.
Like Durant, I think there is some volume on Brown. He has worse odds than Jayson Tatum, but Tatum only attempts the first shot 7.9 percent of the time for Boston.
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.