NBA First Basket Predictions – Top First Basket Scorer Prop Bets

Mar 21, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) shoots the ball over Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) during the first quarter at Capital One Arena.
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Looking for the best NBA first basket predictions and best bets today? You’re in luck! In this article, the Props crew will outline their top NBA first basket picks for every day of the basketball season.

We mean it, because we deliver our best bets for every day there’s a game on the calendar. No load management here!

Below are our best NBA first basket predictions today. Be sure to check our NBA player props for more top selections for the current NBA slate.

Best NBA First Basket & Points Props Today: Friday, April 11

Every day during the NBA regular season and playoffs, we run through our favorite first basket bets and predictions of the night.

Wendell Carter Jr. First Basket Scorer (+650)

All 30 NBA teams will be in action on Friday, and there will be varying degrees of motivation for all of them. Some teams still have everything to play for. In the West, the fourth-place Nuggets and eighth-place Timberwolves are separated by just 1.0 game in the standings. Only three of those five squads will get guaranteed playoff spots, with the other two having to fight in via the Play-In Tournament. While that’s not a true “do-or-die” scenario, the stakes are still pretty high.

Unfortunately, there isn’t nearly as much drama in the East. There’s still a bit of scrapping for seeding going on, but we know which six teams will be in the playoffs and which four will be in the Play-In Tournament.

That includes the Magic, who have solidified the No. 7 seed in the conference. They could use the final few days of the regular season to get their starters some rest before the start of the Play-In Tournament, and they’ve listed five different players as questionable. Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Carter, and Corey Joseph could all end up getting the night off.

That said, whoever is in the lineup is going to be in a great position to score first on Friday. The Magic have been excellent on tips with Carter as their starting center, and they’ve won seven of their past 10. The Pacers have been subpar in that department all year, and they’ve won just four of their past 10 tips.

Carter has also done his fair share of early scoring of late. He has three first baskets in his past 10 games, and he’s averaged a respectable 0.70 of the team’s first 3.0 shot attempts over that time frame. If he’s in the lineup, +650 ultimately stands out as a really strong price to target.

Where to play: Wendell Carter Jr. First Basket Scorer (+650) | FanDuel

Colby Carrington First Basket Scorer (+800)

The Wizards are another solid team to target on Friday. They’re not playing for anything at this point, which has allowed them to get some extra minutes for their young players down the stretch. Carrington has been chief among them. While he’s coming off just 26.3 minutes in his last outing, he had averaged 40.0 minutes over his previous five games. He responded with more than 17 points per game, and he’s scored first in two of his past 10 outings.

The Wizards will square off with the Bulls on Friday, and they’ve been one of the most exploitable first-basket teams in basketball. They’ve won just 18.8% of their tips for the season, including just one of their past 10. Washington has won six tips over the same timeframe, so Carrington stands out as underpriced at +800.

Where to play: Colby Carrington First Basket Scorer (+800) | BetMGM

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Where To Place NBA First Basket Bets

The following sportsbooks have more than enough options to satisfy your NBA First Basket needs. As outlined before, always shop around for the best price for NBA First Basket Bets.

On top of that, our team spent the time to find the best available bonus offers at each listed sportsbook. If you are new to any of these betting apps, be sure to use our exclusive links and promo codes to claim your free bets:

Top Sportsbooks For NBA First Basket Props

  • FanDuel Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
  • Caesars Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
  • BetMGM (click here for our full review)
  • DraftKings Sportsbook (click here for our full review)

Best Fantasy Props Sites For NBA

Be sure to check out the Props.com overview of the Best Online Sports Betting Bonuses in the U.S.

Best Online Sportsbook Bonuses

Take a look at the Props.com NBA Betting Guide and Guide To Prop Betting for more on how to bet on world’s premier professional basketball league.

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