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, Dec. 20
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Every day during the NBA regular season and playoffs, we run through our favorite first basket bets and predictions of the night.
Evan Mobley First Basket Scorer (+600)
Friday’s slate only features three games, but there are some good ones to choose from. That includes a matchup vs. the Milwaukee Bucks and Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs have the best record in the NBA currently, while the Bucks are coming off an NBA Cup win on Tuesday. They’ve completely turned things around after a 2-8 start to the year, so these look like two legit contenders in the Eastern Conference.
From a first-basket perspective, the Cavs stand out as the clear target. They’ve been one of the best teams in basketball all season on opening tips, winning more than 85% of them. The Bucks are at 57.7% for the year, but they’ve won just four of their past 10.
Mobley hasn’t quite become the superstar he was expected to be after a fantastic rookie season, but he’s still putting together the best year of his career. He’s averaged a career-best 18.4 points per game while maintaining an efficient 56.4% field goal percentage. He’s even added the threat of the 3-ball to his arsenal, shooting better than 41% from distance on 2.2 attempts per game.
Mobley has done plenty of scoring to start games for the Cavaliers of late. He has the team’s first bucket in four of his past nine outings, and three of them have been the first basket of the game. His shot volume has also been solid, averaging 0.89 of the team’s first 3.0 shot attempts over that time frame.
There are some legit first-basket threats in this matchup – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Donovan Mitchell, etc – which has pushed Mobley a bit too far down the board. Let’s take advantage.
Where to play: Evan Mobley First Basket Scorer (+600) | FanDuel
Kelly Oubre Jr. First Basket Scorer (+850)
Not much has gone right for the 76ers this season. They’re currently sitting at just 8-16, and their stars have been in and out of the lineup all year. However, one thing that they’ve done well is score first. They’ve been elite on opening tips, and they’ve scored the first bucket in each of their past 10 games.
Oubre will see a reduction in value with Joel Embiid and Paul George both available on Friday, but he still stands out as a decent value at +850. He’s scored the first basket in four of his past 10 contests, and he’s priced as low as +700 at other locations across the industry.
Where to play: Kelly Oubre Jr. First Basket Scorer (+850) | FanDuel
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
- Fliff (available in 40+ states)
- Bet365 (click here for our full review)
- DraftKings Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
- FanDuel Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
- Caesars Sportsbook (click here for our full review)
- BetMGM (click here for our full review)
Best Fantasy Props Sites For NBA
- Underdog
- PrizePicks
- Betr Picks
- Vivid Picks
- Sleeper Fantasy
- Boom Fantasy
- ParlayPlay
Be sure to check out the Props.com overview of the Best Online Sports Betting Bonuses in the U.S.
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