NBA First Basket Predictions - Top First Basket Scorer Prop Bets

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.

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Best NBA First Basket Predictions Today: Sunday, November 30

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

Donovan Mitchell First Basket Scorer

The Cavaliers are not off to quite the same start that they were last year. They’ve lost eight games out of their first 20, and the Cavs didn’t pick up their eighth loss last season until their 44th outing. They’re also down to just 13th in the league in Net Rating.

Of course, there’s no real cause for concern. The team has had Darius Garland for just six contests this season, while Max Strus has yet to suit up at all. This team still has NBA Finals aspirations, and after flaming out in the playoffs following last year’s hot start, they’re taking more of a patient approach this season.

The Cavaliers will square off with the Celtics on Sunday, and this stands out as one of the biggest mismatches of the day from a first-basket perspective. The Cavaliers are one of the best teams in the league on tip-offs, while the Celtics have been one of the worst. They’ve won just 26.3% of their tips so far this season, including zero of their past 10.

Mitchell remains the Cavaliers’ engine on offense. He’s quietly having one of the best seasons of his career. Mitchell is averaging 30.6 points per game while shooting better than 50% from the field, and he’s also knocking down 38.9% of his 3-point attempts.

Mitchell has done plenty of first scoring for Cleveland as well. He has their first bucket in four of his past nine starts, and two of those have been the first basket of the game. Ultimately, getting him at better than 5-to-1 feels like a strong target.

Pick: Donovan Mitchell First Basket Scorer

Rui Hachimura First Basket Scorer

The Lakers were expected to be fringe contenders in the West this season, but things have gone better than expected. Turns out, 26-year-old generational scorers don’t just grow on trees. The fact that the Mavericks employed Luka Doncic and gave him away remains one of the most baffling decisions in NBA history.

The Lakers have ridden Doncic and Austin Reaves to a 14-4 start this season, and they’re sixth in the league in offensive efficiency. They’re a perfect 4-0 since getting LeBron James back in the lineup, and they’ve posted an outstanding +10.4 Net Rating in those contests. If not for the presence of the Thunder and Nuggets, we could easily be talking about another trip to the Finals for LeBron in Year 23.

LeBron is questionable for Sunday’s contest vs. the Pelicans, and the Lakers should be able get past them without his services. New Orleans is just 3-17 for the year, and they’re 27th in the league in Net Rating.

The Pelicans have also won just 25% of their tips this season, making them an elite matchup for first-basket purposes.

Hachimura stands out as a solid long shot in this matchup. He’s not a huge part of the Lakers’ offense on a night-to-night basis, but he’s scored the team’s first basket in two of his past nine outings. One of those was the first basket of the game, and he’s had solid early shot volume over that time frame. He’s averaged 0.78 of the team’s first 3.0 shot attempts over that time frame. To put that in perspective, Doncic has averaged 0.70 over the same time frame, while Reaves leads the team at 0.88.

Pick: Rui Hachimura First Basket Scorer (+850)

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: