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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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Evan Mobley First Basket Scorer (+490)
The first round of the NBA postseason is officially underway. The first four series got started on Saturday, and the other four will get underway on Sunday. The top two seeds in each conference will be in action, squaring off against the four advancing teams from the Play-In Tournament.
The Heat managed to win two road games to make it to the playoffs, and now they’ll have to square off with the Cavaliers. It’s a tough task, with the Cavs winning 64 games. Only 21 teams won more games before this season, and 15 of them won the championship. Unfortunately for Cleveland, the Thunder managed to win even more games this season (68), while the Celtics are right behind (61). It should set up an incredible postseason if those teams manage to take care of business.
Miami is a solid first-basket squad, but they’re not in the same league as Cleveland. The Cavaliers have won 74.4% of their tip-offs this season, making them one of the best teams in basketball in that department. They also boast one of the most efficient offenses in NBA history, so they’ve capitalized on their early possessions at a high frequency.
Donovan Mitchell has been their most frequent shooter to start games, but Mobley isn’t far behind. He’s taken the first shot in 18.8% of his outings, while Mitchell leads the team at 20.3%. However, Mobley has managed to score first at a higher frequency. He has 13 first scores compared to nine for Mitchell, and he leads the team with an 18.8% first-score percentage.
Ultimately, Mobley is priced at a slight discount compared to Mitchell, making him my preferred option in this contest.
Where to play: Evan Mobley First Basket Scorer (+490) | FanDuel
Desmond Bane First Basket Scorer (+950)
I’m going to continue to ride with Bane in the first-basket market. It didn’t work in the Play-In Tournament, but that has caused his odds to plummet to +950 vs. the Thunder. It puts him well behind Ja Morant (+600) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (+650), despite the three players having similar metrics for the year. In fact, Bane leads the team in first-shot percentage (22.5%), first baskets (14), and first-basket rate (19.7%).
I’m not sure why Bane is so underpriced compared to his teammates, but it’s something we should be taking advantage of. This matchup also stands out as one of the bigger mismatches of the day, with the Grizzlies winning 72% of their tips compared to 50% for the Thunder.
Where to play: Desmond Bane First Basket Scorer (+950) | FanDuel
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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.
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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)
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