Betting on NBA first basket scorer odds is one of the most immediate ways to wager on basketball, bringing an instant excitement to your bets.
For tonight's NBA action, I'll break down a few of my picks for NBA First Basket Scorer odds for tonight's games, with lines from some top sportsbooks:
Jump To Picks:
Nets vs Bucks
The Game: Brooklyn Nets vs. Milwaukee Bucks, 8 p.m. ET
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +340 |
| Nic Claxton | +550 |
| Damian Lillard | +600 |
| Cameron Johnson | +700 |
| Mikal Bridges | +750 |
| Brook Lopez | +800 |
| Malik Beasley | +800 |
| Khris Middleton | +900 |
Pick: Nic Claxton +550
Sportsbooks refuse to adjust their Nic Claxton line. I took him to score first in Tuesday's Nets game, and he did exactly that.
So, we're going back to the Claxton well. Nic has scored the first basket 15 times this year, more than any other player in tonight's NBA slate. He's scored first in 25.4% of his contests, making this +550 line way off.
It's not like the Bucks are particularly dominant at defending big men, either. They allow nearly exactly league average production from opposing centers (23 points, 15 total rebounds per game).
Hawks vs Suns
The Game: Atlanta Hawks vs Phoenix Suns, 10:40 p.m.
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jusuf Nurkic | +500 |
| Devin Booker | +500 |
| Kevin Durant | +550 |
| Clint Capela | +600 |
| Bradley Beal | +700 |
| Grayson Allen | +700 |
| Dejounte Murray | +750 |
Pick: Kevin Durant +550
Bradley Beal and Devin Booker may also be there, but Kevin Durant is the dude in the desert. KD has taken the first shot in 23% of his starts with Phoenix, draining the first bucket 10 times this year. That’s the most first baskets made by any player in this Suns vs Hawks contest, yet Durant is somehow third on the odds board? That just doesn’t make sense to me.
I also love this Durant bet, because the Hawks are going to struggle to defend him in general. Atlanta allows the second-most points per game to opposing small forwards, like Durant.
What Are First Field Goal Bets?
First Field Goal props or First Basket Scorer bets are pretty simple: pick the player who will score the first field goal of the contest. The only thing you have to remember is that free throws do not count as field goals, so if your pick gets fouled and scores from the line, the bet hasn't yet cashed.
Here's an example of how a First Basket Scorer market may look for a hypothetical Lakers vs Bucks game:
- Anthony Davis +450
- LeBron James +500
- Giannis Antetokounmpo +550
- Damian Lillard +600
Davis is the favorite at +450 and his odds mean a $100 bet would pay out $450 in profit. However, if you want to back one of the better value picks like Lillard, you could get $600 back on a $100 bet with his +600 odds. Betting this market is all about comparing first basket likelihood and line value.
