Ricky Dimon
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If you are a fan of the YRFI/NRFI prop in Major League Baseball, you surely dabble into the realm of first-basket scorers in the NBA. Needless to say, you don’t have to wait long to find out the result of this particular bet. The satisfaction (or in some cases disappointment) is immediate.
There are only 3 games in the association on Thursday with the proverbial first half of the season coming to an end as All-Star Weekend looms. Nonetheless, 3 is a big enough number with which we can work.
Here are my best NBA first-basket scorer bets for Thursday.
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Bucks vs Bulls first basket best bet: Jrue Holiday (+475)
The Bucks can be expected to have the first possession in their road date with the Bulls on Thursday. Milwaukee big man Brook Lopez is one of the best in the business when it comes to jump balls. Lopez has won the 2nd-most jumps during the 2022-23 campaign and his percentage stands at 69.1% (47 of 68). He will be going up against Nikola Vucevic of Chicago, who is one of the worst in this particular department in the entire NBA (24 won, 48 lost for 33.3%).
Needless to say, the tipoff is the most important factor that should be looked at when deciding on first-basket bets. Obviously, players on whichever team gains possession are going to have by far the best opportunities. Assuming the Bucks have the ball first, Holiday may be the one to take advantage. He has forked up at least 16 field-goal attempts in 4 consecutive games, including 21 during Tuesday’s win over Boston en route to a 40-point performance.
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Clippers vs Suns first basket best bet: Josh Okogie (+1300)
This Clippers-Suns game is another case of the tipoff being a key component. Deandre Ayton will be lining up for Phoenix and he has won 71.4 percent of his jumps this season (44 won, 22 lost). Los Angeles center Ivica Zubac registers at an unspectacular 48.4 percent (31 of 64). As expected, Ayton won the jump against Zubac in the only previous head-to-head matchup this season.
If Phoenix corrals the ball off the tip yet again, don’t be shocked if Okogie becomes the beneficiary. With Kevin Durant sidelined and plenty of other pieces shipped off from Phoenix in that trade, Okogie is now getting a lot of work. The former Georgia Tech standout is averaging more than 20 points per game on more than 13 field-goal attempts over the past 3 contests.
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