Ricky Dimon
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Game 3s in round one of the NBA playoffs continue on Friday. Miami (2-0) has a chance to take complete control of its series against Atlanta, while the other two best-of-seven sets (Phoenix-New Orleans and Milwaukee-Chicago) are tied up at one win apiece.
It’s time to take a look at the 2 best first-basket bets for Friday’s schedule. I nailed 2 plays on the same day during the play-in tournament – Kyrie Irving at +600 and Anthony Edwards at +700 for a 2-leg parlay that paid out at +5500. Since then I have cashed two consecutive Donovan Mitchell plays, both at +500 (Game 2 and Game 3 of the Utah-Dallas series). Let’s keep the momentum going!
Heat vs Hawks first basket best bet: Jimmy Butler (+650)
The Heat can be expected to have the first possession in their road date with the Hawks on Friday. Miami big man Bam Adebayo is out of health and safety protocols and he is one of the best in the business when it comes to jump balls. Adebayo won 45 of 67 tips (67.2 percent) during the regular season. Atlanta will once be without its starting center Clint Capela, who suffered a hyperextended knee in last Friday’s play-in tournament victory at Cleveland. The Hawks will counter Adebayo with either Onyeka Okongwu or John Collins. Both guys were right around 50 percent during the regular season. Adebayo won the tip over Collins in Game 2 and he has a size advantage against Okongwu.
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 Heat have the ball first, Butler may be the one to take advantage. He attempted a team-high 15 shots in the series opener and forked up a game-high 25 on Tuesday. Butler finished with 45 points in the latter contest, so he is sky-high in confidence. Count on him making an effort to pick up right where left off.
Check out all of our NBA previews and picks for Friday
Suns vs Pelicans first basket best bet: Chris Paul (+1400)
This Suns-Pelicans game is another case of the tipoff being a key component. Deandre Ayton will be lining up for Phoenix and he won 66.7 percent of his jumps this season (44 won, 22 lost). New Orleans center Jonas Valanciunas registers at an unspectacular 52.2 percent (47 of 90). As expected, Ayton got the best of Valanciunas in both the Game 1 and Game 2 tipoffs.
If Phoenix corrals the ball off the tip yet again, don’t be surprised if Paul becomes the beneficiary. With Devin Booker sidelined, Paul will have to become more of a scorer than he is accustomed to being. Even with Booker playing for most of Game 2, Paul still attempted 16 shots (second-most on the team behind Booker’s 19 and third-most in the game overall). Of all 10 projected starters on Friday, Paul is dead last in the odds at +1400. When you can get the 36-year-old at that price, it’s an opportunity that should not be passed up.
Check out our Suns vs Pelicans preview
If you want to go really big, a Butler-Paul parlay pays out at +11150!
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