Ricky Dimon
Show Bio
Game 3s and Game 4s in round one of the NBA playoffs will take place on Saturday. The Nets need a win in the worst way back at home, trailing the Celtics 2-0, while elsewhere in the Eastern Conference the 76ers are trying to complete a sweep of the Raptors. In the West, the Grizzlies and Mavericks hope to seize commanding leads in their respective best-of-7 sets against the Timberwolves and Jazz.
It’s time to take a look at the 2 best first-basket bets for Saturday’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!
Grizzlies vs Timberwolves – Desmond Bane +700
The Grizzlies can be expected to have the first possession in their home date with the Timberwolves on Tuesday. Heck, the Grizzlies are always expected to have the ball first. That’s because Steven Adams is the best in the business when it comes to jump balls. Adams is currently benched for this series given his struggles in Game 1 and Game 2 along with particular matchup against Minnesota being unfavorable for his playing style, but similar confidence can be instilled behind new jump man Jaren Jackson Jr. JJJ won 59.1 percent of his jumps (26 won, 18 lost) during the regular season and he was victorious in the circle against Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns on Thursday. KAT has won only 47 of his 99 jumps (47.5 percent) this season (playoffs included).
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 Grizzlies have the ball first, Bane may be the one to take advantage. The former TCU standout has made his team’s first basket in 2 of 3 contest so far in this series. He has recorded double-digit attempts from the floor in all 3 games, including 15 in the series opener and 19 in Game 3. Bane averaged 18.2 ppg during the regular season and he is at 19.7 ppg through three playoff games. Look for him to keep the momentum going right away on Saturday.
Check out our Timberwolves vs Grizzlies preview
Mavericks vs Jazz – Donovan Mitchell +500
Until Mitchell’s price starts being adjusted, I am going to keep hammering it at +500. I have cashed this bet in each of the last two games in this series. This Mavericks-Jazz showdown is another case of the tipoff being a key component. Rudy Gobert will be lining up for Utah and he won 58.2 percent of his jumps this season (46 of 79). Dallas big man Dwight Powell is without question one of the worst in the entire NBA when it comes to this particular statistic. He registers at an anemic 28.3 percent (15 of 53). Unsurprisingly, Gobert got the best of the opening tip twice in the first three contests.
If the Jazz corral the ball off the tip, don’t be surprised if Mitchell becomes the beneficiary yet again. Mitchell (25.9 ppg) poured in 32 points during his team’s series-opening victory and he forked up 29 attempts from the field. He attempted 30 in Game 2, turning it into 34 points. He launched 21 more in Game 3, scoring 32 points. With his team down 2-1 and facing a borderline must-win situation, Mitchell will undoubtedly want to take matters into his own hands early and often on Saturday.
Check out all of our NBA previews and picks for Saturday
If you want to go really big, a Bane-Mitchell parlay pays out at +4700!
Pickswise is the home of free NBA picks and predictions. Make sure to also check out our NBA parlays and NBA prop bets tabs for more expert picks.
