Ricky Dimon
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The NCAA Tournament is in full swing and continues on Saturday with Elite Eight action, but don’t forget about the NBA. With the regular season coming down the home stretch, games are only increasing in importance. It’s a great time for sports bettors, and we will whet those appetites with first basket best bets on Saturday.
Let’s take a look at 2 of the best plays for today’s 7-game schedule.
Bulls vs Cavaliers – DeMar DeRozan +650
The Bulls can be expected to have the first possession in their road date with the Cavaliers on Saturday. It’s not like Chicago big man Nikola Vucevic is especially prolific in the tipoff circle, but neither is Cleveland’s Evan Mobley. Vucevic has won only 33 of 79 jump balls this season (41.8 percent); the good news for him is that Mobley comes in at a meager 45.8 percent 11 won, 13 lost). Given both players’ mediocrity when it comes to jump balls, it would be wise to analyze the head-to-head matchup. These two teams just faced each other and March 12 and Vucevic beat out Mobley for the tip. There is no reason why the Serb can’t win it again.
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. DeRozan is the best player on the team we think will have first possession, so at +650 (third favorite) he has great value. He is averaging 27.5 points on 25 shot attempts per game against the Cavaliers during the 2021-22 campaign. Two games ago against Toronto he scored 1:10 into the proceedings, and DeRozan could do even quicker work on Saturday.
Check out our Bulls vs Cavaliers preview
Thunder vs Nuggets – Aaron Gordon +900
This Thunder-Nuggets matchup is another case of the tipoff being a key component. Nikola Jokic will be lining up for Denver and he has won 50 of 82 tips this season (61.0 percent). Jokic will be opposed by Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Roby, who is a disaster in the circle (5 won, 19 lost for an anemics 20.8 percent).
If the Nuggets gain possession, don’t be surprised if Gordon is the beneficiary. Gordon has scored at least 16 points (more than his average of 14.5 ppg) in 3 of the last 4 games. He has attempted at least 13 shots from the floor in 4 of the last 5 contests. Gordon forked up a shot I inside the first minute of Tuesday’s game against the Clippers, and he will likely try to involve himself early in this one. At +900, you have to like his odds.
Check out all of our NBA previews for Saturday
If you want to go really big, a DeRozan-Gordon parlay pays out at +7400!
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