Andrew Ortenberg
Show Bio
The NBA is approaching the home stretch, and we have a small but interesting slate on Saturday. There are 5 games on the docket, including a couple of highly anticipated showdowns. What better way to celebrate the weekend than with some first-basket bets? Let’s dive into them, using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.
Nets vs Hawks: Seth Curry +750
This is a very important game, since the Nets and Hawks are currently tied in the standings and jockeying for playoff positioning. One of the most important factors when handicapping first basket props is determining who will start with ball. And the Nets have a clear advantage there. Brooklyn big man Andre Drummond has been excellent in the tipoff circle this year, winning two-thirds of his jump balls. On the other hand, Hawks center Clint Capela is barely over 41 percent.
Working from there, I like Curry the most. Obviously he doesn’t score quite as much as Kyrie Irving or Kevin Durant, but at their current prices I don’t see much value with those guys. Teams often like to get their elite sharpshooters a look right at the beginning of the game, and that’s what we have been seeing with Curry. In the Nets’ most recent game, Curry took their second shot and had four attempts in the first five minutes. In their game right before that he took the first shot of the night. He shot better than 47 percent from beyond the arc in March, so Brooklyn should look to keep it rolling here.
Check out our full game preview for Nets vs Hawks
Heat vs Bulls: Jimmy Butler +750
We have another Eastern Conference showdown here, and it’s another spot where one team has a decided jump ball advantage. Bulls center Nikola Vucevic is right around where Capela is, at 40.7 percent. Heat center Bam Adebayo is right around where Drummond is, winning 66.67 percent of his tips. So I think we have to go with a Heat player. Miami stumbled a bit for a while, but it has bounced back with back-to-back victories — in large part due to Butler’s offensive game.
Jimmy Buckets led Miami in scoring in both of those games, putting up 27 and then 24. He has dropped at least 20 in eight of his past 10. This game is in Chicago, where Butler spent the first seven seasons of his career. If there’s anyone who will thrive with some extra motivation like that, it’s him.
If you want to go really big, a Curry-Butler parlay pays out at +7125!
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.
