Ricky Dimon
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The NCAA Tournament may be the ruler of March, but we are in between the Elite Eight and Final Four, so the NBA can take center stage during the week. With the regular season coming down the home stretch on the professional hardwood, games are increasing in importance. It’s a great time for sports bettors, and we will whet those appetites with first basket best bets on Thursday.
Let’s take a look at 2 of the best plays for today’s 5-game schedule.
76ers vs Pistons – James Harden +650
The 76ers can be expected to have the first possession in their road date with the Pistons on Thursday. Joel Embiid will be jumping for Philadelphia and he is one of the best in the business in the tipoff department. In fact, only Memphis center Steven Adams has won more jump balls than Embiid this season. The MVP candidate has won 68.9% of his tipoffs during this 2021-22 campaign (42 of 61). Damian Jones is a novice in the circle for Sacramento and the early returns are not encouraging. He is just 4 for 15 (26.7%).
Needless to say, the tipoff is the most important factor that should be looked at when deciding on first-basket bets. Players on whichever team gains possession are going to have by far the best opportunities. Harden is the second-best player on the team we think will have first possession, so at +650 (Embiid, by comparison, is +250) he has pretty good value. The 32-year-old scored 32 points on 17 shots (4-for-10 from 3-point land) on Tuesday against Milwaukee, so he should be playing with some confidence. It’s also worth noting that the Pistons struggle defending the perimeter (opponents are shooting a 5th-best 36.6 percent from deep against them). Look for Harden to take advantage early and often.
Check out our 76ers vs Pistons preview
Cavaliers vs Hawks – Darius Garland +600
This Cavaliers-Hawks matchup is another case of the tipoff being a key component. Moses Brown will be lining up for Cleveland and although his sample size of jumps is small, you have to look no further than his size to like his chances. Brown registers at 7’2’’, so even though it is bad news for the Cavaliers that both Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are out, at least they will probably have first possession! The 22-year-old out of UCLA has won 2 of 3 tips this season, while Atlanta’s Clint Capela – who stands at 6’10’’ – comes in at a lackluster 41.8% (33 won, 46 lost).
If Cleveland corrals the ball off the tip, don’t be surprised if Garland is the beneficiary. The Vanderbilt product is on fire at the moment, having exceeded his 2021-22 average of 21.6 points per game in 11 of the past 12 contests. He will be guarded by Trae Young, who is one of the worst defenders at the point-guard position in the association. While De’Andre Hunter locks down on Caris LeVert, Garland should be able to take advantage of Young right away as his hot streak continues.
Check out our Cavaliers vs Hawks preview
If you want to go really big, a Harden-Garland parlay pays out at +5150!
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