Ricky Dimon
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With the NBA regular season coming down the home stretch, games are only increasing in importance. And there will be an especially large number of eyeballs on them now that March Madness is a thing of the past. Bets will undoubtedly be coming in with a flurry, and to whet such appetites we have some first basket plays to be made on Tuesday.
Let’s take a look at 2 of the best bets for today’s 12-game schedule.
Hornets vs Heat – Max Strus +750
The Heat can be expected to have the first possession in their home date with the Hornets on Tuesday. Bam Adebayo will be jumping for Miami and he is one of the best in the business in the tipoff department. The former Kentucky standout has won 66.2 percent of his tipoffs during this 2021-22 campaign (43 of 65). Charlotte center Mason Plumlee comes in at 43.0 percent (34 won, 45 lost). We also have plenty of head-to-head numbers with which to work. The Heat and Hornets have squared off three times this season and it has been Adebayo facing Plumlee in the circle on every occasion. Adebayo has won two of the three.
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. Strus may be the one to take advantage, and he has great value at +750. The DePaul product has scored in double-figures in five of the last six games, including a 23-point performance on 7-of-9 shooting from downtown during Sunday’s win over Toronto. Strus has forked up nine three-point attempts in three of the last four contests and Charlotte allows the second-most triples in the NBA. Given the Hornets’ struggles defending the perimeter, Strus could torch them early and often.
Check out our Hornets vs Heat preview
Pelicans vs Kings – Jonas Valanciunas +500
This Pelicans-Kings matchup is another case of the tipoff being a key component. Valanciunas will be lining up for New Orleans and he has won 47 of 88 jumps this season. That may not be spectacular (53.4 percent), but it’s considerably better than Sacramento big man Damian Jones. He comes in at an anemic 35.0 percent (7 won, 13 lost).
If New Orleans corrals the ball off the tip, don’t be surprised if Valanciunas becomes the beneficiary of his own success in the circle. The 7-footer from Lithuania has scored at least 16 points in 10 of the last 11 outings. Moreover, the Kings have allowed the second-most points in the paint per game during the 2021-22 campaign. It’s no surprise that Valanciunas is averaging 18.3 ppg against them through three games this season. The Pelicans will surely look to exploit that right from the start.
Check out all our NBA previews and picks for Tuesday
If you want to go really big, a Strus-Valanciunas parlay pays out at +5000!
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