The NBA has seven games on Friday night’s scoreboard, with some huge storylines to follow, including the return of Jayson Tatum and some nice late matchups, including the Knicks-Nuggets and the Clippers-Spurs games. With those seven games to consider, DraftKings Sportsbook has plenty of ways to get involved in the many basketball betting markets. One of the most popular markets lately has been the first point props available for each game.
First point plays are all over the most-bet player props, and they can be a great way to get a quick-hitter that delivers a win or loss right away without a long sweat. Finding the first scorer in any contest is a hit that can bring big-time returns, as the odds are all long shots.
As a whole, it’s a very simple market, since it’s just a matter of which player will score the first point in the game. Not much explanation needed!
Let’s take a look at two of the first scorer props that make sense to consider as long shot plays this Friday.
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First Scorer: Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns vs. New Orleans Pelicans (+518)
The Suns and Pelicans meet at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Friday night at 9:10 p.m. ET. Booker has the shortest odds of all players to score the first point in this contest, but he still comes in at over 5:1.
Booker returned from his four-game absence due to a right hip strain on Tuesday against the Kings and had 17 points in 31 minutes. He was even sharper with 27 points in 32 minutes against the Bulls on Thursday to start the back-to-back.
While Booker didn’t score the first point in either of those two games, he leads his team with nine times as first scorer in 46 games (19.6%), while no other starter has more than four times as first scorer.
Booker gets a boost to his chances to get the first points of the game on Friday, because the Suns have won 71% of their tip-offs, the second-highest mark on the slate. On the other side, the Pelicans win only 18.8% of their tip-offs, the lowest mark of any team on the schedule.
If he takes it right at Dejounte Murray and the Pelicans off the jump, Booker could deliver this nice return Friday night.
First Scorer: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs vs. LA Clippers (+533)
The only team on the scoreboard tonight that wins the tip more often than the Suns is the Spurs. Apparently, having 7-foot-4-inch Victory Wembanyama taking the tip is a huge advantage–who knew?
Wemby has not only been winning tips lately, but he’s also been scoring the first points in the game. He has taken the first shot for the Spurs in 21.1% of games and scored the first point in 13.2% of games, scoring the first point five times in his 38 starts.
He has been more aggressive lately, with the first points in three of his last 14 games (21.4%). The Spurs have won the tip in a massive 86.7% of their last 15 games, and if they continue that impressive win rate, Wemby has a strong chance to score the first bucket on Friday, especially with the Clippers relying on veteran Brook Lopez to slow down the dynamic 22-year-old scorer.
