Some people like to sweat out a bet for 48 hard minutes – others like immediate satisfaction. Count us as being in the latter, which is why we like to get down with NBA first scorer props. And we’ve decided to pass that knowledge on to you with our first scorer bets for March 14. Go here for NBA Championship odds.
Of course, there are plenty out there taking blind guesses at this stuff. It’s easy to pick the most popular player or look at what happened in the last game. However, we spent the time pouring through the analytics to make sure that we give you the best odds to stay in the green on these first scorer props for March 14.
Come check out what we have cooked up for this slate of games.
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NBA First Scorer Props – March 14
Orlando Magic vs. Minnesota Timberwolves
Tipoff – 8:00 pm EST
Target Center – Minneapolis, MN
Broadcast – NBA TV
The home team is going to be holding all the advantages when it comes to the first bucket on Friday. The Timberwolves, lead by Rudy Gobert on the tip, have put up solid numbers all year. Gobert is getting 57.9% of all the tips he’s taken this year, which is 5.9% better than Wendell Carter Jr., who he’ll likely be jumping against. On top of that, the Timberwolves have been way better at finishing their chances this year. Their first score success rate puts them in the top ten in the NBA at this late stage in the season. Meanwhile, the Magic sit down in the bottom five of the league in that same category. With those facts laid out, I’ll grab the Timberwolves to put the first bucket in.
For as much as he shoots during the game in general, Jaden McDaniels gets an exorbitant amount of the early shots. He took one of their first three shots last game, and took two of the first three the game before. That inlcudes taking (and making) the first shot in that game. Also, if you want to make this matchup based, he got some early action last time he faced the Magic. While Rudy Gobert scored first, he again had one of the first three shots. You have to like that volume and that consistency here.
First Scorer Bet for March 14: Jaden McDaniels (+850)
Sacramento Kings vs. Phoenix Suns
Tipoff – 10:00 pm EST
Footprint Center – Phoenix, AZ
Broadcast – NBA TV
The late game is another example of the home squad having all the advantages. The Kings are one of the very worst teams on the jump. They have won just 36.9% of the first possessions, which makes them one of five teams that are below 40%. That also puts them 19.1% behind the Suns at this stage in the year. With the tip winner getting the first bucket 66.0% of the time, that might already be enough to play the Suns. However, if you’re still not convinced, consider that they also have a 9.9% lead on the first bucket success rate.
So it may be the chalky play of the day, but if you want to play an individual player here, the answer is Kevin Durant. He’s regularly taking charge of the game early, often taking the first and many of the other early shots. Additionally, if you look at each of the last five first buckets that the Kings have given up, Durant fits the profile to a tee. As a result, even with a low number on his name, we still like him here.
First Scorer Bet for March 14: Kevin Durant (+550)
If you’d like even more info to help make your first scorer bets for March 14, check out the NBA Gambling Podcast. They’re dropping episodes five days a week to make you the smartest guy/gal at the bar.
