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 bucket props. And we’ve decided to pass that knowledge on to you with our first bucket bets for March 30. 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 bucket props for March 30.
Come check out what we have cooked up for this slate of games.
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NBA First Bucket Props – March 30
Charlotte Hornets vs. New Orleans Pelicans
Tipoff – 7:00 pm EST
Smoothie King Center – New Orleans, LA
Broadcast – NBA TV
If we look at nearly the full season’s worth of data for these two teams, you see a pair that are just above average at scoring the first bucket. The Pelicans come in at 50.7%, which is just 0.6% behind the Hornets. With numbers so close, it would look like there is little to separate the two of them by. However, when we look at the jumpball data there is a wide discrepancy. The Hornets’ Mark Williams has been very good this year, getting his team the first possession 69.4% of the time. Meanwhile, his counterpart Yves Missi is getting just 29.0% for the home squad. With tip winners getting 65.4% of the first buckets, it makes sense to side with Charlotte here.
If we’re going to get greedy and go with a specific player, I see no reason not to back DaQuan Jeffries. He’s scored the game’s first bucket in two of the last three games. Even in the game where he didn’t get on the board first, he was still featured early in the shot log. He took one of the first three shots in that game and two of the first five. With that kind of success and even more volume, I love his number here.
First Bucket Bet for March 30: DaQuan Jeffries (+800)
Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs
Tipoff – 7:00 pm EST
Frost Bank Center – San Antonio, TX
Broadcast – NBA TV
While the first game saw a couple of above average teams in the first bucket market, this one sees a pair that are behind the masses. The Spurs post a 47.9% first bucket success rate. Luckily for them, that’s still better than the visitors here by a wide margin. They’ll hold a 6.8% advantage in this one and a much larger advantage on the tipoff. They’re winning the tip, as a team, 34.8% of the time more than the Warriors. With all we know about success rates and how they tie to the tip, that should be enough to give San Antonio your backing here.
If we have to go with a specific guy for the Spurs, I’m liking Devin Vassell. If you take the first three shots from the last three games, Vassell is the most active shooter by a ways. Of those shots, he’s taken 55.6% of all of them. That includes being the team’s first shot twice and their first bucket twice as well. Despite all of that, he’s still not the favorite on the books.
First Bucket Bet for March 30: Devin Vassell (+650)
If you’d like even more info to help make your first bucket bets for March 30, check out the NBA Gambling Podcast. They’re dropping episodes five days a week to make you the smartest guy/gal at the bar.
