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 April 4. 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 April 4.
Come check out what we have cooked up for this slate of games.
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NBA First Bucket Props – April 4
Utah Jazz vs. Indiana Pacers
Tipoff – 7:00 pm EST
Gainbridge Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN
Broadcast – NBA TV
The visiting Jazz come into this one with all the leads when it comes to the first bucket action. The biggest of those indicators is the tipoff win rate. The Jazz are currently grabbing 58.4% of the first possessions. If they switch to letting Kyle Filipkowski take them more consistently, that number would likely go up as well. As it is it is currently good enough for the 8th best in the NBA. The Pacers meanwhile are 28th in that metric with just 30.7%. With tip winners getting 65.8% of the first buckets, that should be enough to back the Jazz in this one.
If we’re going to get specific on plays for a player here, the only answer is the aforementioned Kyle Filipkowski. If you take the first three shots for the Jazz over the last three games, Filipkowski accounts for 44.4% of all of those shots. That also includes taking the team’s first shot in two of the three games. That amount of volume is worth looking at a little chalk here on Friday.
First Bucket Bet for April 4: Kyle Filipkowski (+475)
Denver Nuggets vs. Golden State Warriors
Tipoff – 10:00 pm EST
Chase Center – San Francisco, CA
Broadcast – NBA TV
The Warriors are a team that is getting ever so close to must fade territory. They currently rank in the bottom five in the league when it comes to scoring first in a game. The Nuggets are far from world beaters when it comes to that metric, but they are still a solid 8.6% ahead of the Warriors. Add in a matching 8.6% advantage when it comes to the tipoff and we should have a clear winner for who gets on the board first.
While we went chalk in the early game, I like a down ballot option in the night cap. Aaron Gordon has been all over the early shot log for the Nuggets. He has one of the first three shots for them in two of the last three games. That includes taking the first shot in one of them. Although he isn’t one of their highest scorers, he does seem to be getting enough of those early looks to like him at the price we see here.
First Bucket Bet for April 4: Aaron Gordon (+900)
If you’d like even more info to help make your first bucket bets for April 4, check out the NBA Gambling Podcast. They’re dropping episodes five days a week to make you the smartest guy/gal at the bar.
