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 FG props. And we’ve decided to pass that knowledge on to you with our first FG bets for January 12. 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 FG props for January 12.
Come check out what we have cooked up for this slate of games.
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NBA First FG Props – January 12
Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat
Tipoff – 8:00 pm EST
Kaseya Center – Miami- Florida
Broadcast – NBA League Pass
Right now the team that wins the tip is getting right around two-thirds of the first buckets. When you look at the Magic, they have two guys who might take the tip tomorrow. Goga Bitadze, who has a tip average of just 19.2%, and Wendell Carter Jr, who is much more impressive at 60.0%. However, even if Carter is healthy enough to play, he’s still vastly inferior on the tip to Bam Adebayo. Bam’s 82.1% is the top in the league for anyone with at least 10 tips. The Heat also have a much better first bucket percentage.
While it’s the Magic’s center that is questionable for Friday, it’s damn near the entire squad for the Heat. Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Caleb Martin and Kyle Lowry are all game-time decisions. That leaves Adebayo as the only regular starter. Despite being the main man in there while everybody is banged up, it’s been some of the fill-ins getting the early looks. Nikola Jovic is one that I’ve seen get plenty of early looks. Let’s see if he can’t take advantage of this spot.
First FG Bet for January 12: Nikola Jovic (+900)
Charlotte Hornets vs. San Antonio Spurs
Tipoff – 8:00 pm EST
Frost Bank Center – San Antonio, Texas
Broadcast – NBA League Pass
The jump ball data clearly leans to the Spurs here. Victor Wembanyama is grabbing 60.6% of the tips, whereas Nick Richards is getting only 43.8%. Let’s add in that the Spurs are much better at converting their opportunities. They rank 4th in the NBA in first buckets at 61.1%, which is even higher than that tip percentage. The Hornets meanwhile are 28th at 37.1%.
It’s hard to nail down just one Spur to play here because they have so many who get that early action. They have four different guys over the course of their last four successes. The Hornets, in the last five first field goals they’ve allowed, have given them up to outside shooters. Devin Vassell is the only guy on the Spurs with a shot in his team’s first three shots in each of their last three games.
First FG Bet for January 12: Devin Vassell (+550)
If you’d like even more info to help make your first FG bets for January 12, check out the NBA Gambling Podcast. They’re dropping episodes five days a week to make you the smartest guy/gal at the bar.
