The Championship of the In-Season Tournament takes place Saturday night in Las Vegas. The Indiana Pacers will take on the Los Angeles Lakers in the inaugural apex of this event. Here are a few of my favorite plays for First Basket to give you a hot start to the primetime matchup.
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Pacers vs. Lakers Best NBA First Basket Player Prop Bets
When looking at this matchup there is one name that stands out. This tournament is one that is tailor made for LeBron James. He should have another excellent game and he’ll start out hot out of the gate. He’s almost a must-play for First Basket. In addition, the Pacers are a really good matchup for LeBron. Indiana has a soft spot in their defense for forwards when it comes to First Basket, giving up opponent field goals at over a 40% clip. LeBron trails only Anthony Davis in cashing First Baskets for the Lakers this year. If you like the Lakers to score first, LeBron is a solid bet.
Pick: LeBron James (+500)
If you like the Pacers, the player you want to target is Myles Turner. The Lakers have given up more opponent first field goals to centers than any other position. For the Pacers, Turner has scored the first field goal in over one-third of the games he’s started this season. Like most teams, the Pacers like to go to their big guy early to get him going and involved in the offense. Turner is the best play for the Pacers in this game.
Pick: Myles Turner (+550)
If you’re looking for a longshot First Basket play, have I got one for you. Bruce Brown is on a team with a lot of great scoring options. His odds literally are the longest of any player on the board. However, the matchup with the Lakers indicates there is some value. More than any other position this season, the Lakers are giving up first opponent field goals to wings. The wing defense in Los Angeles is lacking compared to the stout frontcourt. The odds are long for Brown for a reason, but there is a lot of value in this play considering the matchup with the Lakers.
Pick: Bruce Brown (+1600)
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