A rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals will be played on Tuesday night, with the Milwaukee Bucks facing the Phoenix Suns. In this matchup, there are a few interesting options from a first basket prop perspective, on top of all of the other storylines that are a part of this contest. Here, we make our NBA betting picks for the Bucks vs Suns first basket scorer prop market.
Bucks vs Suns First Basket Prop Pick
| Bucks vs Suns First Basket Pick | Brook Lopez |
| Bucks vs Suns First Basket Odds | +700 (Bet $20 to win $140) |
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This game will be played at Footprint Center at 10:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
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Bucks vs Suns First Basket Odds
| Player | First Basket Odds |
|---|---|
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +350 |
| Devin Booker | +400 |
| Deandre Ayton | +500 |
| Jrue Holiday | +700 |
| Brook Lopez | +700 |
| Chris Paul | +1100 |
| Grayson Allen | +1200 |
| Pat Connaughton | +1200 |
| Josh Okogie | +1200 |
| Torrey Craig | +1300 |
The Opening Tip: Brook Lopez to Continue Jump Ball Dominance
The opening tip in this game is to be contested between two of the best jump ball participants in the NBA right now. Brook Lopez and Deandre Ayton are both among the top-five in the league in jump ball wins this year, but it should be Lopez that gets the better of Ayton in this particular opening tip.
Lopez ranks second only to Jarrett Allen in jump ball wins this year, and he has a history of beating Ayton in opening tips previously. In the 2021 Finals, Lopez won four of the six jump balls between him and Ayton, and he should be able to claim this tip as well.
Expect Lopez to Spread the Floor Early
The expectation for this game is that Giannis Antetokounmpo or Devin Booker will be the first to score in this game. That is understandable, given how devastating both of them can be as scorers. But we like Brook Lopez to get the first bucket in this contest, as he has a matchup that should free him up to shoot early.
Deandre Ayton is more of a paint-based center, and likes to operate around the rim on defense. The ability of Lopez to stretch the floor and shoot the three should see him get some space from Ayton early on. That makes him more than worth playing at +700 here.
