NBA First Basket Predictions for Thursday Include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant [1/16/2025]

This Thursday, January 16th, it's time for an action-packed day of NBA action, headlined by the Pacers' matchup against the Pistons at 7:00PM ET.

After assessing Thursday's NBA simulation results early this morning (see Dimers Pro for full access), our data experts have produced their best first basket bet of the day.

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Additionally, this article reveals the NBA players our predictive analytics model has selected as having the greatest chance of scoring the first basket in their respective matchups on Thursday.

Let's dive into today's NBA first basket news and updates.

NBA Players to Watch Today

Based on the most recent injury reports, Thursday's NBA games are expected to showcase big names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant and Cade Cunningham, each with a high chance of scoring the first basket when they take to the court.

Who Will Score the First NBA Basket Tonight? [Cheat Sheet for January 16, 2025]

Thanks to simulating Thursday's NBA games 10,000 times each, Dimers has determined the list of players most likely to score the first basket in their respective games.

Player (Team)	First Basket Probability
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)	18.7%
Kevin Durant (Suns)	15.8%
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)	15.4%
Pascal Siakam (Pacers)	15.4%
Jalen Green (Rockets)	14.4%
Alperen Sengun (Rockets)	14.2%
Jordan Poole (Wizards)	13.6%
Norman Powell (Clippers)	13.5%
Devin Booker (Suns)	13.4%
De'Aaron Fox (Kings)	13.0%

According to our data-driven analysis, the most likely NBA player to score the first basket across today's games is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with a probability of 18.7%.

Following Gilgeous-Alexander closely, the players with the next highest likelihood of cashing your first basket bets are Kevin Durant at 15.8% and Cade Cunningham at 15.4%.

Dimers Pro Pick of the Day: NBA First Basket [Thursday, 1/16/2025]

Having simulated the outcome of today's NBA slate thousands of times, our trusted predictive analytics model has generated the best NBA first basket bet for you to make on Thursday.

For full access to our comprehensive analysis and top picks, subscribe to Dimers Pro.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander To Score First Basket

• Odds: +600
• Edge: 4.4%
• Probability: 18.7%
• Matchup: Cavaliers vs. Thunder (7:30PM EST)

Our model has identified the best NBA first basket bet for today's NBA slate in the game between the Cavaliers and Thunder. The bet is on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) at odds of +600 with FanDuel Sportsbook, with an edge of 4.4% according to our analysis.

Our model not only highlights Gilgeous-Alexander for him 4.4% betting edge but also ranks him as the number one most likely first basket scorer for today, as seen in the preceding list.

Closer Look at Today's First Basket Props

NBA first basket props have become one of the more popular betting options for basketball bettors. By using Thursday's data-driven NBA predictions, you can gain an advantage over everyone else.

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NBA News, Schedule Alerts and Updated Odds

• Read the latest news alerts from the official NBA feed
• Check updated NBA odds
• Find broadcasting and streaming options for today's NBA games

NBA Schedule for Today [1/16/2025]

• Pacers vs. Pistons (7:00PM ET, Thursday)
• Suns vs. Wizards (7:00PM ET, Thursday)
• Cavaliers vs. Thunder (7:30PM ET, Thursday)
• Rockets vs. Kings (10:00PM ET, Thursday)
• Clippers vs. Trail Blazers (10:00PM ET, Thursday)

For more betting guides, check out Thursday's NBA best bets and our NBA player prop picks for Thursday.

Today's NBA First Basket Picks: January 16, 2025

This NBA first basket article has been partially generated using automated processes and AI technology. Our goal is to provide timely and accurate updates on NBA first basket picks for January 16, 2025. Automation assists in data collection, analysis, and formatting, while human editing and quality control ensure the content meets our editorial guidelines.

All of Dimers' NBA first basket predictions for Thursday, January 16, have been generated after rigorous data-driven game simulations, providing reliable and accurate NBA predictions to help you make informed decisions.

If you plan to use today's NBA first basket predictions for your personal gambling, it's important that you practice responsible gambling and manage your bankroll effectively. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

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Understanding Betting Edge

The "edge" at Dimers is when we think the probability of an event occurring is more likely than the best odds available. Essentially, it means that Dimers believes a bet has a better chance of winning than the sportsbooks do. That's why the higher the edge, the better.

Although it does not guarantee a win, taking picks with a higher betting edge can increase your chances of being profitable in the long run. This is an essential aspect of a successful sports betting strategy.

More About NBA

This article is part of our NBA player props and NBA best bets series.

For more NBA betting content, we have NBA trends for every game, as well as daily NBA betting news and the latest NBA title odds and predictions.