NBA First Basket Predictions for Saturday Include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry [3/15/2025]

This Saturday, March 15th, it's time for an action-packed day of NBA action, headlined by the Thunder's matchup against the Pistons at 7:00PM ET.

After analyzing Saturday's NBA simulations this morning (see Dimers Pro for full access), our data analysts have revealed their best first basket bet of the day.

Additionally, this article reveals the NBA players our predictive analytics model has determined to have the highest probability of scoring the first basket in their respective matchups on Saturday.

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

NBA Players to Watch Today

Based on the most recent latest NBA Injury Report, Saturday's NBA slate is expected to feature big names such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, each with a high probability of scoring the first basket when they take to the court.

Who Will Score the First Basket Tonight? [NBA Cheat Sheet for March 15, 2025]

Thanks to simulating Saturday'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
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)	17.4%
Stephen Curry (Warriors)	16.3%
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)	16.3%
Stephon Castle (Spurs)	14.5%
Pascal Siakam (Pacers)	14.4%
Jordan Poole (Wizards)	14.4%
Ja Morant (Grizzlies)	14.1%
Cade Cunningham (Pistons)	14.0%
Coby White (Bulls)	13.8%
Jayson Tatum (Celtics)	13.5%

According to our data-driven analysis, the most likely NBA player to score the first basket across all of today's matchups is Giannis Antetokounmpo, with a probability of 17.4%.

Following Antetokounmpo closely, the players with the next highest likelihood of cashing your first basket bets are Stephen Curry at 16.3% and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at 16.3%.

Dimers Pro Pick of the Day: NBA First Basket [Saturday, 3/15/2025]

Having simulated the result of today's NBA slate thousands of times, our predictive model has generated the best NBA first basket betting pick for Saturday.

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

Tyrese Haliburton To Score First Basket

• Odds: +1700
• Edge: 6.0%
• Probability: 11.6%
• Matchup: Pacers vs. Bucks (8:00PM ET)

Our model has identified the best NBA first basket bet for Saturday's NBA slate in the game between the Pacers and Bucks. The bet is on Tyrese Haliburton (IND) at odds of +1700 with FanDuel Sportsbook, with an edge of 6.0% according to our analysis.

Although Haliburton doesn't feature in our model's top 10 most likely first basket scorers for Saturday's NBA slate, he does present the best betting opportunity for those aiming to gain an edge on the market.

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 Saturday's data-driven NBA predictions, you can gain an advantage over everyone else.

For today's full list of NBA prop picks, join Dimers Pro. We give you the tools and information to succeed with hundreds of data-driven bets across thousands of games. Sign up now to join the community!

NEW OFFER: Sign up to Dimers Pro for $9.99 a week and enjoy flexibiilty at its best.

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 [3/15/2025]

• Thunder vs. Pistons (7:00PM ET, Saturday)
• Pacers vs. Bucks (8:00PM ET, Saturday)
• Bulls vs. Rockets (8:00PM ET, Saturday)
• Heat vs. Grizzlies (8:00PM ET, Saturday)
• Knicks vs. Warriors (8:30PM ET, Saturday)
• Wizards vs. Nuggets (9:00PM ET, Saturday)

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

Tonight's NBA First Basket Picks: March 15, 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 March 15, 2025. Automation assists in data collection, analysis, and formatting, while human editing and quality control ensure the content meets our editorial guidelines.

All of our NBA first basket picks for Saturday, March 15, are the result of rigorous data-driven game simulations, giving you reliable and accurate NBA predictions to help you make informed decisions.

If you use today's NBA first basket picks for your personal gambling, it's crucial that you gamble responsibly and manage your finances effectively. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER.

Note: Clicking links to our sportsbook partners may earn us a referral fee.

Learn about how we review products and services.

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 on 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.