NBA First Basket Predictions for Tuesday Include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis [3/18/2025]

This Tuesday, March 18th, it's time for an exciting day of NBA basketball, headlined by the Bucks' matchup against the Warriors at 10:00PM ET.

After going over Tuesday's NBA simulation results this morning (see Dimers Pro for full access), our team of data experts have announced 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 Tuesday.

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, Tuesday's NBA games are expected to showcase players such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis and Donovan Mitchell, each with a high chance of scoring the first basket when they take to the court.

Who Will Score the First Basket Tonight? [NBA Cheat Sheet for March 18, 2025]

Thanks to simulating Tuesday'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%
Kristaps Porzingis (Celtics)	13.9%
Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)	12.8%
Ivica Zubac (Clippers)	12.8%
Brandin Podziemski (Warriors)	12.2%
Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)	12.0%
Cameron Johnson (Nets)	12.0%
Derrick White (Celtics)	12.0%
Quinten Post (Warriors)	11.6%
Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)	11.5%

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

Following Antetokounmpo closely, the players with the next highest likelihood of scoring the first basket today are Kristaps Porzingis at 13.9% and Donovan Mitchell at 12.8%.

Dimers Pro Pick of the Day: NBA First Basket [Tuesday, 3/18/2025]

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

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

Kawhi Leonard To Score First Basket

• Odds: +1100
• Edge: 3.7%
• Probability: 12%
• Game: Cavaliers vs. Clippers (10:30PM ET)

Our model has identified the best NBA first basket bet for today's NBA slate in the game between the Cavaliers and Clippers. The bet is on Kawhi Leonard (LAC) at odds of +1100 with FanDuel Sportsbook, with an edge of 3.7% according to our analysis.

Not only does Leonard present an edge according to the model, but he is also among our top 10 most likely first basket scorers for today, as noted in the list above.

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 Tuesday'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!

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NBA News, Schedule Alerts and Updated Odds

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

NBA Schedule for Today [3/18/2025]

• Bucks vs. Warriors (10:00PM ET, Tuesday)
• Cavaliers vs. Clippers (10:30PM ET, Tuesday)

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

Today's NBA First Basket Picks: March 18, 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 18, 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 picks and predictions for Tuesday, March 18, are based on rigorous data-driven game simulations, providing reliable and accurate NBA predictions to help you make informed decisions.

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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.