Brooklyn Nets First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Michael Porter Jr. scored the Nets’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 22 times in 52 starts, or 42% of the games they started. Nic Claxton was next with 15. The Nets made the game’s first field goal in 39% of their 82 games and won 56% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2025-26 game (1,225 regular season, 85 playoffs, 6 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Nets in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any BKN player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for BKN | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Porter Jr. | 52 | 22 | 42% | 10 | 19% |
| Nic Claxton | 68 | 15 | 22% | 5 | 7% |
| Egor Dëmin | 45 | 9 | 20% | 4 | 9% |
| Noah Clowney | 60 | 8 | 13% | 0 | 0% |
| Terance Mann | 51 | 6 | 12% | 4 | 8% |
| Nolan Traore | 31 | 6 | 19% | 3 | 10% |
| Day’Ron Sharpe | 7 | 3 | 43% | 1 | 14% |
| Ziaire Williams | 13 | 3 | 23% | 0 | 0% |
| Cam Thomas | 8 | 2 | 25% | 2 | 25% |
| Danny Wolf | 15 | 2 | 13% | 1 | 7% |
| E.J. Liddell | 5 | 2 | 40% | 1 | 20% |
| Tyson Etienne | 2 | 2 | 100% | 0 | 0% |
| Tyrese Martin | 6 | 1 | 17% | 1 | 17% |
| Drake Powell | 24 | 1 | 4% | 0 | 0% |
| Ben Saraf | 11 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Nets scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 82 | 32 | 39% |
| Home | 41 | 15 | 37% |
| Away | 41 | 17 | 41% |
| Regular season | 82 | 32 | 39% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nic Claxton | 65 | 41 | 63% |
| Day’Ron Sharpe | 7 | 1 | 14% |
| Trevon Scott | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Noah Clowney | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Danny Wolf | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Chaney Johnson | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 79 | 44 | 56% |
How the Nets’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 32 | 39% |
| Layup | 25 | 30% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 18 | 22% |
| Dunk | 7 | 9% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for BKN | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nic Claxton | 62 | 14 | 23% | 4 | 6% |
| D’Angelo Russell | 26 | 11 | 42% | 5 | 19% |
| Keon Johnson | 56 | 11 | 20% | 5 | 9% |
| Cameron Johnson | 57 | 8 | 14% | 3 | 5% |
| Ben Simmons | 24 | 7 | 29% | 3 | 12% |
| Cam Thomas | 23 | 7 | 30% | 2 | 9% |
| Ziaire Williams | 45 | 6 | 13% | 3 | 7% |
| Noah Clowney | 20 | 3 | 15% | 3 | 15% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Nets?
Michael Porter Jr., with 22 of the Nets’ first baskets in 2025-26 (42% of their 52 starts), ahead of Nic Claxton with 15.
How often do the Nets score first?
The Nets made the first field goal in 32 of 82 games in 2025-26 (39%): 37% at home and 41% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Nets?
Nic Claxton took 65 of the Nets’ 79 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 63% of them.
Is Michael Porter Jr. a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 42% of starts is worth a bet only when a book prices them below that, after adjusting for tonight’s lineup and opponent. Our models make that comparison every 30 minutes for every NBA game; see NBA first basket picks.
Source: NBA play-by-play and box scores, 2025-26. Updated October 13, 2026. See the NBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.