Cleveland Cavaliers First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Evan Mobley scored the Cavaliers’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 26 times in 81 starts, or 32% of the games they started. Jarrett Allen was next with 19. The Cavaliers made the game’s first field goal in 61% of their 100 games and won 66% 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 Cavaliers in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any CLE player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for CLE | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan Mobley | 81 | 26 | 32% | 16 | 20% |
| Jarrett Allen | 74 | 19 | 26% | 16 | 22% |
| Donovan Mitchell | 88 | 19 | 22% | 9 | 10% |
| James Harden | 44 | 8 | 18% | 4 | 9% |
| De’Andre Hunter | 23 | 7 | 30% | 5 | 22% |
| Sam Merrill | 38 | 6 | 16% | 2 | 5% |
| Jaylon Tyson | 42 | 5 | 12% | 3 | 7% |
| Dean Wade | 52 | 3 | 6% | 2 | 4% |
| Darius Garland | 26 | 3 | 12% | 2 | 8% |
| Larry Nance Jr. | 3 | 1 | 33% | 1 | 33% |
| Tyrese Proctor | 1 | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% |
| Nae’Qwan Tomlin | 3 | 1 | 33% | 0 | 0% |
| Thomas Bryant | 1 | 1 | 100% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Cavaliers scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 100 | 61 | 61% |
| Home | 50 | 27 | 54% |
| Away | 50 | 34 | 68% |
| Regular season | 82 | 50 | 61% |
| Playoffs | 18 | 11 | 61% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jarrett Allen | 72 | 49 | 68% |
| Evan Mobley | 23 | 14 | 61% |
| Thomas Bryant | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Nae’Qwan Tomlin | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Team | 97 | 64 | 66% |
How the Cavaliers’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 34 | 34% |
| 3-pointer | 28 | 28% |
| Layup | 21 | 21% |
| Dunk | 17 | 17% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for CLE | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan Mobley | 79 | 20 | 25% | 14 | 18% |
| Donovan Mitchell | 80 | 20 | 25% | 10 | 12% |
| Jarrett Allen | 91 | 19 | 21% | 10 | 11% |
| Darius Garland | 80 | 13 | 16% | 7 | 9% |
| Max Strus | 46 | 10 | 22% | 8 | 17% |
| Dean Wade | 31 | 4 | 13% | 2 | 6% |
| Ty Jerome | 4 | 1 | 25% | 1 | 25% |
| Javonte Green | 1 | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Cavaliers?
Evan Mobley, with 26 of the Cavaliers’ first baskets in 2025-26 (32% of their 81 starts), ahead of Jarrett Allen with 19.
How often do the Cavaliers score first?
The Cavaliers made the first field goal in 61 of 100 games in 2025-26 (61%): 54% at home and 68% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Cavaliers?
Jarrett Allen took 72 of the Cavaliers’ 97 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 68% of them.
Is Evan Mobley a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 32% 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.