Dallas Mavericks First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Cooper Flagg scored the Mavericks’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 16 times in 69 starts, or 23% of the games they started. Max Christie was next with 15. The Mavericks made the game’s first field goal in 42% of their 81 games and won 36% 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 Mavericks in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any DAL player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for DAL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper Flagg | 69 | 16 | 23% | 5 | 7% |
| Max Christie | 67 | 15 | 22% | 7 | 10% |
| P.J. Washington | 52 | 11 | 21% | 4 | 8% |
| Daniel Gafford | 43 | 8 | 19% | 6 | 14% |
| Naji Marshall | 47 | 7 | 15% | 3 | 6% |
| Anthony Davis | 20 | 6 | 30% | 3 | 15% |
| Khris Middleton | 16 | 4 | 25% | 2 | 12% |
| Brandon Williams | 15 | 3 | 20% | 2 | 13% |
| Ryan Nembhard | 27 | 2 | 7% | 1 | 4% |
| Caleb Martin | 12 | 2 | 17% | 0 | 0% |
| Dwight Powell | 12 | 2 | 17% | 0 | 0% |
| D’Angelo Russell | 3 | 2 | 67% | 0 | 0% |
| Moussa Cisse | 1 | 1 | 100% | 1 | 100% |
| Klay Thompson | 7 | 1 | 14% | 0 | 0% |
| Tyus Jones | 2 | 1 | 50% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Mavericks scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 81 | 34 | 42% |
| Home | 41 | 17 | 41% |
| Away | 40 | 17 | 42% |
| Regular season | 81 | 34 | 42% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Gafford | 42 | 13 | 31% |
| Anthony Davis | 14 | 7 | 50% |
| Dwight Powell | 12 | 6 | 50% |
| Dereck Lively II | 4 | 1 | 25% |
| Marvin Bagley III | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| P.J. Washington | 3 | 1 | 33% |
| Moussa Cisse | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 80 | 29 | 36% |
How the Mavericks’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 31 | 38% |
| Layup | 26 | 32% |
| 3-pointer | 17 | 21% |
| Dunk | 7 | 9% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for DAL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P.J. Washington | 58 | 15 | 26% | 10 | 17% |
| Klay Thompson | 74 | 15 | 20% | 9 | 12% |
| Daniel Gafford | 31 | 11 | 35% | 4 | 13% |
| Dereck Lively II | 31 | 8 | 26% | 5 | 16% |
| Luka Doncic | 22 | 6 | 27% | 3 | 14% |
| Kyrie Irving | 50 | 4 | 8% | 3 | 6% |
| Dante Exum | 13 | 4 | 31% | 2 | 15% |
| Naji Marshall | 33 | 3 | 9% | 2 | 6% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Mavericks?
Cooper Flagg, with 16 of the Mavericks’ first baskets in 2025-26 (23% of their 69 starts), ahead of Max Christie with 15.
How often do the Mavericks score first?
The Mavericks made the first field goal in 34 of 81 games in 2025-26 (42%): 41% at home and 42% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Mavericks?
Daniel Gafford took 42 of the Mavericks’ 80 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 31% of them.
Is Cooper Flagg a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 23% 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.