Denver Nuggets First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Jamal Murray scored the Nuggets’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 23 times in 81 starts, or 28% of the games they started. Nikola Jokic was next with 22. The Nuggets made the game’s first field goal in 52% of their 88 games and won 54% 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 Nuggets in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any DEN player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for DEN | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamal Murray | 81 | 23 | 28% | 16 | 20% |
| Nikola Jokic | 71 | 22 | 31% | 10 | 14% |
| Cameron Johnson | 60 | 11 | 18% | 7 | 12% |
| Aaron Gordon | 36 | 6 | 17% | 3 | 8% |
| Peyton Watson | 40 | 6 | 15% | 2 | 5% |
| Spencer Jones | 40 | 5 | 12% | 3 | 8% |
| Jalen Pickett | 18 | 4 | 22% | 2 | 11% |
| Jonas Valanciunas | 6 | 4 | 67% | 2 | 33% |
| Julian Strawther | 14 | 3 | 21% | 0 | 0% |
| Bruce Brown | 4 | 2 | 50% | 0 | 0% |
| DaRon Holmes II | 6 | 1 | 17% | 1 | 17% |
| Zeke Nnaji | 4 | 1 | 25% | 0 | 0% |
| Christian Braun | 50 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Nuggets scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 88 | 46 | 52% |
| Home | 44 | 24 | 55% |
| Away | 44 | 22 | 50% |
| Regular season | 82 | 44 | 54% |
| Playoffs | 6 | 2 | 33% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | 66 | 34 | 52% |
| DaRon Holmes II | 6 | 2 | 33% |
| Jonas Valanciunas | 5 | 5 | 100% |
| Aaron Gordon | 5 | 4 | 80% |
| Zeke Nnaji | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Team | 83 | 45 | 54% |
How the Nuggets’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Layup | 28 | 32% |
| 3-pointer | 28 | 32% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 27 | 31% |
| Dunk | 5 | 6% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for DEN | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamal Murray | 81 | 24 | 30% | 12 | 15% |
| Nikola Jokic | 84 | 18 | 21% | 7 | 8% |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 91 | 16 | 18% | 5 | 5% |
| Christian Braun | 91 | 15 | 16% | 8 | 9% |
| Aaron Gordon | 56 | 8 | 14% | 6 | 11% |
| Russell Westbrook | 36 | 8 | 22% | 3 | 8% |
| Peyton Watson | 18 | 3 | 17% | 2 | 11% |
| Zeke Nnaji | 4 | 2 | 50% | 1 | 25% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Nuggets?
Jamal Murray, with 23 of the Nuggets’ first baskets in 2025-26 (28% of their 81 starts), ahead of Nikola Jokic with 22.
How often do the Nuggets score first?
The Nuggets made the first field goal in 46 of 88 games in 2025-26 (52%): 55% at home and 50% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Nuggets?
Nikola Jokic took 66 of the Nuggets’ 83 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 52% of them.
Is Jamal Murray a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 28% 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.