Indiana Pacers First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Pascal Siakam scored the Pacers’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 18 times in 62 starts, or 29% of the games they started. Andrew Nembhard was next with 14. The Pacers made the game’s first field goal in 44% of their 82 games and won 49% 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 Pacers in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any IND player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for IND | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascal Siakam | 62 | 18 | 29% | 8 | 13% |
| Andrew Nembhard | 57 | 14 | 25% | 6 | 11% |
| Jay Huff | 47 | 12 | 26% | 6 | 13% |
| Aaron Nesmith | 42 | 7 | 17% | 2 | 5% |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 24 | 6 | 25% | 3 | 12% |
| Jarace Walker | 41 | 4 | 10% | 2 | 5% |
| Isaiah Jackson | 14 | 3 | 21% | 1 | 7% |
| Johnny Furphy | 21 | 3 | 14% | 0 | 0% |
| Quenton Jackson | 19 | 3 | 16% | 0 | 0% |
| Kobe Brown | 10 | 2 | 20% | 2 | 20% |
| Obi Toppin | 3 | 2 | 67% | 2 | 67% |
| Jeremiah Robinson-Earl | 3 | 2 | 67% | 2 | 67% |
| Ben Sheppard | 20 | 1 | 5% | 1 | 5% |
| Jalen Slawson | 6 | 1 | 17% | 1 | 17% |
| Ethan Thompson | 13 | 1 | 8% | 0 | 0% |
| Micah Potter | 7 | 1 | 14% | 0 | 0% |
| Kam Jones | 7 | 1 | 14% | 0 | 0% |
| Ivica Zubac | 5 | 1 | 20% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Pacers scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 82 | 36 | 44% |
| Home | 41 | 16 | 39% |
| Away | 41 | 20 | 49% |
| Regular season | 82 | 36 | 44% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay Huff | 46 | 26 | 57% |
| Isaiah Jackson | 13 | 4 | 31% |
| Micah Potter | 6 | 1 | 17% |
| Ivica Zubac | 5 | 3 | 60% |
| Jarace Walker | 4 | 1 | 25% |
| Tony Bradley | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| Pascal Siakam | 2 | 0 | 0% |
| Jalen Slawson | 2 | 2 | 100% |
| James Wiseman | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 82 | 40 | 49% |
How the Pacers’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 32 | 39% |
| Layup | 25 | 30% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 19 | 23% |
| Dunk | 6 | 7% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for IND | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pascal Siakam | 99 | 27 | 27% | 8 | 8% |
| Myles Turner | 93 | 20 | 22% | 7 | 8% |
| Andrew Nembhard | 86 | 19 | 22% | 9 | 10% |
| Bennedict Mathurin | 47 | 13 | 28% | 5 | 11% |
| Tyrese Haliburton | 94 | 10 | 11% | 7 | 7% |
| Aaron Nesmith | 60 | 8 | 13% | 3 | 5% |
| Thomas Bryant | 8 | 2 | 25% | 1 | 12% |
| Quenton Jackson | 7 | 2 | 29% | 0 | 0% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Pacers?
Pascal Siakam, with 18 of the Pacers’ first baskets in 2025-26 (29% of their 62 starts), ahead of Andrew Nembhard with 14.
How often do the Pacers score first?
The Pacers made the first field goal in 36 of 82 games in 2025-26 (44%): 39% at home and 49% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Pacers?
Jay Huff took 46 of the Pacers’ 82 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 57% of them.
Is Pascal Siakam a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 29% 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.