Milwaukee Bucks First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Ryan Rollins scored the Bucks’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 16 times in 67 starts, or 24% of the games they started. AJ Green was next with 14. The Bucks made the game’s first field goal in 41% of their 82 games and won 30% 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 Bucks in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any MIL player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for MIL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Rollins | 67 | 16 | 24% | 6 | 9% |
| AJ Green | 68 | 14 | 21% | 6 | 9% |
| Myles Turner | 71 | 10 | 14% | 2 | 3% |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 36 | 9 | 25% | 6 | 17% |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | 36 | 9 | 25% | 2 | 6% |
| Kyle Kuzma | 43 | 7 | 16% | 4 | 9% |
| Bobby Portis | 9 | 4 | 44% | 2 | 22% |
| Gary Trent Jr. | 21 | 3 | 14% | 2 | 10% |
| Jericho Sims | 19 | 3 | 16% | 2 | 11% |
| Ousmane Dieng | 20 | 3 | 15% | 1 | 5% |
| Pete Nance | 6 | 2 | 33% | 1 | 17% |
| Taurean Prince | 7 | 1 | 14% | 0 | 0% |
| Gary Harris | 2 | 1 | 50% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Bucks scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 82 | 34 | 41% |
| Home | 41 | 16 | 39% |
| Away | 41 | 18 | 44% |
| Regular season | 82 | 34 | 41% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myles Turner | 68 | 19 | 28% |
| Jericho Sims | 10 | 4 | 40% |
| Bobby Portis | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Gary Trent Jr. | 1 | 0 | 0% |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 1 | 1 | 100% |
| Team | 81 | 24 | 30% |
How the Bucks’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 33 | 40% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 25 | 30% |
| Layup | 16 | 20% |
| Dunk | 8 | 10% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for MIL | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | 71 | 20 | 28% | 10 | 14% |
| Brook Lopez | 83 | 18 | 22% | 8 | 10% |
| Damian Lillard | 60 | 16 | 27% | 7 | 12% |
| Taurean Prince | 74 | 11 | 15% | 8 | 11% |
| Kyle Kuzma | 36 | 7 | 19% | 5 | 14% |
| Andre Jackson Jr. | 42 | 5 | 12% | 3 | 7% |
| Ryan Rollins | 20 | 3 | 15% | 1 | 5% |
| Bobby Portis | 8 | 2 | 25% | 1 | 12% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Bucks?
Ryan Rollins, with 16 of the Bucks’ first baskets in 2025-26 (24% of their 67 starts), ahead of AJ Green with 14.
How often do the Bucks score first?
The Bucks made the first field goal in 34 of 82 games in 2025-26 (41%): 39% at home and 44% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Bucks?
Myles Turner took 68 of the Bucks’ 81 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 28% of them.
Is Ryan Rollins a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 24% 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.