New York Knicks First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Jalen Brunson scored the Knicks’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 29 times in 92 starts, or 32% of the games they started. Mikal Bridges was next with 21. The Knicks made the game’s first field goal in 58% of their 100 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 Knicks in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any NYK player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for NYK | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brunson | 92 | 29 | 32% | 19 | 21% |
| Mikal Bridges | 100 | 21 | 21% | 9 | 9% |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 93 | 17 | 18% | 11 | 12% |
| OG Anunoby | 83 | 14 | 17% | 7 | 8% |
| Josh Hart | 70 | 8 | 11% | 3 | 4% |
| Miles McBride | 17 | 4 | 24% | 4 | 24% |
| Mohamed Diawara | 7 | 4 | 57% | 3 | 43% |
| Landry Shamet | 12 | 2 | 17% | 1 | 8% |
| Mitchell Robinson | 16 | 1 | 6% | 1 | 6% |
How often the Knicks scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 100 | 58 | 58% |
| Home | 49 | 28 | 57% |
| Away | 51 | 30 | 59% |
| Regular season | 81 | 48 | 59% |
| Playoffs | 19 | 10 | 53% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 78 | 34 | 44% |
| Mitchell Robinson | 16 | 13 | 81% |
| Ariel Hukporti | 5 | 2 | 40% |
| Team | 99 | 49 | 49% |
How the Knicks’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 3-pointer | 36 | 36% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 35 | 35% |
| Layup | 25 | 25% |
| Dunk | 4 | 4% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for NYK | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Brunson | 83 | 24 | 29% | 14 | 17% |
| Mikal Bridges | 100 | 24 | 24% | 12 | 12% |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | 90 | 22 | 24% | 12 | 13% |
| OG Anunoby | 92 | 18 | 20% | 7 | 8% |
| Josh Hart | 91 | 7 | 8% | 4 | 4% |
| Cameron Payne | 5 | 1 | 20% | 1 | 20% |
| Mitchell Robinson | 7 | 1 | 14% | 1 | 14% |
| Delon Wright | 5 | 1 | 20% | 0 | 0% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Knicks?
Jalen Brunson, with 29 of the Knicks’ first baskets in 2025-26 (32% of their 92 starts), ahead of Mikal Bridges with 21.
How often do the Knicks score first?
The Knicks made the first field goal in 58 of 100 games in 2025-26 (58%): 57% at home and 59% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Knicks?
Karl-Anthony Towns took 78 of the Knicks’ 99 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 44% of them.
Is Jalen Brunson 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.