Toronto Raptors First Basket Stats 2025-26: Who Scores First
Brandon Ingram scored the Raptors’ first basket more than anyone in 2025-26: 22 times in 82 starts, or 27% of the games they started. Scottie Barnes was next with 15. The Raptors made the game’s first field goal in 55% of their 89 games and won 43% 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 Raptors in 2025-26
First basket for team is the first field goal by any TOR player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for TOR | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Ingram | 82 | 22 | 27% | 14 | 17% |
| Scottie Barnes | 87 | 15 | 17% | 9 | 10% |
| Immanuel Quickley | 70 | 14 | 20% | 6 | 9% |
| RJ Barrett | 64 | 11 | 17% | 6 | 9% |
| Jakob Poeltl | 51 | 8 | 16% | 3 | 6% |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 13 | 6 | 46% | 3 | 23% |
| Collin Murray-Boyles | 22 | 4 | 18% | 3 | 14% |
| Jamal Shead | 16 | 4 | 25% | 2 | 12% |
| Ochai Agbaji | 13 | 3 | 23% | 2 | 15% |
| Ja’Kobe Walter | 24 | 2 | 8% | 1 | 4% |
How often the Raptors scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 89 | 49 | 55% |
| Home | 44 | 24 | 55% |
| Away | 45 | 25 | 56% |
| Regular season | 82 | 46 | 56% |
| Playoffs | 7 | 3 | 43% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jakob Poeltl | 50 | 29 | 58% |
| Scottie Barnes | 31 | 9 | 29% |
| Collin Murray-Boyles | 4 | 0 | 0% |
| Sandro Mamukelashvili | 3 | 0 | 0% |
| Team | 88 | 38 | 43% |
How the Raptors’ first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 29 | 33% |
| Layup | 28 | 31% |
| 3-pointer | 25 | 28% |
| Dunk | 7 | 8% |
2024-25
| Player | Starts | First basket for TOR | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jakob Poeltl | 56 | 17 | 30% | 8 | 14% |
| RJ Barrett | 58 | 13 | 22% | 6 | 10% |
| Gradey Dick | 54 | 12 | 22% | 7 | 13% |
| Immanuel Quickley | 33 | 9 | 27% | 5 | 15% |
| Scottie Barnes | 65 | 6 | 9% | 4 | 6% |
| Ochai Agbaji | 45 | 6 | 13% | 3 | 7% |
| Ja’Kobe Walter | 18 | 6 | 33% | 3 | 17% |
| Davion Mitchell | 22 | 3 | 14% | 2 | 9% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Raptors?
Brandon Ingram, with 22 of the Raptors’ first baskets in 2025-26 (27% of their 82 starts), ahead of Scottie Barnes with 15.
How often do the Raptors score first?
The Raptors made the first field goal in 49 of 89 games in 2025-26 (55%): 55% at home and 56% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Raptors?
Jakob Poeltl took 50 of the Raptors’ 88 opening tips in 2025-26 and won 58% of them.
Is Brandon Ingram a good first basket bet?
That depends on the price. A player who scores first for their team in 27% 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.