Portland Fire First Basket Stats 2026: Who Scores First
Emily Engstler scored the Fire’s first basket more than anyone in 2026: 12 times in 44 starts, or 27% of the games they started. Megan Gustafson was next with 9. The Fire made the game’s first field goal in 48% of their 44 games and won 38% of their opening tipoffs. Everything below is counted from the play-by-play of every 2026 game (330 regular season, 16 playoffs, 1 play-in).
Who scored the first basket for the Fire in 2026
First basket for team is the first field goal by any PDX player; first basket of game is the game’s first field goal by anyone. Rates are per game started.
| Player | Starts | First basket for PDX | Rate | First basket of game | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emily Engstler | 44 | 12 | 27% | 7 | 16% |
| Megan Gustafson | 32 | 9 | 28% | 6 | 19% |
| Carla Leite | 38 | 7 | 18% | 2 | 5% |
| Bridget Carleton | 40 | 5 | 12% | 1 | 2% |
| Nyadiew Puoch | 28 | 4 | 14% | 2 | 7% |
| Sarah Ashlee Barker | 15 | 4 | 27% | 2 | 13% |
| Jordan Harrison | 2 | 1 | 50% | 1 | 50% |
| Luisa Geiselsoder | 9 | 1 | 11% | 0 | 0% |
| Serah Williams | 3 | 1 | 33% | 0 | 0% |
How often the Fire scored first
| Split | Games | Scored first | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| All games | 44 | 21 | 48% |
| Home | 22 | 11 | 50% |
| Away | 22 | 10 | 45% |
| Regular season | 44 | 21 | 48% |
Opening tipoff
| Jumper | Tipoffs | Won | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Megan Gustafson | 31 | 11 | 35% |
| Luisa Geiselsoder | 8 | 3 | 38% |
| Serah Williams | 3 | 2 | 67% |
| Team | 42 | 16 | 38% |
How the Fire’s first baskets were scored
| Method | First baskets | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Layup | 19 | 43% |
| 3-pointer | 18 | 41% |
| Other 2-pointer (jumper, hook, tip) | 7 | 16% |
Who scores the first basket most often for the Fire?
Emily Engstler, with 12 of the Fire’s first baskets in 2026 (27% of their 44 starts), ahead of Megan Gustafson with 9.
How often do the Fire score first?
The Fire made the first field goal in 21 of 44 games in 2026 (48%): 50% at home and 45% on the road.
Who takes the opening tipoff for the Fire?
Megan Gustafson took 31 of the Fire’s 42 opening tips in 2026 and won 35% of them.
Is Emily Engstler 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 WNBA game; see WNBA first basket picks.
Source: WNBA play-by-play and box scores, 2026. Updated October 13, 2026. See the WNBA first basket leaders for every team, or all stats.