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New Orleans Pelicans First Basket Stats

The Pelicans scored first in 50% of 2025-26 games, T-14th of 30.The Pelicans made the first field goal in 50% of 2025-26 games, 16th of 30.

Stats through Nov 1

TonightPelicans at Grizzlies, 8:10 PM ETStarters and prices →

PelicansNOPGrizzliesMEM

2025-262026-27 so farunder 10: a dot a game

20 of 8125%Won the tip38%31 of 81
0 of 63 of 6
22 of 8127%First shot42%34 of 81
0 of 63 of 6
41 of 8250%Scored first43%35 of 82
2 of 64 of 6
41 of 8250%First FG44%36 of 82
2 of 64 of 6
17 of 2085%After a tip win65%20 of 31
no tip won3 of 3
16 of 2080%After a tip win61%19 of 31
no tip won3 of 3

Scored first

50%41 of 82T-14th of 30
New York Knicks 63%Cleveland Cavaliers 62%Miami Heat 61%Los Angeles Lakers 57%Minnesota Timberwolves 57%Orlando Magic 57%San Antonio Spurs 57%Denver Nuggets 55%Oklahoma City Thunder 55%Phoenix Suns 55%Utah Jazz 55%Boston Celtics 52%Philadelphia 76ers 52%Atlanta Hawks 50%New Orleans Pelicans 50%Toronto Raptors 50%Detroit Pistons 49%Golden State Warriors 49%LA Clippers 49%Charlotte Hornets 48%Houston Rockets 48%Indiana Pacers 46%Sacramento Kings 46%Portland Trail Blazers 45%Memphis Grizzlies 43%Dallas Mavericks 41%Milwaukee Bucks 39%Brooklyn Nets 38%Washington Wizards 37%Chicago Bulls 33%

mostmiddle 50%fewest

2026-27 so far2 of 6

Made the first field goal

50%41 of 8216th of 30
Cleveland Cavaliers 61%Minnesota Timberwolves 60%New York Knicks 59%Los Angeles Lakers 57%Miami Heat 57%Orlando Magic 57%Toronto Raptors 56%Oklahoma City Thunder 55%Utah Jazz 55%Denver Nuggets 54%Detroit Pistons 54%Phoenix Suns 54%San Antonio Spurs 54%Boston Celtics 52%Charlotte Hornets 51%New Orleans Pelicans 50%Golden State Warriors 49%Houston Rockets 49%Philadelphia 76ers 49%Sacramento Kings 49%Atlanta Hawks 48%LA Clippers 48%Portland Trail Blazers 48%Indiana Pacers 44%Memphis Grizzlies 44%Dallas Mavericks 41%Milwaukee Bucks 41%Brooklyn Nets 38%Washington Wizards 35%Chicago Bulls 33%

mostmiddle 51%fewest

2026-27 so far2 of 6

Won the opening tip

25%20 of 8130th of 30
San Antonio Spurs 78%Orlando Magic 73%Phoenix Suns 72%Los Angeles Lakers 66%Cleveland Cavaliers 65%Miami Heat 62%Denver Nuggets 57%Utah Jazz 57%Brooklyn Nets 56%Minnesota Timberwolves 52%Oklahoma City Thunder 52%Portland Trail Blazers 52%Philadelphia 76ers 51%Sacramento Kings 51%Atlanta Hawks 50%New York Knicks 50%Indiana Pacers 49%LA Clippers 46%Golden State Warriors 45%Toronto Raptors 45%Detroit Pistons 44%Boston Celtics 43%Charlotte Hornets 43%Chicago Bulls 38%Dallas Mavericks 38%Houston Rockets 38%Memphis Grizzlies 38%Washington Wizards 34%Milwaukee Bucks 29%New Orleans Pelicans 25%

mostmiddle 50%fewest

2026-27 so far0 of 6

Took the first shot

27%22 of 8130th of 30
Phoenix Suns 68%San Antonio Spurs 67%Los Angeles Lakers 62%Orlando Magic 61%Cleveland Cavaliers 60%Miami Heat 60%Minnesota Timberwolves 59%Portland Trail Blazers 57%Oklahoma City Thunder 56%Utah Jazz 56%New York Knicks 54%Atlanta Hawks 52%Brooklyn Nets 51%Indiana Pacers 51%Sacramento Kings 51%Denver Nuggets 50%Toronto Raptors 50%Charlotte Hornets 48%Detroit Pistons 48%Boston Celtics 47%Philadelphia 76ers 46%Dallas Mavericks 43%Memphis Grizzlies 42%LA Clippers 41%Golden State Warriors 40%Washington Wizards 40%Chicago Bulls 39%Houston Rockets 39%Milwaukee Bucks 35%New Orleans Pelicans 27%

mostmiddle 51%fewest

2026-27 so far0 of 6

Scored first after winning the tip

85%17 of 201st of 30
New Orleans Pelicans 85%New York Knicks 83%Golden State Warriors 76%Los Angeles Lakers 76%Sacramento Kings 74%Philadelphia 76ers 73%Atlanta Hawks 71%Charlotte Hornets 71%Cleveland Cavaliers 70%Toronto Raptors 70%Detroit Pistons 69%Miami Heat 69%Denver Nuggets 68%Minnesota Timberwolves 67%Orlando Magic 67%Boston Celtics 66%San Antonio Spurs 66%Utah Jazz 66%Memphis Grizzlies 65%Oklahoma City Thunder 64%Indiana Pacers 63%Milwaukee Bucks 63%Dallas Mavericks 61%Houston Rockets 61%Phoenix Suns 60%LA Clippers 58%Washington Wizards 54%Portland Trail Blazers 53%Brooklyn Nets 52%Chicago Bulls 52%

mostmiddle 66%fewest

2026-27 so farno tip won yet

First field goal after winning the tip

80%16 of 201st of 30
New Orleans Pelicans 80%Los Angeles Lakers 76%New York Knicks 76%Sacramento Kings 76%Golden State Warriors 73%Charlotte Hornets 71%Toronto Raptors 70%Cleveland Cavaliers 68%Philadelphia 76ers 68%Detroit Pistons 67%Minnesota Timberwolves 67%Boston Celtics 66%Utah Jazz 66%Orlando Magic 65%Denver Nuggets 64%Oklahoma City Thunder 64%Atlanta Hawks 63%Miami Heat 63%Milwaukee Bucks 63%San Antonio Spurs 63%Dallas Mavericks 61%Houston Rockets 61%Memphis Grizzlies 61%Indiana Pacers 60%Phoenix Suns 59%LA Clippers 55%Brooklyn Nets 52%Chicago Bulls 52%Portland Trail Blazers 51%Washington Wizards 43%

mostmiddle 64%fewest

2026-27 so farno tip won yet

Who scores their first pointsWho makes their first field goal

Per start for the Pelicans, their own starts only

2025-262026-27 so farunder 10: a dot a start

Dejounte MurrayPG29%4 of 140 of 4
Herbert JonesSF25%14 of 561 of 2
Jeremiah FearsSG22%11 of 490 of 6
Saddiq BeySF22%14 of 64no start
Zion WilliamsonPF22%12 of 550 of 6
Derik QueenPF19%9 of 48no start
Trey Murphy IIISF17%11 of 663 of 6
Bryce McGowensSF8%1 of 13no start
Dejounte MurrayPG29%4 of 140 of 4
Herbert JonesSF27%15 of 561 of 2
Jeremiah FearsSG24%12 of 490 of 6
Saddiq BeySF22%14 of 64no start
Zion WilliamsonPF22%12 of 550 of 6
Derik QueenPF21%10 of 48no start
Trey Murphy IIISF15%10 of 663 of 6
Bryce McGowensSF8%1 of 13no start

Who takes their first shot

Per start for the Pelicans, their own starts only

2025-262026-27 so farunder 10: a dot a start

Saddiq BeySF27%17 of 64no start
Trey Murphy IIISF22%14 of 652 of 6
Derik QueenPF21%10 of 47no start
Jeremiah FearsSG21%10 of 481 of 6
Herbert JonesSF20%11 of 551 of 2
Zion WilliamsonPF16%9 of 550 of 6
Dejounte MurrayPG14%2 of 141 of 4
Bryce McGowensSF8%1 of 13no start

Who jumps

2025-262026-27 so farunder 10: a dot a jump

Derik Queen20%8 of 41no jumps
Yves Missi31%4 of 130 of 2
DeAndre Jordan3 of 70 of 2

Against the Pelicans, by position

fewermiddle teammore

PG9%7 of 821 of 6T-19th
SG12%10 of 821 of 6T-4th
SF5%4 of 821 of 6T-27th
PF15%12 of 821 of 61st
C10%8 of 820 of 6T-17th
PG10%8 of 821 of 6T-12th
SG13%11 of 821 of 6T-2nd
SF5%4 of 821 of 6T-28th
PF13%11 of 821 of 62nd
C9%7 of 820 of 6T-22nd

Last 10 games

the Pelicans got it

DateOppTipShotFirstFirst basket

2026-27

Oct 31vs ATLAlexander-Walker ATL
Oct 29vs SACMurphy
Oct 28vs DENMurray DEN
Oct 24@ DENGordon DEN
Oct 23@ UTABailey UTA
Oct 21vs INDMissi

2025-26

Apr 12@ MINShannon MIN
Apr 10@ BOSQueen
Apr 7vs UTAFears
Apr 5vs ORLBanchero ORL
DateOppTipShotFirstFirst FG

2026-27

Oct 31vs ATLAlexander-Walker ATL
Oct 29vs SACMurphy
Oct 28vs DENMurray DEN
Oct 24@ DENGordon DEN
Oct 23@ UTABailey UTA
Oct 21vs INDMissi

2025-26

Apr 12@ MINClark MIN
Apr 10@ BOSQueen
Apr 7vs UTAFears
Apr 5vs ORLBanchero ORL

First basket stats for every team

How it is counted

Every count comes from ESPN play-by-play of finished regular-season games: who won the opening tip, the first shot each team took, and who scored first. A game whose opening the play-by-play cannot show is left out of the tip and first shot counts, never counted as a miss.

Scored first counts free throws, the bet365, FanDuel and Caesars rule; the field goals only switch follows DraftKings, BetMGM, Fanatics, BetRivers and betPARX, a different market. A player who does not start is void at all of them. A player who changed teams counts here on his Pelicans starts only. Positions are this season's depth charts. Under 10 games, starts or jumps a count shows a dot a game; the percent and the rank of 30 start at 10.

Tonight's games, starters and prices →