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Game plans · Sunday, January 11

How each team beats its opponent. Where to attack, and what to take away.

Plan any matchup

Based on 2025-26, with the current roster
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Nets at Pelicans

How the Nets beat the Pelicans

  1. TargetTarget this lineupWhen Bey, Murphy, McGowens, Fears and Queen share the floor (96 min), they allow 132.1 per 100, against 119.9 for the team: attack it.
  2. Key scorerKey scorer: Trey Murphy IIIMurphy (21.5 points per game): best from the corners (49% on 59 shots, league 39%), worst in the paint (38%, league 44%).
  3. TempoSlow it downThe Nets play at 96.2 possessions per 48 minutes (25th in pace), the Pelicans at 99.5 (11th). Make it a half-court game.

How the Pelicans beat the Nets

  1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Pelicans shoot 39.2% from the corners (9th), and the Nets allow 42.3% there (30th of 30).
  2. Key scorerKey scorer: Michael Porter Jr.Porter (24.2 points per game): best at the rim (75% on 227 shots, league 66%), worst from the corners (32%, league 39%).
  3. TempoPush the paceThe Pelicans play at 99.5 possessions per 48 minutes (11th in pace), the Nets at 96.2 (25th). Run and make them keep up.
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneBKN offenseNOP defenseNOP offenseBKN defense
At the rim63.4% (27th)66.7% (18th)62.8% (29th)67.0% (19th)
Paint40.1% (27th)47.9% (28th)38.0% (30th)46.6% (25th)
Midrange36.8% (28th)40.9% (12th)33.7% (30th)41.2% (13th)
Corner 336.8% (26th)37.0% (5th)39.2% (9th)42.3% (30th)
Above-the-break 333.2% (27th)34.3% (12th)33.2% (26th)36.4% (28th)

Matchups on Sun, Jan 11

10 games
  • Pelicans at MagicFinal

    How the Pelicans beat the Magic

    1. AttackAttack the rim40.4% of Pelicans shots come at the rim (1st most), and the Magic allow 67.5% there (21st of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Paolo BancheroBanchero (22.2 points per game): best from the corners (44% on 52 shots, league 39%), worst in the paint (35%, league 44%).

    How the Magic beat the Pelicans

    1. TargetTarget this lineupWhen Bey, Murphy, McGowens, Fears and Queen share the floor (96 min), they allow 132.1 per 100, against 119.9 for the team: attack it.
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Trey Murphy IIIMurphy (21.5 points per game): best from the corners (49% on 59 shots, league 39%), worst in the paint (38%, league 44%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nets at GrizzliesFinal

    How the Nets beat the Grizzlies

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Grizzlies force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th) and the Nets give it away on 13.7% (29th of 30).
    2. Take awayTake away the paint22.1% of Grizzlies shots come in the paint (4th most) and they make 45.9% (8th). The Nets defense there ranks 25th (46.6% allowed).

    How the Grizzlies beat the Nets

    1. AttackAttack the paint22.1% of Grizzlies shots come in the paint (4th most), and the Nets allow 46.6% there (25th of 30).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Grizzlies force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th), and the Nets give it away on 13.7% (29th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • 76ers at RaptorsFinal

    How the 76ers beat the Raptors

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Kawhi LeonardLeonard (27.9 points per game): best in the paint (55% on 339 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (38%, league 35%).
    2. Take awayTake away the rim31.2% of Raptors shots come at the rim (8th most) and they make 67.7% (7th). The 76ers defense there ranks 14th (65.4% allowed).

    How the Raptors beat the 76ers

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Jaylen BrownBrown (28.7 points per game): best in the paint (50% on 434 shots, league 44%), worst from midrange (40%, league 42%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Knicks at Trail BlazersFinal

    How the Knicks beat the Trail Blazers

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Knicks grab 29.3% of their misses (5th), and the Trail Blazers rank 25th on the defensive glass (72.7%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Knicks play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Trail Blazers at 99.8 (9th). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Trail Blazers beat the Knicks

    1. TargetTarget this lineupWhen Anunoby, Bridges, Brunson, Towns and McBride share the floor (91 min), they allow 129.1 per 100, against 114.1 for the team: attack it.
    2. Take awayTake away the corner 313.6% of Knicks shots come from the corners (2nd most) and they make 41.6% (6th). The Trail Blazers defense there ranks 19th (39.0% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Spurs at TimberwolvesFinal

    How the Spurs beat the Timberwolves

    1. AttackAttack the corner 313.9% of Spurs shots come from the corners (1st most), and the Timberwolves allow 40.7% there (26th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Anthony EdwardsEdwards (28.8 points per game): best from the corners (46% on 54 shots, league 39%), worst from midrange (44%, league 42%).

    How the Timberwolves beat the Spurs

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Victor WembanyamaWembanyama (25.0 points per game): best at the rim (75% on 389 shots, league 66%), worst from midrange (39%, league 42%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Heat at ThunderFinal

    How the Heat beat the Thunder

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderGilgeous-Alexander (31.1 points per game): best from midrange (54% on 332 shots, league 42%), worst from above the break (39%, league 35%).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Heat play at 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes (1st in pace), the Thunder at 98.5 (16th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Thunder beat the Heat

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Giannis AntetokounmpoAntetokounmpo (27.6 points per game): best at the rim (76% on 411 shots, league 66%), worst from midrange (27%, league 42%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Thunder play at 98.5 possessions per 48 minutes (16th in pace), the Heat at 102.8 (1st). Make it a half-court game.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Bucks at NuggetsFinal

    How the Bucks beat the Nuggets

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Nikola JokicJokic (27.7 points per game): best from midrange (57% on 109 shots, league 42%), worst from above the break (37%, league 35%).
    2. AttackAttack the rimThe Bucks shoot 68.7% at the rim (5th), and the Nuggets allow 69.1% there (27th of 30).

    How the Nuggets beat the Bucks

    1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Nuggets shoot 44.2% from the corners (1st), and the Bucks allow 41.1% there (29th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Tyler HerroHerro (20.5 points per game): best in the paint (58% on 165 shots, league 44%), worst from midrange (36%, league 42%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Wizards at SunsFinal

    How the Wizards beat the Suns

    1. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Suns grab 28.9% of their misses (7th) and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd) and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    How the Suns beat the Wizards

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Suns grab 28.9% of their misses (7th), and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd), and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hawks at WarriorsFinal

    How the Hawks beat the Warriors

    1. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th), and the Warriors give it away on 13.3% (27th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Stephen CurryCurry (26.6 points per game): best from midrange (52% on 91 shots, league 42%), worst at the rim (68%, league 66%).

    How the Warriors beat the Hawks

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th) and the Warriors give it away on 13.3% (27th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Warriors play at 98.3 possessions per 48 minutes (18th in pace), the Hawks at 100.7 (7th). Make it a half-court game.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Rockets at KingsFinal

    How the Rockets beat the Kings

    1. AttackAttack the paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most), and the Kings allow 48.7% there (29th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack midrange12.8% of Rockets shots come from midrange (2nd most), and the Kings allow 43.7% there (27th of 30).

    How the Kings beat the Rockets

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Kevin DurantDurant (26.0 points per game): best in the paint (59% on 393 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (40%, league 35%).
    2. Take awayTake away the paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most) and they make 47.2% (6th). The Kings defense there ranks 29th (48.7% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
How this works

Each plan is a short list of rules applied to both teams' season numbers. Every item shows its numbers and ranks out of 30 so you can check it. At most 5 items per team, the biggest edges first.

  • Attack: a shot zone where the team is good (top 10 in FG% or in share of its shots) and the opponent's defense there is bottom 8 in FG% allowed (bottom 10 if that finds fewer than 2).
  • Take away: the opponent's favorite zone (top 5 in share, top 8 if fewer than 2 qualify) where they are also efficient (top 10 FG%), with the team's own defensive rank there.
  • Target: of the opponent's 5 most-used lineups, the one that allows the most points per 100 possessions, with at least 100 possessions and at least 3 points worse than the team's own defensive rating. All 5 players must still be on the team.
  • Key scorer: the opponent's top scorer on the current roster (100+ shots). Best and worst zones compare his FG% with the league average there (50+ shots per zone). A side lean shows only when he has 60+ shots on each side and a gap of 6+ points. Left and right are as our shot charts draw them (rim at the bottom), and shots at the rim are left out of the side split.
  • Tempo and glass: a pace gap of 2+ possessions per 48 minutes; offensive rebounding, defensive rebounding and turnovers when one team is top 5 and the other bottom 5 (widened to 8 when fewer than 2 edges show up).

Data: team zones come from every counted regular season shot (made and missed; backcourt heaves left out; left and right corner 3s combined). Defense zones use the shots each team allowed. Lineups come from our play-by-play lineup stints. Before a team has played 10 games this season, its plan uses last season's numbers with today's roster, and lineups that no longer exist are skipped.

What it cannot see: there is no tracking data, so no defender distance, individual matchups or play types (pick and roll, isolation, post ups). Team zone numbers include every player a team used, even ones who have left. Injuries and rest are not in the plan, and season numbers can hide a recent change in form.