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Game plans · Wednesday, December 3

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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Hornets at Cavaliers

How the Hornets beat the Cavaliers

  1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 337.3% of Hornets shots come from above the break (2nd most), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).
  2. AttackAttack the corner 3The Hornets shoot 42.8% from the corners (3rd), and the Cavaliers allow 40.1% there (25th of 30).
  3. Key scorerKey scorer: Donovan MitchellMitchell (27.9 points per game): best in the paint (55% on 309 shots, league 44%), worst at the rim (64%, league 66%). 39% on the left side, 45% on the right; push him left.
  4. TempoSlow it downThe Hornets play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Cavaliers at 99.1 (13th). Make it a half-court game.

How the Cavaliers beat the Hornets

  1. Take awayTake away the above-the-break 337.3% of Hornets shots come from above the break (2nd most) and they make 36.3% (5th). The Cavaliers defense there ranks 25th (36.1% allowed).
  2. TempoPush the paceThe Cavaliers play at 99.1 possessions per 48 minutes (13th in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.
  3. Key scorerKey scorer: Brandon MillerMiller (20.2 points per game): best from the corners (42% on 71 shots, league 39%), worst from midrange (37%, league 42%).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneCHA offenseCLE defenseCLE offenseCHA defense
At the rim64.8% (23rd)62.6% (4th)67.2% (11th)65.1% (9th)
Paint42.8% (22nd)44.0% (13th)47.8% (4th)43.8% (11th)
Midrange35.8% (29th)42.4% (20th)44.5% (4th)39.7% (6th)
Corner 342.8% (3rd)40.1% (25th)37.6% (18th)38.8% (16th)
Above-the-break 336.3% (5th)36.1% (25th)35.4% (11th)35.1% (17th)

Matchups on Wed, Dec 3

9 games
  • Trail Blazers at CavaliersFinal

    How the Trail Blazers beat the Cavaliers

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Donovan MitchellMitchell (27.9 points per game): best in the paint (55% on 309 shots, league 44%), worst at the rim (64%, league 66%). 39% on the left side, 45% on the right; push him left.
    2. AttackAttack the corner 312.2% of Trail Blazers shots come from the corners (5th most), and the Cavaliers allow 40.1% there (25th of 30).

    How the Cavaliers beat the Trail Blazers

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Deni AvdijaAvdija (24.2 points per game): best in the paint (42% on 220 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (31%, league 35%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nuggets at PacersFinal

    How the Nuggets beat the Pacers

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Nuggets shoot 44.8% from midrange (3rd), and the Pacers allow 45.4% there (30th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Nuggets shoot 48.4% in the paint (2nd), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th of 30).

    How the Pacers 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. TempoPush the paceThe Pacers play at 100.3 possessions per 48 minutes (8th in pace), the Nuggets at 97.7 (20th). Run and make them keep up.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Spurs at MagicFinal

    How the Spurs beat the Magic

    1. 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%).
    2. AttackAttack the rim32.3% of Spurs shots come at the rim (7th most), and the Magic allow 67.5% there (21st of 30).

    How the Magic 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%).
    2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Magic shoot 43.0% from midrange (10th), and the Spurs allow 42.5% there (22nd of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Clippers at HawksFinal

    How the Clippers beat the Hawks

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Clippers play at 95.6 possessions per 48 minutes (28th in pace), the Hawks at 100.7 (7th). Make it a half-court game.
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Jalen JohnsonJohnson (22.5 points per game): best at the rim (69% on 397 shots, league 66%), worst in the paint (42%, league 44%).

    How the Hawks beat the Clippers

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Brandon IngramIngram (21.5 points per game): best from the corners (52% on 93 shots, league 39%), worst from above the break (33%, league 35%).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Hawks play at 100.7 possessions per 48 minutes (7th in pace), the Clippers at 95.6 (28th). Run and make them keep up.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hornets at KnicksFinal

    How the Hornets 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 Hornets defense there ranks 16th (38.8% allowed).

    How the Knicks beat the Hornets

    1. Take awayTake away the above-the-break 337.3% of Hornets shots come from above the break (2nd most) and they make 36.3% (5th). The Knicks defense there ranks 21st (35.5% allowed).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Brandon MillerMiller (20.2 points per game): best from the corners (42% on 71 shots, league 39%), worst from midrange (37%, league 42%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nets at BullsFinal

    How the Nets beat the Bulls

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 333.9% of Nets shots come from above the break (6th most), and the Bulls allow 36.6% there (29th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Nets play at 96.2 possessions per 48 minutes (25th in pace), the Bulls at 101.9 (2nd). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Bulls beat the Nets

    1. AttackAttack the corner 312.0% of Bulls shots come from the corners (6th most), and the Nets allow 42.3% there (30th of 30).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Bulls play at 101.9 possessions per 48 minutes (2nd in pace), the Nets at 96.2 (25th). Run and make them keep up.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Kings at RocketsFinal

    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).

    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).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pistons at BucksFinal

    How the Pistons beat the Bucks

    1. 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%).
    2. Take awayTake away the corner 313.4% of Bucks shots come from the corners (3rd most) and they make 42.9% (2nd). The Pistons defense there ranks 11th (38.5% allowed).

    How the Bucks beat the Pistons

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Pistons force turnovers on 14.1% of plays (1st) and the Bucks give it away on 13.3% (27th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Cade CunninghamCunningham (23.9 points per game): best from midrange (49% on 174 shots, league 42%), worst at the rim (61%, league 66%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Heat at MavericksFinal

    How the Heat beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack the paint21.9% of Heat shots come in the paint (5th most), and the Mavericks allow 45.5% there (24th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Cooper FlaggFlagg (21.0 points per game): best in the paint (46% on 360 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (30%, league 35%).

    How the Mavericks 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%).

    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.