Skip to content
Courtside

Game plans · Monday, February 9

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
at

Cavaliers at Nuggets

How the Cavaliers 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 paintThe Cavaliers shoot 47.8% in the paint (4th), and the Nuggets allow 45.3% there (22nd of 30).

How the Nuggets beat the Cavaliers

  1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Nuggets shoot 44.2% from the corners (1st), and the Cavaliers allow 40.1% there (25th of 30).
  2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Nuggets shoot 37.8% from above the break (1st), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% 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.
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneCLE offenseDEN defenseDEN offenseCLE defense
At the rim67.2% (11th)69.1% (27th)66.7% (13th)62.6% (4th)
Paint47.8% (4th)45.3% (22nd)48.4% (2nd)44.0% (13th)
Midrange44.5% (4th)40.4% (10th)44.8% (3rd)42.4% (20th)
Corner 337.6% (18th)36.5% (4th)44.2% (1st)40.1% (25th)
Above-the-break 335.4% (11th)34.2% (11th)37.8% (1st)36.1% (25th)

Matchups on Mon, Feb 9

10 games
  • Pistons at HornetsFinal

    How the Pistons 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 Pistons defense there ranks 1st (33.1% allowed).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Pistons force turnovers on 14.1% of plays (1st), and the Hornets give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).

    How the Hornets beat the Pistons

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Pistons force turnovers on 14.1% of plays (1st) and the Hornets give it away on 12.8% (24th 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
  • Bulls at NetsFinal

    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.

    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.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Jazz at HeatFinal

    How the Jazz 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%).

    How the Heat beat the Jazz

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Lauri MarkkanenMarkkanen (26.7 points per game): best from the corners (43% on 76 shots, league 39%), worst from midrange (29%, league 42%).
    2. AttackAttack the paint21.9% of Heat shots come in the paint (5th most), and the Jazz allow 48.8% there (30th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Bucks at MagicFinal

    How the Bucks 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 rimThe Bucks shoot 68.7% at the rim (5th), and the Magic allow 67.5% there (21st of 30).

    How the Magic 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 Magic defense there ranks 13th (38.5% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hawks at TimberwolvesFinal

    How the Hawks beat the Timberwolves

    1. AttackAttack the corner 311.7% of Hawks shots come from the corners (8th 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 Hawks

    1. 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Kings at PelicansFinal

    How the Kings beat the Pelicans

    1. AttackAttack the paint26.4% of Kings shots come in the paint (1st most), and the Pelicans allow 47.9% there (28th of 30).
    2. 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.

    How the Pelicans beat the Kings

    1. AttackAttack the rim40.4% of Pelicans shots come at the rim (1st most), and the Kings allow 69.8% there (28th of 30).
    2. Take awayTake away the paint26.4% of Kings shots come in the paint (1st most) and they make 45.7% (9th). The Pelicans defense there ranks 28th (47.9% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Cavaliers at NuggetsFinal

    How the Cavaliers 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 paintThe Cavaliers shoot 47.8% in the paint (4th), and the Nuggets allow 45.3% there (22nd of 30).

    How the Nuggets beat the Cavaliers

    1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Nuggets shoot 44.2% from the corners (1st), and the Cavaliers allow 40.1% there (25th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Nuggets shoot 37.8% from above the break (1st), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Grizzlies at WarriorsFinal

    How the Grizzlies beat the Warriors

    1. AttackAttack the paint22.1% of Grizzlies shots come in the paint (4th most), and the Warriors allow 47.0% there (26th 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 Grizzlies

    1. AttackAttack the rimThe Warriors shoot 68.9% at the rim (4th), and the Grizzlies allow 68.4% there (24th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the corner 313.4% of Warriors shots come from the corners (4th most), and the Grizzlies allow 39.6% there (23rd of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Thunder at LakersFinal

    How the Thunder beat the Lakers

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Thunder shoot 48.1% from midrange (1st), and the Lakers allow 44.7% there (29th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Luka DoncicDoncic (33.5 points per game): best at the rim (79% on 174 shots, league 66%), worst from midrange (44%, league 42%).

    How the Lakers 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. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Lakers shoot 36.3% from above the break (6th), and the Thunder allow 35.6% there (23rd of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • 76ers at Trail BlazersFinal

    How the 76ers beat the Trail Blazers

    1. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Trail Blazers grab 31.3% of their misses (2nd) and the 76ers rank 26th on the defensive glass (72.5%).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe 76ers force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th), and the Trail Blazers give it away on 14.0% (30th of 30).

    How the Trail Blazers beat the 76ers

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Trail Blazers grab 31.3% of their misses (2nd), and the 76ers rank 26th on the defensive glass (72.5%).
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe 76ers force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th) and the Trail Blazers give it away on 14.0% (30th of 30).

    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.