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Game plans · Sunday, February 22

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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Pistons at Bulls

How the Pistons beat the Bulls

  1. TempoSlow it downThe Pistons play at 98.3 possessions per 48 minutes (18th in pace), the Bulls at 101.9 (2nd). Make it a half-court game.
  2. Key scorerKey scorer: Norman PowellPowell (21.7 points per game): best in the paint (51% on 159 shots, league 44%), worst from the corners (33%, league 39%).

How the Bulls beat the Pistons

  1. 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%).
  2. TempoPush the paceThe Bulls play at 101.9 possessions per 48 minutes (2nd in pace), the Pistons at 98.3 (18th). Run and make them keep up.
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneDET offenseCHI defenseCHI offenseDET defense
At the rim66.3% (15th)65.0% (8th)62.7% (30th)61.9% (2nd)
Paint42.0% (24th)42.4% (6th)44.0% (18th)43.8% (12th)
Midrange41.9% (15th)43.1% (25th)41.0% (18th)39.7% (5th)
Corner 337.3% (20th)37.4% (7th)37.3% (22nd)38.5% (11th)
Above-the-break 334.8% (19th)36.6% (29th)34.9% (17th)33.1% (1st)

Matchups on Sun, Feb 22

11 games
  • Cavaliers at ThunderFinal

    How the Cavaliers 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 333.3% of Cavaliers shots come from above the break (7th most), and the Thunder allow 35.6% there (23rd of 30).

    How the Thunder 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 above-the-break 3The Thunder shoot 35.9% from above the break (8th), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nets at HawksFinal

    How the Nets beat the Hawks

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th) and the Nets give it away on 13.7% (29th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Nets play at 96.2 possessions per 48 minutes (25th in pace), the Hawks at 100.7 (7th). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Hawks beat the Nets

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Hawks shoot 36.4% from above the break (4th), and the Nets allow 36.4% there (28th of 30).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th), and the Nets give it away on 13.7% (29th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Raptors at BucksFinal

    How the Raptors 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 Raptors defense there ranks 14th (38.6% allowed).

    How the Bucks beat the Raptors

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Raptors force turnovers on 13.5% of plays (4th) and the Bucks give it away on 13.3% (27th of 30).
    2. 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nuggets at WarriorsFinal

    How the Nuggets beat the Warriors

    1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Nuggets shoot 44.2% from the corners (1st), and the Warriors allow 40.9% there (27th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Nuggets shoot 48.4% in the paint (2nd), and the Warriors allow 47.0% there (26th of 30).

    How the Warriors 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 Warriors shoot 68.9% at the rim (4th), and the Nuggets allow 69.1% there (27th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Mavericks at PacersFinal

    How the Mavericks beat the Pacers

    1. AttackAttack midrange12.4% of Mavericks shots come from midrange (4th most), and the Pacers allow 45.4% there (30th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paint21.5% of Mavericks shots come in the paint (8th most), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th of 30).

    How the Pacers beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack midrange11.6% of Pacers shots come from midrange (7th most), and the Mavericks allow 42.7% there (23rd 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hornets at WizardsFinal

    How the Hornets beat the Wizards

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Hornets grab 30.5% of their misses (4th), and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. AttackAttack the corner 3The Hornets shoot 42.8% from the corners (3rd), and the Wizards allow 40.9% there (28th of 30).

    How the Wizards beat the Hornets

    1. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Hornets grab 30.5% of their misses (4th) and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. 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 Wizards defense there ranks 20th (35.5% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Celtics at LakersFinal

    How the Celtics beat the Lakers

    1. AttackAttack the rimThe Celtics shoot 70.5% at the rim (2nd), and the Lakers allow 70.5% 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 Celtics

    1. Take awayTake away the above-the-break 338.5% of Celtics shots come from above the break (1st most) and they make 35.6% (10th). The Lakers defense there ranks 10th (34.2% allowed).
    2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Lakers shoot 36.3% from above the break (6th), and the Celtics allow 35.7% there (24th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • 76ers at TimberwolvesFinal

    How the 76ers beat the Timberwolves

    1. 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 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 BullsFinal

    How the Knicks beat the Bulls

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Knicks play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Bulls at 101.9 (2nd). Make it a half-court game.
    2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Knicks shoot 44.9% from midrange (2nd), and the Bulls allow 43.1% there (25th of 30).

    How the Bulls 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. TempoPush the paceThe Bulls play at 101.9 possessions per 48 minutes (2nd in pace), the Knicks at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Trail Blazers at SunsFinal

    How the Trail Blazers beat the Suns

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd) and the Trail Blazers give it away on 14.0% (30th of 30).
    2. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Trail Blazers grab 31.3% of their misses (2nd), and the Suns rank 27th on the defensive glass (71.9%).

    How the Suns beat the Trail Blazers

    1. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd), and the Trail Blazers give it away on 14.0% (30th of 30).
    2. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Trail Blazers grab 31.3% of their misses (2nd) and the Suns rank 27th on the defensive glass (71.9%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Magic at ClippersFinal

    How the Magic 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 Magic play at 99.3 possessions per 48 minutes (12th in pace), the Clippers at 95.6 (28th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Clippers 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 Clippers shoot 69.4% at the rim (3rd), and the Magic allow 67.5% there (21st 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.