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Game plans

Friday, November 20

How each team beats its opponent: the zones to attack, what to take away, the lineup to target, the key scorer's weak spots, and the tempo and glass edges.

01Plan any matchup

Based on 2025-26, with the current roster
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Clippers at Spurs

How the Clippers 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. TempoSlow it downThe Clippers play at 95.6 possessions per 48 minutes (28th in pace), the Spurs at 99.1 (13th). Make it a half-court game.

How the Spurs 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 Spurs play at 99.1 possessions per 48 minutes (13th in pace), the Clippers at 95.6 (28th). Run and make them keep up.
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneLAC offenseSAS defenseSAS offenseLAC defense
At the rim69.4% (3rd)62.7% (5th)67.1% (12th)67.2% (20th)
Paint45.3% (12th)42.5% (7th)45.7% (10th)43.5% (10th)
Midrange41.4% (17th)42.5% (22nd)43.6% (7th)39.4% (3rd)
Corner 341.6% (5th)34.6% (1st)38.9% (12th)38.8% (15th)
Above-the-break 335.1% (14th)35.4% (19th)34.4% (20th)35.6% (22nd)

02Matchups on Fri, Nov 20

9 games
  • Hornets at Hawks7:00 PM ET

    How the Hornets beat the Hawks

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Hornets play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Hawks at 100.7 (7th). Make it a half-court game.
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th) and the Hornets give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).

    How the Hawks 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 Hawks defense there ranks 15th (34.6% allowed).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Hawks play at 100.7 possessions per 48 minutes (7th in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Magic at Nets7:30 PM ET

    How the Magic beat the Nets

    1. 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%).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Magic play at 99.3 possessions per 48 minutes (12th in pace), the Nets at 96.2 (25th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Nets 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. TempoSlow it downThe Nets play at 96.2 possessions per 48 minutes (25th in pace), the Magic at 99.3 (12th). Make it a half-court game.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pacers at Cavaliers7:30 PM ET

    How the Pacers 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.

    How the Cavaliers beat the Pacers

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Cavaliers shoot 44.5% from midrange (4th), and the Pacers allow 45.4% there (30th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Cavaliers shoot 47.8% in the paint (4th), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Raptors at Pistons7:30 PM ET

    How the Raptors 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%).

    How the Pistons 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 Pistons defense there ranks 2nd (61.9% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Wizards at Bulls8:00 PM ET

    How the Wizards beat the Bulls

    1. AttackAttack midrange12.1% of Wizards shots come from midrange (5th most), and the Bulls allow 43.1% there (25th of 30).
    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 Wizards

    1. AttackAttack the rim36.1% of Bulls shots come at the rim (2nd most), and the Wizards allow 68.5% there (26th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the corner 312.0% of Bulls shots come from the corners (6th most), and the Wizards allow 40.9% there (28th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pelicans at Thunder8:00 PM ET

    How the Pelicans 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 corner 3The Pelicans shoot 39.2% from the corners (9th), and the Thunder allow 39.9% there (24th of 30).

    How the Thunder 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%).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Suns at Jazz9:30 PM ET

    How the Suns 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 above-the-break 334.9% of Suns shots come from above the break (4th most), and the Jazz allow 36.4% there (27th of 30).

    How the Jazz beat the Suns

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Jazz play at 101.6 possessions per 48 minutes (3rd in pace), the Suns at 96.3 (24th). Run and make them keep up.
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd) and the Jazz give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Rockets at Nuggets10:00 PM ET

    How the Rockets 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 paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most), and the Nuggets allow 45.3% there (22nd of 30).

    How the Nuggets 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 Nuggets defense there ranks 22nd (45.3% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Kings at Lakers10:00 PM ET

    How the Kings beat the Lakers

    1. AttackAttack midrange15.1% of Kings shots come from midrange (1st most), 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 Kings

    1. AttackAttack the paintThe Lakers shoot 48.8% in the paint (1st), and the Kings allow 48.7% there (29th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the rimThe Lakers shoot 73.4% at the rim (1st), and the Kings allow 69.8% there (28th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    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.