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Game plans · Thursday, March 5

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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Lakers at Mavericks

How the Lakers beat the Mavericks

  1. AttackAttack the paintThe Lakers shoot 48.8% in the paint (1st), and the Mavericks allow 45.5% there (24th of 30).
  2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Lakers shoot 44.4% from midrange (5th), and the Mavericks allow 42.7% there (23rd of 30).
  3. TempoSlow it downThe Lakers play at 97.6 possessions per 48 minutes (21st in pace), the Mavericks at 101.1 (4th). Make it a half-court game.
  4. 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 Lakers

  1. 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%).
  2. AttackAttack midrange12.4% of Mavericks shots come from midrange (4th most), and the Lakers allow 44.7% there (29th of 30).
  3. Take awayTake away the paint21.5% of Lakers shots come in the paint (7th most) and they make 48.8% (1st). The Mavericks defense there ranks 24th (45.5% allowed).
  4. TempoPush the paceThe Mavericks play at 101.1 possessions per 48 minutes (4th in pace), the Lakers at 97.6 (21st). Run and make them keep up.
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneLAL offenseDAL defenseDAL offenseLAL defense
At the rim73.4% (1st)66.2% (16th)64.6% (24th)70.5% (29th)
Paint48.8% (1st)45.5% (24th)45.4% (11th)43.0% (9th)
Midrange44.4% (5th)42.7% (23rd)39.4% (24th)44.7% (29th)
Corner 334.9% (29th)37.2% (6th)37.1% (25th)37.7% (8th)
Above-the-break 336.3% (6th)34.2% (9th)33.2% (28th)34.2% (10th)

Matchups on Thu, Mar 5

9 games
  • Mavericks at MagicFinal

    How the Mavericks 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 paint21.5% of Mavericks shots come in the paint (8th most), and the Magic allow 45.3% there (23rd of 30).

    How the Magic beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Magic shoot 43.0% from midrange (10th), 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
  • Jazz at WizardsFinal

    How the Jazz beat the Wizards

    1. AttackAttack the corner 311.9% of Jazz shots come from the corners (7th most), and the Wizards allow 40.9% there (28th of 30).
    2. Take awayTake away midrange12.1% of Wizards shots come from midrange (5th most) and they make 43.4% (8th). The Jazz defense there ranks 28th (44.1% allowed).

    How the Wizards 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 midrange12.1% of Wizards shots come from midrange (5th most), and the Jazz allow 44.1% there (28th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nets at HeatFinal

    How the Nets 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 Nets play at 96.2 possessions per 48 minutes (25th in pace), the Heat at 102.8 (1st). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Heat beat the Nets

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Heat play at 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes (1st in pace), the Nets at 96.2 (25th). Run and make them keep up.
    2. AttackAttack the paint21.9% of Heat shots come in the paint (5th most), and the Nets allow 46.6% there (25th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Warriors at RocketsFinal

    How the Warriors 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 Warriors defense there ranks 26th (47.0% allowed).

    How the Rockets beat the Warriors

    1. AttackAttack the paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most), and the Warriors allow 47.0% there (26th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack midrange12.8% of Rockets shots come from midrange (2nd most), and the Warriors allow 43.1% there (26th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Raptors at TimberwolvesFinal

    How the Raptors 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%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Raptors play at 97.5 possessions per 48 minutes (22nd in pace), the Timberwolves at 99.8 (9th). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Timberwolves 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 Timberwolves defense there ranks 3rd (62.4% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pistons at SpursFinal

    How the Pistons 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%).

    How the Spurs 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Bulls at SunsFinal

    How the Bulls beat the Suns

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Bulls play at 101.9 possessions per 48 minutes (2nd in pace), the Suns at 96.3 (24th). Run and make them keep up.
    2. AttackAttack the rim36.1% of Bulls shots come at the rim (2nd most), and the Suns allow 67.9% there (23rd of 30).

    How the Suns beat the Bulls

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 334.9% of Suns shots come from above the break (4th most), and the Bulls allow 36.6% there (29th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Suns play at 96.3 possessions per 48 minutes (24th in pace), the Bulls at 101.9 (2nd). Make it a half-court game.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Lakers at NuggetsFinal

    How the Lakers 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 Lakers shoot 73.4% at the rim (1st), and the Nuggets allow 69.1% there (27th of 30).

    How the Nuggets beat the Lakers

    1. 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%).
    2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Nuggets shoot 44.8% from midrange (3rd), and the Lakers allow 44.7% there (29th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pelicans at KingsFinal

    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).

    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.

    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.