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Game plans

Friday, April 3

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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Lakers at Jazz

How the Lakers beat the Jazz

  1. AttackAttack the rimThe Lakers shoot 73.4% at the rim (1st), and the Jazz allow 72.0% there (30th of 30).
  2. AttackAttack the paintThe Lakers shoot 48.8% in the paint (1st), and the Jazz allow 48.8% there (30th of 30).
  3. 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%).
  4. AttackAttack midrangeThe Lakers shoot 44.4% from midrange (5th), and the Jazz allow 44.1% there (28th of 30).
  5. Take awayTake away the paint22.8% of Jazz shots come in the paint (3rd most) and they make 47.6% (5th). The Lakers defense there ranks 9th (43.0% allowed).

How the Jazz 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. Take awayTake away the paint21.5% of Lakers shots come in the paint (7th most) and they make 48.8% (1st). The Jazz defense there ranks 30th (48.8% allowed).
  3. TempoPush the paceThe Jazz play at 101.6 possessions per 48 minutes (3rd 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 offenseUTA defenseUTA offenseLAL defense
At the rim73.4% (1st)72.0% (30th)66.5% (14th)70.5% (29th)
Paint48.8% (1st)48.8% (30th)47.6% (5th)43.0% (9th)
Midrange44.4% (5th)44.1% (28th)38.8% (25th)44.7% (29th)
Corner 334.9% (29th)39.2% (21st)38.1% (16th)37.7% (8th)
Above-the-break 336.3% (6th)36.4% (27th)32.9% (29th)34.2% (10th)

02Matchups on Fri, Apr 3

9 games
  • Pacers at HornetsFinal

    How the Pacers 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 Pacers defense there ranks 8th (34.2% allowed).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Pacers play at 100.3 possessions per 48 minutes (8th in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Hornets beat the Pacers

    1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Hornets shoot 42.8% from the corners (3rd), and the Pacers allow 39.4% there (22nd of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Pascal SiakamSiakam (24.0 points per game): best in the paint (47% on 330 shots, league 44%), worst from midrange (33%, league 42%). 34% on the left side, 43% on the right; push him left.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Timberwolves at 76ersFinal

    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%).

    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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hawks at NetsFinal

    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).

    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.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Bulls at KnicksFinal

    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.

    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).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Jazz at RocketsFinal

    How the Jazz 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. TempoPush the paceThe Jazz play at 101.6 possessions per 48 minutes (3rd in pace), the Rockets at 95.2 (29th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Rockets beat the Jazz

    1. AttackAttack the paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most), and the Jazz allow 48.8% there (30th of 30).
    2. 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Raptors at GrizzliesFinal

    How the Raptors beat the Grizzlies

    1. Take awayTake away the paint22.1% of Grizzlies shots come in the paint (4th most) and they make 45.9% (8th). The Raptors defense there ranks 19th (44.5% allowed).
    2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Raptors shoot 44.1% from midrange (6th), and the Grizzlies allow 43.1% there (24th of 30).

    How the Grizzlies 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 Grizzlies defense there ranks 24th (68.4% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Celtics at BucksFinal

    How the Celtics 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 Celtics defense there ranks 2nd (36.2% allowed).

    How the Bucks beat the Celtics

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Bucks shoot 36.9% from above the break (2nd), and the Celtics allow 35.7% there (24th of 30).
    2. 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 Bucks defense there ranks 26th (36.4% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Magic at MavericksFinal

    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%).

    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).

    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.