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Game plans · Tuesday, March 30

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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Bucks at Nets

How the Bucks beat the Nets

  1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Bucks shoot 42.9% from the corners (2nd), and the Nets allow 42.3% there (30th of 30).
  2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Bucks shoot 36.9% from above the break (2nd), and the Nets allow 36.4% there (28th of 30).
  3. 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%).

How the Nets 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 Nets defense there ranks 30th (42.3% allowed).
  3. AttackAttack the corner 311.5% of Nets shots come from the corners (9th most), and the Bucks allow 41.1% there (29th of 30).
  4. AttackAttack the above-the-break 333.9% of Nets shots come from above the break (6th most), and the Bucks allow 36.4% there (26th of 30).
  5. AttackAttack the rim30.7% of Nets shots come at the rim (10th most), and the Bucks allow 68.5% there (25th of 30).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneMIL offenseBKN defenseBKN offenseMIL defense
At the rim68.7% (5th)67.0% (19th)63.4% (27th)68.5% (25th)
Paint42.7% (23rd)46.6% (25th)40.1% (27th)41.1% (3rd)
Midrange42.3% (12th)41.2% (13th)36.8% (28th)42.0% (15th)
Corner 342.9% (2nd)42.3% (30th)36.8% (26th)41.1% (29th)
Above-the-break 336.9% (2nd)36.4% (28th)33.2% (27th)36.4% (26th)

Matchups on Tue, Mar 30

6 games
  • Heat at Hornets7:00 PM ET

    How the Heat beat the Hornets

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Heat play at 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes (1st in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.
    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 Heat defense there ranks 16th (34.7% allowed).

    How the Hornets 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 Hornets play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Heat at 102.8 (1st). Make it a half-court game.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Celtics at Pacers8:00 PM ET

    How the Celtics beat the Pacers

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Celtics play at 94.2 possessions per 48 minutes (30th in pace), the Pacers at 100.3 (8th). Make it a half-court game.
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Celtics shoot 48.2% in the paint (3rd), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th of 30).

    How the Pacers beat the Celtics

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Pacers play at 100.3 possessions per 48 minutes (8th in pace), the Celtics at 94.2 (30th). Run and make them keep up.
    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 Pacers defense there ranks 8th (34.2% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Knicks at Magic8:00 PM ET

    How the Knicks 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 Knicks play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Magic at 99.3 (12th). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Magic 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. Take awayTake away the corner 313.6% of Knicks shots come from the corners (2nd most) and they make 41.6% (6th). The Magic defense there ranks 13th (38.5% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Lakers at Grizzlies8:00 PM ET

    How the Lakers beat the Grizzlies

    1. AttackAttack the rimThe Lakers shoot 73.4% at the rim (1st), and the Grizzlies allow 68.4% there (24th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Lakers shoot 44.4% from midrange (5th), and the Grizzlies allow 43.1% there (24th of 30).

    How the Grizzlies 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 Grizzlies defense there ranks 21st (44.9% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Thunder at Jazz9:00 PM ET

    How the Thunder beat the Jazz

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Thunder shoot 48.1% from midrange (1st), and the Jazz allow 44.1% there (28th 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%).

    How the Jazz 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. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Thunder force turnovers on 14.0% of plays (2nd) 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 Trail Blazers11:00 PM ET

    How the Rockets beat the Trail Blazers

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Rockets grab 34.8% of their misses (1st), and the Trail Blazers rank 25th on the defensive glass (72.7%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Rockets play at 95.2 possessions per 48 minutes (29th in pace), the Trail Blazers at 99.8 (9th). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Trail Blazers 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. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Rockets grab 34.8% of their misses (1st) and the Trail Blazers rank 25th on the defensive glass (72.7%).

    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.