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Game plans · Sunday, March 8

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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Timberwolves at Pistons

How the Timberwolves 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 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%).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneMIN offenseDET defenseDET offenseMIN defense
At the rim67.4% (8th)61.9% (2nd)66.3% (15th)62.4% (3rd)
Paint44.2% (16th)43.8% (12th)42.0% (24th)42.9% (8th)
Midrange42.1% (14th)39.7% (5th)41.9% (15th)40.0% (9th)
Corner 338.5% (14th)38.5% (11th)37.3% (20th)40.7% (26th)
Above-the-break 336.5% (3rd)33.1% (1st)34.8% (19th)33.9% (4th)

Matchups on Sun, Mar 8

10 games
  • Celtics at CavaliersFinal

    How the Celtics beat the Cavaliers

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 338.5% of Celtics shots come from above the break (1st most), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).
    2. 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 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 Cavaliers defense there ranks 25th (36.1% allowed).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Cavaliers play at 99.1 possessions per 48 minutes (13th in pace), the Celtics at 94.2 (30th). Run and make them keep up.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Knicks at LakersFinal

    How the Knicks beat the Lakers

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Knicks shoot 44.9% from midrange (2nd), 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 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 Lakers defense there ranks 8th (37.7% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pistons at HeatFinal

    How the Pistons 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 Pistons play at 98.3 possessions per 48 minutes (18th in pace), the Heat at 102.8 (1st). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Heat beat the Pistons

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Heat play at 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes (1st in pace), the Pistons at 98.3 (18th). Run and make them keep up.
    2. 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
  • Mavericks at RaptorsFinal

    How the Mavericks 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 Mavericks defense there ranks 16th (66.2% allowed).

    How the Raptors beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Raptors shoot 44.1% from midrange (6th), and the Mavericks allow 42.7% there (23rd of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paint20.9% of Raptors shots come in the paint (9th most), and the Mavericks allow 45.5% there (24th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Wizards at PelicansFinal

    How the Wizards 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. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Pelicans grab 27.0% of their misses (8th) and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).

    How the Pelicans beat the Wizards

    1. AttackAttack the rim40.4% of Pelicans shots come at the rim (1st most), and the Wizards allow 68.5% there (26th of 30).
    2. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Pelicans grab 27.0% of their misses (8th), and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Magic at BucksFinal

    How the Magic 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 Magic defense there ranks 13th (38.5% allowed).

    How the Bucks 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 Bucks shoot 68.7% at the rim (5th), and the Magic allow 67.5% there (21st of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Rockets at SpursFinal

    How the Rockets beat the Spurs

    1. AttackAttack midrange12.8% of Rockets shots come from midrange (2nd most), and the Spurs allow 42.5% there (22nd of 30).
    2. 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 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 Spurs defense there ranks 7th (42.5% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pacers at Trail BlazersFinal

    How the Pacers beat the Trail Blazers

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Deni AvdijaAvdija (24.2 points per game): best in the paint (42% on 220 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (31%, league 35%).

    How the Trail Blazers beat the Pacers

    1. 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.
    2. AttackAttack the corner 312.2% of Trail Blazers shots come from the corners (5th most), and the Pacers allow 39.4% there (22nd of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Bulls at KingsFinal

    How the Bulls beat the Kings

    1. AttackAttack the rim36.1% of Bulls shots come at the rim (2nd most), and the Kings allow 69.8% there (28th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 332.3% of Bulls shots come from above the break (9th most), and the Kings allow 37.6% there (30th of 30).

    How the Kings beat the Bulls

    1. AttackAttack midrange15.1% of Kings shots come from midrange (1st most), and the Bulls allow 43.1% there (25th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Kings play at 98.5 possessions per 48 minutes (16th in pace), the Bulls at 101.9 (2nd). Make it a half-court game.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hornets at SunsFinal

    How the Hornets beat the Suns

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Hornets grab 30.5% of their misses (4th), and the Suns rank 27th on the defensive glass (71.9%).
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd) and the Hornets give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).

    How the Suns 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 Suns defense there ranks 5th (34.0% allowed).
    2. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Hornets grab 30.5% of their misses (4th) and the Suns rank 27th on the defensive glass (71.9%).

    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.