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Game plans · Sunday, March 1

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
at

76ers at Jazz

How the 76ers 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 rim33.4% of 76ers shots come at the rim (5th most), and the Jazz allow 72.0% there (30th of 30).
  3. Take awayTake away the paint22.8% of Jazz shots come in the paint (3rd most) and they make 47.6% (5th). The 76ers defense there ranks 5th (42.4% allowed).
  4. AttackAttack midrangeThe 76ers shoot 43.0% from midrange (9th), and the Jazz allow 44.1% there (28th of 30).
  5. TurnoversPressure the ballThe 76ers force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th), and the Jazz give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).

How the Jazz beat the 76ers

  1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe 76ers force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th) and the Jazz give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).
  2. TempoPush the paceThe Jazz play at 101.6 possessions per 48 minutes (3rd in pace), the 76ers at 98.8 (15th). Run and make them keep up.
  3. 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%).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZonePHI offenseUTA defenseUTA offensePHI defense
At the rim63.3% (28th)72.0% (30th)66.5% (14th)65.4% (14th)
Paint40.7% (25th)48.8% (30th)47.6% (5th)42.4% (5th)
Midrange43.0% (9th)44.1% (28th)38.8% (25th)40.7% (11th)
Corner 337.2% (24th)39.2% (21st)38.1% (16th)39.1% (20th)
Above-the-break 334.2% (22nd)36.4% (27th)32.9% (29th)33.8% (3rd)

Matchups on Sun, Mar 1

11 games
  • Spurs at KnicksFinal

    How the Spurs 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 Spurs defense there ranks 1st (34.6% allowed).

    How the Knicks beat the Spurs

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Knicks shoot 44.9% from midrange (2nd), 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Cavaliers at NetsFinal

    How the Cavaliers beat the Nets

    1. AttackAttack the paintThe Cavaliers shoot 47.8% in the paint (4th), and the Nets allow 46.6% there (25th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 333.3% of Cavaliers shots come from above the break (7th most), and the Nets allow 36.4% there (28th of 30).

    How the Nets 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.
    2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 333.9% of Nets shots come from above the break (6th most), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Bucks at BullsFinal

    How the Bucks beat the Bulls

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 3The Bucks shoot 36.9% from above the break (2nd), and the Bulls allow 36.6% there (29th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack midrange12.6% of Bucks shots come from midrange (3rd most), and the Bulls allow 43.1% there (25th of 30).

    How the Bulls 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 Bulls defense there ranks 7th (37.4% allowed).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Timberwolves at NuggetsFinal

    How the Timberwolves 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 Timberwolves shoot 67.4% at the rim (8th), and the Nuggets allow 69.1% there (27th of 30).

    How the Nuggets beat the Timberwolves

    1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Nuggets shoot 44.2% from the corners (1st), and the Timberwolves allow 40.7% there (26th of 30).
    2. 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
  • Grizzlies at PacersFinal

    How the Grizzlies beat the Pacers

    1. AttackAttack the paint22.1% of Grizzlies shots come in the paint (4th most), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th 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.

    How the Pacers 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 Pacers defense there ranks 27th (47.1% allowed).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Ty JeromeJerome (19.7 points per game): best in the paint (53% on 64 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (40%, league 35%). 40% on the left side, 47% on the right; push him left.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Trail Blazers at HawksFinal

    How the Trail Blazers beat the Hawks

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th) and the Trail Blazers give it away on 14.0% (30th of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Jalen JohnsonJohnson (22.5 points per game): best at the rim (69% on 397 shots, league 66%), worst in the paint (42%, league 44%).

    How the Hawks beat the Trail Blazers

    1. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th), and the Trail Blazers give it away on 14.0% (30th of 30).
    2. 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%).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pistons at MagicFinal

    How the Pistons 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 rim36.0% of Pistons shots come at the rim (3rd most), and the Magic allow 67.5% there (21st of 30).

    How the Magic 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
  • 76ers at CelticsFinal

    How the 76ers 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 76ers defense there ranks 3rd (33.8% allowed).
    2. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Celtics grab 29.2% of their misses (6th) and the 76ers rank 26th on the defensive glass (72.5%).

    How the Celtics beat the 76ers

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Celtics grab 29.2% of their misses (6th), and the 76ers rank 26th on the defensive glass (72.5%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Celtics play at 94.2 possessions per 48 minutes (30th in pace), the 76ers at 98.8 (15th). Make it a half-court game.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Thunder at MavericksFinal

    How the Thunder beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Thunder shoot 48.1% from midrange (1st), and the Mavericks allow 42.7% there (23rd of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Thunder shoot 46.1% in the paint (7th), and the Mavericks allow 45.5% there (24th of 30).

    How the Mavericks 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. TempoPush the paceThe Mavericks play at 101.1 possessions per 48 minutes (4th in pace), the Thunder at 98.5 (16th). Run and make them keep up.

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pelicans at ClippersFinal

    How the Pelicans 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 Pelicans play at 99.5 possessions per 48 minutes (11th in pace), the Clippers at 95.6 (28th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Clippers 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. AttackAttack the paint21.5% of Clippers shots come in the paint (6th most), and the Pelicans allow 47.9% there (28th of 30).

    2025-26 so far

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Kings at LakersFinal

    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).

    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.