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Game plans

Monday, November 9

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
at

76ers at Hornets

How the 76ers 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 76ers defense there ranks 3rd (33.8% allowed).
  2. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Hornets grab 30.5% of their misses (4th) and the 76ers rank 26th on the defensive glass (72.5%).
  3. TurnoversPressure the ballThe 76ers force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th), and the Hornets give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).
  4. TempoPush the paceThe 76ers play at 98.8 possessions per 48 minutes (15th in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.
  5. Key scorerKey scorer: Brandon MillerMiller (20.2 points per game): best from the corners (42% on 71 shots, league 39%), worst from midrange (37%, league 42%).

How the Hornets beat the 76ers

  1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Hornets grab 30.5% of their misses (4th), and the 76ers rank 26th on the defensive glass (72.5%).
  2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe 76ers force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th) and the Hornets give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).
  3. TempoSlow it downThe Hornets play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the 76ers at 98.8 (15th). Make it a half-court game.
  4. 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 offenseCHA defenseCHA offensePHI defense
At the rim63.3% (28th)65.1% (9th)64.8% (23rd)65.4% (14th)
Paint40.7% (25th)43.8% (11th)42.8% (22nd)42.4% (5th)
Midrange43.0% (9th)39.7% (6th)35.8% (29th)40.7% (11th)
Corner 337.2% (24th)38.8% (16th)42.8% (3rd)39.1% (20th)
Above-the-break 334.2% (22nd)35.1% (17th)36.3% (5th)33.8% (3rd)

02Matchups on Mon, Nov 9

8 games
  • Lakers at Hawks7:00 PM ET

    How the Lakers beat the Hawks

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Lakers play at 97.6 possessions per 48 minutes (21st in pace), the Hawks at 100.7 (7th). Make it a half-court game.
    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 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 Hawks defense there ranks 18th (44.2% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Cavaliers at Hornets7:00 PM ET

    How the Cavaliers 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 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 Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Hornets beat the Cavaliers

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 337.3% of Hornets shots come from above the break (2nd most), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the corner 3The Hornets shoot 42.8% from the corners (3rd), and the Cavaliers allow 40.1% there (25th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Wizards at Pistons7:00 PM ET

    How the Wizards beat the Pistons

    1. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Pistons grab 30.9% of their misses (3rd) and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Pistons force turnovers on 14.1% of plays (1st) and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    How the Pistons beat the Wizards

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Pistons grab 30.9% of their misses (3rd), and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Pistons force turnovers on 14.1% of plays (1st), and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Grizzlies at Raptors7:30 PM ET

    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).

    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).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pacers at Mavericks8:00 PM ET

    How the Pacers beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack midrange11.6% of Pacers shots come from midrange (7th most), 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 Pacers

    1. AttackAttack midrange12.4% of Mavericks shots come from midrange (4th most), and the Pacers allow 45.4% there (30th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paint21.5% of Mavericks shots come in the paint (8th most), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Nuggets at Rockets8:30 PM ET

    How the Nuggets 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 Nuggets defense there ranks 22nd (45.3% allowed).

    How the Rockets 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 paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most), and the Nuggets allow 45.3% there (22nd of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Spurs at Suns9:00 PM ET

    How the Spurs beat the Suns

    1. AttackAttack the rim32.3% of Spurs shots come at the rim (7th most), and the Suns allow 67.9% there (23rd of 30).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Spurs play at 99.1 possessions per 48 minutes (13th in pace), the Suns at 96.3 (24th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Suns 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%).
    2. AttackAttack midrange11.7% of Suns shots come from midrange (6th most), and the Spurs allow 42.5% there (22nd of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pelicans at Warriors10:00 PM ET

    How the Pelicans beat the Warriors

    1. AttackAttack the rim40.4% of Pelicans shots come at the rim (1st most), and the Warriors allow 67.8% there (22nd of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Stephen CurryCurry (26.6 points per game): best from midrange (52% on 91 shots, league 42%), worst at the rim (68%, league 66%).

    How the Warriors 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. Key scorerKey scorer: Trey Murphy IIIMurphy (21.5 points per game): best from the corners (49% on 59 shots, league 39%), worst in the paint (38%, league 44%).

    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.