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Game plans · Monday, February 15

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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76ers at Thunder

How the 76ers 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%).

How the Thunder 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%).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZonePHI offenseOKC defenseOKC offensePHI defense
At the rim63.3% (28th)60.1% (1st)67.2% (10th)65.4% (14th)
Paint40.7% (25th)39.9% (1st)46.1% (7th)42.4% (5th)
Midrange43.0% (9th)38.0% (1st)48.1% (1st)40.7% (11th)
Corner 337.2% (24th)39.9% (24th)38.1% (17th)39.1% (20th)
Above-the-break 334.2% (22nd)35.6% (23rd)35.9% (8th)33.8% (3rd)

Matchups on Mon, Feb 15

8 games
  • Timberwolves at Hornets12:00 PM ET

    How the Timberwolves 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 Timberwolves defense there ranks 4th (33.9% allowed).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Timberwolves play at 99.8 possessions per 48 minutes (9th in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Hornets beat the Timberwolves

    1. AttackAttack the corner 3The Hornets shoot 42.8% from the corners (3rd), 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%).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • 76ers at Mavericks2:30 PM ET

    How the 76ers beat the Mavericks

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe 76ers shoot 43.0% from midrange (9th), 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 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%).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Mavericks play at 101.1 possessions per 48 minutes (4th in pace), the 76ers at 98.8 (15th). Run and make them keep up.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Spurs at Heat5:00 PM ET

    How the Spurs 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 Spurs play at 99.1 possessions per 48 minutes (13th in pace), the Heat at 102.8 (1st). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Heat 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. TempoPush the paceThe Heat play at 102.8 possessions per 48 minutes (1st in pace), the Spurs at 99.1 (13th). Run and make them keep up.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Suns at Wizards7:00 PM ET

    How the Suns beat the Wizards

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Suns grab 28.9% of their misses (7th), and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd), and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    How the Wizards beat the Suns

    1. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Suns grab 28.9% of their misses (7th) and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Suns force turnovers on 13.9% of plays (3rd) and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Pacers at Warriors7:30 PM ET

    How the Pacers beat the Warriors

    1. 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%).
    2. AttackAttack midrange11.6% of Pacers shots come from midrange (7th most), and the Warriors allow 43.1% there (26th of 30).

    How the Warriors 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 313.4% of Warriors shots come from the corners (4th most), and the Pacers allow 39.4% there (22nd of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

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

    How the Knicks beat the Grizzlies

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Knicks grab 29.3% of their misses (5th), and the Grizzlies rank 29th on the defensive glass (70.9%).
    2. AttackAttack midrangeThe Knicks shoot 44.9% from midrange (2nd), and the Grizzlies allow 43.1% there (24th of 30).

    How the Grizzlies 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. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Knicks grab 29.3% of their misses (5th) and the Grizzlies rank 29th on the defensive glass (70.9%).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Magic at Thunder8:00 PM ET

    How the Magic 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%).

    How the Thunder 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 paintThe Thunder shoot 46.1% in the paint (7th), and the Magic allow 45.3% there (23rd of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

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

    How the Pistons beat the Jazz

    1. AttackAttack the rim36.0% of Pistons shots come at the rim (3rd most), and the Jazz allow 72.0% 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%).

    How the Jazz beat the Pistons

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Pistons force turnovers on 14.1% of plays (1st) and the Jazz give it away on 12.8% (24th of 30).
    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%).

    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.