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Game plans · Wednesday, April 7

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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Spurs at Warriors

How the Spurs beat the Warriors

  1. AttackAttack the corner 313.9% of Spurs shots come from the corners (1st most), and the Warriors allow 40.9% there (27th 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%).
  3. AttackAttack midrangeThe Spurs shoot 43.6% from midrange (7th), and the Warriors allow 43.1% there (26th of 30).
  4. Take awayTake away the corner 313.4% of Warriors shots come from the corners (4th most) and they make 39.5% (8th). The Spurs defense there ranks 1st (34.6% allowed).
  5. AttackAttack the paintThe Spurs shoot 45.7% in the paint (10th), and the Warriors allow 47.0% there (26th of 30).

How the Warriors 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%).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneSAS offenseGSW defenseGSW offenseSAS defense
At the rim67.1% (12th)67.8% (22nd)68.9% (4th)62.7% (5th)
Paint45.7% (10th)47.0% (26th)43.4% (21st)42.5% (7th)
Midrange43.6% (7th)43.1% (26th)39.5% (23rd)42.5% (22nd)
Corner 338.9% (12th)40.9% (27th)39.5% (8th)34.6% (1st)
Above-the-break 334.4% (20th)34.4% (13th)34.1% (24th)35.4% (19th)

Matchups on Wed, Apr 7

9 games
  • Pacers at Pistons7:00 PM ET

    How the Pacers 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%).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Pacers play at 100.3 possessions per 48 minutes (8th in pace), the Pistons at 98.3 (18th). Run and make them keep up.

    How the Pistons 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 paint20.8% of Pistons shots come in the paint (10th most), and the Pacers allow 47.1% there (27th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Celtics at Magic7:00 PM ET

    How the Celtics beat the Magic

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Celtics play at 94.2 possessions per 48 minutes (30th in pace), the Magic at 99.3 (12th). Make it a half-court game.
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Celtics shoot 48.2% in the paint (3rd), and the Magic allow 45.3% there (23rd of 30).

    How the Magic beat the Celtics

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Magic play at 99.3 possessions per 48 minutes (12th 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 Magic defense there ranks 7th (34.2% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

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

    How the Nets beat the Raptors

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Raptors force turnovers on 13.5% of plays (4th) and the Nets give it away on 13.7% (29th of 30).
    2. 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%).

    How the Raptors beat the Nets

    1. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Raptors force turnovers on 13.5% of plays (4th), and the Nets give it away on 13.7% (29th of 30).
    2. 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%).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Cavaliers at Spurs7:30 PM ET

    How the Cavaliers beat the Spurs

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Cavaliers shoot 44.5% from midrange (4th), 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 Cavaliers

    1. AttackAttack the corner 313.9% of Spurs shots come from the corners (1st most), and the Cavaliers allow 40.1% 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.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hornets at Bulls8:00 PM ET

    How the Hornets beat the Bulls

    1. AttackAttack the above-the-break 337.3% of Hornets shots come from above the break (2nd most), and the Bulls allow 36.6% there (29th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Hornets play at 96.1 possessions per 48 minutes (26th in pace), the Bulls at 101.9 (2nd). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Bulls 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 Bulls defense there ranks 29th (36.6% allowed).
    2. TempoPush the paceThe Bulls play at 101.9 possessions per 48 minutes (2nd in pace), the Hornets at 96.1 (26th). Run and make them keep up.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

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

    How the Wizards beat the Grizzlies

    1. AttackAttack midrange12.1% of Wizards shots come from midrange (5th most), and the Grizzlies allow 43.1% there (24th of 30).
    2. Take awayTake away the paint22.1% of Grizzlies shots come in the paint (4th most) and they make 45.9% (8th). The Wizards defense there ranks 2nd (40.6% allowed).

    How the Grizzlies beat the Wizards

    1. Take awayTake away midrange12.1% of Wizards shots come from midrange (5th most) and they make 43.4% (8th). The Grizzlies defense there ranks 24th (43.1% allowed).
    2. TurnoversPressure the ballThe Grizzlies force turnovers on 12.8% of plays (8th), and the Wizards give it away on 13.2% (26th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

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

    How the Kings 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 Kings defense there ranks 29th (48.7% allowed).

    How the Rockets beat the Kings

    1. AttackAttack the paint23.5% of Rockets shots come in the paint (2nd most), and the Kings allow 48.7% there (29th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack midrange12.8% of Rockets shots come from midrange (2nd most), and the Kings allow 43.7% there (27th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Timberwolves at Lakers10:00 PM ET

    How the Timberwolves 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 Timberwolves defense there ranks 8th (42.9% allowed).

    How the Lakers 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%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Lakers play at 97.6 possessions per 48 minutes (21st in pace), the Timberwolves at 99.8 (9th). Make it a half-court game.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Mavericks at Trail Blazers10:00 PM ET

    How the Mavericks 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 Mavericks

    1. 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%).

    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.