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Wed, Oct 21 · 2026-27

Player projections

Expected minutes, points, rebounds, assists and threes for every player, from recent form, the opponent's defense by position and pace. Each number comes with an 80% range.

01Projections

Wed, Oct 21 · 11 games

Based on 2025-26: nobody has played 5 games of 2026-27 yet, so these use last season's per-minute numbers and expected minutes on each player's current roster. Players with fewer than 20 games last season are left out until they play. They switch to this season's games on their own.

ATL at ORL 7:00 PM ET · MIL at WAS 7:00 PM ET · MIN at MIA 7:30 PM ET · CHA at BKN 7:30 PM ET · CHI at TOR 7:30 PM ET · IND at NOP 8:00 PM ET · UTA at MEM 8:00 PM ET · DAL at HOU 8:30 PM ET · PHX at POR 10:00 PM ET · GSW at LAL 10:00 PM ET · SAC at LAC 10:30 PM ET

PlayerMatchupMINPTS ↓REBAST3PM
Luka DoncicForwardvs GSWvs top-5 defense3531.819-447.24-118.14-123.71-6
Kawhi LeonardForwardvs CHIvs bottom-5 defense3128.517-406.43-103.71-72.71-5
Lauri MarkkanenForwardat MEMvs bottom-5 defense3327.516-397.24-112.20-42.71-5
Giannis AntetokounmpoForwardvs MIN2525.215-388.95-144.82-80.40-2
Kevin DurantForwardvs DAL3525.214-365.22-94.72-82.20-4
Pascal SiakamForwardat NOP3223.913-356.73-103.91-71.70-3
Deni AvdijaForwardvs PHX3223.313-346.53-106.43-101.80-4
Michael Porter Jr.Forwardvs CHA3222.612-336.33-102.81-53.21-6
Paolo BancheroForwardvs ATL3422.312-338.44-135.22-91.10-3
Jalen JohnsonForwardat ORLvs top-5 defense3421.912-3210.16-157.44-111.50-3
Trey Murphy IIIForwardvs IND3421.511-325.72-93.71-73.11-6
Norman PowellForwardat TOR2921.412-333.51-72.40-52.51-5
Zion WilliamsonForwardvs IND2921.212-335.73-103.11-60.00-1
Brandon IngramForwardvs SACvs bottom-5 defense3320.911-315.22-93.71-71.70-4
Cooper FlaggForwardat HOU3320.310-306.33-104.32-70.90-2
Jaren Jackson Jr.Forwardat MEMvs bottom-5 defense3020.111-316.03-102.00-41.80-4
Alperen SengunForwardvs DAL3220.110-308.65-136.23-100.50-2
RJ BarrettForwardvs CHIvs bottom-5 defense3019.810-315.32-93.41-61.70-4
Julius RandleForwardvs CHA3219.710-296.03-104.62-81.30-3
Jerami GrantForwardvs UTA2919.310-303.61-72.40-52.41-5
Brandon MillerForwardat BKN3018.810-304.52-83.11-62.81-5
Saddiq BeyForwardvs IND3117.88-275.62-92.50-52.00-4
Franz WagnerForwardvs ATL2517.69-284.42-82.91-61.20-3
Miles BridgesForwardat PORvs top-5 defense3016.27-255.52-93.01-61.70-4
Matas BuzelisForwardat TOR2916.18-265.83-102.00-42.10-4
Brice SensabaughForwardat MEMvs bottom-5 defense2416.07-273.31-72.10-42.21-4
Andrew WigginsForwardvs MIN3015.87-265.02-92.71-52.00-4
Jabari Smith Jr.Forwardvs DAL3415.57-246.63-101.80-42.20-4
Jaden McDanielsForwardat MIA3115.06-244.42-72.71-51.40-3
Onyeka OkongwuForwardat ORLvs top-5 defense3014.96-237.54-123.01-61.80-4
Naji MarshallForwardat HOU2914.87-244.52-83.11-60.80-2
KyShawn GeorgeForwardvs MIL2814.77-245.02-94.62-82.10-4
Airious BaileyForwardat MEMvs bottom-5 defense2714.46-244.42-81.90-41.90-4
Bobby PortisForwardvs MIN2414.36-246.73-111.60-42.00-4
Kelly Oubre Jr.Forwardat NOP3114.16-225.12-81.70-41.70-4
P.J. WashingtonForwardat HOU3013.76-226.73-111.70-41.30-3
Santi AldamaForwardat HOU2713.76-236.43-102.81-61.50-3
GG JacksonForwardvs UTA2213.55-234.62-81.70-41.20-3
Jaylen WellsForwardvs UTA2613.15-223.31-61.80-41.90-4
De'Andre HunterForwardat LAC2613.15-223.91-72.00-41.50-3
Kyle KuzmaForwardat WASvs bottom-5 defense2613.05-224.52-82.71-51.20-3
Toumani CamaraForwardvs PHX3212.95-214.92-82.30-52.51-5
Naz ReidForwardat BKN2612.85-225.72-102.10-41.90-4
Wendell Carter Jr.Forwardvs ATL2912.05-217.54-122.00-40.90-2
Jarace WalkerForwardat NOP2611.85-205.32-92.71-51.70-4
Nicolas ClaxtonForwardat TOR2711.64-206.93-113.61-70.00-1
Noah ClowneyForwardvs CHA2711.64-203.71-71.50-41.90-4
Rui HachimuraForwardvs SACvs bottom-5 defense2811.34-203.11-60.80-21.70-4
Jonathan KumingaForwardat MIA2111.24-205.32-92.10-40.90-2
Sandro MamukelashviliForwardvs GSWvs top-5 defense2211.04-204.82-91.90-41.40-3
Isaiah StewartForwardvs UTA2310.63-195.32-91.30-30.70-2
Will RileyForwardvs MIL2210.53-192.90-62.10-41.10-3
Tari EasonForwardvs DAL2610.54-196.23-101.50-41.50-3
Jalen SmithForwardat TOR2110.43-196.93-121.20-31.50-3
Khris MiddletonForwardvs MIL2310.33-193.71-72.91-61.10-3
Tristan Da SilvaForwardvs ATL2510.23-183.81-71.70-41.50-3
Derrick Jones Jr.Forwardvs SACvs bottom-5 defense2710.03-183.31-61.40-31.10-3
Jay HuffForwardat NOP219.93-184.11-81.60-41.50-3
Micah PotterForwardvs PHX209.83-184.92-91.50-31.50-3
Precious AchiuwaForwardat LAC249.73-186.43-111.40-30.30-2
Zaccharie RisacherForwardat HOU239.53-183.81-71.10-31.30-3
Daniel GaffordForwardat HOU229.53-186.83-111.00-30.00-1
Isaac OkoroForwardat TOR279.23-172.81-51.50-41.10-3
Royce O'NealeForwardat BKN289.23-174.42-82.50-52.41-5
Gui SantosForwardat LAL219.12-173.81-72.30-51.10-3
Cody WilliamsForwardat MIA249.13-173.11-62.10-40.40-2
Herbert JonesForwardvs IND289.03-163.41-62.71-51.40-3
Collin Murray-BoylesForwardvs CHIvs bottom-5 defense228.92-175.22-92.00-40.30-2
Danny WolfForwardvs CHA218.62-174.51-82.10-41.20-3
Draymond GreenForwardat LAL278.12-155.22-95.32-91.40-3
Nikola JovicForwardvs MIN188.12-163.61-72.30-51.00-2
Taylor HendricksForwardvs UTA198.02-164.01-81.10-31.10-3
Jake LaRaviaForwardvs GSWvs top-5 defense258.02-153.81-71.80-40.90-2
Keegan MurrayForwardat LAC207.71-153.11-60.90-20.70-2
Jamir WatkinsForwardvs MIL217.71-154.01-81.50-31.00-2
Moussa DiabateForwardat BKN267.42-148.04-131.80-40.00-1
Patrick WilliamsForwardat TOR217.11-143.11-61.50-31.30-3
Isaiah JacksonForwardvs SACvs bottom-5 defense177.01-145.32-91.00-30.00-1
Kyle AndersonForwardvs CHIvs bottom-5 defense206.61-133.61-73.11-60.10-1
Oso IghodaroForwardat PORvs top-5 defense226.31-134.92-92.20-40.00-1
Drake PowellForwardvs CHA216.31-131.60-41.40-30.80-2
Kris MurrayForwardvs UTA236.11-133.81-71.60-40.60-2
Justin ChampagnieForwardvs MIL146.01-143.81-80.90-20.50-2
Leonard MillerForwardat TOR115.71-132.91-60.60-20.50-2
Jarred VanderbiltForwardvs GSWvs top-5 defense184.50-104.51-81.30-30.40-2
Caleb MartinForwardat HOU164.10-112.50-61.40-30.30-1
Dwight PowellForwardat HOU153.50-104.31-91.10-30.00-1

Small numbers under each projection are the 80% range. Defense chips rank the opponent on points allowed per 100 possessions to his position group: bottom-5 means one of the five most generous. 87 players shown.

Check a prop line

Betting tools

Projection 31.8 (80% range 19-44). Type the line from your sportsbook to see the over and under chances.

One game is noisy: even a good projection misses by several points most nights. Add it to a parlay.

02Track record

2025-26 backtest

No projected games are final yet. Here is how the model did replaying 2025-26.

2025-26 backtest: average miss per player game

StatThis modelSeason averageLast 10 averageGain vs season avgInside 80% range
Points4.584.694.662.2%80%
Rebounds1.881.911.931.6%81%
Assists1.351.371.371.3%80%
Threes made0.890.900.911.1%80%
Minutes5.035.435.127.4%n/a

Lower is better. Season and last-10 averages are the simple guesses the model has to beat.

How this works

The method

Two steps. First we project minutes from a player's minutes per game this season, over his last 10 games and over his last 5 (the last 5 count the most), plus home court and the second night of a back-to-back. Then each stat is his per-minute rate (season, last 10 and last 5) times those minutes, adjusted for the opponent and the pace.

The opponent adjustment compares how many points, rebounds, assists and threes the opponent allows per 100 possessions to his position group (guards, forwards or centers) with the league. Early in a season it leans on last season's number. An opponent that allows 10% more points to his position adds about 2.1% to his points. A game 3% faster than average adds about 5.5%.

The weights were fit by least squares on 24,874 player games from 2025-26. The 80% ranges come from how far real results landed from the projection in testing, grouped by projected minutes.

How we tested it

We replayed 2025-26 from Mon, Dec 1 to Sun, Apr 12, refitting on the first of each month using only earlier games, and projected 19,968 player games. The average miss on points was 4.58, against 4.69 for his season average and 4.66 for his last-10 average. The gain is small, but it held for every stat, and 80% of real point totals landed inside the 80% range.

A gradient boosting model on the same inputs missed by 4.65 points, so we kept the simpler model. It runs inside our database every morning.

What it cannot see

Injuries, rest days, who starts and trades after the morning update. It projects every active player as if he plays, and it is graded only on players who did. Minutes are the biggest source of error: had we known each player's real minutes, the average miss on points would have been 3.74 instead of 4.58. Blowouts cut starters' minutes and are not predicted.

Until a player has 5 games in a season, his projection uses last season's per-minute numbers and his expected minutes on his current roster (last season's minutes handed out down the depth chart). That early-season mode could not be tested, because our data starts in 2025-26. Rookies without NBA games get no projection, and neither do players with fewer than 20 games last season (a few games is too small a sample) until they play this season (Decision #87).

Updated every morning for the next seven days of games. Once a game tips off its projections are frozen, and those frozen numbers are what we grade.