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Mon, Oct 26 · 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

Mon, Oct 26 · 9 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.

WAS at CHA 7:00 PM ET · MIN at CLE 7:00 PM ET · CHI at BOS 7:30 PM ET · DAL at MIA 7:30 PM ET · IND at MIL 8:00 PM ET · PHX at OKC 8:00 PM ET · ATL at HOU 8:30 PM ET · MEM at UTA 9:00 PM ET · GSW at DEN 10:00 PM ET

PlayerMatchupMINPTS ↓REBAST3PM
Shai Gilgeous-AlexanderGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense3330.418-434.11-76.33-101.60-3
Anthony EdwardsGuardat CLE3528.717-404.92-83.71-73.31-6
Donovan MitchellGuardvs MIN3327.616-394.42-85.63-93.01-5
Stephen CurryGuardat DEN3025.715-373.41-64.62-84.22-7
Jamal MurrayGuardvs GSWvs bottom-5 defense3425.014-364.31-77.04-113.11-6
Keyonte GeorgeGuardvs MEM3324.814-363.91-76.63-102.61-5
Devin BookerGuardat OKCvs top-5 defense3324.414-353.71-65.52-91.80-4
James HardenGuardvs MIN3423.313-344.72-87.94-122.91-5
LaMelo BallGuardat CLE2820.411-324.92-87.34-123.82-7
Nickeil Alexander-WalkerGuardat HOUvs top-5 defense3319.810-303.21-63.41-63.01-5
Dillon BrooksGuardat OKCvs top-5 defense3019.010-303.41-61.60-42.20-4
DeMar DeRozanGuardvs GSWvs bottom-5 defense3118.39-282.91-54.11-70.60-2
Kon KnueppelGuardvs WAS3118.39-285.22-93.41-63.21-6
Jimmy ButlerGuardat DEN2818.09-295.02-94.42-80.70-2
CJ McCollumGuardat HOUvs top-5 defense2918.09-293.11-63.61-72.31-5
Coby WhiteGuardvs WAS2517.49-283.41-64.22-72.20-4
Ryan RollinsGuardvs INDvs bottom-5 defense3117.18-264.52-85.53-92.30-4
Andrew NembhardGuardat MILvs bottom-5 defense3117.18-262.81-57.84-121.90-4
Amen ThompsonGuardvs ATL3517.08-267.14-114.92-80.30-2
Tyler HerroGuardvs INDvs bottom-5 defense2516.78-273.91-73.31-61.90-4
Payton PritchardGuardvs CHI3216.47-253.81-75.12-92.51-5
Grayson AllenGuardvs WAS2816.48-263.01-63.91-73.01-6
Josh GiddeyGuardat BOS3116.27-257.94-128.85-131.80-4
Kevin Porter Jr.Guardvs INDvs bottom-5 defense3016.07-254.82-86.83-111.00-3
Derrick WhiteGuardvs CHI3315.87-254.21-75.32-92.61-5
Jaime Jaquez Jr.Guardvs INDvs bottom-5 defense2815.47-255.02-94.72-80.70-2
Ayo DosunmuGuardat CLE2815.17-253.51-73.71-71.80-4
Cedric CowardGuardat UTAvs bottom-5 defense2614.87-246.43-103.11-61.60-3
Peyton WatsonGuardvs MIN2914.67-244.82-82.10-41.40-3
Tim Hardaway Jr.Guardvs DALvs top-5 defense2614.26-242.81-51.40-32.81-5
Aaron NesmithGuardat MILvs bottom-5 defense3014.06-234.21-82.00-42.41-5
Jalen WilliamsGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense2414.06-243.71-74.42-80.60-2
Ajay MitchellGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense2613.66-233.31-63.61-71.00-3
Jalen GreenGuardat OKCvs top-5 defense2113.55-232.80-62.10-41.70-4
Tre JonesGuardat BOS2713.56-233.01-65.22-90.60-2
Brandin PodziemskiGuardat DEN2813.56-234.92-93.61-71.80-4
Reed SheppardGuardvs ATL2613.36-222.81-63.31-62.71-5
Jaylon TysonGuardvs MIN2713.36-225.12-92.20-51.90-4
Brandon WilliamsGuardat DEN2213.05-232.90-63.91-70.50-2
Sam MerrillGuardvs MIN2612.85-222.60-52.40-52.91-5
Max ChristieGuardat MIA2912.85-223.41-62.10-42.41-5
Klay ThompsonGuardvs DALvs top-5 defense2212.65-222.30-51.50-33.01-5
Isaiah CollierGuardvs MEM2612.55-212.71-57.84-120.50-2
Donte DiVincenzoGuardat CLE3112.35-204.11-73.91-73.01-5
De'Anthony MeltonGuardat DEN2312.24-223.21-62.51-51.40-3
Cam SpencerGuardat UTAvs bottom-5 defense2512.15-212.81-56.23-102.20-4
Pelle LarssonGuardvs DALvs top-5 defense2612.05-213.71-73.61-70.90-2
Tre JohnsonGuardat CHA2412.04-212.80-62.00-41.80-4
Collin GillespieGuardat OKCvs top-5 defense2812.05-213.91-74.32-82.81-5
Moses MoodyGuardat DEN2611.95-213.21-61.60-42.41-5
Christian BraunGuardvs GSWvs bottom-5 defense3111.84-194.72-82.71-50.90-2
Bilal CoulibalyGuardat CHA2611.44-204.21-82.60-51.10-3
Dyson DanielsGuardat HOUvs top-5 defense3211.34-196.43-105.52-90.30-2
Dennis SchroderGuardvs WAS2410.94-192.70-55.12-91.00-3
Javon SmallGuardat UTAvs bottom-5 defense2110.83-203.51-74.22-71.60-3
Carlton CarringtonGuardat CHA2710.44-183.21-64.62-81.90-4
A.J. GreenGuardvs INDvs bottom-5 defense2910.34-182.70-51.90-42.81-5
Davion MitchellGuardvs DALvs top-5 defense289.83-182.81-66.93-111.30-3
Aaron WigginsGuardat HOUvs top-5 defense229.32-173.00-61.60-41.40-3
Marcus SmartGuardvs ATL289.13-172.70-52.91-61.50-3
Jared McCainGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense198.82-172.10-51.40-31.50-3
Quenton JacksonGuardat MILvs bottom-5 defense188.82-172.20-52.81-50.80-2
Walter Clayton Jr.Guardat UTAvs bottom-5 defense228.72-172.20-54.62-81.20-3
Cason WallaceGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense278.62-163.01-62.50-51.30-3
Devin CarterGuardvs CHI188.42-163.11-62.61-50.70-2
Jordan GoodwinGuardat OKCvs top-5 defense238.42-164.72-92.00-41.60-3
Luke KennardGuardat OKCvs top-5 defense228.12-162.30-52.10-41.50-3
Luguentz DortGuardat HOUvs top-5 defense278.12-153.41-61.20-31.70-4
Buddy HieldGuardat BOS177.82-152.30-51.40-31.50-3
Gary Trent Jr.Guardvs INDvs bottom-5 defense207.71-151.00-31.10-31.70-3
Ben SheppardGuardat MILvs bottom-5 defense227.41-153.21-61.90-41.40-3
Svi MykhailiukGuardvs MEM177.21-141.90-41.40-31.50-3
Nah'Shon HylandGuardat CLE147.02-161.50-42.21-41.30-3
Kenrich WilliamsGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense177.01-143.51-71.50-30.90-2
Alex CarusoGuardvs PHXvs top-5 defense196.51-132.80-62.00-41.00-2
Baylor ScheiermanGuardvs CHI195.60-123.51-71.60-41.20-3
Jordan WalshGuardvs CHI185.40-124.01-80.80-20.70-2
Sion JamesGuardvs WAS204.90-113.21-61.90-40.90-2
Craig PorterGuardvs MIN184.70-113.61-73.31-60.50-2
Mike ConleyGuardvs CHI194.60-101.70-43.01-61.00-2
Will RichardGuardat DEN124.00-101.50-40.80-20.60-2
Ryan NembhardGuardvs GSWvs bottom-5 defense103.60-101.20-32.81-50.40-2

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. 82 players shown.

Check a prop line

Betting tools

Projection 30.4 (80% range 18-43). 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.