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Game plans · Sunday, November 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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Grizzlies at Cavaliers

How the Grizzlies beat the Cavaliers

  1. 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.
  2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 333.0% of Grizzlies shots come from above the break (8th most), and the Cavaliers allow 36.1% there (25th of 30).

How the Cavaliers beat the Grizzlies

  1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Cavaliers shoot 44.5% from midrange (4th), 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 Cavaliers defense there ranks 13th (44.0% allowed).
  3. Key scorerKey scorer: Ty JeromeJerome (19.7 points per game): best in the paint (53% on 64 shots, league 44%), worst from above the break (40%, league 35%). 40% on the left side, 47% on the right; push him left.
  4. AttackAttack the paintThe Cavaliers shoot 47.8% in the paint (4th), and the Grizzlies allow 44.9% there (21st of 30).
FG% by zone. Offense rank: 1st = best shooting. Defense rank: 1st = lowest FG% allowed, 30th = most.
ZoneMEM offenseCLE defenseCLE offenseMEM defense
At the rim64.1% (25th)62.6% (4th)67.2% (11th)68.4% (24th)
Paint45.9% (8th)44.0% (13th)47.8% (4th)44.9% (21st)
Midrange40.3% (19th)42.4% (20th)44.5% (4th)43.1% (24th)
Corner 336.5% (27th)40.1% (25th)37.6% (18th)39.6% (23rd)
Above-the-break 334.8% (18th)36.1% (25th)35.4% (11th)35.2% (18th)

Matchups on Sun, Nov 15

9 games
  • Pacers at 76ers1:00 PM ET

    How the Pacers 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%).

    How the 76ers beat the Pacers

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe 76ers shoot 43.0% from midrange (9th), and the Pacers allow 45.4% there (30th of 30).
    2. 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.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Lakers at Suns4:00 PM ET

    How the Lakers beat the Suns

    1. AttackAttack the rimThe Lakers shoot 73.4% at the rim (1st), and the Suns allow 67.9% there (23rd of 30).
    2. Key scorerKey scorer: Devin BookerBooker (26.1 points per game): best from midrange (46% on 314 shots, league 42%), worst from above the break (33%, league 35%).

    How the Suns 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. AttackAttack midrange11.7% of Suns shots come from midrange (6th most), and the Lakers allow 44.7% there (29th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hornets at Clippers4:30 PM ET

    How the Hornets beat the Clippers

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Brandon IngramIngram (21.5 points per game): best from the corners (52% on 93 shots, league 39%), worst from above the break (33%, league 35%).
    2. AttackAttack the above-the-break 337.3% of Hornets shots come from above the break (2nd most), and the Clippers allow 35.6% there (22nd of 30).

    How the Clippers 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 Clippers defense there ranks 22nd (35.6% allowed).
    2. 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%).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Spurs at Jazz5:00 PM ET

    How the Spurs beat the Jazz

    1. 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%).
    2. AttackAttack the rim32.3% of Spurs shots come at the rim (7th most), and the Jazz allow 72.0% there (30th of 30).

    How the Jazz 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 Jazz play at 101.6 possessions per 48 minutes (3rd 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
  • Mavericks at Celtics6:00 PM ET

    How the Mavericks beat the Celtics

    1. TempoPush the paceThe Mavericks play at 101.1 possessions per 48 minutes (4th 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 Mavericks defense there ranks 9th (34.2% allowed).

    How the Celtics beat the Mavericks

    1. TempoSlow it downThe Celtics play at 94.2 possessions per 48 minutes (30th in pace), the Mavericks at 101.1 (4th). Make it a half-court game.
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Celtics shoot 48.2% in the paint (3rd), and the Mavericks allow 45.5% there (24th of 30).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Knicks at Raptors6:00 PM ET

    How the Knicks 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 Knicks defense there ranks 6th (64.2% allowed).

    How the Raptors 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. Take awayTake away the corner 313.6% of Knicks shots come from the corners (2nd most) and they make 41.6% (6th). The Raptors defense there ranks 14th (38.6% allowed).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

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

    How the Rockets beat the Wizards

    1. GlassCrash the offensive glassThe Rockets grab 34.8% of their misses (1st), and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Rockets play at 95.2 possessions per 48 minutes (29th in pace), the Wizards at 100.8 (5th). Make it a half-court game.

    How the Wizards 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. GlassFinish possessions: box outThe Rockets grab 34.8% of their misses (1st) and the Wizards rank 30th on the defensive glass (70.2%).

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Hawks at Bucks8:00 PM ET

    How the Hawks beat the Bucks

    1. Key scorerKey scorer: Tyler HerroHerro (20.5 points per game): best in the paint (58% on 165 shots, league 44%), worst from midrange (36%, league 42%).
    2. Take awayTake away the corner 313.4% of Bucks shots come from the corners (3rd most) and they make 42.9% (2nd). The Hawks defense there ranks 10th (38.1% allowed).

    How the Bucks beat the Hawks

    1. TurnoversTake care of the ballThe Hawks force turnovers on 13.2% of plays (6th) and the Bucks give it away on 13.3% (27th of 30).
    2. TempoSlow it downThe Bucks play at 96.8 possessions per 48 minutes (23rd in pace), the Hawks at 100.7 (7th). Make it a half-court game.

    Based on 2025-26, with the current roster

    Full preview →Full plan
  • Thunder at Kings9:00 PM ET

    How the Thunder beat the Kings

    1. AttackAttack midrangeThe Thunder shoot 48.1% from midrange (1st), and the Kings allow 43.7% there (27th of 30).
    2. AttackAttack the paintThe Thunder shoot 46.1% in the paint (7th), and the Kings allow 48.7% there (29th of 30).

    How the Kings 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%).

    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.