2025-26 Season
JAKOB POELTL
2025-26 Season
JAKOB POELTL
PBP Credit: Every play is analyzed from play-by-play data. Scorers get difficulty-adjusted credit, assisters get creation value based on the shot opportunity they created, and turnovers are classified by type. Shot difficulty is derived from 1M+ shots across 4 seasons. Full methodology
TEAM COMPARISON
of 14 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 93 Centers with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Jakob Poeltl’s early season was defined by ruthless interior efficiency and defensive anchoring. He morphed into an advanced-metrics juggernaut when operating strictly around the basket. On 11/13 vs CLE, he dropped 20 points on 7/10 shooting, generating a massive +18.1 impact score through highly disciplined shot selection and clinical finishing. Even when his scoring vanished, his non-scoring value kept his team afloat. During the 11/29 vs CHA matchup, he managed just 8 points but still posted a +8.1 impact because he dictated the game with 11 rebounds and elite post playmaking that yielded 9 assists. However, his heavy-footed drop coverage occasionally became a glaring liability. On 10/24 vs MIL, he was completely out-leveraged by quicker bigs in the pick-and-roll, resulting in a brutal -6.3 impact score. Ultimately, as long as he maintained his positional discipline, his sheer physical presence dictated the terms of engagement in the paint.
This twenty-game stretch transformed Jakob Poeltl from a passive bench piece into an irreplaceable interior anchor. Things actually started disastrously on 02/19 vs CHI, where he posted a miserable -8.4 impact score as a reserve due to complete invisibility on the glass and zero rim pressure. He quickly reclaimed his starting job and flipped the script, generating a massive +11.9 impact on 02/22 vs MIL despite scoring just six points. That immense value came entirely from flawless defensive anchoring and elite rim protection that completely suffocated the opposition. Conversely, raw scoring volume occasionally masked severe hidden costs. During a 23-point, 11-rebound outburst on 03/20 vs DEN, his overall impact settled at a modest +4.0 because his usually stout interior presence completely collapsed, yielding a disastrous -12.7 defensive score. When engaged, Poeltl was a hyper-efficient battering ram, but his true value always hinged strictly on his defensive discipline rather than his point totals.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Volatile for his role. Poeltl has noticeable ups and downs, with scoring moving ~6 points between games.
Reliable shooter — hits 45%+ from the field in 92% of games. You can count on efficient nights more often than not.
Defensive difference-maker. Poeltl consistently forces tough shots and protects the rim — opponents shoot worse when he's guarding them.
Getting better as the season goes on. First-half impact: +3.0, second-half: +6.8. That's a significant jump — could be a role change, confidence, or development clicking.
In a rough stretch — 4 straight games with negative impact. Longest cold streak this season: 4 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 41 games with tracking data. Shows who guarded this player on offense and who he guarded on defense, with their shooting stats in those matchups.
ON OFFENSE: WHO GUARDED HIM
His shooting stats against each primary defender this season
ON DEFENSE: WHO HE GUARDED
How opponents shot when he was the primary defender. Lower FG% = better defense.
SEASON STATS
GAME LOG
47 games played
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