2025-26 Season
JAVON SMALL
2025-26 Season
JAVON SMALL
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 22 teammates (10+ games, 10+ min)
Similar Players
Same position, closest production profile this season.
SKILL DNA
Percentile rank vs 245 Guards with 10+ games
THE SEASON SO FAR
Javon Small’s first twenty games of the 2025-26 season were defined by maddening inconsistency, oscillating wildly between offensive black hole and sudden scoring spark. His worst habits surfaced during a dreadful 10/24 vs MIA appearance. Despite logging eight assists, settling for heavily contested perimeter jumpers completely derailed the offense and yielded an abysmal -14.0 impact score. Stats rarely told the whole story with Small. During an efficient 14-point outing on 01/07 vs PHX, he still posted a -0.7 impact because severe defensive lapses at the point of attack surrendered everything he generated on the other end. Then came the sudden flashes. He erupted for 22 points on 02/07 vs POR, slicing through the defense in transition to generate a massive +12.4 impact score. Until he stops dying on screens and eliminates his ill-advised shot selection, Small will remain a highly volatile gamble off the bench.
This stretch of the season was defined by a volatile tug-of-war between Javon Small's lethal perimeter shot-making and his occasionally reckless decision-making. When dialed in, he was an absolute force. He eviscerated the defense on Mar 13 vs DET for 23 points, posting a massive +18.5 impact score by pairing his offensive punch with suffocating defensive activity. He did not even need to score to tilt the floor, managing just 2 points on Mar 07 vs LAC but still generating a +3.8 impact through sheer hustle and elite effort on the margins. Yet, his aggression sometimes morphed into recklessness. During a Mar 10 vs PHI matchup, forced entry passes and sloppy ball security completely derailed his rhythm, resulting in a brutal -7.7 impact despite handing out 7 assists. Similarly, he dropped 17 points on Mar 21 vs CHA but suffered a -3.6 impact because hidden defensive lapses quietly sabotaged the team's momentum.
IMPACT TIMELINE
Game-by-game performance vs average. Green = above average, red = below.
Boom-or-bust player. Small's impact swings wildly relative to his average — some nights dominant, others invisible. Scoring varies by ~7 points per game.
Middle-of-the-road efficiency — shoots 45%+ from the field in 55% of games. Not automatic, but not a problem either.
Defensive difference-maker. Small 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: -5.0, second-half: +4.0. That's a significant jump — could be a role change, confidence, or development clicking.
Hot right now — 4 straight games with positive impact. Longest positive run this season: 8 games.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Based on 40 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
41 games played
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