We’re hitting the house stretch of the 2024-25 NBA common season. This will usually be the a part of the schedule that seems like it may drag on a bit as we anxiously await the playoffs. Everybody has their eyes on the postseason, the draft lottery or one thing else, and this final month-and-a-half can turn into a blur. However with a commerce deadline that introduced so many seismic strikes, and tons of postseason spots hanging within the stability, there’s some elevated significance positioned on these final handful of video games because the common season involves a detailed.

With that in thoughts, with 25-ish video games left on the schedule, here is the largest targets for every group within the Western Convention over the subsequent six-plus weeks.

Aim: Get wholesome
The shock continues to be sporting off from the Mavericks executing probably the most beautiful commerce in NBA historical past, however as painful as saying goodbye to Luka Dončiċ could also be for the fanbase, that is prior to now and the present roster is now the main target. With two dozen video games left, the purpose for this group must be to get wholesome. Dallas is with out all 4 of its large males, together with Anthony Davis. Regardless of having a stellar exhibiting in three quarters of his Mavericks debut, Davis picked up an adductor pressure which is predicted to maintain him out for not less than one other week. Getting not less than two of their 4 large males shall be an enormous increase to a group that has the items to make life tough for among the prime groups within the West, however that will not occur if this roster cannot get wholesome because the common season closes.

Aim: Safe the No. 2 seed
The Nuggets have been one of many hottest groups getting into the All-Star break. Although their nine-game successful streak was lately snapped by the Lakers, the Nuggets appear to be peaking on the proper time. They entered Tuesday a half-game forward of Memphis for the No. 2 seed within the West. Wrangling that spot away from the Grizzlies (and Lakers and Rockets) must be the purpose for the Nuggets down the stretch. This is not about simply attempting to stack up as many wins as doable, it is about avoiding the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder within the playoffs for so long as doable. Getting the No. 2 seed places the Nuggets on the other facet of the bracket from OKC. Whereas the Nuggets match up properly towards the Thunder, ducking that buzzsaw for so long as doable must be the primary purpose for Denver.

Aim: Preserve flying underneath the radar
The Warriors seem to have a brand new lease on life with Jimmy Butler in tow, which alters their outlook for the remainder of the season. That is to not say that they are championship contenders, however I actually would not guess towards a group that has Stephen Curry and the never-quit perspective of Butler. Already the Warriors seem like they’ve sufficient to upset among the prime groups within the West behind Curry’s capturing and Butler’s potential to maneuver with out the ball and get to the free-throw line. For one of many first instances within the Curry period, the Warriors do not have vital expectations on their shoulders, which implies they’ll function within the background and attempt to steal wins off groups and attempt to sneakily climb up the standings within the West. They’re at present ninth within the West, however are just one sport again of the sixth-seeded Clippers.

Aim: Get their veteran flooring common again
In the beginning of February the Rockets held the No. 2 spot within the West, and regarded like they might be a critical risk within the playoffs behind what’s been a pleasantly stunning season. However on the time of scripting this, Houston has fallen to the No. 5 spot, which might be simply defined by the ankle damage to flooring common Fred VanVleet, who has been sidelined since Feb. 3. VanVleet’s presence was all the time vital, however watching the Rockets with out him for the final month has proven simply how badly this group wants him. VanVleet calms every little thing down on offense and will get everybody so as. Whereas Jalen Inexperienced and Alperen Sengun are having robust seasons, VanVleet’s veteran presence is sorely missed. Getting him again is of the utmost significance for this group to make noise within the playoffs, and having VanVleet return with sufficient time to get re-acclimated earlier than the postseason is much more vital to knock off any rust.

Aim: Preserve their top-six seed
Not many individuals are speaking about how spectacular the Clippers have been this season regardless of dropping Paul George, and being with out Kawhi Leonard for a very good chunk of the season. However Norman Powell and James Harden have carried this group in a approach nobody might’ve ever anticipated, and there is a actual chance that L.A. will end with a top-six seed. No less than, that must be the purpose for the remainder of the season. The Clippers are tied with the Timberwolves and have a half-game lead over the Mavericks, who’re looming proper behind them, however L.A. has been the extra constant group. Staying out of the play-in secures extra relaxation for the oft-injured Leonard, who L.A. will need as wholesome as doable for a possible playoff run.

Los Angeles Lakers

Aim: Make Luka as comfy as doable
The Lakers have a humiliation of riches after the Mavericks handed them Luka Dončiċ on a silver platter. It is the form of commerce each common supervisor within the league fantasizes about however hardly ever happens, and now L.A. has to shift course to cater to Dončiċ’s wants as a lot as doable. We noticed a little bit of that already in L.A.’s current win towards the Nuggets, the place Dončiċ had the ball in his fingers probably the most since he was traded to the Lakers. It resulted in a 32-point, 10-rebound, seven-assist outing for the famous person, and the primary signal that Dončiċ is beginning to actually get comfy with LeBron James his new squad. Persevering with that pattern must be the highest purpose for the Lakers, as a result of the extra comfy Dončiċ feels with the Lakers, the extra harmful they are going to be when the playoffs begin.

Memphis Grizzlies

Aim: Assist Ja Morant discover some consistency
The Grizzlies have outperformed expectations this season, holding the No. 2 seed within the West behind a roster that has the fourth-best internet ranking within the league. All that regardless of sporadic accidents, most notably to Morant who has appeared in 35 video games. When wholesome, although, Morant hasn’t been fairly as dominant as years previous. He is earned a popularity for being an explosive guard, one who might wreak havoc on opponents when he will get downhill. That is nonetheless the case, however Morant’s manufacturing has been inconsistent. One evening he’ll put up 16 factors, the subsequent he’ll drop 25 factors, after which 12 factors after that. Memphis wants the All-Star model of Morant, the man who two seasons in the past was placing up 25+ factors one a daily foundation in the event that they need to keep away from the damaging “regular-season group” tag.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Aim: Keep away from the play-in
It has been a somewhat disappointing season for the Timberwolves, who’re coming off a Western Convention finals run. Julius Randle has been removed from a seamless match, and Anthony Edwards has needed to alter the best way he performs to account for the truth that there’s much less flooring spacing with this roster. Consequently, the Wolves sit seventh within the West, however that is not the place they’ve to finish up by season’s finish. Minnesota is tied with the Clippers for the sixth spot after an exhilarating comeback win over the Thunder, and with one of many softest remaining schedules within the league, the Wolves have a strong shot of avoiding the play-in, which must be the precedence. It should take this group getting wholesome as a number of key gamers are out, nevertheless it’s actually doable for the Timberwolves to go on a run and finish the common season on a excessive observe with the playoffs across the nook.

Aim: Preserve the No. 1 choose probabilities as excessive as doable
It has been a misplaced season for the Pelicans, winners of simply 14 video games. They traded Brandon Ingram, additional solidifying themselves on the backside of the convention, and at present have the second-worst document within the NBA. The three groups with the worst data within the league obtain equal 14% probabilities of touchdown the No. 1 choose within the spring’s draft lottery. The Wizards appear more likely to declare a kind of spots. The Pelicans shall be “competing” with the Hornets and Jazz for the opposite two. During the last month-and-a-half of the season, the Pelicans should not deviate from the trail their at present on, which may lead on to Cooper Flagg if the lottery goes their approach.

Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder

Aim: Determine the postseason rotation
The Thunder have far and away been one of the best group within the West this season, and with the No. 1 seed all however locked up, every little thing going ahead is all about high-quality tuning issues earlier than the playoffs. One focus must be on determining what the postseason rotation goes to be for OKC. Whereas that is an extremely deep roster, not everybody goes to — or ought to — be enjoying when the playoffs begin. Which means utilizing the subsequent six weeks as a tryout of kinds to see who’s going to fill out what is often an eight-man rotation for the postseason. Guys like Kenrich Williams, Ajay Mitchell, Jaylin Williams all hover across the 10-12 spots within the rotation, and will see their minutes shrink considerably within the playoffs, or maybe they outperform another person to see a rise in enjoying time. It is a good drawback to have when you’re Mark Daigneault, however that does not make it a straightforward resolution to make.

Aim: Go all out to make the postseason
The Suns have been certainly one of — if not probably the most — disappointing group within the West this season. A roster that has Kevin Durant and Devin Booker sits eleventh within the Western Convention, and is in actual jeopardy to overlook the postseason. Phoenix did not enhance on the commerce deadline. A Butler commerce that many had anticipated to occur by no means got here to fruition, and contingency plans did not materialize when that plan fell by. So the roster is what it’s and Phoenix has to do every little thing in its energy to try to get one of many final spots within the play-in. It is actually doable, there’s only a 1.5 sport hole between them and the Tenth-place Kings, however it should take greater than the 2-8 document they’ve mustered within the final 10 video games. The vibes do not seem like good in Phoenix, they usually’ll be even worse this summer season if this group fails to make the playoffs. Even when the Suns wind up within the draft lottery, they do not personal their first-round choose in 2025.

Aim: Attempt to add some ping pong balls
There was a second there the place it regarded like perhaps the Blazers have been gunning for a play-in spot, however accidents shortly dissolved that concept, and now they’re in place for a excessive lottery spot in June. That is precisely the place Portland must be, as a result of in a draft as deep because the upcoming one, getting as excessive of a spot as you may get is precedence No. 1. The event from the younger guys like Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons has been promising, however Portland nonetheless would not seem to have the man but, and nailing this upcoming draft might very properly internet them somebody who might be constructed round going ahead.

Sacramento Kings

Aim: Play-in or bust
The Kings are in a bizarre place after buying and selling De’Aaron Fox forward of the deadline. They have a bunch of gifted particular person gamers, however cohesively it would not seem so as to add as much as a group that might do something greater than win a pair play-in video games and get bounced within the first spherical of the playoffs. That is simply the truth for Sacramento proper now, and whereas which may be sufficient for a group that has hardly ever tasted playoff success within the final 15 years, being within the center within the NBA is the worst place to be. If the Kings do not make the play-in they have to essentially think about their future choices this summer season. A rebuild goes to be tough to do after taking up Zach LaVine’s large contract, however even at its peak this simply is not a roster that may cope with the highest groups within the West. 

Aim: Prioritize the 2025-26 roster
Victor Wembanyama’s unlucky shutdown for the rest of the season is the proper cause for the Spurs to surrender on a possible play-in run. With out Wemby this group is not reaching the postseason, even with Fox, Chris Paul and all of the younger guys on the roster. It additionally should not be the purpose going ahead, as getting a high quality piece close to the highest of the 2025 draft is way extra useful for the continuous constructing round Wembanyama and now Fox.  

Aim: Be worse than the Pelicans and/or Hornets
Utah has been tanking all season and that should not change now. With the flattened draft odds, as we touched on within the Pelicans’ part, the highest three groups with the worst data will all have a 14% probability at touchdown the No. 1 choose. The Jazz are at present third in that group. They will need to preserve tempo with the Pelicans and never let the Hornets — who’re a half-game again of the third-worst document — catch them, in any other case their probabilities of getting that prime choose lower from 14% to 12.5%.