We’re hitting the home stretch of the 2024-25 NBA regular season. This can often be the part of the schedule that feels like it can drag on a bit as we anxiously await the playoffs. Everyone has their eyes on the postseason, the draft lottery or something else, and this last month-and-a-half can become a blur. But with a trade deadline that brought so many seismic moves, and tons of postseason spots hanging in the balance, there’s some increased importance placed on these last handful of games as the regular season comes to a close.
With that in mind, with 25-ish games left on the schedule, here’s the biggest goals for each team in the Western Conference over the next six-plus weeks.
Goal: Get healthy
The shock is still wearing off from the Mavericks executing the most stunning trade in NBA history, but as painful as saying goodbye to Luka Dončiċ may be for the fanbase, that’s in the past and the current roster is now the focus. With two dozen games left, the goal for this team should be to get healthy. Dallas is without all four of its big men, including Anthony Davis. Despite having a stellar showing in three quarters of his Mavericks debut, Davis picked up an adductor strain which is expected to keep him out for at least another week. Getting at least two of their four big men will be a massive boost to a team that has the pieces to make life difficult for some of the top teams in the West, but that won’t happen if this roster can’t get healthy as the regular season closes.
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Goal: Secure the No. 2 seed
The Nuggets were one of the hottest teams entering the All-Star break. Though their nine-game winning streak was recently snapped by the Lakers, the Nuggets seem to be peaking at the right time. They entered Tuesday a half-game ahead of Memphis for the No. 2 seed in the West. Wrangling that spot away from the Grizzlies (and Lakers and Rockets) should be the goal for the Nuggets down the stretch. This isn’t about just trying to stack up as many wins as possible, it’s about avoiding the Oklahoma City Thunder in the playoffs for as long as possible. Getting the No. 2 seed puts the Nuggets on the opposite side of the bracket from OKC. While the Nuggets match up well against the Thunder, ducking that buzzsaw for as long as possible should be the main goal for Denver.
Goal: Keep flying under the radar
The Warriors appear to have a new lease on life with Jimmy Butler in tow, which alters their outlook for the rest of the season. That’s not to say that they’re championship contenders, but I certainly wouldn’t bet against a team that has Stephen Curry and the never-quit attitude of Butler. Already the Warriors look like they have enough to upset some of the top teams in the West behind Curry’s shooting and Butler’s ability to move without the ball and get to the free-throw line. For one of the first times in the Curry era, the Warriors don’t have significant expectations on their shoulders, which means they can operate in the background and try to steal wins off teams and try to sneakily climb up the standings in the West. They are currently ninth in the West, but are only one game back of the sixth-seeded Clippers.
Goal: Get their veteran floor general back
At the start of February the Rockets held the No. 2 spot in the West, and looked like they could be a serious threat in the playoffs behind what’s been a pleasantly surprising season. But at the time of writing this, Houston has fallen to the No. 5 spot, which can be easily explained by the ankle injury to floor general Fred VanVleet, who has been sidelined since Feb. 3. VanVleet’s presence was always important, but watching the Rockets without him for the last month has shown just how badly this team needs him. VanVleet calms everything down on offense and gets everyone in order. While Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun are having strong seasons, VanVleet’s veteran presence is sorely missed. Getting him back is of the utmost importance for this team to make noise in the playoffs, and having VanVleet return with enough time to get re-acclimated before the postseason is even more important to knock off any rust.
Goal: Keep their top-six seed
Not many people are talking about how impressive the Clippers have been this season despite losing Paul George, and being without Kawhi Leonard for a good chunk of the season. But Norman Powell and James Harden have carried this team in a way no one could’ve ever expected, and there’s a real possibility that L.A. will finish with a top-six seed. At least, that should be the goal for the rest of the season. The Clippers are tied with the Timberwolves and have a half-game lead over the Mavericks, who are looming right behind them, but L.A. has been the more consistent team. Staying out of the play-in secures more rest for the oft-injured Leonard, who L.A. will want as healthy as possible for a potential playoff run.
Los Angeles Lakers
Goal: Make Luka as comfortable as possible
The Lakers have an embarrassment of riches after the Mavericks handed them Luka Dončiċ on a silver platter. It’s the kind of trade every general manager in the league fantasizes about but rarely occurs, and now L.A. has to shift course to cater to Dončiċ’s needs as much as possible. We saw a bit of that already in L.A.’s recent win against the Nuggets, where Dončiċ had the ball in his hands the most since he was traded to the Lakers. It resulted in a 32-point, 10-rebound, seven-assist outing for the superstar, and the first sign that Dončiċ is starting to really get comfortable with LeBron James his new squad. Continuing that trend should be the top goal for the Lakers, because the more comfortable Dončiċ feels with the Lakers, the more dangerous they will be when the playoffs start.
Memphis Grizzlies
Goal: Help Ja Morant find some consistency
The Grizzlies have outperformed expectations this season, holding the No. 2 seed in the West behind a roster that has the fourth-best net rating in the league. All that despite sporadic injuries, most notably to Morant who has appeared in 35 games. When healthy, though, Morant hasn’t been quite as dominant as years past. He’s earned a reputation for being an explosive guard, one who could wreak havoc on opponents when he gets downhill. That’s still the case, but Morant’s production has been inconsistent. One night he’ll put up 16 points, the next he’ll drop 25 points, and then 12 points after that. Memphis needs the All-Star version of Morant, the guy who two seasons ago was putting up 25+ points one a regular basis if they want to avoid the negative
Biggest goal for every Western Conference team in home stretch: Playoff position, health, lottery odds, more
