The 2024-25 NBA regular season is nearing its conclusion, with key matchups and playoff implications at stake over the final week.

1. West Seeds 4-8

As of Tuesday, five Western Conference teams are tied with 32 losses, creating a tight race for playoff spots as the end of the season approaches. The Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors, Timberwolves, and Grizzlies are all in contention. Meanwhile, the Nuggets opted to fire their coach, Michael Malone with three games left; it remains to be seen how this decision will impact their playoff run.

2. Power Tankings

The Utah Jazz secured a bottom-three record, maintaining a 14% chance of snagging the top overall draft pick. Similarly, the Washington Wizards cannot surpass that mark due to tiebreaker rules. Currently, the focus is on which team will secure the third-worst record, with the Charlotte Hornets and the New Orleans Pelicans vying for that position.

3. Bucks vs. Pistons

The Indiana Pacers have effectively locked down the East’s No. 4 seed, and now the Milwaukee Bucks face competition from the Detroit Pistons for the No. 5 seed. The two teams are scheduled to meet twice in the final stretch, which will be crucial for their playoff positioning.

4. West’s Last Play-in Spot

The Dallas Mavericks are in control of the final play-in spot but face pressure from the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix needs to win out and rely on Dallas to lose two out of three to swap positions.

5. Draymond’s DPOY Campaign

Draymond Green has made a strong case for the Defensive Player of the Year award. He stated, “I look around the league and don’t see many players impacting the game on the defensive end the way I do.” Currently favored to win DPOY, there’s ongoing discourse about his influence compared to other nominees like Evan Mobley.