With NBA season entering final month, what is each team’s priority down the stretch?

We’re about four weeks away from the end of the NBA regular season. Some teams are in a race toward the top. Others are dashing in the opposite direction.

The reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder have the best record in the league, but the teams right behind them may surprise you. And the middle of the postseason picture in each conference is muddled and won’t be settled anytime soon.

What should each team really focus on over the final month of the season? Our NBA staff weighs in. (Stats and standings are entering Friday’s games.)

Atlanta Hawks

Make the playoffs: The Hawks enter the weekend as the league’s hottest team, winners of eight straight, but may still celebrate a fifth straight Play-In Tournament appearance. But the Play-In need not be a bad thing if they survive it. Reaching the first round and winning a game or two while they’re there would be good proof of concept for this post-Trae Young core heading into next season. Atlanta still has a handful of games against lottery teams. Finishing seventh or eighth in the Eastern Conference would guarantee the Hawks two shots at making the playoffs, including at least one at home. — John Hollinger

Boston Celtics

Get Jayson Tatum in rhythm: Tatum has surpassed my expectations in his three games since returning from a torn Achilles. His production and mobility have been promising. However, he’s still shooting just 39 percent from the field over limited action so far. The Celtics will likely need more from him during the playoffs. — Jay King

Brooklyn Nets

Lose more games: The Nets are high lottery pick or bust this season, and they need to use the rest of the regular season to make sure the odds are in their favor. They currently own the fourth-worst record in the league right now, but it’s a very competitive top of the Tankathon standings. It’s not impossible to finish with the worst record in the league, which would guarantee a choice no lower than No. 5, which is still a very good place to be in what is expected to be a deep and talented lottery group. — Mike Vorkunov

Charlotte Hornets

Make the playoffs: This might have been a wild thing to say before the season, but the Hornets are one of the more interesting teams this season and could be punchy if they get to the playoffs. They’re currently 10th in the East, with a chance to make the actual playoffs, and that would be something to shoot for. The Hornets haven’t made the playoffs since 2016, and this would be a capstone to a fun and surprising season. — Mike Vorkunov

Chicago Bulls

Evaluate remaining young talent: These Bulls found fewer things to look forward to when they purged the roster at the trade deadline. Their focus shifts to June’s NBA Draft, regarded as loaded and franchise-altering if you’re well-positioned and perhaps making lemonade out of refurbished lottery picks. If they’re going to see who’s worth keeping during this next iteration, young guys like Leonard Miller and Jaden Ivey will need to play. Not only will the Bulls get decent data on which positive assets they might’ve accrued, but with the lack of cohesion and glaring talent, it should set them up to lose valiantly, which should be the priority for the team with the ninth-worst record in the league, joining the rebuilding party late. But the same reason these guys won’t play endless minutes is the same reason Chicago likely won’t bottom out: Head coach Billy Donovan is wired to chase wins. — Joel Lorenzi

Cleveland Cavaliers

Stay interested: This is a “tough” stretch for Cleveland because there isn’t much danger that the Cavs would fall below the No. 4 seed. There is the old adage about playing your best heading into the playoffs, and Cleveland has never really done that since the franchise became good again. The schedule down the stretch is mostly easy. So the challenge is to play well enough and win enough to remain in fourth/possibly sneak into the No. 3 seed, while avoiding injury and otherwise not losing too much focus ahead of a monumentally important postseason in which the team’s general direction is at stake. — Joe Vardon

Dallas Mavericks

Tank into the bottom six: The Mavericks owe their first-round draft pick to the Charlotte Hornets in 2027, and their 2028 first-rounder is tied up in a pick swap with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Because the Mavericks lack future draft control, they must find a difference-maker in this year’s draft to put next to Cooper Flagg. Ideally, in this epic tank race, the Mavericks can “pass” the New Orleans Pelicans and finish with the sixth-worst record in the NBA. That would mean Dallas enters the draft lottery with a 37.2 percent chance of leaping into the top four. — Christian Clark

Denver Nuggets

Getting fully healthy: We all know what Nikola Jokić and his Nuggets are capable of when at full strength. And if you don’t, then watch the second-round series against OKC last season when Denver nearly derailed the Thunder’s title journey. But Denver has spent the vast majority of this season trying to keep up with the West pack while being severely short-handed. The recent return of Aaron Gordon is the most important piece of them all, but the Nuggets need Peyton Watson back, too, if they’re going to improve that woeful defense. — Sam Amick

Detroit Pistons

Shore up defensive slippage: While the Pistons’ 108.8 defensive rating this season still ranks second, their defense has slipped considerably since the All-Star break. And Ausar Thompson, their most versatile defender, has been sidelined with a right ankle sprain. But even without Thompson, Detroit will need to find ways to shore up straight-line drives, limit open 3s and tighten its transition defense. The Pistons have less than 20 games to sharpen their defensive effort and schemes if they hope to make a deep playoff run. — Hunter Patterson

Golden State Warriors

Get to the playoffs: The Warriors’ season has been filled with all kinds of injuries and drama. They lost Jimmy Butler for the year due to an ACL injury and Stephen Curry for months because of a knee issue. There was also uncertainty around Jonathan Kuminga before he was traded and replaced by Kristaps Porziņģis, which brought a whole new injury concern. If the Warriors can overcome all of that and still find a way through to the first round, then head coach Steve Kerr and his players deserve a lot of credit for navigating their way through a season that could have unraveled multiple times. — Nick Friedell

Houston Rockets

Get Alperen Şengün back on track: The Rockets have been one of the more frustrating teams in the West over the past few months due to their lackluster production on offense and inconsistency. A major part of their shortcomings has been Şengün, their All-Star center, failing to consistently perform at an All-Star level. There have been a few times when he’s exploded for big numbers, but most nights, he’s been an afterthought as Houston has turned to 37-year-old Kevin Durant over and over again to bail it out. If the Rockets have any chance at making a deep run, they need both Durant and Şengün to perform at an All-NBA level. Anything less will probably result in an early exit. — William Guillory

Indiana Pacers

Keep Pascal Siakam healthy: Indiana’s dealt with injuries throughout the season — one many chalked up to being lost without star Tyrese Haliburton — but Siakam has been a constant. Averaging 24 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, Siakam was an All-Star this season. Now, in the home stretch, the Pacers just need Siakam to end the season on a healthy note so they can prepare to be whole again for 2026-2027. — Shakeia Taylor

LA Clippers

Sustain the blueprint: I am writing this on the night that a 6-21 team found a way to get over the .500 mark. You’ve never seen a team that deep in the hole see the other side of .500. The Clippers are playing fast, decisive, unselfish basketball that utilizes pressure-applying talent in multiple lineups. There is a lot more comfort to gain as the Clippers hope to get healthy and stay healthy. But they have already shown that they can be a threat while being led by Kawhi Leonard and new point guard Darius Garland. — Law Murray

Los Angeles Lakers

Figure out the big three: The best Lakers basketball this season hasn’t been played with their best players all on the court. Ironing out the awkwardness that still exists on both sides of the ball when Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and LeBron James are all healthy needs to be at the top of the Lakers’ priority list down the stretch. The good news is that things have been trending in the right direction for the group. The bad news is that the improvements might not be big enough or come fast enough for the Lakers to improve their chances. — Dan Woike

Memphis Grizzlies

Open tryouts for 2026-27 rotation: The Grizzlies are likely to have the league’s sixth-, seventh- or eighth-worst record, with between 6 percent and 9 percent odds of the top pick and 26 percent to 37 percent odds of landing in the top four. Mission accomplished. As long as they don’t win too much and catch the Bulls, they can experiment for next year. Is Walter Clayton anything? Can Taylor Hendricks be salvaged? Is O-Max Prosper a rotation big in his funky small-ball role? Can Cedric Coward do more on the ball? Has GG Jackson figured things out? Can Jaylen Wells shake his sophomore slump? Those are the operative questions while they wait for lottery day. — John Hollinger

Miami Heat

Stay out of the Play-In: The Heat have played in every Play-In since 2023, so it’s time for them to reach the postseason on a more solid footing. They’ve won seven in a row and enter the weekend in the East’s top six, and Miami is resembling its early-season form and could reasonably climb to the fifth seed. The Heat have been one of the league’s better defensive teams the past two and a half months and are among the leaders in overall scoring this season. They have their formula for clinching an outright playoff berth. They just have to keep executing. — James Jackson

Milwaukee Bucks

Developmental opportunities: Head coach Doc Rivers has not been able to find a successful formula for this team, so it seems foolish to believe the Bucks could make the Play-In. Instead, they should be thinking about how they develop chemistry between Giannis Antetokounmpo and the players they expect to be on the team next season. The three players who have played at least 650 minutes with him this season are AJ Green, Ryan Rollins and Myles Turner. All three have guaranteed contracts for next season and could realistically be part of an Antetokounmpo-built team moving forward or useful with a rebuilt roster following an Antetokounmpo trade in the offseason. The Bucks should prioritize maximizing all three. — Eric Nehm

Minnesota Timberwolves

Getting Julius Randle locked into playoff mode: Randle got off to a monster start to the season, hitting 3s and bully-balling his way through the league, much like he did in the first two rounds of the playoffs last year. Around the trade deadline, he went into a bit of a funk, with his name circulating in trade rumors and the wear and tear of a long season getting to him. Randle has shown signs of returning to his usual form after the All-Star break. He says the time away allowed him to reset mentally, and he has been more active on defense than he was earlier in the season. But his 3-point shot has been rough. If he can find the range again, it will make the Timberwolves offense much more dangerous. — Jon Krawczynski

New Orleans Pelicans

Keep building with Dejounte Murray: Murray, who returned last month from a ruptured Achilles, struggled mightily on and off the court during his first season with the Pelicans. But he looks like a different player in his second season in New Orleans, and his presence has provided a big boost for a team still looking to play winning basketball down the stretch. Having an experienced point guard on the floor has helped put the pieces in place for the Pelicans and given them renewed hope for what this group can be once everyone is healthy. Murray, Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III have shone when they share the floor. That’s certainly something the Pels can build upon. — William Guillory

New York Knicks

Remain physical defensively: The Knicks have unlocked a new level by simply being more physical defensively. Yes, they’ve made minor tweaks — like sending ballhandlers to the sideline instead of the middle of the floor — to a defense that was really struggling. However, the biggest difference has been the team’s willingness to get into opposing players and defend without fouling. Defense wins championships, and if New York can continue to build on what it’s done on that end, its chances of inconsistent play diminish greatly come the postseason. — James L. Edwards III

Oklahoma City Thunder

Find the best lineups: The Thunder are overloaded with so many good players that various players who might be guaranteed rotation spots on 29 other teams won’t receive everyday minutes once everyone is healthy. Now, they’re injured. Ajay Mitchell is still recovering. Most importantly, Jalen Williams is on the sideline. Once they return, guys like Isaiah Joe or Jared McCain could lose playing time. Head coach Mark Daigneault believes in resurfacing contributors throughout a playoff run. He won’t just pick eight or nine guys, then fight through four rounds with only them. But McCain has been good in Oklahoma City. Cason Wallace has taken a leap handling the ball more. Joe shoots the lights out. Aaron Wiggins provides instant offense and defense. Mitchell has to play. The Thunder are dealing with the world’s greatest problem: They have too many guys. — Fred Katz

Orlando Magic

Try to secure a top-four seed: It’s unlikely, but the Magic would do themselves a gargantuan favor if they could somehow close the gap and finish the regular season with at least the East’s fourth-best record. The Magic’s current core of Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs have gone 4-1 at home during the last two playoffs but have gone 0-7 on the road. Having home-court advantage in a first-round series would be huge. The second priority is to get Wagner fully recovered and back in rhythm after his lengthy absences due to the high-ankle sprain he suffered in early December. For the Magic to be at their best, particularly on defense, they need a healthy Wagner. — Josh Robbins 

Philadelphia 76ers

Do we really need to ask? (OK, it’s health): This is like the search for Bigfoot or video of Wilt’s 100-point game. This is the elusive thing that may never come to Philadelphia. The Sixers have been fully healthy for about two weeks this season. They were never fully healthy last season. And now, they are down four starters for differing reasons. This is one of the most unhealthy teams in the league, and the time to get healthy is running out. The sand in the hourglass is almost gone. — Tony Jones

Phoenix Suns

Get out of the Play-In: The Suns entered Friday’s contest at Toronto a season-high 12 games over .500. They have survived a 4-7 February and several injuries. (They’re still not completely healthy — Dillon Brooks remains out with a fractured wrist, and big man Mark Williams is out with a foot injury.) But they’re playing better basketball. Devin Booker is performing like the star that he is. Jalen Green finally looks comfortable. And rookie Rasheer Fleming is providing a boost on both ends. Nothing will be easy — 10 of Phoenix’s final 16 games are on the road — but the West’s top six is well within range. — Doug Haller

Portland Trail Blazers

Finish at least .500: The Blazers are all but guaranteed to make the Play-In Tournament, which is a step forward in their rebuild, but the fizz around the season has flattened with a winter of soft defense and poor shooting. With a strong finish, a non-losing season (41 or more wins) should be attainable. Eight games remain against teams currently outside of the Play-In. Sweep those and pick off a couple more, and Portland would have reason to celebrate its first non-losing season since 2021. — Jason Quick

Sacramento Kings

Introduce the young guys to being competitive: The Kings don’t have a bevy of young talent and desperately need to find that superstar in the draft. But some guys can be good role players down the road. They can’t just get their teeth kicked in every night. These young guys need to participate in as much competitive play as possible, even when you want to lose. — Zach Harper

San Antonio Spurs

Maintain their rhythm for the playoffs: The Spurs don’t have to worry about being playoff-ready. They’ve been the best team in the league since the start of February and have taken a step forward in their calibration around Victor Wembanyama. Their main task is to stay healthy and pace their energy properly ahead of the playoffs. This will be the first playoff run for most of the team, and they don’t want to be the team that burns itself out on a huge winning streak in March and gets outmuscled in the second round. — Jared Weiss

Toronto Raptors

Avoid the Play-In: The Raptors have spent most of the season in the 4-5 matchup in playoff seeding, but the field is closing in on them. The Raptors have been awful against top-10 teams this season, keeping them right around .500 since they went on a nine-game win streak in November. If the Raptors continue their pattern of beating bad teams and losing to good ones, games against teams with similar records — two against Miami and one against Phoenix and Orlando — will go a long way toward determining their postseason fate. — Eric Koreen

Utah Jazz

Protect the pick: Yes, tanking is the bad word in the NBA right now. Yes, it’s the scourge of the NBA product at the moment. And yes, the Jazz have been one of the most egregious tankers. At the same time, they have a first-round pick to protect and make sure it doesn’t go to OKC. If they get a top-three pick in May’s lottery, nobody will care that they tanked. Protect the pick until the rules are changed. — Zach Harper

Washington Wizards

Lottery positioning: In an ideal world, the Wizards’ goal would be something along the lines of getting a head start on next season by having Trae Young and Anthony Davis play extensively with the existing young nucleus and giving the promising youngsters more minutes. But given the depth of this draft and given that the Wizards will lose their first-round pick if it falls to No. 9 or later, the team’s primary goal is to position itself for the lottery. Losing games now is paramount in part because it potentially could raise the Wizards’ floor on where they would draft. The team with the league’s worst record can fall to no worse than No. 5 in the draft order. It’s rotten to say, but that’s the franchise’s most prudent step right now for its long-term chances. — Josh Robbins