The NBA is officially in the stretch run.
With the All-Star break in the rearview mirror, every team has around 25 games left to play.
Contenders will be using the next month and a half as a gradual ramp-up to playoff basketball. The bottom-feeders will lick their wounds, prioritize developing youth over winning anything in March or April, and hope for a fortunate bounce from their draft lottery balls. All the while, there will be franchises fighting tooth and nail for their playoff lives, surprise breakouts from previously-unknown names, and unexpected twists and turns in the race for end-of-season awards.
In other words: There’s plenty to enjoy even as the field of meaningful games gets whittled down with each passing day. With about seven weeks remaining in the 2024–25 NBA regular season, here are seven of the most interesting story lines to watch as the league enters the home stretch.