As the regular season reaches its conclusion, teams from first all the way to eleventh in the Western Conference standings continue to fight for their spot in the postseason. While each team has different expectations for the playoffs, they all have something to prove, both to themselves, their fans and the critics who have doubted them all season long. We took a look at each team currently in playoff or play-in contention and singled out one thing they are looking to make good on in this year’s playoffs.

#1. Oklahoma City Thunder: We Are Not Too Young to Succeed

Before the season begins every year, Oklahoma City Thunder general manager Sam Presti holds an hour-long press conference to go over team expectations. This year, the main quote that has been referenced was him saying that the team needed to “eat their breakfast first”. Suffice it to say, the Thunder are almost done with a full five-course meal of contention. They have flirted with the top of the standings all season long, led by a plethora of young talent. History doesn’t favor OKC as they enter what for most of the roster will be their first postseason series, they are looking to break that trend, as they have so many others. Look for MVP-hopeful Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to stake his claim as one of the five or six best players in the NBA as he enters postseason play as the leader of this young force.

#2. Denver Nuggets: It Doesn’t Matter How We Start, Only How We Finish

There are three things guaranteed in life: death, taxes and the Nuggets having a stellar second half of the season. The defending NBA champions, boasting a long playoff resume, have embodied the popular phrase that the NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. Denver has kicked it into high gear recently though, making a push to secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Critics playing devil’s advocate have said that the Nuggets will struggle to get into the right groove thanks to “lackluster play” and absences from various starters throughout the year, but the nitpicking ends there. Nikola Jokić and Co. are the favorites to represent the West in the Finals yet again, and they are out to show that they can still flip the switch and dominate everyone.

#3. Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards Is Worthy Of The Hype We Are Giving Him

Similarly to their counterparts in Oklahoma City, the Timberwolves have shot up the standings ahead of schedule, thanks in part to the squad’s growing chemistry on both ends of the court and the ascendance of Anthony Edwards into stardom. Notice the word choice there, stardom, not super-stardom. Many have been eager to label the Georgia product as the next face of the league, much in due to his athleticism and charismatic attitude. Many more have pumped the brakes on that conversation, labeling him as immature and unprepared for the bright lights of postseason play. It is that stigma that Minnesota is out to prove wrong. How far they get in the playoffs will go a long way towards how much weight the media and fans alike give to the legitimacy of this team in a longer-term view.

#4. Los Angeles Clippers: The Kawhi Leonard Gamble Was Worth It And It Will Finally Pay Off

The Clippers have fallen behind the top three teams in the West but are as dangerous as anyone to go on a deep run. On paper, one could say that they are the best team outside of Boston, with one of the deepest benches in the league. The real test for this team, though, is going to be how ready their stars are to embrace the spotlight and put the team on their backs when it becomes absolutely necessary. They have one of the only legitimate Big Threes in the game today, but all three members have glaring issues in the playoffs, ranging from Kawhi’s inability to stay healthy to Paul George and James Harden’s twin disappearing acts in past years. If the Clippers can overcome those demons, they could very easily take home the Larry O’Brien trophy. If not, they could go home far sooner than expected.

#5. Dallas Mavericks: Kyrie Irving Is the Robin That We Have Been Waiting To Put With Our Batman

Luka Dončić is one of the best players in the game today and will no doubt be one of the recipients of the torch when it is passed from LeBron James and the rest of the stars who have held the league up for the last decade. The question for him is whether or not he is ever going to have the right group of players around him in order to capture postseason success. Owner Mark Cuban seems to have found his superstar the ideal running mate in Irving, who has played just as well as he ever has, if not better since he has donned Mavericks colors. Irving provides Dallas a premier second option as well as one of the best closers in the NBA. If things go according to plan, Luka will lead the team for most of the game while Irving lies in wait, ready to fire the daggers that finish opponents off.

#6. New Orleans Pelicans: Big Z Might Not Be The Prince Who Was Promised, But His Potential Is Still Sky-High

When he entered the NBA back in 2019, Zion Williamson was touted as someone who would break the NBA game as we know it and usher in a new age. Almost five years later, that fanfare has been replaced by fans bemoaning his inconsistency, both with his efforts on the court and his weight, which fluctuates a little too wildly for most people to accept. Since the All-Star break, though, Williamson has led the Pelican’s charge out of the play-in and has them holding a two-game lead over the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers for the sixth spot in the West. His proficiency in running inverted pick and rolls with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum has unlocked another dimension of the New Orleans attack. If his playmaking and stellar athleticism carries into the playoffs, the Pelicans have the capability to upset not one but two matchups in the West if things break right for them.

#7. Sacramento Kings: Last Year Was Not A Fluke, We Are Still A Dangerous Dark HorsE

The Kings being seventh in the Western Conference seems to be the prime example of just how good the West is and the level of parity spread out across the 15 teams. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis have led the Kings well this year, with both taking steps forward in their game, with Fox developing into an all-around scorer with blazing speed and Sabonis giving the Joker a run for his money when talking about playmaking centers. And yet, they find themselves in the play-in. Regardless of that, the Kings wield one of the best home court advantages in the conference and nobody wants to see them on the opposing side of a seven-game series. It is just a matter of how much they learned from the playoffs last year and how much they can apply those lessons one year later.

#8. Phoenix Suns: Our Risk Will Pay Off And The Fourth Quarter Numbers Won’t Carry Over Into The Playoffs

Phoenix has been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA this season, especially when considering how much hype they carried into the beginning of the season. Almost six months later, the Suns find themselves essentially locked into the play-in, needing to win a game to just get into the playoffs, let alone facing down one of the top seeds in the first round. A big part of that has been their inability to play well in the fourth quarter, which has haunted them all season. In the postseason though, many expect Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal to “wake up” once the postseason hits. If they can shake off this apparent funk and recapture their old dominance, the Suns are likely to get far in the playoffs. If not, they are just as likely to find themselves kicked out of the postseason in the play-in games.

#9. Los Angeles Lakers: All We Need To Do Is Make The Postseason, Then All Bets Are Off

The Lakers’ run last year has been well-documented, going from the play-in all the way to the Western Conference Finals. Their situation now might be similar to last year if things stay the way they are, and fans have picked up on it. Many expect a similar run on the backs of Anthony Davis and the ageless LeBron James, and they have good reason to do so. Once the first round starts, every team is 0-0 again and the best players tend to impose their will, but the Lakers have formed a bad habit of stacking the odds against themselves. They might have two of the best players in the game, but if they don’t have the rest of the team follow behind them, they can only do so much.

#10. Golden State Warriors: Our System Still Works, And Our Young Buck Is Ready To Help Us Recapture Greatness

The Golden State Warriors have extensive playoff experience up and down their roster. Nobody is doubting their track record, especially in the playoffs. The knock on this team this year has been an apparent lack of focus and the loss of a vertical element to their playstyle. If Jonathan Kuminga can continue his torrent play into the postseason, those complaints might be quieted. He has shown long flashes of dominant play, showing off his versatility on both ends of the floor. He becomes the linchpin player for the Warriors in all of their potential playoff series. Stephen Curry needs someone to come along with him if the Warriors are going to get to where they want to go and if Kuminga can make the transition smoothly, the Warriors are in a good spot despite their seeding. 

#11. Houston Rockets: We Might Be Young, But Our Veterans Will Lead Our Team Deep 

When the Rockets signed Fred Vanvleet and Dillon Brooks, many were left scratching their heads. Why would Houston commit so much money to older players instead of saving the money in their rebuild. Their recent surge has shown the embodiment of their thought process behind doing so; eventually, the older players will get through to our young talent and bring them together. The team has been exciting to watch, with Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün leading the charge amongst their younger players. The problem with this team is apparent though; they have a lot of ball players, but not a great team. If they can’t bond together and continue forming their chemistry with one another, they might be left waiting for next season to begin.