What to Watch in NBA 2025 Second Half Forecast: Teams and Players to Monitor Closely

The merits of NBA All-Star weekend can be endlessly debated. Was the format good? Should the East vs. West format return? Are the gimmicks dead? Is Mac McClung one of the greatest dunkers of all-time?

Regardless of how one feels about it, the association must move on to the “second half” of the season. Keep in mind, the all-star break represents the break of the season, but the 30 teams are already past the official halfway points of 41 games.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Regular season play resumes Wednesday night (Feb. 19), so we wanted to take a quick look at key dates for the rest of the NBA season and three big team storylines to follow

Key NBA Dates for 2025 Second Half

Top 3 Team Storylines To Follow for NBA 2025 Second Half

1. San Antonio Surging For A Playoff Spot

The San Antonio Spurs are currently 23-29, while the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings are in the No. 9 and No. 10 spots, respectively, in the Western Conference standings at 28-27.

Those spots, of course, are for the final two teams that qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament

Sacramento is the team that traded all-star guard DeAron Fox to the Spurs, whose staff and fans now feel the unit can make a serious playoff push.

Veteran Chris Paul is averaging 8.1 apg, but with a player like Fox in the fold, it will be interesting to see the dynamics of how he’s integrated into the fourth quarter offense and whose minutes will the former King take.

Most NBA analysts also feel it’s only a matter of time before rookie Stephon Castle pushes for more meaningful minutes

He’s playing 25.5 mpg and so far the chemistry with Fox is to his liking, according to a story published by ESPN.com. Castle is the odds-on 2025 Rookie of the Year favorite and if the Spurs qualify for the postseason, it can help his already strong candidacy.

Castle was also one of the clear individual standouts of NBA All-Star weekend after earning MVP honors in Friday’s Rising Stars event and participating in events all three days.

2. Can The Pistons Win A Playoff Round?

Who says coaching and buying in doesn’t make a difference in the NBA? Talent is key, but those two factors make all the difference when you are motivating high level players for an 82-game season.

Detroit is playing better than expected and is actually in the No. 6 playoff spot in the East at 29-26

Tobias Harris is a seasoned veteran, but it may be hard to hold back second-year wing Ausar Thompson, who leads the team with 1.6 spg, is a defensive menace and has big plans to one day earn NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors.

He’s averaging 21.0 mpg, and if his offense continues to develop

There is no telling how high the Pistons can climb to get a favorable seed in the playoffs.

Cade Cunningham, of course, is blossoming into a star and Jalen Duren (10.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg) is one of the better young big men in the league. Many have stepped up in the injury absence of Jaden Ivey and coach J.B. Bickerstaff and his staff deserve a ton of credit after last year’s dumpster fire.

3. Are The Lakers and Knicks Contenders or Pretenders?

Obviously the Knicks, at 36-18 and in the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference, are contenders. Can they realistically challenge and defeat the front-running Cleveland Cavs and the defending NBA champ Boston Celtics to win the East in the real question.

The Knicks’ defensive output will be key, so the return of post player Mitchell Robinson, and how he meshes with all-NBA big Karl-Anthony Towns, will tell the story.

The Lakers, No. 5 in the West at 32-30, are not quite in the position

New York is in in terms of realistic NBA Finals aspirations, but after acquiring Luke Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, Lakers’ fans have visions of a playoff run floating in their head.

Are they good enough defensively?

The answer to that question everyone is asking will be the key in winning a playoff round and having a decent shot in advancing to the conference finals.