MEMPHIS – The Grizzlies and their Southwest Division rivals embrace an anniversary season.
Their collective hope is that history repeats itself.
The expectation from Dallas, Houston and San Antonio over to Memphis and New Orleans is that each team positions itself to qualify for the 2025-26 NBA postseason – one way or another.
That’s what happened exactly 10 years ago when the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Pelicans, Spurs and Rockets made history under the NBA’s current format. All five Southwest teams posted winning records and advanced to the 2015 playoffs, the only time any division accomplished that feat.
Based on the promising collection of talent, experience, depth and firepower on their respective rosters, a strong case can be made that the Southwest should produce frontrunners for the NBA’s top awards this season.
MVP? Houston’s Kevin Durant, Memphis’ Ja Morant and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama might have something to say.
Coach of the Year? Houston’s Ime Udoka and Dallas’ Jason Kidd will make some noise.
Defensive Player of the Year? If Wembanyama and Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. are healthy, place their names among the projected finalists.
Rookie of the Year? Dallas’ Cooper Flagg or San Antonio’s Dylan Harper could keep the trophy in the division a third straight season.
Most Improved Player? New Orleans’ Zion Williamson and Houston’s Amen Thompson are coming for it.
Sixth Man of the Year? Memphis’ Ty Jerome is again on deck.
The pursuit of individual accolades could highlight each team’s push to achieve their postseason goals as the Southwest sets out to repeat history.
With training camps opening in two weeks, I’ve joined insiders and analysts covering the Grizzlies, Mavericks, Pelicans, Rockets and Spurs to preview the Southwest Division’s top storylines. Our six-part series continues by exploring the end goals in mind.
Part 4: All things considered, what does a ‘successful’ season look like for your team?
GRIZZLIES – MW, Grind City Media
If Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. can each give the Grizzlies 60-to-65 games during the regular season, Memphis should be firmly in the West playoff mix. Although Morant caught plenty of flack for once confidently stating the Grizzlies “were fine in the West” three years ago, the truth is they will be in a dogfight just to stay in the middle of the pack.
Contending to host a series as a top-four playoff seed or finding a way to advance past the first round would be a huge success. Morant and Jackson are very capable of giving this team a fighting chance each night, as long as they’re available most of those nights. Considering they have a coach entering his first full NBA season at the helm and will also be relying on three first or second-year players, Memphis doesn’t need a breakthrough. Just a significant step forward.
MAVERICKS – Eddie Sefko, Mavs.com
What the Mavericks need is a positive introduction to the NBA for Cooper Flagg and a bit of redemption for Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, who aren’t accustomed to missing the playoffs. If the Mavericks get through at least one round of the playoffs, it’ll mark substantial progress for a team rebuilt around staunch defensive players who also put the ball in the basket.
If things break well, they will be playing in the conference semifinals. And in a stacked Western Conference, nobody can gripe about a season like that. You just get the impression that a player like Flagg is not going to miss the playoffs very often. He’s never missed the postseason so far in his basketball career, so expect a strong enough regular season to set up a playoff run. How far it goes? We’ll have to wait for that answer.
PELICANS – Jim Eichenhofer, Pelicans.com
Returning to the playoffs would be a much-appreciated step, partly because it would demonstrate the 2024-25 season was a fluke greatly attributed to injuries to key players. The Pelicans need to reestablish the trajectory they seemed on during Willie Green’s first three seasons as coach, when they won 36, 42 and 49 games and twice qualified for the playoffs.
This roster has game-changing talent and should not be grouped among the NBA’s bottom-tier teams – but it must prove that’s the case on the court. Additionally, the Pelicans do not have a 2026 first-round pick – trading it to Atlanta to move up 10 spots in June to pick Derik Queen at No. 13 overall. But if that 2026 selection ends up in the late teens or 20s – signaling the Pelicans snagged a postseason spot – it will quiet some of that trade’s most vehement second-guessers.
ROCKETS – Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle
Houston’s win percentage improved in each of Ime Udoka’s first two seasons at the helm. The next step? Winning in the postseason. Last year the Rockets secured the No. 2 seed, their highest since 2018, but their first-round series loss was their earliest playoff exit since 2016.
In two of Kevin Durant’s last four postseason appearances, his team lost in the opening round. For him and the Rockets, advancing out of the opening round is the bare minimum requirement to demonstrate progress, but a run to the conference finals would absolutely constitute success.
SPURS – Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News
Entering Year 3 of the Victor Wembanyama Era, Spurs fans are champing at the bit to end a six-season playoff drought that rates as the longest in franchise history. If everything goes right, the Spurs have a chance to get there.
But they will also need a lot to go wrong for a handful of other stout contenders in a stacked Western Conference in order to break into the playoff field. If by season’s end the Spurs have pushed their win total into the 40s and are at least competitive for a play-in bid, it will be considered a success.