The lineup for Canada’s premier music festival is here. Osheaga is returning to Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau from August 1 to 3, 2025, with headliners The Killers, Olivia Rodrigo, and Tyler The Creator. The bill also includes Doechii, Glass Animals, Dominic Fike, Lucy Dacus, Gracie Abrams, The Chainsmokers, Shaboozey, Cage The Elephant, Jamie xx, Royel Otis, The Beaches, Finneas, Gigi Perez, TV On The Radio, Jorja Smith, Marina, and Amaarae.

The lineup also features 21 Canadian artists, including The Beaches, bbno$, Ekkstacy, Aqyila, Rau_Ze, Hologramme, Ruby Waters, Bibi Club, Debby Friday, PyPy, and Mint Simon.

“Early on we were alternative and then alternative became mainstream,” Osheaga founder Nick Farkas told The Montreal Gazette. “The first few years of Osheaga, none of the bands we had played on the radio. Then all of a sudden you have a Coldplay that was an alternative rock band and then they become huge. The way I would describe it now is that it’s a multi-genre festival that tries to be enough of everything for everyone. We want people to dig deep in the line-up.”

Tickets for Osheaga 2025 go on sale on Friday, February 21, at 10 a.m. ET. Check out more information here. You can also find the full lineup below.

Osheaga 2025 Lineup Poster

I do this every year — I vote for the latest class of Rock Hall nominees, and then I share my ballot. This is my rationale, which I always state before I begin: I started voting for the Rock Hall in 2021. Before that, I spent a lot of time online complaining about the Rock Hall. I still complain about the Rock Hall online. Therefore, I feel like it is only fair to make my ballot public, so that people can complain about me if they want. (Don’t worry, I won’t hear it, you will be muted.)

Before I share my ballot, here are some disclaimers — most will sound familiar, though at least one is not.

1) There are 15 nominees this year. I did not pick the nominees. I do not know how the nominees are picked. Do not blame me for the nominees. Do not say, “Why didn’t you vote for Warren Zevon?” as that is not an option this year. (I wish it were, but it is not.)

2) “But why are there non-rock acts nominated for the Rock Hall?” Sir, this question has been asked and answered one billion times. I will not waste time addressing it here.

3) You are allowed to vote for seven acts. There are no write-ins.

4) I have no idea how much weight the fan vote is given but my guess is “not much.”

5) This is the most nineties rock-centric class that I can ever remember. And that makes me happy, as I have historically railed about how nineties alternative and indie music remains criminally under-represented in the Rock Hall. (The treatment of eighties alternative and indie is actually much worse — sadly, no remedy for that this year.) Anyway, my votes reflect my gratitude for this development.

6) I understand that you might believe that the Rock Hall “does not really matter” and that you might “not give a rat’s ass about who is voted in.” That is all well and good. Nobody is forcing you to care. You may exit the conversation now.

Okay, let’s get to the ballot.

Bad Company

A quintessential classic-rock radio band. If you have a radio station in your town known as “The Bear” or “The Eagle,” there’s a good chance they are playing “Can’t Get Enough” or “Feel Like Makin’ Love” at this very moment. Rock Hall voters appear dead set on inducting every last notable rock group of the seventies, so I would bet on them making it. And while I’m not personally a fan, I can appreciate their legacy. The frontman, Paul Rodgers, is viewed as one of the great singers of this era of arena rock. And guitarist Mick Ralphs comes from one of my personal glam-rock faves, Mott The Hoople.

They don’t have my vote, but if they make it I won’t be mad (or surprised).

My vote: No.

The Black Crowes

Maybe the biggest surprise of this year’s nominees, though in my case it’s a pleasant one. (There’s another nominee coming up that is just shockingly bad, but we’ll get to that.) I have long been a supporter of The Black Crowes, to the point of co-writing a book about the band with their former drummer and my current good friend, Steve Gorman. So, I won’t even pretend to be unbiased here. But allow me to make a quick case to other voters out there: The Black Crowes are a secretly influential band! Not so much on contemporary rock music, per se, but on that intersection of rock, country, blues, and folk presently classified as “Americana.” It’s fair to assume that any southern musician who has come of age in the past 30 years has spent a lot of time in bars where “She Talks To Angels” and “Remedy” were playing ad nauseum, and the osmosis effect of that is discernible. Also, at their peak — the “classic” lineup from 1992 to ’97 — they were simply one of the finest live rock bands of their time, a hard-rocking and jammy outfit that marks the midpoint of two other bands we will discuss in a minute, Oasis and Phish.

My vote: (Hell) Yes.

Mariah Carey

I thought she was a shoo-in last year, so I will be doubly shocked if she doesn’t make it now. I’ll just repeat what I wrote last year: The most famous and commercially successful nominee this year. Twenty years ago, her stock was at rock bottom in the wake of the Glitter debacle. But now, she is pretty much universally beloved. She has sold 220 million records worldwide, she has the record for most No. 1 singles by a solo act (19), she owns the most popular Christmas song of all-time, and even Glitter is now considered a cult classic.”

I didn’t think she needed my vote last year, which I guess was technically wrong. But I really don’t think she needs it now.

My vote: No.

Chubby Checker

A truly preposterous nomination, and I say that as a fan of his collaboration with The Fat Boys. With that, I cede the rest of my time to Vic Berger.

My vote: No.

Joe Cocker

Great singer. Also a distinctive singer, which is different but arguably more important. His Woodstock appearance is obviously iconic. And the Mad Dogs And Englishmen album is one of my favorites. He also recorded a ton of dreck after the early seventies. In most years, that wouldn’t bother me. But this year, given the competition, it’s a liability.

My vote: No.

Billy Idol

As a person whose earliest musical memories involve watching MTV as a young (possibly too young) kid in the early eighties, I have some affection for Billy Idol. It’s possible that he was the first “punk” coded singer I ever heard. (Though The Clash’s “Rock The Casbah” was also popular at the time, so I was luckily getting some Joe Strummer face time as well.) And I still like his most famous songs, including “Dancing With Myself,” “White Wedding,” “Eyes Without A Face,” and the cover of “Mony Mony.” I even enjoy cornball early nineties fare like “Rock The Cradle Of Love” and “L.A. Woman.” But I go back to one of my base criteria for Rock Hall voting: Can you write the history of popular music without this person? With Billy, I think the answer is “yes,” and therefore my answer must be “no.”

My vote: No.

Joy Division/New Order

I didn’t vote for this awkwardly packaged combo in 2023 because I naively assumed the two of the most important post-punk bands ever were a slam-dunk for induction. Alas, I was wrong. I’m not making the same mistake this time.

My vote: Yes.

Cyndi Lauper

I also didn’t vote for Cyndi in 2023 because I thought she was a shoo-in. Despite my love for She’s So Unusual, one of the greatest debuts of the eighties or any other decade. Given the relative lack of women on this year’s ballot, I actually think she’s got a very good shot in 2025. If I’m wrong again, I will feel bad about it.

My vote: No.

Manà

Kudos to the Rock Hall for nominating one of the world’s most popular Mexican bands. But I can’t even pretend here: I know nothing about them other than once hearing a glancing comment about how they’re the Mexican Bon Jovi. I apologize if that’s a mischaracterization!

My vote: No.

Oasis

Anyone who knows anything about me is already aware of how I’m voting here, and not only because I voted for them last year. I thought it was, frankly, incredibly moronic that Oasis wasn’t inducted in 2024. Though maybe, given their upcoming reunion tour this year, the honor is more adequately timed for 2025. Regardless, Oasis remains one of the precious few nineties rock bands that is at all relevant to younger generations, to say nothing of their status as the defining British rock group of the last 30 years. Put them in already, you bozos!

My vote: (Hell) Yes.

Outkast

I could have sworn that I voted for Outkast at least once before. But while they have been eligible since 2019, this is their first nomination. Also, they’re the only hip-hop act on the ballot this year. Perhaps people have forgotten this, but Outkast was the most culturally significant and beloved American musical act of the early aughts — not rap act, but musical act. Pretty much everybody agreed they were great. They had huge hits. They swept year-end critics’ lists. They won Grammys. Indie-rock bands covered their songs (particularly “Ms. Jackson”) like sixties bands reviving blues standards. I can’t think of a comparable “consensus” act from my lifetime, other than Thriller era Michael Jackson. Did I vote for them? Of course I did! Anyone who doesn’t is a fool!

My vote: Yes.

Phish

Similar to The Black Crowes, this nomination was somewhat surprising, but also (in my view) richly deserved. Simply put, Phish successfully created a world around their music that was independent of the mainstream music business. Even more than the Grateful Dead, they garnered a following large enough to fill stadiums without servicing radio with hit singles or playing the game in any remotely conventional sense. That they did this while constantly challenging audiences with long, unpredictable (and frequently brilliant) concerts largely composed of improvised music only makes their career achievements more impressive. For decades, music critics dismissed them out of hand, based mostly on outmoded (and plain ignorant) clichés about drug-addled hippies and noodly guitar solos. The lack of critical curiosity about this kind of music amounts to journalistic malpractice, though Phish obviously proved that building a career without the media results in a much stronger long-term foundation.

My vote: (Hell) Yes.

Soundgarden

In their time they were widely respected but less successful than their fellow Seattle brethren, Nirvana and Pearl Jam. So perhaps it’s fitting that those groups preceded Soundgarden into the Rock Hall. Though, at the same time, it’s extremely not fitting, given Soundgarden’s roots in the American indie underground of the eighties. This is an often-overlooked part of their history — long before grunge, Soundgarden was on the same label as Black Flag and the Minutemen. Of course, neither of those bands are in yet either, another remnant of the Rock Hall’s shameful treatment of a prime decade for American rock music.

My vote: Yes.

The White Stripes

Like Outkast, this one was one of the consensus favorites of aughts-era music, a fact also weirdly lost to time. In recent “best albums” lists like last year’s Apple 100, The White Stripes don’t rate at all, no matter the continued sportsball relevance of “Seven Nation Army.” And they didn’t get in when nominated in 2023. I suspect that’s related in part to Jack White’s unfortunate latter-day reputation as a scold, though that shouldn’t affect his artistic reputation, which over the course of The White Stripes’ career is practically flawless.

My vote: Yes.

ASAP Rocky had a major life moment yesterday (February 19): He received the verdict in his felony gun trial. He was charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm over a confrontation with ASAP Relli in 2021. Ultimately, he was facing up to eight years in prison, but fortunately, he was found not guilty.

Following the reveal, Rihanna offered an apparent reaction. In an Instagram Story, she wrote:

“The glory belongs to God and God alone! Thankful, humbled by his mercy!”

When the verdict was announced, Rocky celebrated by jumping into the courtroom gallery and hugging Rihanna (here’s a video). Later, outside the courthouse, Rihanna was seen holding Rocky’s arm and rubbing his shoulder (video).

In a statement outside of the courthouse, Rocky said, “We wanna thank God first. I really want to thank the jury for making the right decision. I’m just so thankful. This whole experience has been crazy for the past four years, but I am thankful nonetheless.”

Rocky isn’t completely out of the woods, though, as he (and lawyer Joe Tacopina) still face a defamation lawsuit from ASAP Relli. The suit claims statements made to the press “damage [Relli’s] reputation and his personal brand; goodwill in the community as a member of A$AP Mob.”

Blink-182’s bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus is a kick ass musician. But, the “First Date” musician has some other rock star talents. Atop the list is his eye for fine art. Now, one of his pieces could earn him millions.

Today (February 18), Sotheby’s revealed Mark Hoppus’ rare Banksy piece is going up for auction. While the painting, Crude Oil (Vettriano), could earn upwards to $6 million. In a statement, Hoppus discussed the highly desired collectible.

“We loved this painting since the moment we saw it,” he said. “Unmistakably Banksy, but different. We bought it because we loved it. It’s borne witness to our family over these past dozen years.”

Although the auction will surely be an impressive payback, Hoppus won’t keep all the proceeds from the sell. According to reports, Hoppus will donate parts of the proceeds to different charitable causes including California Fire Foundation, the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Cedars Sinai Hematology Oncology Research.

The artwork’s description reads: “Crude Oil (Vettriano) stands as one of the most instantly recognizable and audacious works in Banksy’s provocative oeuvre – a rare, entirely hand-painted canvas that epitomizes the artist’s role as a cultural agitator and sharp-witted social commentator.”

Sotheby’s Modern & Contemporary Evening live auction is scheduled for March 4 at 7 pm London time. Find more information here.

Despite Selena Gomez’s acting plate being filled. The “Love On” singer is not quite done with music.

Thanks to collaborations with her fiancée Benny Blanco, Gomez’s next full length project is on the way. Today (February 19), Selena Gomez seeming shared a snippet of a I Said I Love You First track.

Over on Gomez’s official Instagram page, she shared a fun and flirty video (viewable here). In the clip, Gomez lip syncs along to an unreleased song.

“Call me when you break up / I want to be the first one on your mind when you wake up / I miss the way we’d stay up / We’d talk about forever while I’m taking off my makeup,” sings Gomez.

The dance-pop fusion is a stark contrast to the project’s initial gentle acoustic teaser track “Scared Of Loving You,” which was co-written by Blanco, Gomez, and Finneas. Given the inspiration behind the forthcoming body of work, supporters should expect a wide array of sonic offerings.

In a press release, the album is described as: “I Said I Love You First celebrates the pair’s love story, giving fans a unique window into their relationship.”

I Said I Love You First is out 3/21 via SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records. Find more information here.

Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day of romance. Based on a viral clip, that was exact opposite for Lil Tjay.

In a video captured by fans (viewable here), the “Way Out The Hood II” rapper found himself in the middle of a heated tussle at Madison Square Garden.

Now, according to TMZ, Lil Tjay has been banned from the famed New York City venue and all of its properties.

While attending Keyshawn Davis and Denys Berinchyk’s WBO lightweight championship match on Friday, February 14, Lil Tjay was seen arguing with a security guard. Tension between the two parties eventually reached a boiling point. As shown on the clip, Lil Tjay appears to spit in the guard’s face.

In a statement submitted to TMZ, a Madison Square Garden representative slammed Lil Tjay’s alleged actions. “Our policy is that patrons that engage in confrontational and disruptive behavior will be escorted out and banned from all MSG properties,” said the rep.

A source close to the matter claimed the incident was sparked when Lil Tjay and his entourage were denied access to the VIP area. Lil Tjay nor his legal team have issued a public statement regarding the report or the viral video.

Asap Rocky’s legal fate has been decided by a jury of his peers. Today (February 18), the “Tailor Swift” rapper received the verdict in his felony assault trial.

As read by the juror foreperson, Asap Rocky (real name Rakim Mayers) was found not guilty of assaulting former friend Terell Ephron (professionally known as Asap Relli).

Rocky was formally charged with two felony counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm following a confrontation with Ephron back in November 2021. Initially, reports claimed that if Rocky was found guilty, he could face up to 24 years behind bars. However, during the trial prosecutors revealed they would only pursue 8 years shortly after Rocky supposedly rejected a plea deal.

Rocky’s lawyer Joe Tacopina is expected to address the verdict outside of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in Los Angeles, California.

Although the felony assault case has officially concluded, Rocky and Tacopina are reportedly still waiting to go up against the civil defamation lawsuit filed by Ephron.

A trial date for the defamation case has seemingly not been assigned just yet.

Showtime‘s Dexter cannot be stopped as a TV institution. Eight seasons of the main series and one spin off added up to two head-scratching finales, and Michael C. Hall’s Code-following killer still remains so popular (streaming on both Paramount+ and Netflix) that two Dexter spin offs were greenlit for this year. The first, Original Sin, stars Patrick Gibson as the young-adult Dex coming to grips with his Dark Passenger, and last week’s season finale (streaming on Feb. 14) ended in a way that suggested more was possible.

Will There Be A Dexter: Original Sin Season 2?

Paramount+ hasn’t officially renewed the series, but these are early days, so no worries yet. Also, a slight cliffhanger makes the situation look promising.

When quizzed, showrunner Clyde Phillips revealed to Hollywood Reporter that the cliffhanger wasn’t always in the cards. The season finale tweaked a scene that originally showed Dexter’s brother, Brian, with “a passport in his hand” and leaving town. That planned ending would have provided temporary closure following Brian’s rooftop scene with Harry, who insisted Dexter should be left alone without the knowledge that he has a brother.

The edited scene, however, stopped after showing Brian watching the Morgans as they celebrated with a stalker vibe prevailing. That leaves room for the outsider (who had brutally killed a case worker that separated the brothers after Brian tried to kill Deb as a child) to continue his tour of terror in Miami. Still, viewers realize that Dexter isn’t aware of Brian’s existence until the first Dexter season, and the events that follow do not end well for Brian. So in a way, there’s room leftover for a second Original Sin season to prolong the Brian tease, but the story would work equally well without followup.

So, will there be more? From Phillips’ perspective, he currently believes, “I honestly don’t know. I’m busy shooting Resurrection now and haven’t been thinking about the next season of Original Sin. We’ll see.” And at least we know that Dexter: Resurrection will debut this summer.

The Best New Hip-Hop This Week includes albums, videos, and songs from Drake, PartyNextDoor, and Cash Cobain.

Ah, Valentine’s Day. A day for romance — or, if you’re a rapper, for flying in the face thereof. It also happens to be the busiest release day of the year so far, with folks dropping new music all over the place, including new EPs from Coi Leray (What Happened To Forever?) and Chow Lee (Girls Cum First), to celebrate the holiday. This week, we got new singles from the likes of:

Jack Harlow, who got an early jump on the festivities with the Tuesday release of “Set You Free.”

Cash Cobain, who was joined by Bay Swag and Rob49 on the genre-bending “Trippin On A Yacht.”

Macklemore, who returned with a characteristic protest song, “F*cked Up.”

And Offset, who chose to use the holiday to send a reverse Valentine to his ex, Cardi B, with “Ten.”

Here is the best of hip-hop this week ending February 14, 2025.

Albums/EPs/Mixtapes

ASAP Twelvyy — I Did More With Less

While his former ASAP Mob compatriots duked it out in court last week, Twelvyy shared a 12-song collection (heh) of soulful, observant street rap. He’s low-key been the most consistent member of the erstwhile blog-favorite collective, putting out one smooth compilation after another. After taking the year off, this was one heck of a return.

Brother Ali & Ant — Satisfied Soul

From its worshipful intro (delivered by none other than Yasiin Bey) to its 17th track, the latest offering from the purposeful poet refuses to compromise or bow to modern rap mores. Atmosphere’s Ant shoots the instrumentation through with nostalgic ’70s bop, infusing funk, gospel, and soul into the hard-hitting beats.

Nems — America’s Sweetheart

Very little tickles my funny bone like the incongruity of the rough and rugged “Bing Bong” guy dropping a V-Day themed album — especially as he refuses to reel in his signature New York bark, boasting of all the unhinged behaviors he’ll engage in, from tackling UPS trucks to smacking foes.

OhGeesy — Paid N Full

The central artist of the Shoreline Mafia revolution returns with his first official studio album. In our interview with OhGeesy, the LA native noted he had elevated his rap game on the album, just in time for an official Shoreline reunion at Coachella in a couple of months.

P-Lo — For The Soil

In addition to a certain holiday, the weekend also brought the NBA’s annual All-Star festivities in the Bay Area. So it’s fortuitous timing for the Bay’s foremost flag-bearer of late to drop a collection of new tracks embracing the freaky funk the region’s purveyed for the past 40 years, along with a who’s-who of local faves from E-40 and Too Short to Larry June and Rexx Life Raj.

PartyNextDoor & Drake — Some Sexy Songs 4 U

Despite Party’s front billing, don’t get it twisted; most fans were checking this out for Drake — even if only to see if he addressed his rough 2024. Those fans won’t be disappointed, as the two Torontonians deliver what it says on the tin with a sprinkling of spiteful shoulder brushing to prove they’re unscathed.

Westside Gunn — 12

Gunn absolutely refuses to slow down. His first tape of 2025 is his third project in four months, but the quantity of his releases hasn’t yet affected the quality. Stove God Cooks appears on three tracks, while Estee Nack, Brother Tom Sos, and Elijah Hooks get highlighted this time around.

Singles/Videos

Dave East & Ransom — “THE MOSQUE”

Two of New York’s underground titans have teamed up to seemingly work on a joint project, and the latest preview turns out to be very promising, indeed. If bars full of double entendres and street crime tales are your thing, this is the one for you.

Eem Triplin — “Duya”

Upon hearing the intro to this track, my brain first drew a connection to Tyler The Creator’s last album — not a bad first impression. The Pennsylvania rapper has had some early success fiddling around in the space between melody and rhythm, and while his sound is still raw, there’s an undeniable charisma to it, making a spin of his new project Melody Of A Memory a promising proposition.

Hurricane Wisdom — “Drugs Callin”

Built on a deconstructed sample of a Future hit, the Florida rapper gives his take on the subject, with his slick, slippery delivery on full display. Taken from his mixtape Perfect Storm, “Drugs Callin” is a terrific calling card ahead of the project’s release.

Kamaiyah — “The Flood”

In addition to popping up on P-Lo’s ode to the Bay for NBA All-Star, Yaya also released this smooth riding single, splashed with her signature melodic raps.

Logic & Oddisee — “Pipeline”

In other “unexpected, but not really” collaborations, Logic and Oddisee are, weirdly, two names I wouldn’t have thought I’d see together. It makes perfect sense, though; they’re both from the Maryland area, and Logic’s style has always leaned more toward backpack rap aesthetics than his Billboard placements would have you think. With Oddisee producing, Logic sounds better than he has for a while, and Oddisee always raps his best when paired with another MC to bounce off. A match made in mumbo sauce heaven.

With the trade deadline and All-Star Weekend in the books, we are officially in the stretch run of the NBA regular season. Each team has ~28 games left to make a move in the race for playoff and Play-In position in the East and West, but not all games are created equal on the schedule.

Yes, each game is important for those teams clawing for a playoff berth, but head-to-head matchups with the teams around you are ways to make up full games on your closest rivals. The second half of the NBA season isn’t always at front of mind as college basketball takes center stage in March, and as such we wanted to get a headstart on circling the calendar for the biggest games left on the schedule for each team as it pertains to playoff and Play-In races.

For some teams at the top, the stretch run is about making a couple statements and then just getting to April healthy. That’s not a luxury afforded to teams in the thick of the battle for the all-important top-6 (or, further down, top-10), and with some tight races there will be a lot of games that play important roles in who ends up with a playoff spot, Play-In spot, or a flight to Cancun in mid-April.

EAST

Cleveland Cavaliers (44-10, 0 GB)

2/21 vs. Knicks, 2/28 at Celtics, 4/2 vs. Knicks

The Cavs don’t have much left to prove in the regular season, but their three remaining games against the other top-3 seeds in the East will give them a chance to assert themselves as the East’s team to beat. A win over Boston, in particular, would give them some added cushion for the 1-seed.

Boston Celtics (39-16, 5.5 GB)

2/23 vs. Knicks, 2/28 vs. Cavs, 4/8 at Knicks

The Celtics haven’t seemed as dominant as people have wanted them to be in their title defense, but they’ve still been very good this season and have three more opportunities in the regular season to make a statement against the other top competition in the East.

New York Knicks (36-18, 8.0 GB)

2/21 at Cavs, 2/23 at Celtics, 4/2 at Cavs, 4/8 vs. Celtics

The Knicks aren’t going to get the 1-seed, but they will have two cracks at both of the top teams in the East coming down the stretch, playing both immediately after the All-Star break and again right before the end of the season. The 2-seed and homecourt in a semifinals series with the Celtics isn’t out of the question, but they’d likely need to sweep both against Boston to have a chance.

Indiana Pacers (30-23, 13.5 GB)

3/11 vs. Bucks, 3/15 at Bucks

The Pacers somehow don’t have any remaining games with the Pistons, but do face the Bucks twice (both in the same week) as the three Central Division teams all do battle for the 4/5/6 spots in the East. If they can pick up wins in that home-and-home over Milwaukee, that’ll go a long way to getting homecourt in the first round.

Milwaukee Bucks (29-24, 14.5 GB)

3/11 at Pacers, 3/15 vs. Pacers, 4/11 at Pistons, 4/13 vs. Pistons

The Bucks, meanwhile, have two games left against both of their divisional rivals. Before they can think about proving themselves as a legit contender in the East, they need to lock down the best possible seed they can, and those four games (including two with Detroit to finish out the season) will be pivotal.

Detroit Pistons (29-26, 15.5 GB)

2/23 at Hawks, 3/19 at Heat, 4/11 vs. Bucks, 4/13 at Bucks

The Pistons aren’t just battling for the division crown, but also have to fend off the teams below them for that final guaranteed Playoff seed. They get a couple cracks at teams below them in Atlanta and Miami to try and build more of a cushion for that coveted 6-seed, before closing out their season with a home-and-home with Milwaukee that could be for the 5-seed.

Orlando Magic (27-29, 18.0 GB)

2/20 at Hawks, 4/8 vs. Hawks, 4/13 at Hawks

The Magic won’t get many head-to-head matchups with teams around them in the standings down the stretch, but they do have three games left with Atlanta. Those games could be for homecourt in the first Play-In Game — or, if Miami were to leap them both, could be for the all-important 8-seed which gives you two cracks at the Playoffs.

Atlanta Hawks (26-29, 18.5 GB)

2/20 vs. Magic, 2/23 vs. Pistons, 2/24 vs. Heat, 2/26 at Heat, 3/27 at Heat, 4/8 at Magic, 4/13 vs. Magic

The Hawks aren’t expected to make a real push for the 6-seed, but they will be in control of their destiny for the Play-In as they get to face both Miami and Orlando three times each down the stretch. Those six games will likely determine whether they are in the 7/8 matchup or the 9/10 game in April.

Miami Heat (25-8 (18.5 GB)

2/24 at Hawks, 2/26 vs. Hawks, 3/8 vs. Bulls, 3/19 vs. Pistons, 3/27 vs. Hawks, 4/9 at Bulls

Miami’s games with Atlanta will be critical for them to climb up the standings, but they also have two games against the Bulls to make sure they keep Chicago behind them — that 4/9 game may very well be a non-factor by the time we get there.

Chicago Bulls (22-33, 22.5 GB)

2/24 at Sixers, 3/8 at Heat, 3/13 vs. Nets, 4/9 vs. Heat, 4/13 at Sixers

Should the Bulls be trying to make the Play-In? That’s an entirely different question, but it sure seems like that’s the goal and if they’re going to get there they will need to fend off the Sixers and Nets behind them. They have two games with Philly and one with Brooklyn left, plus the two games with Miami that could give them an outside chance at moving to 9th (even if unlikely).

Philadelphia 76ers (20-34, 24.0 GB)

2/22 vs. Nets, 2/24 vs. Bulls, 3/10 at Hawks, 3/23 at Hawks, 3/29 vs. Heat, 4/7 at Heat, 4/13 vs. Bulls

The Sixers have had a dreadful season but they will have some real chances at climbing the ladder. They have two games with each of the three teams directly ahead of them in the standings, as well as one with Brooklyn straight out of the gates from the All-Star break. They aren’t likely to catch the group of Atlanta/Miami/Orlando, but they’ve just gotta have wins against the middle of the pack to make up ground.

Brooklyn Nets (20-34, 24.0 GB)

2/22 at Sixers, 3/13 at Bulls

The Nets are supposed to be tanking but are just 1.5 games out of 10th. After not trading guys like Cam Johnson and Nic Claxton at the deadline, it’s possible the Nets will just see out this season, recognizing even the most aggressive tank likely won’t get them top-4 lottery odds. If that’s the case and they want to see if they can crack the Play-In field, they’ll need wins over Philly and Chicago in their two head-to-head matchups. It seems unlikely they make it to the 10-seed, but they’ve also already eclipsed their preseason win total so it’s not out of the question.

WEST

Oklahoma City Thunder (44-10, 0 GB)

3/5 at Grizzlies, 3/9 and 3/10 vs. Nuggets, 3/12 at Celtics

Even moreso than the Cavs, the Thunder enter the second half of the season with little reason for concern about the 1-seed. Everything is about making a statement, and they’ll have a few chances to do so in a one week stretch in early March. A visit to Memphis, a back-to-back at home with Denver, and a trip to Boston over the course of 8 days will be a chance to make a big statement before shifting full attention to being healthy for the playoffs.

Memphis Grizzlies (36-18, 8.0 GB)

3/5 vs. Thunder, 3/27 at Thunder, 3/29 vs. Lakers, 4/11 at Nuggets

Memphis isn’t catching OKC for the top seed, but their two games with the Thunder in March will be opportunities to prove something to themselves as much as the rest of the league that they can be a real threat to OKC’s apparent dominance in the West. From there, they’ll be looking to hold off Denver, Houston, and L.A. for the 2-seed (and, at least, land the 3-seed), and will face the Lakers and Nuggets late in the year in two games that could prove critical for seeding battles.

Denver Nuggets (36-19, 8.5 GB)

2/22 vs. Lakers, 3/14 vs. Lakers, 3/19 at Lakers, 3/23 at Rockets, 4/11 vs. Grizzlies, 4/13 at Rockets

Denver has three games against the Lakers in the next month, a team they’ve dominated in recent years, and if they can sweep the new-look Lakers they could give themselves a big cushion for a top-4 seed in the process. They also get a pair of games with the Rockets, including the season finale in Houston, and that late game with Memphis, all of which could be important for seeding,

Houston Rockets (34-21, 10.5 GB)

3/23 vs. Nuggets, 3/31 at Lakers, 4/9 at Clippers, 4/11 at Lakers, 4/13 vs. Nuggets

Houston doesn’t have any more head-to-heads with Memphis, but they do get two games with Nuggets directly ahead of them and two games with the Lakers right behind them that could determine if they hold on to a top-4 seed. Their closing stretch of Clippers-Lakers-Nuggets could provide a real opportunity for upward movement in the standings, but also the danger of falling right before the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers (32-20, 11.0 GB)

2/22 at Nuggets, 2/27 vs. Wolves, 2/28 vs. Clippers, 3/2 vs. Clippers, 3/14 at Nuggets, 3/19 vs. Nuggets, 3/31 vs. Rockets, 4/9 at Mavericks, 4/11 at Rockets

The middle of the West is very condensed, and as the schedule happens to fall, the Lakers play everyone around them multiple times. They have three games with Denver, two games with Houston, two with the Clippers, and two with the Mavericks, along with a game with Minnesota left on their schedule. Those are a lot of opportunities to get some head-to-head wins, and of all the teams in the West Playoff race, the Lakers will have the most chances to move up (or down) thanks to that schedule.

An aside, I only listed one of the Mavs games, because the game in L.A. will be while Anthony Davis is still out, but that April 9 game will be the most-watched game of the regular season as Luka Doncic returns to Dallas.

Los Angeles Clippers (31-23, 13.0 GB)

2/28 at Lakers, 3/2 at Lakers, 4/4 and 4/5 vs. Mavs, 4/9 vs. Rockets, 4/13 at Warriors

The Clippers have two games with the Lakers coming up in two weeks that’ll give them a chance to move back ahead of their crosstown rivals for fifth in the West. They also are trying to hold off Minnesota, Dallas, Golden State, and others for that all-important 6-seed, and will face Dallas twice and the Warriors once in the final two weeks of the regular season in what could be important games for playoff and Play-In seeding.

Minnesota Timberwolves (31-25, 14.0 GB)

2/27 at Lakers, 3/2 at Suns, 3/28 vs. Suns

The Wolves are at the opposite end of the spectrum from the Lakers, as they have very few head-to-head opportunities left on their schedule. The only have three games left against teams from 5-12 in the West standings, which is pretty wild. The good news is they do have a lot of games with the East and with some of the bottom feeders, and will need to take full advantage of those because they’ll have very few chances to make up full games on teams in head-to-head matchups.

Dallas Mavericks (30-26, 15.0 GB)

2/23 at Warriors, 2/25 at Lakers, 3/3 vs. Kings, 3/9 vs. Suns, 4/4 and 4/5 at Clippers, 4/9 vs. Lakers

The Mavs have the aforementioned two games left against the Lakers, but beyond that they’ll get a look at every team other than the Wolves around them. They have a back-to-back at the Intuit dome late against the Clippers and games with Golden State, Sacramento, and Phoenix that will all be big for Play-In seeding. How they navigate this early stretch of Golden State, L.A., Sacramento, and Phoenix over the next few weeks while they are without most of their bigs will be huge in determining if they can hold onto a spot in the 7/8 Play-In game.

Sacramento Kings (28-27, 16.5 GB)

2/21 vs. Warriors, 3/3 at Mavs, 3/7 vs. Spurs, 3/13 at Warriors, 3/14 at Suns, 4/13 at Suns

The Kings are something of the forgotten team in the West Play-In, but they’ve got plenty of chances to spoil the party for someone and get themselves into the postseason. The biggest games are those four matchups with the Warriors and Suns, as wins over those teams will go a very long way to getting them into the Play-In. From there, they also get the Mavs while they’ll still be without key guys in early March, which could be an opportunity to leapfrog Dallas and get some breathing room from the 10-seed race.

Golden State Warriors (28-27, 16.5 GB)

2/21 at Kings, 2/23 vs. Mavs, 3/13 vs. Kings, 3/30 at Spurs, 4/8 at Suns

Of the teams on the Play-In bubble, the Warriors seem to be the most dangerous after adding Jimmy Butler to the mix. They’ll get a chance to move up quickly with games against Sacramento and Dallas right after the All-Star break, and will have their sights set on that 7/8 game. The 6-seed isn’t out of the question, but they need to focus on the immediate task at hand and get out of the precarious position of the 10-seed.

Phoenix Suns (26-28, 18.0 GB)

2/20 at Spurs, 3/2 vs. Wolves, 3/9 at Mavs, 3/14 vs. Kings, 3/28 at Wolves, 4/8 vs. Warriors, 4/11 vs. Spurs, 4/13 at Kings

All you can ask for if you’re Phoenix are chances to make up ground, and they’ll have plenty. They get two with the Kings, two with the Wolves, and two with the Spurs in the stretch run, and will need to find the kind of consistency that has eluded them to this point of the season if they’re to make a push into the Play-In field.

San Antonio Spurs (23-29, 20.0 GB)

2/20 vs. Suns, 3/7 at Kings, 3/10 vs. Mavs, 3/12 vs. Mavs, 4/9 at Warriors, 4/11 at Suns

We’ll probably know by the end of that 3/12 game against Dallas if the Spurs have a shot at the Play-In, as Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, and company need to get busy to climb past Phoenix and one of the Play-In teams to make it to the postseason. They do have some chances, including a vital opener against Phoenix coming out of the break, but if they don’t get hot over the next three weeks it’ll likely be one more year before we see Wemby in a playoff or Play-In environment.