Your loved ones aren't the only people who are in dire need of gifts this holiday season. Each of the NBA's thirty teams -- including the red-hot Celtics and Lakers -- are in need of a little something from Santa Claus when he visits on Christmas Eve.

With that said, make sure specific loved ones (wives, girlfriends, and mothers) are happy with their gifts this month. Otherwise, you'll be too busy covering your tracks to pay attention to how each team is faring on the court.

Atlanta Hawks
Health and Progress - The Hawks got the maturation they needed from Santa last December, and they'll need continued health and progress in order to make more improvement in the Eastern Conference. It's surprising how well they have played with Josh Smith having missed as much time as he did, but that highlights the improvement of Marvin Williams. They could also use some help from the elves on the road.

Boston Celtics
An 18th Banner - I asked for a seventeenth banner for the Celtics last season, and it was delivered six months later. I guess it's just another example of 'be careful what you wish for' -- even when musing in columns. Boston is in better shape now than they were twelve months ago, with Rajon Rondo improving by leaps and bounds. It's hard to imagine Kevin Garnett not screaming wildly this June, seconds after yet another championship.

New York Knicks
LeBron James - Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni might have to go without gifts for the next two Christmases if they want to land LeBron in the summer of 2010. The Knicks need to save all the cap space they can, and if they don't end up landing James after all Walsh's jostling, they could hit rock bottom once again. Needless to say, their letter to Santa should include a single item ? a 6'8" franchise savior.

Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers of Early 2008 - With Elton Brand out for a month, it appears as though the Sixers fired Maurice Cheeks a week too early. He would have excelled with virtually the same roster he had last spring, and Tony DiLeo should use that blueprint for success. They need to run the ball while Brand heals and hope that he'll adapt to the style upon his return.

New Jersey Nets
The Harris Project - The Nets would be wise to put a majority of their eggs in the basket of Devin Harris. He is averaging 24.5 points and 6.6 assists this season while New Jersey continues to improve quicker than many critics thought they would. A taker for Vince Carter's bloated contract might help them put the proper pieces around Harris, assuming he's there for the long haul.

Washington Wizards
Agent Zero - At this time last year, their "wish" from Santa was the same. I actually expected the opposite from the Wizards at the start of the season, especially after they played so well without Gilbert Arenas last year. They need him desperately now, even if it's only to help put butts in the seats.

Orlando Magic
Sustained Growth - The Magic are playing great even though they've had to weather a few injury storms. They won without Dwight Howard -- which is a positive sign -- and they have remained strong without Mickael Pietrus, who appears to fit in perfectly with Stan Van Gundy's offense. Jameer Nelson is a big reason why they haven't missed a beat.

Miami Heat
A Passer - They are playing decently, but they need help at point guard. Mario Chalmers looks like he could be special, but Marcus Banks and Chris Quinn are barely average. The Shaun Livingston Experiment is still under question, and if they want to challenge for a playoff spot, someone else will be needed to help Dwyane Wade run the offense. They are at the bottom of the league in assists (19.5), but they do average fewer turnovers (12.6) than any team in the league.

Toronto Raptors
An Identity - The arrival of Jermaine O'Neal hasn't been a complete flop, but Toronto fans are already wishing they opted to keep the two-headed point guard monster that included Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford. Chris Bosh has played extremely well, but the Raptors don't have enough shooters (there is Jason Kapono) to help spread the floor. Let's hope the NBA's first Canadian coach can restore some of the pride the franchise had gained in recent years.

Cleveland Cavaliers
A Pinch - I know LeBron James is one of the best players in the league and that Danny Ferry has done a better job placing the right pieces alongside him, but not even the most optimistic Cavaliers' fan could have guessed that they'd win 22 of their first 26 games. If you do root for Cleveland, pinch yourself because their dominance has been very real -- they have the league's highest point differential (+13.3).

Chicago Bulls
Interior Presence - The Bulls could really use an interior presence, especially when you consider how strong they are in the backcourt. Derrick Rose, Ben Gordon, and Larry Hughes is a pretty solid trio on the perimeter, and you can add Kirk Hinrich in there come January. But on the inside? Perhaps they fudged things in order to further my argument, but ESPN.com is listing Gordon as the team's starting power forward.

Detroit Pistons
Chemistry - They are still in solid position for the postseason, but the addition of Allen Iverson and subtraction of Chauncey Billups has shown on the court and, often, at the end of games. Heck, they almost lost in the final moments last weekend to an Indiana team that has tremendous difficulty closing out games.

Indiana Pacers
Support - Conseco Fieldhouse is typically 77.4% full this season, which puts the Pacers near the bottom of the league in attendance. This year's team is a lot more fun to watch and easier to support than last season's unit, which should bode well for their attendance numbers as the season progresses. You can't get much worse than last year, though, when they ranked dead last in the NBA.

Charlotte Bobcats
Augustin - I'd like to see the Bobcats trade Raymond Felton and hand the reigns to D.J. Augustin sooner rather than later. The rookie has shown flashes of tremendous play, and Charlotte's patience with Felton has to be wearing thin. Augustin's assist-to-turnover ratio (2.4) is nearly the same as Felton's (2.5), which means he's either making great decisions for a rookie or that Felton isn't a much better option.

Milwaukee Bucks
More Skiles - Similar to the way Blue Oyster Cult needed more cowbell, the Bucks need more of coach Scott Skiles' personality to rub off on them. Regardless, the addition of Richard Jefferson has helped them on offense, especially because Michael Redd doesn't have to provide everything. Redd is averaging a six-year low in points per game (19.3), and his shooting percentage (41.3) is down, but he might just need to adjust to the fewer shots he's taking.

New Orleans Hornets
Tempered Expectations - After nearly toppling the more-experienced Spurs in the semifinals last spring, the Hornets came into the season with championship aspirations. With Tyson Chandler struggling to stay healthy, it's clear that New Orleans is still a step behind Los Angeles and Boston. Chris Paul and the nucleus are young; their time will come.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Target - It's ironic that the Timberwolves play at Target Center because they could really use a department store. They need quite a few things in order to turn around their season, and if they don't stock up some of their empty selves soon, they'll be challenging the Thunder for the league's worst record come spring. OK, maybe they aren't that bad, but the Target reference worked nicely.

Houston Rockets
A Bubble - Their Christmas list will probably look the same every year until Tracy McGrady either moves on or retires. Ron Artest adds a new fold into the mix, but as good as he has been, a bubble might prevent him from going off. They'll make the playoffs -- there's really no question about that -- but they'll need their health in order to end T-Mac's first round curse.

Dallas Mavericks
To Go Streaking - Dallas is one of the hottest teams in the league right now, having won seven of their last ten games. If it wasn't for their abysmal start to the season, they'd be breathing down the necks of the Lakers for the top-seed in the West. Their defense has actually been decent (98.9 points allowed), but they'll need to improve as a team, and perhaps through trades, in order to make any type of serious run.

San Antonio Spurs
To Win Now - The Spurs are twentieth in the league in rebounding, which is something they'll need to improve, but they are still 15-10 despite the prolonged absences of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili earlier this year. The truth is, though, that Tim Duncan will start showing his age at some point. That means they'll have to make perhaps their final legitimate run at the title within the next season or two.

Phoenix Suns
Consistency - The Suns have been a perennial 50-game winner, but they have switched coaches and pulled the trigger on multiple trades in the last ten months. The addition of Shaquille O'Neal has gone better than most though it would, but they just dealt two of the team's longest-tenured players in Raja Bell and Boris Diaw. Jason Richardson will help them on offensive, but Steve Nash isn't happy, and that doesn't bode well for the not-so-distant future.

Utah Jazz
Call A Doctor - My wish for the Jazz was the same last year. This team just has difficulty remaining healthy, plain and simple. In addition to the ankle of Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer is having a lot of difficulty with a strained quad. Yet they have somehow been able to tread water, just like the Rockets. If they don't start healing soon, a strong playoff run won't be in the cards.

Denver Nuggets
To Spend Money - Before you jump all over me, I'm not talking about spending cash on their roster, necessarily. George Karl needs to buy Chauncey Billups some extra Christmas presents while also sending Allen Iverson and Joe Dumars a little something extra. The Nuggets have easily been one of the NBA's top-five teams over the last six weeks, which has coincided with the Billups-Iverson trade.

Oklahoma City Thunder
Lucky Number Seven - The Thunder, perhaps the worst team we've seen in the last decade or so, needs seven wins over the remainder of the season to avoid breaking the all-time record of the 1972-73 squad of the 76ers, who finished with a horrid record of 9-73. At their current winning percentage (.111), they'll finish 9-73. Wasn't the move to Oklahoma City supposed to be a good thing?

Portland Trail Blazers
Long-Term Contracts - Kevin Pritchard needs to do whatever he can to keep the team's young nucleus in Portland for the foreseeable future. Once again, they are the best young club in the league. Only this time they have Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez. There's also Jerryd Bayless, whom I think will prove to be a tremendous acquisition before it's all said and done. Portland's average age is just 24.1, and they are 17-10. The Rose Garden will be in full bloom soon.

Los Angeles Lakers
A Break - Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are going to need some sort of break when the 2009 NBA Finals roll around, assuming Boston and Los Angeles meet up once again. That break could come in the form of an injury or slump suffered by the Celtics or better play from guys like Jordan Farmer or Lamar Odom with the title on the line. In addition, Andrew Bynum should help them bang in the paint with KG and Kendrick Perkins.

Los Angeles Clippers
A Winning Streak - The Clippers simply need to gel as a team. They have brought in three All-Star caliber guys in Baron Davis, Marcus Camby, and Zach Randolph recently, but right now the sum of their parts is greater than the team as a whole. If Eric Gordon and Al Thornton continue to mature and Chris Kaman can find a way to be both healthy and effective alongside Camby and Randolph, they could make up some serious ground in the standings.

Golden State Warriors
Fast Forward - It will be very interesting to see how the team plays once Monta Ellis returns, but I don't think he's going to put them over the top. And in this case, the top is really only in contention for one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots. They already regret signing Corey Maggette, in what now looks like a rushed signing in the wake of losing Baron Davis, and they really need to fast forward to May's Draft Lottery.

Sacramento Kings
Believers - I believe the Kings are better than their 7-20 record, but in order to start winning games more often, interim coach Kenny Natt will have to ensure that young guys like Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson get substantial playing time. Brad Miller has one foot out the door, which means that Sacramento will need the combination of Hawes/Thompson to fill his shoes sooner or later.

Memphis Grizzlies
Time And Deals - The Grizzlies have a very good young nucleus, but they need to make decisions on guys like Hakim Warrick and Mike Conley Jr. relatively soon. Rookies O.J. Mayo, Marc Gasol, and Darrell Arthur are bright spots, but Warrick is simply a spare part, and Conley has yet to play like many expected he would coming out of Ohio State. Another guy like Quentin Ross could help, as well, both on defense and as another mentor to the younger guys.

Andrew Perna is a Senior Writer for RealGM.com and co-host of RealGM's Radio Show. Please feel free to contact him with comments or questions via e-mail: Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com