About a quarter of the way through the season, some parts of the NBA are coming into focus. The top teams have staked a claim while the playoff pictures are starting to become clearer, particularly in the West. That said, teams still have plenty of time to defy their starts and this week has more than a few clarifying games for them. 

Many of the best League Pass contests are with teams in the middle of the East where half the conference is within a few games of .500. Whoever wins some of these toss-up games this week will have a leg up on making the playoffs and potentially seeding down the line. 

Monday

Hornets at Pacers, 7 p.m.: Paul George being back makes this a competitive, interesting game as the Pacers try to solidify their place in the East hierarchy. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will likely be the primary defender on George, who will likely defend Nicolas Batum on the other end.

Bucks at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.: A potentially fun one featuring two teams with dramatically different strengths. Giannis and Jabari fuel the Bucks while the Raptors’ backcourt runs their offense. If Toronto packs the paint, Milwaukee will need their supporting cast to hit threes to stay close. 

Lakers at Kings, 10:30 p.m.: D’Angelo Russell and Nick Young being back in the fold make this one more compelling, particularly since both franchises still have aspirations of making the playoffs this year. The Lakers run a switch-heavy defensive scheme that will be put to a different kind of test by DeMarcus Cousins.

Tuesday

Magic at Hawks, 7 p.m.: Atlanta has found their stride after Paul Millsap returned from injury but Orlando has looked more competitive since changing around their starting lineup. Moving Nic Vucevic to the second unit helps the Magic on most nights but he should get some minutes with the starters to see if he can pull Dwight Howard out of the paint. 

Warriors at Pelicans, 8 p.m.: The Warriors conclude a five-game road trip with a stop in New Orleans as Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday look to knock off the team with the league’s best record at the moment. Holiday has given Stephen Curry trouble over the years but the Pelicans will need to find someone who can slow down Kevin Durant.

Knicks at Suns, 9 p.m.: The Knicks have improved their standing by winning road games against the West and will get another chance here. Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker will need to score in bunches and hopefully we will see Dragan Bender and Kristaps Porzingis guard each other.

Wednesday

Hornets at Wizards, 7 p.m.: Washington needs to win games like this to move closer to .500 and relevance in the Eastern Conference. John Wall vs. Kemba Walker will be tough on both ends of the floor and the Wizards’ bench may need to keep it together as well. 

Cavs at Grizzlies, 8 p.m.: Memphis has been one of the league’s best surprises so far and this game features the reigning Conference Players of the Week in LeBron James and Marc Gasol. In a strange turn, these teams play the night before in Cleveland so they will be very familiar at this point. 

Thunder at Jazz, 9 p.m.: Even if George Hill’s toe keeps him out, this will be worth watching to see how Russell Westbrook fares against a strong defense. Gordon Hayward has played well since missing the start of the season and Andre Roberson will have a chance to burnish his defensive reputation with another strong performance.

Thursday

Pacers at Pelicans, 8 p.m.: Worth watching if only to see how each team defends the other’s star. Thaddeus Young is not a perfect defender for Anthony Davis while the Pelicans have struggled to find a perimeter stopper since Quincy Pondexter’s injuries started. 

Trail Blazers at Nuggets, 9 p.m.: The Blazers needed a torrid comeback to beat the Nuggets their last time in Denver and are facing an uphill climb as the playoff teams in the West keep winning. The Nuggets have enough talent to make it themselves and could use a win over the Blazers as a jumping off point. 

Spurs at Suns, 9 p.m.: Rookie forwards Marquese Chriss and Dragan Bender will likely each spend time on LaMarcus Aldridge while the Spurs look to contain the Suns’ potent backcourt. 

Friday

Hawks at Raptors, 7:30 p.m.: One of the league’s best defenses faces one of the league’s best offenses in a game that could make a statement for the victor. If Kent Bazemore can return by this point, it would give the Hawks another defender to throw at DeMar DeRozan.

Bucks at Bulls, 8 p.m.: Jimmy Butler and Giannis guarding each other will be awesome and the Bucks will have to contend with the league’s best offensive rebounding team. Jabari Parker gets a nice opportunity to show off his talent in his home down but Taj Gibson could give him trouble.

Kings at Grizzlies, 8 p.m.: DeMarcus Cousins tangling with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. No further sales pitch needed. 

Saturday

Pacers at Pistons, 7 p.m.: Detroit outperformed expectations without Reggie Jackson but integrating him back in has been surprisingly rocky. Jeff Teague had similar struggles when he joined the Pacers but has played much better since that opening rough patch. Plus, Myles Turner tries to take Andre Drummond out of his comfort zone while Drummond tries to annihilate the second year player on the offensive glass.

Rockets at Timberwolves, 8 p.m.: Potentially the most fun game of the week, largely because each team has tons of offensive talent and does not play nearly enough defense. Hopefully Andrew Wiggins spends some time defending James Harden but the real show will be seeing how Houston handles Karl-Anthony Towns.

Sunday

Clippers at Wizards, 3:30 p.m.: Yet again, the early Sunday game is compelling as Chris Paul and John Wall take center stage. Jj Redick has turned himself into the player Bradley Beal should use as a template and Otto Porter will look to continue his successful season with Luc Richard Mbah a Moute guarding him.

Jazz at Grizzlies, 6 p.m.: Strength vs. strength and it gets even better if Derrick Favors can return by the weekend. Rudy Gobert has been a force defensively this year and opened up more offensive capability while Marc Gasol is hitting threes and playing extremely well since Mike Conley’s injury.

Nets at 76ers, 6 p.m.: After sitting out last Sunday, hopefully Joel Embiid makes an appearance against Brook Lopez and the Nets. Jeremy Lin’s return from a hamstring injury makes the Nets more competitive and watchable, so a game against more comparable competition could be notable.