Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is the biggest enthusiast of harness racing among NBA players. He owns horses, attends races whenever possible, and once accepted one of his MVP trophies while riding around his farm in Serbia.

He knows that the stretch run frequently decides races.

The same is true for the NBA, which is nearing its stretch run.

The All-Star break is ended, games will resume on Thursday, and the defending champion Nuggets, along with a plethora of other contenders, are hoping that this is the time to reach their stride. Denver returns from the break in fourth place in the Western Conference, three games behind No. 1 Minnesota.

“We don’t try to listen to what people say,” Jokic explained. “We understand what we are capable of. And it is working for us. So I’m not sure what folks mean when they say we’re bad. I wouldn’t say we’re the best, but we’re not bad.

They were the greatest last season. Of course, this season’s greatest will not be crowned until June. The next several months will be all about jostling for playoff position—or, in some cases, fighting for playoff positions.

It’s the final third of the season, not the second half, as most people refer to the period following the All-Star break. The league is exactly two-thirds through the season, with 820 games down and 410 to go. It’s the time of year when playbooks are adjusted somewhat and things become more serious.

Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers is aware that the postseason push is beginning. However, as a veteran, he understands that the most important game is always the following one.

“Can’t look too far ahead,” George explained. “Take one game at a time.” Because that’s what happens in the second half of the season: you start to look ahead and anticipate the playoffs, rather than just trying to get there. But we need to take it one game at a time.”

Boston has the NBA’s best record and leads the Eastern Conference, Minnesota and Oklahoma City — two surprises — are first and second in the West, and some championship-caliber teams, such as Golden State and the Los Angeles Lakers, are hoping their pre-All-Star momentum continues now.

The Warriors were 8-2 in their last ten games before the break, while the Lakers were 7-3.

“The most important thing for me is definitely my health, where I’m at right now, and where our team is headed,” Lakers forward LeBron James stated. “We are moving in the right path. Obviously, our Laker squad has been focused on health throughout the year. Trying to do what is best for me for the benefit of the team.”

He’s been suffering with an ankle injury, which hampered him in the All-Star Game but did not prevent him from playing. Other teams have far more serious problems, particularly the Philadelphia 76ers, who briefly led the East in November but have lost nine of their last 12 games with reigning MVP Joel Embiid sidelined with a knee injury.

They’re slipping, as are the Milwaukee Bucks, who are 3-7 since Doc Rivers took over as coach. Rivers remarked at All-Star weekend that he believed taking over a team just before a big road trip would be a mistake, and it appears that he was correct. However, he believes there is still time to straighten things out.

“If you look statistically over the last 20 years, the same teams win it: the teams that are in the top five or 10 in offense and the teams that are in the top five or 10 in defense,” Rivers told reporters. “It’s not going away. So you can score whatever you want. However, if you want to win, you must also be able to defend.

Boston leads second-place Cleveland by six games in the East, so it’s safe to predict the Celtics will make the playoffs for the tenth time in a row, extending the league’s longest current string of postseason appearances.

Detroit, Washington, Charlotte, San Antonio, Portland, and Memphis are all mathematically alive but not in reality. When they are removed from the equation, there are just 24 teams competing for 20 berths, including the play-in event.

When the season began, the Thunder had 100-1 odds of winning the NBA title. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, their current odds are 25-1.

“I believe we’re beginning to see others take notice of us,” Thunder guard and MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We knew it was going to happen when we started winning games. “It comes with the territory.”

Every team has 26 to 29 games left to play. In terms of total remaining opponent winning percentage, Orlando, Miami, and Boston have some of the easiest — on paper, at least — schedules remaining. Phoenix would face the most difficult schedule, with two games remaining versus Boston and a 10-game span to finish the season against possible playoff opponents.

“We respect every team regardless and try to focus on ourselves as much as possible each night,” Suns forward Kevin Durant said. “It’s just about developing our routines, improving on what we’ve already established, and moving forward. I believe playing against some of the clubs that will be there at the conclusion of the season will be a good test before we go to the playoffs.”