2023-2024 NBA season surges ahead after All-Star break: Here's what to know

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The NBA All-Star break ends Thursday when 24 teams return to the court and begin the home stretch of the 2023-2024 season.

There is still a ton to play for, and those who are on the outside looking in to the play-in tournament still have time to turn into playoff contenders.

MVP candidates will begin to make themselves clear as time goes on, and those who are injured will be expected to heal up as quickly as they can and rejoin their respective teams for the postseason push.

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Here’s what you need to know about the rest of the NBA season.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, left, is defended by Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder during the second half, Feb. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

As long as the Boston Celtics can remain healthy, there’s no reason why the team can’t come out of the Eastern Conference and make its second NBA Finals appearance in three years.

At the break, Boston held a six-game lead over the No. 2 seed Cleveland Cavaliers with a 43-12 record. The team is 26-3 at TD Garden and 17-9 on the road with a plus-10.1 average point differential.

The Cleveland Cavaliers kept Donovan Mitchell at the trade deadline, and with Darius Garland getting back to speed, the team could be asking, "Why not us?" as the playoffs near.

The Western Conference is a bit more compact at the top.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are 39-16 and at the top of the conference. The Oklahoma City Thunder aren’t far behind with a 37-17 record. Both teams are extremely young and may not have the playoff experience that could help them get to the Finals. It will be interesting to see