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NBA heads into its stretch run

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, right, drives against Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel during the second half in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

The NBA stretch run has arrived.

The postseason (not playoff) teams are set: Milwaukee, Chicago, Washington, Brooklyn and Indiana have all been eliminated from the Eastern Conference race while Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Utah and Sacramento are out of the Western Conference race.

That means, for 20 other teams, the next two weeks are basically all about playoff positioning.

Detroit, Boston, Oklahoma City and San Antonio have playoff spots secured (and it would seem mathematically certain that New York, Cleveland, the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver will be clinching before too long, with Houston and Minnesota not far behind).

Portland and Golden State are locked into the play-in tournament.

Betting odds

Oklahoma City (+140) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by San Antonio (+550), Boston (+600), Cleveland (+900), Denver (+1100) and New York (+1500). Detroit, on its way to the No. 1 seed in the East, is +2500.

Key dates

— April 10: All 30 teams play their 81st games of the season.

— April 12: All 30 teams play their regular season finales.

— April 14, 15 and 17: NBA play-in tournament dates.

— April 18 and 19: NBA playoff series openers.

— May 2, 3 or 4: Conference semifinals begin.

— May 10: NBA draft lottery.

— May 10-17: NBA draft combine.

— May 17 or 19: Eastern Conference finals begin on ESPN and ABC.

— May 18 or 20: Western Conference finals begin on NBC and Peacock.

— June 3: Game 1, NBA Finals on ABC. (Other finals dates: June 5, June 8, June 10, June 13, June 16 and June 19).

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