Rick Adelman, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played for seven NBA seasons before becoming one of the game's all-time winningest coaches, has died, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced Monday.

Adelman, the father of Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman, was 79. The cause of his death was not immediately announced.

The Denver Nuggets were extremely saddened to learn of the passing of Hall of Fame Head Coach Rick Adelman, the Nuggets said Monday night. Our thoughts are with head coach David Adelman, the entire Adelman family and the many friends and loved ones that were lucky enough to know Rick.

Rick Adelman won 1,042 games as an NBA coach, 10th-most in league history. Only four other coaches Pat Riley, Gregg Popovich, Jerry Sloan and George Karl coached more games and had a better winning percentage than Adelman, who took the Portland Trail Blazers to the NBA Finals twice and also was head coach in Sacramento, Houston, Minnesota and Golden State.

Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community, read a statement from the coaches' association, which honored Adelman with its Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.

Rick Adelmans NBA coaching career has been highlighted by innovation, integrity and excellence, Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said when the NBCA presented that award three years ago. His teams always played to their strengths, and Rick always found subtle ways to reinvent NBA basketball to help his players thrive. His quiet, unassuming nature belies his impact as one of the great NBA coaches of all time.

Adelman also played in the NBA from 1969 through 1975 as a point guard for five different teams but found his calling as a coach.

The Kings, in paying tribute, said Adelman will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork."

Adelman's path to the NBA, as a coach, was unintentional.

He thought he would become a high school coach, though his lack of experience was a deterrent. He then started his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon.

We had great success there, Adelman said in his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech. The one thing I did not realize is Jack Ramsey was following my team.

Ramsey was coaching the Portland Trail Blazers, and invited Adelman to interview when a position opened on his staff. Adelman worked under Ramsey for three seasons and Mike Schuler for 2 1/2 more, then took over as interim coach with 35 games left in the 1988-89 season.

We had a team that was ready to win, Adelman said in 2021.

Blazers owner Paul Allen told Adelman he could coach the 1989-90 season. The rest is history. Portland won 59 games that season with Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey and Buck Williams leading the way, getting to the NBA Finals and falling to Detroit.

Adelman was off and running. He took the Blazers back to the NBA Finals two years later, falling then to Chicago. After his Portland era, Adelman coached two years at Golden State and then went to Sacramento where he had eight winning seasons in an eight-year stint, with players like Vlade Divac, Peja Stojakovi, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Jason Williams, Bobby Jackson and current Kings coach Doug Christie. And in those Sacramento years, Adelman was widely credited for running some types of offenses that the league had never seen.

He was a brilliant strategist and teacher of the game, and an even better person, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

Adelman had 210 players appear in at least one NBA game for him.

He actually challenged me and poured into trusting me," 20-year guard Kyle Lowry said Monday night. That was important for me. He didnt have to. He could have done everything else, he could have played other players, but he believed in me. ... He just trusted his players. He just wanted to win. And if it wasn't for him, I don't know what career I would have. It's a sad day.

Among Adelmans accomplishments: He engineered a 22-game winning streak with Houston in 2008, a run that is the fourth-longest in NBA history.

Coach Adelman guided the Rockets with professionalism, integrity, and a deep commitment to the game, the Rockets said in a release. His role in leading the team during the 22-game winning streak in 2008 remains one of the most remarkable achievements in franchise history and will always be remembered by Rockets fans.

The Blazers noted that not only did Adelman lead the team to the finals twice, but he was a player on the inaugural Portland team in 1970.

"Rick was one of the most influential figures in franchise history," the Blazers said.

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The only undeniable fact about the Denver Nuggets is that Nikola Joki has a spot on the roster until he decides to permanently trade his JOKER 2's for whatever he wears harness racing back home in Serbia.

Whatever the cost, whatever the concession, KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke says Joki is untouchable.

Past that, however, it's open season.

Hear more from KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke on the future of the team in the video below.

"Everything's on the table right now," said Kroenke at the Nuggets' end of season press conference on Friday. "Everythings going to be on the table, outside of trading Nikola [Joki]."

"I think we've made really strong strides in certain areas, but I think there are other areas where we've been complacent," he continued.

"Complacency is a key word that I think I saw in some people this year."

The only other person with job security for Denver is Head Coach David Adelman, who received a vote of confidence from his boss despite a tempest of fan unrest following the end of their meager post season run.

"I have full faith in Coach Adelman," Kroenke said. "I think he coached a hell of a season, all things considered. It's a real testament to [what Adelman] and the group did when Nikola went down, through that stretch. I think that's when [they] shined."

From there, Denver's off-season seems about as murky as the 10,000 lakes their arch-nemesis hails from.

Injuries being the obvious item that derailed the season, Adelman pointed out one specific on-court issue that they must address before next year:

"What stood out was ball handling, handling pressure," said Adelman. "That really hurt us. You have to look in the mirror and say, 'Why did we struggle with these types of teams?' The core guys that are here have been absolutely incredible over [the years]. We know the attitude and the want-to is there, but as they get older, how do we compliment them the best?"

In this case, my guess is "they" refers to the remaining members of the Core Four: Nikola Joki, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon.

Gordon's future is the most curious, and thereby the most intriguing. The man affectionately referred to as Mr. Nugget embodies the attitude and culture that won Denver its first title in 2023. In many ways, he's the X-Factor they've missed in failing to return to that mountain top.

Aye, there's the rub.

Gordon appeared in just 39 of 82 regular season games this year - and in the playoffs he managed to play in only three of six, scoring a total of 34 points. He turns 31 in September, and if his body's starting to go, Gordon will lose the superpower that made him so extremely valuable: his physicality.

"I love Aaron Gordon," said Kroenke. "I think the world of him, just like the entire Nuggets Nation does. But there are some things we have to look at. This team looks a lot different when Aaron Gordon's healthy. We need a healthy Aaron Gordon, so we need to figure out how to make the most of him and get the most out of his body for the benefit of the team."

That's the on-the-court stuff. Off the court, Gordon the man means more to this organization than can be adequately explained.

"Aaron is one of my favorite human beings that I've come across," said Kroenke. "What he's been through as a human being since we won the championship is simply tragic and would be difficult for anybody to deal with. We have to help him get better at it, we have to look in the mirror and say 'AG, how can we help you?' When he's healthy, we all look better."

The death of his brother Drew in 2024 changed Aaron Gordon's entire life, including on the sanctuary of the basketball court. It's clear that Kroenke wants Gordon to remain a part of the Nuggets family, but what if it comes at the expense of a second championship?

These are the types of questions Kroenke, Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Ben Tenzer, and Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Jonathan Wallace will be forced to answer over the coming months.

And I do not envy them.

DENVER Yet again, Nuggets Nation is left processing another championship run cut short. The Nuggets fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 6, ending a series they were favored to win.

Denver7 wanted to hear from you, the fans, about what changes need to be made to the team in order to bounce back after a sad end to the season.

Nuggets fan Roger Figura said it was time for a rebuild after the team has "failed twice now."

"Well, Gordon never plays, so they shouldn't expect anything from him, and basically what the Nuggets have been operating with is a two-man game," said Figura. "So the other three guys don't have to pay attention, and they largely dont."

Figura said Head Coach David Adelman should be fired and is "not the right guy." Several other fans were also in agreement over the firing of Adelman.

"I guess you got to blow it up and start over," said John Dunn. "I don't know, I'm surprised Adelman hasnt been fired already this morning."

However, for others like Meredith Hamlet, there's belief that there could be more in store with Adelman and that he is not all to blame for the team's performance.

"I know people feel like, oh, they get paid a lot in sports, that's the business, which I do agree it is a business, but I hope he stays, like, I hope they give him another chance, honestly," said Hamlet. "I don't think one season defines anything, so hopefully they keep him."

Earlier this week, Denver7 interviewed Zach Bye, co-host of the Drive on 104.3 "The Fan," about how Adelman contributed to Denver's playoff problems. After the Game 6 loss, Bye said the team needs to make fundamental changes.

"You are now no longer in the shadow of a championship, that was a presidential term ago," said Bye. "By the next time they get an opportunity to win a championship. You need to make some seismic changes because the Nikola Jokic era, it's closing. That window is closing."

As far as what factors went into this playoff performance, Bye said there were several that transformed championship expectations into first-round disappointment.

"When you lose in the first round, and you have championship expectations to pin it on one individual, I think is just unfair," said Bye. "Did I think the coaching was lacking? I do. Do I think the nuggets have a player leadership, you know, void? I do. And then there's just a lack of execution and the construction of the team, the lack of athleticism, the lack of ball handlers, all that is on the table when you lose and flame out in the very first round."

The Denver Nuggets season came to an end Thursday night, undone by injuries, missed shots and a dominant interior performance by Minnesota.

Jaden McDaniels had 32 points and 10 rebounds, and Terrence Shannon Jr. added 24 points in a surprise start as the Timberwolves beat the Nuggets 110-98 in Game 6, closing out their first-round playoff series.

Denver struggled to keep pace with a Minnesota team that reshaped its lineup due to injuries to its top three guards. The Timberwolves leaned on size, with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid powering a 64-40 advantage in points in the paint and a 50-33 edge on the glass.

Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, finishing just shy of a triple-double. But Denver couldnt generate enough offense elsewhere to extend its season.

Jamal Murray, closely defended by McDaniels, had difficulty finding rhythm and finished with 12 points on 4-for-17 shooting. Cameron Johnson scored 27 points and helped Denver go 10 for 27 from 3-point range, but the perimeter shooting wasnt enough to offset Minnesotas control inside.

The loss caps a season that fell short of expectations for the Nuggets, who were unable to overcome inconsistent scoring support around Jokic and a tough matchup against a physical Timberwolves front line.

Minnesota, the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, advances to face San Antonio in the second round.

MINNEAPOLIS (Dave Campbell / AP) Jaden McDaniels had 32 points and 10 rebounds and Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 24 points in a surprise start for the injury-ravaged Minnesota Timberwolves in a 110-98 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 on Thursday night that finished off another tense NBA playoff series between the rivals.

With their top three guards missing because of injuries, the Timberwolves went big with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid fueling a 64-40 advantage in points in the paint and an 50-33 edge in rebounding. This is what you dont really teach. This is about will. Its about heart, and thats how we were able to overcome this great challenge, said Gobert, who had 10 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.

Minnesota, the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference, will start the second round at San Antonio on Monday.

The second-seeded Spurs beat Portland in five games in their first-round series. Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds to lead the Nuggets, but sidekick Jamal Murray struggled to get free from McDaniels and finished with just 12 points on 4-for-17 shooting.

Cameron Johnson scored 27 points to lead Denver's 10-for-27 night from deep, but Jokic and the 3-pointers simply weren't enough to keep up with a fiercely motivated Timberwolves team. Im just happy its over, happy we were able to come out on top, McDaniels said. Stuff was said. Im just happy we were all able to prove our point, get the win, and move on to the next round.

With Ayo Dosunmu joining Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo on the inactive list, the Timberwolves were missing a big chunk of their ability to create shots. Winning this game was going to require extra doses of defense and energy, and they brought both. Shannon added an element of pure speed that the Nuggets couldnt stop when he found space toward the basket.

McDaniels, embracing the villain role, was a monster on both ends of the floor.

The Timberwolves fed off the roaring crowd at every turn and consistently made up for their missing offense with hustle and desire. Shannons three-point play with 1:43 left gave the Timberwolves a six-point lead, and McDaniels followed with the dagger shot his signature mid-range pull-up was a swish from 19 feet to make it a seven-point game with 1:06 to play.

Then he intercepted a harried pass by Jokic to get the ball back and start a parade to the line. Since beating the Timberwolves in five games in the first round and cruising to the NBA championship in the 2023, the Nuggets havent found the production or spunk theyve needed to supplement the three-time MVP Jokic.

They extended the series with a decisive win in Game 5 on Monday, but Minnesotas defense delivered again this postseason in neutralizing Jokic and rendering Murray an afterthought. McDaniels tirelessly chased him around the perimeter. The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner Gobert kept giving Jokic a hard time in the paint with his long arms and superb anticipation.

McDaniels tossed even more spice into this well-developed rivalry early in the series with his blanket bad defenders jab at the Nuggets, and none of the Timberwolves have made any secret of distaste for their opponent. Then their motivation soared off the charts when DiVincenzo went down in the opening minute of Game 4, and their franchise player Edwards followed him on the injured list. During a stoppage in the fourth quarter, DiVincenzo was shown with a big smile as he sat with his foot propped up in a cast behind the bench.

DENVER The Denver Nuggets' season is over after a Game 6 elimination at the hands of Minnesota, and fans are already calling for changes.

Jeff Van Feldt has cheered on the Nuggets all season long.

"This season has been really up and down, really good at the beginning, lot of injuries which kind of forced us down," Van Feldt said.

The disappointment was felt not just locally, but by fans who traveled from halfway around the globe to cheer on their favorite player.

"I started to watch him, like, 10 years ago when he came here in the Denver," said Stefan Bukharinovich, who came all the way from Serbia to watch Nikola Jokic in person for the first time in Denver. "We are very proud in him, and I am very proud how the people talking about him here is Denver."

Going into the do-or-die Game 6, some fans held out hope despite the team being down in the series.

"I think it's the electricity of the crowd, the synergy of the team, and the hope that they're going to make Game 7, really make that final push and win this," Lakewood resident Nicolas Newell said ahead of the game.

The Nuggets' success throughout the season helped fuel business in spots like McGregor Square.

"I think everyone that was already a really big sports fan is just, like, really turning it up this year. So it's a lot of excitement," McGregor Square COO Brooke Bishop said.

Britt Dihel from Downtown Denver Partnerships said the team's run had a broader economic impact.

"Sports really do have a ripple effect on our economy, most of the time, people are not just walking into ball arena and then heading home," Dihel said. "They are grabbing dinner before, maybe grabbing a drink, maybe just taking a little stroll, hopefully celebrating afterwards, sometimes drowning their sorrows."

With hopes of another trip to the finals now gone, Van Feldt said something is missing from this year's squad.

"I just think maybe we've lost a little bit of something that pushes us over the edge," Van Feldt said.

As the organization heads back to the drawing board, Van Feldt pointed to coaching as a place to start.

"I would definitely say it's more of a coaching thing, because you've got the guys in place," Van Feldt said.

DENVER Nuggets Nation packed Ball Arena to witness Game 5 at home on Monday night. The Nuggets proved to fans this would not be the last game of the season, beating the Minnesota Timberwolves 125 to 113. Now, for one person in the crowd, this win was even more meaningful to fuel his passion for impersonating Nikola Joki.

Originally from California, Henry Marken is not a 'traditional Nuggets fan,' but he made the trip to the Mile High to catch Game 5 and made a special stop by Denver7 to share how the MVP skits came to life. He remembered watching a series with the "Joker" on a roll and was in awe of his post-game interview.

"I was like, this is crazy and this is insane. This is the best player in the world, and it looks like it's just another day of the 9 to 5," said Marken. "I made one video because nobody, I didn't see any Joki content, and just kind of took off. Now this is like life."

Watch Maggy Wolanske's report in the player below:

Denver7 gave him a Mile High welcome with Marken even playing a one-on-one against Denver7 sports anchor and reporter Nick Rothschild.

He described this as his "third season" of creating Joki content, and while the MVP may not know of his impersonator, he can't help but go all out in his videos.

"But I have actually since studied Serbian, so I could do whenever he has to make a phone call to his brothers or to someone on his team. I will literally speak in Serbian," Marken said.

As far as his most popular videos on social media, Marken said it was the first-ever "get ready with me."

"I think that went for around 20 to 30 million across platforms, and that was after Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, Barstool came in, and they just started reposting it, because no one was doing Joki content, and I was like, this is crazy," Marken said.

The type of content has hit the heart, reminding Marken of a greater message in what he creates.

"We all kind of have that struggle where it's like, job is job, and then you want to just go ride off into the sunset on your, you know, metaphoric horse"

His talents are not limited to the "Joker," with Marken creating skits about Luka Doni, Patrick Mahomes, and Cris Collinsworth. Marken did let us know there is more on the horizon with some upcoming content plans.

"I'm shooting a long-form YouTube show this summer. I'm really excited about. I'm doing sort of like a Curb Your Enthusiasm meets my bits... I'm thinking to do ten episodes around 9 or 10 minutes each release and once a week, all summer, during the off-season. The show is called 'Friends from Work,'" Marken said.

maggy.wolanske@denver7.com

DENVER The Denver Nuggets stayed alive Monday night, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 125-113 in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series at Ball Arena.

Facing elimination and trailing 3-1 entering the night, Denver responded with urgency and now trails the best-of-seven series 3-2. The Nuggets forced 25 turnovers and controlled the game for most of the night on their home floor.

Despite missing Aaron Gordon, who was ruled out with calf tightness, Denver got contributions across the roster. Nikola Jokic recorded another triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 16 assists.

Jamal Murray added 24 points, while Spencer Jones chipped in 20.

It was a complete team effort for Denver, which now heads to Minnesota for Game 6 on Thursday another must-win situation.

NORTHGLENN, Colo. There's no denying that fans in the Mile High go all out to cheer for their Colorado teams. With both the Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs, one local hair salon is buzzing with excitement, literally shaving team logos and even Nuggets MVP "Joker" onto the back of customers' heads.

Scissorhand Design Studio opened in 2015, with a priority of serving the community and giving confidence through unique hair designs and styles. TeJay Mora, also known as Scissorhands, said they have customers from all over, from Castle Rock to Fort Collins, but the majority come from the Northglenn and Westminster area.

He has been a barber for the past 17 years, carrying on his family's roots in the hair industry.

"I never thought I would be a barber," said Mora. "My mom's a barber. My grandma was a [cosmetologist], so I kind of just followed in her footsteps, and now it's great to see the legacy, because now that I'm doing it and have been doing it for a while, I see all my kids also in this industry, in this craft, doing what they do. It is a blessing, it is amazing."

With several of Mora's children working inside the salon, it is an opportunity for each of their talents to shine, and while not everyone is related by blood. Mora proudly calls all the employees part of his family, all best supporting each other.

"We'll help each other out," said Mora. "There are some people here that are strong in other areas, where there are other people with strengths in other areas, and we just come together, and we're a big family here."

Watch Maggy Wolanske's report in the player below:

Mora's daughter introduced herself as 'baby scissorhands,' proudly incorporating her father's nickname into her own. She has been braiding hair for several years and remembers coming to the salon from school and being put to work.

"It's like the best thing ever. I mean, working with your family, you're a big family, you kind of grow up and everybody has their different lives going on, but then you get to come to work every day, and you get to hang out together and play with hair," baby scissorhands said.

On the walls, clients can spot posters from the Nuggets' 2023 championship run. Now that the Nuggets are back in the playoffs, stylists are getting creative to bring some wild designs to life.

I will say the hardest thing about it, like a logo, is just keeping it proportionate and making sure everything is like it's supposed to be," Adrian Takhashi, one of the barbers, said.

Mora explains one of the designs in the player below:

Having one home team in the playoffs is exciting, but having two is even better. Anthony Oviedo, one of the barbers, was hard at work on an Avalanche logo, spraying the perfect shade of maroon and blue onto his client's hair.

"I'm all about just kind of showing what I got," said Oviedo. "I really want to show people what I can do on this show, and that Denver does have a lot of talent. Not just the teams, you know what I mean."

If you want to have a special up-do for one of these playoff games, Mora said to call them ahead of time for an appointment or to check them out on social media.

DENVER (AP) The Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets have developed an intense rivalry, meeting in the NBA playoffs three times in the last four years.

The Nuggets bounced the Wolves 4-1 in 2023 on their way to the franchise's first NBA championship but Minnesota won the rematch a year later, capped by a 20-point second-half comeback in Game 7 in Denver.

This year the Nuggets rolled into the playoffs on a 12-game winning streak and handled the Timberwolves in the opener of their Western Conference playoff series only to blow a 19-point lead in Game 2 before getting throttled twice in Minneapolis.

Even with their starting backcourt of Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) and Anthony Edwards (knee) getting hurt Saturday night, the Wolves raced past the Nuggets 112-96 behind Ayo Dosunmu's career-best 43 points, the most by a reserve in a playoff game in half a century.

Game 5 is in Denver and another flop could send the Nuggets into a stunning early exit and an offseason of change after an injury-marred first full season under coach David Adelman, who has had no answers for the Nuggets' sudden struggles.

The Minnesota-Denver game is the nightcap of a three-game slate Monday, one that also could see the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder get their third consecutive first-round sweep. The Thunder lead Phoenix 3-0, with Game 4 on the Suns home floor.

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning MVP, was a maestro in Game 3, scoring 42 points on 15-for-18 shooting.

He doesnt need a ton of direction from me, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander. But I thought he was obviously outstanding. The efficiency was ridiculous. For him to score like that, on 15 of 18, is a really impressive game.

And leading off the night is Game 4 in Orlando, where the eighth-seeded Magic will aim to take a 3-1 lead over the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup.

Being up 2-1 at home is a good thing, but again, you got to come out and do it again, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said after Saturdays Game 3 win. And thats why Ill keep saying its the one game. ... Weve got to learn from this game and what we could do better.

The only fight the Nuggets have put up since their series-opening win came when Nikola Jokic took offense to Jaden McDaniels scoring an uncontested layup with 2.1 seconds left after the Nuggets had conceded their double-digit defeat Saturday night.

Jokic ran from one end of the court to the other to shove McDaniels, who labeled all of the Nuggets bad defenders after Game 2. Players from both teams converged around them to broaden the scuffle. Timberwolves forward Julius Randle, who was livid with Jokic, was ejected along with Denvers center.

He scored when wed stopped playing, Jokic explained. You guys saw what happened.

The NBA reviews all plays, especially altercations, and almost always announces disciplinary action before the next game of the teams involved. It is standard practice for the league office, which could warn, fine or suspend those involved in Saturdays end-of-game dustup.

The Nuggets have long odds to bounce back and advance. In NBA history, only 13 of 298 teams facing a 3-1 deficit came back to win the series. The last team to do it? The Nuggets in 2020, against both the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers.

When/Where to watch: Game 5: 10:30 p.m. EDT (NBC Peacock)

Series: Wolves lead, 3-1

Betting line: Nuggets by 10 1/2

What to Know: DiVincenzos season is over with an Achilles tendon injury and Edwards is facing a long recovery from a bone bruise and hyperextended knee. ... The Nuggets were the highest-scoring team in the NBA this season and were held under 100 points just twice, back in January. But they managed just 96 points in both of their losses in Minneapolis.

When/Where to watch: Game 4, 8 p.m. EDT (NBC Peacock, NBC Sports)

Series: Magic leads, 2-1

Betting line: Pistons by 2 1/2

What to Know: Behind 25 points each from Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane, the Magic beat the Pistons Saturday. Its the 13th time since 1984, when the NBA went to the 16-team format, that a No. 8 seed has taken a 2-1 lead in a first-round series over a No. 1 seed. Of the previous 12, five finished off the upset: Miami in 2023, Philadelphia in 2012, Memphis in 2011, Golden State in 2007 and New York in 1999.

When/Where to watch: Game 4, 9:30 p.m. EDT (NBC Peacock)

Series: Thunder lead, 3-0

Betting line: Thunder by 10 1/2

What to Know: Devin Booker should be ready to play in Game 4 when the Suns try to avoid a four-game sweep after leaving Game 3 briefly because of a left ankle injury he sustained after tripping over Lu Dorts foot. The five-time All-Star returned a few minutes later and said he was fine. Booker said he thought Dort stuck out his foot a little on the play, but didnt know if it was on purpose.

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