Thunder to host Nuggets in Game 7 of Western Conference semifinals

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder will host Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday.

The Thunder, who won a league-best 68 games in the regular season to claim the top seed, can validate that success with a victory. Oklahoma City lost to Dallas in the conference semifinals last year as the No. 1 seed and doesn’t want a repeat.

The Thunder face a Denver squad that won the NBA title in 2023 and beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round this year.

The winner advances to play Minnesota in the Western Conference finals, starting Tuesday.

Denver interim coach David Adelman said Aaron Gordon, a key player for Denver throughout the playoffs, will be a game-time decision with a left hamstring injury. ESPN reports that he is “highly improbable” to play. He is listed as questionable on the injury report. Gordon hit the dramatic winner in Game 1 and has averaged 14.5 points and 9.2 rebounds in the series.

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