Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun returned from lengthy injury absences Sunday in Brooklyn, bringing good news to a Denver team desperate for healthy bodies after the loss of Nikola Jokic.

The NBA has strict rules against betting on its games, and the consequences are clear.

The NBA season opens Tuesday with a record 135 players born outside the U.S. They come from 43 countries, with 71 players from Europe.

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic has decided to delay a contract extension with the Denver Nuggets this summer.

Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon has a strained left hamstring and his availability is in doubt for Game 7 against the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Sunday, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Now this was finally a role Julian Strawther could sink his teeth into, even if it cost him one.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the youthful Oklahoma Thunder are on the verge of making the franchise’s first appearance in the Western Conference finals since 2016.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat the Denver Nuggets 112-105 and go up 3-2 in their Western Conference semifinal series.

These are the NBA playoffs of survival, where not even the stars are safe.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 25 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder finally outplayed Denver in crunch time, beating the Nuggets 92-87 Sunday to knot their second-round series at two games each.

Jamal Murray scored 27 points and Michael Porter Jr. bounced back with 21 clutch points, leading the Denver Nuggets past the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder 113-104 in overtime Friday night for a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

Not this time: The Denver Nuggets’ second-half lead was way too big for them to fritter away.

The Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers are all on the verge of a second round that appears to be taking shape quickly in the Eastern Conference.

Aaron Gordon slammed down Nikola Jokic’s miss as time expired to lift the Denver Nuggets over the Los Angeles Clippers 101-99 on Saturday to tie their playoff series 2-2.

Denver’s Russell Westbrook was ruled out for Game 4 of the Nuggets’ Western Conference first-round series against the Los Angeles Clippers because of left foot inflammation.

Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points on 15-of-19 shooting and the Los Angeles Clippers evened their first-round playoff series against the Nuggets with a 105-102 win in Denver.

Firing the head coach and general manager with just three games left in the regular season might seem like an impulsive move but Denver Nuggets coach Josh Kroenke said Tuesday the split was months in the making.

Nikola Jokic had his 32nd triple-double of the season with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and Denver beat the Sacramento Kings 124-116 on Wednesday night in the Nuggets’ first game since head coach Michael Malone was fired.

Michael Malone paid the price for the myriad problems plaguing the Denver Nuggets this season.

All five of the Denver Nuggets starters are out for their game against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednedsay night.

Nikola Jokic had 39 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in his first game back in nearly two weeks to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 127-117 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Denver Nuggets 127-103 in a matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference standings.

Nikola Jokic sat in front of his locker, calmly scrolling through his phone, seemingly unimpressed that 30 minutes earlier he made NBA history.

Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 27 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 110-100 night in the nightcap to the NBA’s Christmas slate of games.

LeBron James made his Christmas debut in 2003.

There are moments when Nikola Jokic does things on the court that seem to defy reason — almost magical.

The Denver Nuggets secured another one of their core players by agreeing with forward Aaron Gordon on a four-year, $133 million contract extension Monday night.

Denver coach Michael Malone first broached the subject with his team in training camp, reminding them no NBA champion had won back-to-back titles since the Golden State Warriors did it in 2018.

Jamal Murray rebounded from a rough start to the Western Conference semifinals with 24 points to lead the Denver Nuggets on a 117-90 romp in Game 3 that made the Minnesota Timberwolves the last team in the NBA to lose in this postseason.

Jamal Murray scored 32 points despite a strained left calf and sank the game-winning shot with 3.6 seconds remaining as the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets again bounced LeBron James from the playoffs with a 108-106 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5.

The Denver Nuggets moved to the brink of the second round with a 112-105 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of the first-round series.

LeBron James' anger boiled over after the Los Angeles Lakers' latest loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Jamal Murray sank a 15-foot step-back jumper at the buzzer and the Denver Nuggets wiped out a 20-point second-half deficit to stun the Los Angeles Lakers 101-99 Monday night and take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.

Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 12 rebounds, and the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets powered past LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 114-103 in their Western Conference playoff opener.

Michael Porter Jr.'s teammates on the Denver Nuggets say their starting forward seems to be handling his family's troubles well as the team heads into the playoffs.

Nikola Jokic scored 41 points and powered the Denver Nuggets past Minnesota and into sole possession of first place in the tight Western Conference playoff race with a 116-107 win over the Timberwolves.

The NBA has opened an investigation into Toronto two-way player Jontay Porter amid gambling allegations.

Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 16 rebounds and Michael Porter Jr. scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter as the Denver Nuggets fended off the undermanned and undersized Minnesota Timberwolves 115-112.

LeBron James reached 40,000 points Saturday night, still going strong in his 21st NBA season as he tries to put the career scoring record out of reach.

Nikola Jokic had 26 points and 16 rebounds but was denied his rematch with fellow MVP contender Joel Embiid when the Denver Nuggets fended off the short-handed but gritty Philadelphia 76ers 111-105.

Joel Embiid had 41 points and 10 assists to lead the Philadelphia 76ers past Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets 126-121 on Tuesday night in a battle of the last two NBA MVPs.

Nikola Jokic had 21 points and 16 assists, Reggie Jackson added 20 points and the Denver Nuggets held off the Phoenix Suns 119-111 for a hard-fought victory Friday night.

Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds, Michael Porter Jr. scored a season-high 30 points and the Denver Nuggets rolled past the Houston Rockets 134-124 on Wednesday night in Jamal Murray’s return from a hamstring injury.

An exhausted Nikola Jokic had 35 points and 13 rebounds in more than 36 minutes of action to help the Denver Nuggets hold off the Golden State Warriors 108-105 on Wednesday night.

Nikola Jokic finished an assist shy of a triple-double and the Denver Nuggets held off the Dallas Mavericks 125-114 on Friday night to open the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.

Nikola Jokic had 28 points and 14 rebounds to help the Denver Nuggets roll past the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-95.

Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double and the Denver Nuggets began defense of their first NBA title with a 119-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA-champion Denver Nuggets struck a deal with Indiana to acquire a first-round round pick in the draft on Thursday night.

Nikola Jokic got a triple-double in his NBA Finals debut, Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Denver Nuggets had little trouble with the cold-shooting Miami Heat on the way to a 104-93 win in Game 1 of the title series on Thursday night.

Nikola Jokic had a triple-double after making up with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Michael Porter Jr. sank five 3-pointers to help the Denver Nuggets beat Phoenix 118-102 on Tuesday night for a 3-2 series lead.

The home team has won every game in the second-round series between the Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns.

The trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. are paired again in the playoffs for the Denver Nuggets.

The top-seeded Denver Nuggets eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 112-109 win in Game 5 of their playoff series at Ball Arena on Tuesday night.

The Denver Nuggets are the league’s best shooting team with a clean bill of health and the two-time reigning NBA MVP in Nikola Jokic.

Nikola Jokic had his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as the Denver Nuggets fended off the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-111 to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round NBA playoff series.

Jamal Murray scored 40 points and Michael Porter Jr. had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Denver Nuggets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 122-113 on Wednesday night for a 2-0 lead in the NBA playoff series.

Jamal Murray scored 24 points and the top-seeded Denver Nuggets routed the Minnesota Timberwolves 109-80 in the opener of their playoff series Sunday night.

Nikola Jokic had 31 points and 11 assists, Jamal Murray finished with 26 points and nine assists, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129-106 in a matchup of the NBA's conference leaders.

Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 134-124 overtime victory against the Los Angeles Clippers in a matchup of Western Conference contenders.

Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic is quietly turning in another NBA MVP-worthy season.

Nikola Jokic had 32 points and 12 rebounds, Jamal Murray scored a season-high 31 and the Denver Nuggets defeated the Houston Rockets 129-113.

Vlatko Cancar hit a buzzer-beater from near midcourt when the final 2 seconds of the first half were replayed after the break, and the outmanned Denver Nuggets went on to beat the Dallas Mavericks 98-97.

Nikola Jokic had 31 points and 13 rebounds, Jamal Murray hit a big 3-pointer and the Denver Nuggets kept the Los Angeles Lakers winless with a 110-99 victory Wednesday night.

Anfernee Simons had 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, and the Portland Trail Blazers won their fourth straight game to start the season with a 135-110 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic had a triple-double of 26 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists playing with a sore right wrist he had taped, and the Denver Nuggets beat Golden State 128-123 in a rematch of the teams’ first-round playoff series won by the Warriors in five games on their way to the title.

Ben Simmons finally played for the Brooklyn Nets in their preseason opener.

A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the Denver Nuggets have agreed to a deal that would send guards Will Barton and Monte Morris to the Washington Wizards for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have brought in Denver Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly to take a similar role.

The Denver Nuggets avoided a sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors with a 126-121 win Sunday to send the series back to San Francisco for Game 5.

Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole scored 27 points each, Klay Thompson made six 3-pointers on his way to 26 points and the Golden State Warriors muscled past the Denver Nuggets 118-113 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in the playoff series.

The Denver Nuggets have acquired veteran wing player Bryn Forbes from San Antonio as part of a three-team trade that also included Boston.

The basic mantra for all NBA teams this season should be just get into the playoffs.

Cam Johnson scored a career-high 22 points, Deandre Ayton added 21 and the fast-starting Phoenix Suns ran their winning streak to 12, routing the short-handed Denver Nuggets 126-97 on Sunday night.

Nikola Jokic had 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists before the NBA MVP was ejected for violently slamming his shoulder into Markieff Morris, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 113-96 on Monday night.

Devin Booker and Chris Paul led the Phoenix Suns to a four-game sweep of the Denver Nuggets who lost MVP Nikola Jokic to an ejection in their 125-118 loss Sunday.

The Denver Nuggets face a daunting 3-0 deficit in their second-round playoff series against the Phoenix Suns.

Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns spoiled Nikola Jokic’s MVP celebration with a 116-102 victory over Denver on Friday night in Game 3 that put “The Joker” and the rest of the reeling Nuggets on the brink of a quick second-round exit.

The Atlanta Hawks will attempt to extend their 13-game home winning streak when they play the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Chris Paul had 17 points and 15 assists without a turnover, Devin Booker added 18 points and 10 rebounds and the Phoenix Suns routed the Denver Nuggets 123-98 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Phoenix’s Deandre Ayton had Guy Fieri leaping out of his courtside seat.

Chris Paul and his rejuvenated right shoulder scored 21 points and dished 11 assists, Mikal Bridges added 23 points and the Phoenix Suns beat the Denver Nuggets 122-105 in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Nikola Jokic had 36 points and the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Portland Trail Blazers in six games with a 126-115 victory Thursday night.

Michael Porter Jr.’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the second overtime helped the Denver Nuggets squelch an epic comeback by the Portland Trail Blazers with a 147-140 win Tuesday night.

Nikola Jokic scored 38 points to overcome a 3-point shooting barrage from Damian Lillard and the Denver Nuggets evened the first-round series by beating the Portland Trail Blazers 128-109 in a chippy Game 2.

Damian Lillard scored 34 points and led Portland’s 3-point barrage that sparked the Trail Blazers’ 123-109 win over the Denver Nuggets in the opener of their first-round playoff series Saturday night.

Denver’s Nikola Jokic finished ninth in the MVP voting last season.

Anthony Davis scored 25 points and had key plays on both ends of the floor in the final minute as the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 93-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Stephen Curry scored 32 points, Draymond Green had 19 assists and 12 rebounds, and the Golden State Warriors welcomed back fans for the first time since the pandemic began by beating the Denver Nuggets 118-97.

Nikola Jokic scored 47 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer late in the second overtime, and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 139-137.

The Denver Nuggets will be without Jamal Murray indefinitely after the dynamic point guard suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.

Stephen Curry scored 53 points to pass Wilt Chamberlain for the most in Warriors franchise history as Golden State beat the Denver Nuggets 116-107.

Nikola Jokic had 26 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, and the Denver Nuggets held off the San Antonio Spurs for a 121-119 win when DeMar DeRozan’s shot attempt at the buzzer rolled out.

The Sabres canceled their pregame practice after a member of their staff was placed in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. The first game for ticketed fans will be when the Avalanche host the St. Louis Blues on April 2. ___The status of the Sabres-Bruins game in Buffalo on Thursday night is uncertain after both teams placed personnel in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. The Sabres canceled morning practice after a hockey staff member entered the protocol. The game Thursday night is supposed to be Buffalo’s first this season with a limited number of fans.

Denver Nuggets' Jamal Murray (27) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Cedi Osman (16) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Feb. 19, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)CLEVELAND – Not himself of late, Jamal Murray got a lecture from Nuggets coach Michael Malone about being more aggressive and not passing up open shots. Following the game, Murray was unaware that he had done something unique. “With the exception of Murray, we took some steps in the right direction,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. They made their first 12 shots, opened a 22-point lead in the second half and then let Murray close out the Cavs.

Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots against Phoenix Suns forward Jae Crowder (99) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)The Washington Wizards are finally back. The Grizzlies won’t play until at least Saturday, after the NBA called off yet another game -- the 20th since Jan. 10 and the 21st postponement this season. Those were called off late last week and now, the Grizzlies’ home game against Chicago that was scheduled for Wednesday is off as well. In all, 23 teams have seen at least one game called off so far this season.

(AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)MIAMI – The Washington Wizards are now assured of going at least 11 days between games, after yet another postponement while the team deals with COVID-19 issues. The Wizards' game that was scheduled to be played Wednesday in Charlotte is now off, the NBA said Monday. That is the 14th postponement since Jan. 10 — and no team has had more games called off than the Wizards. Washington has seen five consecutive games pushed back, and the earliest the Wizards will play again is Friday at Milwaukee. Pushing the Wizards' return back appears to make sense for multiple reasons, including the fact that the team has been unable to even practice.

The team met the minimum eight active players by including injured forward Mike Scott, who was not actually able to play. Gary Harris scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who played without Michael Porter Jr. (19.5 points per game) because of health and safety protocols. Danny Green was the only regular in Philly's starting lineup, joined by backups Dakota Mathias, Dwight Howard, Joe and Maxey. “I don’t know enough about any of this.”Sparked by Maxey, the undermanned, feisty Sixers stuck with Denver throughout the first half. Nuggets: Play Saturday in New York.

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic reacts to a missed shot against the Denver Nuggets during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)DENVER – Luka Doncic came within one rebound of his second straight triple-double, finishing with 38 points and 13 assists to lead the Dallas Mavericks over the Denver Nuggets 124-117 in overtime Thursday night. Doncic sat out Sunday’s loss to Chicago and responded with his first triple-double of the season against Houston on Monday. Nikola Jokic scored 20 of his 38 points after halftime and grabbed 11 rebounds for Denver. Denver got within three on a 3-pointer from Jokic, but Doncic scored four straight to ice it for the Mavericks.

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, right, looks for a shot over Denver Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, in Denver. Moments like this are precisely why the Suns acquired Paul in a deal with Oklahoma City. “Him being able to knock down shots, and the ability and will to take those shots, is huge for us,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. But on the advice of Paul, Williams decided to challenge the play. The Denver big man is posting big numbers but his production isn’t translating into wins as the Nuggets fell to 1-4.

18 Florida State on Saturday after coming into close contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19. ___Marquette women’s basketball has paused activities because of a positive COVID-19 test. The Browns did not have any new positive COVID-19 tests on Friday, and after getting league approval, practiced indoors. It’s the second straight postponement for the Sun Devils after their game scheduled for Thursday at Washington State was also called off. Every player on the active roster practiced Thursday and Friday, an indication none was identified as a high-risk close contact with Fitzpatrick.