Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets experience heartbreaking Game 7 losses in the same season.

The top-seeded Thunder will face the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves beginning Tuesday. This marks the Thunder's first appearance in the conference finals since 2016.

Sportsnet reported that Oklahoma City posted a league-best 68-14 record in the regular season, becoming the youngest team in NBA history to reach 60 wins. To validate their top billing, the Thunder had to overcome three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and a Denver team that won the 2023 NBA championship and had just edged out the Clippers in a seven-game first-round series.

Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with 20 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Aaron Gordon, who had been a pivotal contributor during Denver's playoff run and hit the game-winner in Game 1 against the Thunder, played through a strained left hamstring. He finished with eight points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.

The Thunder then cruised to victory in the second half of the game.

The Colorado Avalanche also experienced a disappointing loss a couple weeks back when they blew a two goal lead in the third period to lose 4-2 to the Dallas Stars in Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round.

Former Avs star Mikko Rantanen recorded a hat trick and added an assist as the Stars surged with four unanswered goals in the third period to eliminate Colorado in dramatic fashion.

The Dallas Stars defeated the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in overtime to advance to the Western Conference Final for the third straight year in a row.

The Stars kick-off of their NHL Western Final against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night from the American Airlines Center in Dallas.