The Oklahoma City Thunder were able to tie the series at two games apiece on Sunday afternoon, evading a 3-1 series deficit.

On the surface, the deal is explosive. Denver would be acquiring Zach LaVine, a dynamic scoring guard who, despite his injury history and defensive limitations, remains one of the NBA’s most efficient high-volume shooters.

Nikola Jokic, who finished Sunday's loss with a game-high 27 points on 7-of-22 shooting, 13 rebounds, three assists, four steals and two triples, spoke to reporters after the game to try and shed light on this deflating defeat.

It wasn't until this season that Seattle's worst sports nightmare looked borderline inevitable. That's why the Nuggets suddenly have garnered an ardent fan base in the Pacific Northwest.