Turn on the game!

Three must-see events this week:

1. Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder (6 p.m. Friday, NBA TV) — After their preseason finale, the best teams in the NBA won’t meet again until February — and, later, in the conference finals.

2. Boston Bruins at Avalanche (7 p.m. Saturday, ESPN+/Altitude TV) — Did you know inked-up Avalanche hobbyist Brent Burns got his first tattoo, a Canadian flag with a hockey stick, at the age of 11?

3. New York Giants at Broncos (2:05 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, CBS) — Sean Payton should text good buddy Deion Sanders for some tips since CU held Cam Skattebo to 49 rushing yards.

Numbers game

14th and 16th — the MLB payroll ranks of the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners as they open the National and American League championship series, slightly ahead of the No. 18 Rockies, showing it’s not only how much you spend but how you spend it

Box office

$9 — to witness the hottest team in Boulder, the 24th-ranked volleyball Buffs, who last week broke into the national rankings for the first time since the 2021 season. Colorado hosts Utah at CU Events Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

On this day

Oct. 12, 1963 — The great Lane Frost was born in La Junta, leading to a rodeo career that included a 1987 PRCA bull-riding world title two years before he died when a bull struck him after a ride at Cheyenne Frontier Days

Final word

When the Broncos kick off at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, remember it’s a matter of when before the NFL launches a division of teams in Europe. Situating four teams in Europe — instead of just one — will allow for two-game road trips from the U.S. And a quadruple header of TV revenue on Sundays.

—Paul Klee, The Denver Gazette