Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman has defended his team’s “competitive spirit” following their 112-96 Game 4 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The loss puts the Nuggets in a 3-1 series deficit. As they look ahead to Game 5, Adelman addressed questions about the team’s competitiveness.
“You don’t think we were competitive tonight?” the first-year coach asked.
Adelman Highlights Offensive Struggles
Adelman acknowledged the offensive challenges the Nuggets faced. He pointed out that shooting 24% in the second half makes it difficult to win. Despite the loss, Adelman praised his team’s effort in the first half, saying “I thought our guys played their (butts) off throughout that first half. I thought they maintained a physicality about them.”
He also gave credit to the Timberwolves, highlighting the performance of their bench players. “Two guys off their bench had 60 points combined. I don’t think that’s from ‘competitive spirit’ issues. That’s from two guys having a great night and us having a really tough second half offensively.”
Context of the Series Skid
The Nuggets are currently on a three-game losing streak. This comes after a 13-game win streak. The series has become increasingly intense since the first quarter of Game 2.
Adelman noted that, excluding two garbage-time baskets, the Nuggets held the Timberwolves to 108 points. He argued that “when you hold a team to 108 in the NBA, you should have a great chance to win the game.”
Frustration and Belief in the Locker Room
Adelman conveyed the team’s frustration, but also their belief that they can still win the series. “That’s why the guys in the locker room are very frustrated but very understanding of how close we are to flipping the series,” Adelman said.
He dismissed external narratives, saying, “I don’t care what you write. I really don’t. I know what the team feels. I know what they felt before the game. The narrative doesn’t matter to me. I know the feeling of the group, and I know there’s something in us.”
Key Players Underperforming
Nikola Jokic’s performance has dipped in the series, averaging 25 points on 39.1% shooting. Jamal Murray is shooting 37.1% from the field and 26.5% from 3-point range. In Game 4, they combined to miss 18 of 24 shots in the second half.
- Nikola Jokic: 25 points on 39.1% shooting
- Jamal Murray: 37.1% from the field and 26.5% from 3-point range
Their struggles have been compounded by the strong play of Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels, who have contained them effectively. The Nuggets’ supporting cast has also been outmatched by players such as Ayo Dosunmu and Naz Reid.
Denver has failed to score 100 points twice in a row. They never fell short of that mark when Nikola Jokic played this regular season.