Nuggets fans wasted no time in playing the game online and zeroing in on coach David Adelman after Nikola Jokic and Co. lost in the first round to the Timberwolves on Thursday. Denver had everything in its favor despite trailing 3-1 after Game 4. Anthony Edwards went down with a knee injury and was out for the series, while Donte DiVincenzo was also out with an Achilles tear.
The Nuggets bounced back in Game 5 with a blowout win. Denver had the momentum heading into Game 6 and better health again as the Timberwolves got further depleted with Ayo Dosunmu, one of Minnesota’s best players all series, ruled out with a calf injury. Kyle Anderson was also missing due to illness.
While the Nuggets played without Aaron Gordon and Peyton Watson, they still had four of their five starters available, including All-Stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. That alone favored them for the rest of the games of securing another series win, trailing 3-1.
But that wasn’t meant to be. Denver unexpectedly collapsed down the stretch, with two minutes left, after Jamal Murray made it a three-point game. The Timberwolves closed the game on a 10-2 run, winning Game 6 110-98.
Several Nuggets fans pointed to David Adelman’s coaching flaws, including the lack of schematic adjustments, especially on defense. The Nuggets frequently allowed the Timberwolves to attack the paint, which was a problem throughout the series. Denver also didn’t match up well physically, leading to speculation that Adelman failed to ignite that fire within his players.
Here are some of the reactions:
Nikola Jokic refuses to blame David Adelman after Nuggets’ first-round loss
While the Nuggets fan base was on board with blaming the same culprits, mainly David Adelman, Nikola Jokic defended Denver’s coach, saying the shocking loss wasn’t on him. Jokic took accountability on behalf of the players for not doing the things that matter on the court that could have helped Denver win on Thursday and potentially this series.
“Not his fault we cannot rebound, not his fault that we cannot catch the ball very well inside,” Jokic said. “There is nothing to blame David Adelman, this is all us.”
The Nuggets entered this postseason as one of the top two title favorites behind the Thunder. They had one of the deepest teams and a playoff pedigree. However, most players didn’t perform as expected, including Nikola Jokic. Outside of Games 1, 5 and 6, Jokic had one of his most inefficient offensive displays in the playoffs.
It isn’t surprising that he’s passionately defending David Adelman from critics, as Denver made most of its errors on the court, not just from a strategic standpoint.
