Charles Barkley criticized Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman for overextending Nikola Jokic and other starters in the fourth quarter of Game 5.
Speaking on TNT’s Inside the NBA, Barkley said he believed fatigue played a major role in the Nuggets’ 112–105 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
“Everybody gets tired,” Barkley said. “Even if he’s not gonna say it, you can see it. That’s fatigue.”
Jokic played the entire final period and logged 44 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 assists on 17-of-25 shooting, but Denver was outscored 34–19 over the last 12 minutes.
“I think he could break it up like let Joker get a break and let Jamal run the offense then take Jamal out let the Joker run the offense,” Barkley said.
He emphasized that Jokic’s effort was evident, but the lack of rest showed. “Look at those numbers. He’s tired… no player gonna say he tired but if you’re playing that game the rest of the team… I mean come on man that’s fatigue,” Barkley added.
The Hall of Famer also pointed to Russell Westbrook as a missed opportunity for fresh legs.
“I’d throw Russ out there anytime cuz his energy level and is just incredible,” Barkley said. “Like he might make a mistake but he’s going to give me everything. I don’t know if he ever get tired.”
Adelman dismissed fatigue as the sole reason for the collapse, defending his rotation choices postgame.
“I had a conversation with him. He felt good,” Adelman said. “Keeping a guy out there that was 17-of-25, 5-for-7 from three, had 44, 15, and five—I do not regret it right now.”
The Thunder opened with a 12–2 run and withstood a second-quarter surge from Denver that briefly gave the Nuggets an 11-point edge.
Oklahoma City trailed 59–57 at the half and entered the fourth down 86–78 before Dort’s trio of threes fueled the comeback.
Despite a late triple from Jokic to tie the game at 103, the Nuggets couldn’t respond to the Thunder’s final push.
Jalen Williams buried a corner three with 1:18 remaining, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander sealed it with a pull-up dagger.
Murray added 28 points but shot 10-of-27 from the field, and Aaron Gordon was the only other Denver player in double digits.
Adelman stood by his decision, saying, “He had better legs… once he saw those go in, it just kind of unleashed everything else.”
Game 6 will take place Thursday in Denver, where the Nuggets must win to force a decisive Game 7.
