The Denver Nuggets fell 131-130 to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday at American Airlines Center despite a 31-point, 14-assist performance from Jamal Murray and 29 points with 14 assists from Nikola Jokic. Nuggets head coach David Adelman described the defeat as “a disappointing loss,” citing a sluggish start as a key factor. “We put ourselves behind the eight-ball just the way we started the game. Just lethargic energy… I was throwing bodies out there just trying to find a group that had some juice,” Adelman said.
Adelman praised Peyton Watson’s effort despite foul trouble, noting, “He had a weird night with foul trouble… I thought he fought Anthony Davis at the end and I really thought that ball was going in when it left his hand.” He added that the Nuggets showed resilience in the third quarter, scoring 47 points to tie the game, but admitted, “We just didn’t do enough late, obviously.”
Cooper Flagg’s performance for Dallas drew special attention. “Shot making, tough shots too… some of the threes late in the clock. He got to his spots. Bruce really fought him in the second half and he still made some really tough shots at key moments,” Adelman said. He acknowledged Flagg’s near triple-double, adding, “Nine assists, nine rebounds… very impressive man.”
Adelman reflected on Denver’s three-point shooting and ball movement. “Our shot making has been because of the 39 assists. We were moving the ball properly,” he said, also noting that late in the fourth quarter, “their shot making… won the game.” He credited Mavericks’ Naji Marshall for making crucial outside shots despite Denver’s defensive rotations.
The Nuggets’ decision to play smaller late in the game drew praise from Adelman. “I like the matchups. It allowed us to plug the paint a little bit… show bodies to AD more often than not because he got loose early,” he said, referencing Dallas’ Anthony Davis.
Adelman expressed concern over Cameron Johnson’s apparent knee injury in the fourth quarter. “It’s concerning… imaging has to happen before anything else, but it was not a fun sight to see,” he said. He added that the team is hopeful for a positive update, noting, “We know what Cam means to our team.”
The Nuggets, now 21-8, saw their 11-game road winning streak end. Dallas improved to 12-19, with Flagg scoring 33 points, Anthony Davis adding 31, and Tim Hardaway Jr. hitting seven 3-pointers. Denver will return home to face Minnesota on Thursday, while Dallas visits Golden State.
