Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman credited his team’s defensive focus after a 114-110 road victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday at TD Garden.
“I thought our defense was really good,” Adelman said. “Just individual sit-down defense. Very simple, but they only had 16 assists. A lot of that was the fact that we made them play one-on-one.”
Adelman highlighted Jamal Murray’s playmaking as a key factor in the win. “Jamal’s been so patient with these games. He had 17 assists, and I wonder how many hockey assists he had with the double team,” he said.
The coach emphasized the Nuggets’ offensive discipline. “Offensively, we just kept taking good shots. In the third quarter, we couldn’t make a shot early, but we held them to 24, so we were in a good spot,” Adelman said.
Denver’s rotation adjustments were also praised. “I was happy to see Christian Braun make the shot in the corner, a confidence builder for a player that’s been out for a long time,” he said, adding that returning players allowed for a longer rotation.
Adelman noted the team’s road trip performance, despite injuries to key players. “I think this was an incredible road trip. Losing both our centers, getting guys back on minute restrictions, different people stepping in—beating Philly with nine players—I’d say the trip was very successful,” he said.
The Nuggets coach also highlighted individual defensive efforts, particularly Zeke Nnaji against Jaylen Brown. “One guy that stood out was Zeke Nnaji. When he switched onto Brown, he stayed down, used his hands at the right times, and made him take contested shots,” Adelman said.
Adelman praised the team’s ability to attack the paint despite limited inside scoring. “We only had 26 points in the paint, which is low for us historically, but with injuries, it was different. I’m proud of the style of play and getting the win,” he said.
Despite Boston’s hot shooting, Adelman focused on team execution. “45 threes were 45 good shots. If they put two on Jamal, we find the roller or the next pass. That’s just taking the right shot for each other,” he said.
The Nuggets improve to 25-12, while the Celtics fall to 23-12. Both teams are back in action Friday night, with Denver hosting the Atlanta Hawks and Boston facing the Toronto Raptors.
