Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reflected on his team’s 110-87 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, describing it as a tough night. “I thought we played okay. They played great. We had a really poor shooting night… once they took that lead, they shot it like they did. Like they did the same thing in LA. They won by 55 four games ago,” Adelman said.
He highlighted Charlotte’s defensive impact, noting, “I thought they were more impressive defensively tonight than offensively… They made a lot of plays tonight and we did not. So, it’s a real challenge for DaRon on the boards right now.”
Adelman explained the Nuggets’ rebounding issues, stating, “I don’t think it’s DaRon. I don’t think it’s anyone in particular… Right now we’re just under manned physically a little bit on the boards… As a team, we have to do a better job at the point of guarding the ball, which will help us actually get a body on somebody and be able to compete on the defensive rebound.”
Regarding in-game rotations, Adelman said, “That’s something that they got to think about in the league… They literally were hockey subbing back and forth… I was ultra confused and had to burn a timeout to get my point across, which is not good in a game where you’re trailing.”
He also addressed player fatigue and injuries, acknowledging, “You worry about that even when you’re fully healthy… This particular group has played basically about 10 games together and they’ve had to play at a level that’s hard to maintain… No excuses here.”
Adelman highlighted positives in the fourth quarter, particularly Julian Strawther’s performance. “It was great… He got into the paint, looked more comfortable shooting the floater… It was a bright spot to see him make shots, get into the paint, make plays because that’s his special gift,” he said.
On the Nuggets’ struggles from behind the arc, Adelman maintained confidence in his shooters. “We took a lot of shots, had open looks, but they weren’t falling tonight… We’re the number one three-point shooting team in the NBA… If those guys are open, they will shoot the ball. We’ve done that all season long. I have nothing but trust in that locker room,” he added.
The Hornets dominated early, building a 29-11 lead and extending it to 60-34 at halftime behind Brandon Miller’s 18 first-half points. Miller finished with 23, while Tidjane Salaun contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds. Denver, missing five of its top eight scorers, struggled to contain Charlotte’s attack, with Peyton Watson scoring 11 and Jamal Murray 16.
Charlotte improves to 17-27, while Denver falls to 29-14, navigating a thin rotation without Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, and Jonas Valanciunas. The Hornets host Cleveland on Wednesday, and the Nuggets face the Lakers on Tuesday.
