Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reflected on the team’s 115-114 loss to the LA Clippers, emphasizing discipline and free-throw woes. “That game we just foul too much… we put them in the bonus so early in the fourth quarter… the turnovers and the free throws, that’s what killed us in this game,” he said.
Adelman noted Jamal Murray’s clutch contributions despite the defeat. “Jamal made a huge shot, gave us a chance at the end… he did his job late. These are our guys… I thought Joke went to the basket… always trust him to shoot that shot,” the coach explained.
The Nuggets struggled with defensive discipline against high-contact plays. “We allowed Mathurin 13 free throws… a lot of it was driving, showing his arms, and us slapping on the help side… you can’t do that when guys get in the scoring area,” Adelman said.
Effort and energy after the break earned praise, but execution remained a concern. “I thought we played hard… our two best players offensively took a long time to get going… the discipline part isn’t about the break, it’s about being smarter in those situations,” he said.
Adelman highlighted mental errors late in the game, including a costly long pass. “Tim immediately knew… it was a situation we’ve talked about… he was apologizing after the game,” he added.
He provided insight into a defensive miscommunication on the final possession. “Cam and Nikola had switched… they were at the 4-second mark… he took a chance and it didn’t pay off… the two guys in the back have to know who’s going with the flasher if they’re going to switch,” Adelman said.
Despite the loss, he found positives in effort and physicality. “I like the physicality on the floor… something we’ve been talking about… now we have to be much better when guys attack the basket,” he said.
Adelman also credited supporting players for keeping the Nuggets competitive. “Julian, Cam, Bruce’s performance in the first half… they kept us in the game and got us the lead before our main guys got going,” he noted.
The Nuggets’ defeat dropped their record to 35-21, missing an opportunity to gain ground in the Western Conference standings. Denver will visit Portland on Friday, while the Clippers face the Lakers in the second night of a back-to-back.
