Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman described Wednesday night’s 125-118 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies as “a really bad loss for us” following a game where his team allowed 29 fast break points and 12 offensive rebounds.
Adelman cited energy and focus as major issues. “I knew we’d be somewhat tired and lethargic, but it’s a long game… we just waited too long and gave them a lot of confidence with how we played early,” he said.
The Nuggets struggled against Memphis’ defensive pressure. “A lot. They went small, picked people up, made other people handle the ball, and it put us in a tough spot up against the clock… that leads to turnovers and rushed offense,” Adelman explained.
He emphasized that Memphis’ young players were highly motivated. “All these guys are playing for something… they just outplayed us tonight,” he said, highlighting the Grizzlies’ effort despite their 24-44 record.
Turnovers were a major factor in the defeat, including 10 by Nikola Jokic. “They just surrounded him… outside of Cam, guys didn’t have the greatest shooting nights, and we had some transition turnovers as well,” Adelman said, noting that team spacing and outlets for Jokic were insufficient.
Adelman acknowledged the challenge of Memphis’ rotation strategy. “They kept rotating guys in there… when a game gets tight, eventually teams make shots in the NBA, and they did in the third quarter,” he said, referring to Memphis’ 7-of-12 three-point shooting in that period.
The Nuggets, who lost on the second night of a back-to-back, also managed injuries. “I didn’t want to play Jamal that many minutes, but I felt like I had to get through the game,” Adelman said.
Despite the disappointing outcome, Adelman stressed accountability. “There’s no excuses… you can control turnovers, getting back, rebounding… we didn’t do it, and give their guys credit,” he said.
Denver remains 42-28, just behind Minnesota for the fourth seed in the Western Conference, while Memphis improved to 24-44 and snapped an eight-game losing streak. Adelman concluded, “It’s a tough one for us at this part of the season, but that’s part of the NBA.”
