Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman reflected on the team’s 115-114 loss to the LA Clippers, emphasizing discipline and free throw issues. “That game we just fouled 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 contributions despite the loss. “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 hit that shot,” the coach explained.
The Nuggets struggled with defensive discipline against high-contact plays. “We allowed Mathurin to make 13 free throws… a lot of it was driving, showing his arms, and us hitting on the help side… you can’t do that when guys get in the scoring zone,” Adelman said.
Effort and energy after the break were praised, but execution remained a concern. “I thought we played hard… offensively it took a long time for our two best players to get going… the discipline part isn’t about the break, it’s about being smarter in those situations,” he said.
Adelman highlighted mental mistakes late in the game, including a costly long pass. “Tim knew straight away… it was a situation we talked about… he apologized after the game,” he added.
He provided insight into a defensive miscommunication during final possession. “Cam and Nikola were substituted… they were on the fourth second… he took a gamble and it didn’t pay off… the two guys in the back need to know who’s going to be on the blinker when 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 talked about… now we have to be a lot better when guys attack the basket,” he said.
Adelman also credited the supporting players for keeping the Nuggets competitive. “Julian, Cam, Bruce’s performance in the first half… they kept us in the game and gave us the lead before our main guys got going,” he noted.
The Nuggets’ loss dropped their record to 35–21, missing an opportunity to gain ground in the Western Conference standings. Denver visits Portland on Friday, while the Clippers take on the Lakers in the second night of a back-to-back.
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