The referral to Mike Malone Three games from the end has rocked an NBA already shaken this season. Now it is David Adelman to direct the nuggets to the playoffs …
“We are still in the race, people forget that” explains Rick Adelman's son. “The 'experts' seem to think that we are not going to do the playoffs but we still have a great chance to do something special. We talked about it. The players seem convinced. So I expect a very good effort. »»
What happened in Colorado so that Mike Malone takes the door like this, in the last straight line, two years after having led the team to the title? Obviously, the coach did not want to apply the club's strategy, which wishes to develop his young people to surround Nikola Jokic in the medium term.
“What he did for this team … He's the best coach in history (club)” Recalls David Adelman, who has been his assistant since 2017. “We cannot argue against that. In terms of the percentages of victories, victories, finals, titles. The experience he gave me for eight years allowed me to grow as a coach … All the guys from the staff, we have been together for a long time. And there are these guys who grew up before our eyes, the Jamal [Murray]the Nikola [Jokic]the Michael [Porter Jr.]adding Aaron [Gordon]Christian [Braun]. »»
A first match in Sacramento, wink of fate
But the NBA is a ruthless universe, where coaches are constantly used as fuses. As “son of”, David Adelman is well placed to know, while, a nod of fate, he therefore directed his first match as “Head Coach” in Sacramento, where his father officiated between 1998 and 2006.
“It's funny to be Sacramento for that (his first), knowing that my father spent eight years here, and when we thought it would never end, given the atmosphere, which was incredible. »»
However, all things have an end, especially in the big league, and the Nuggets have just proven it abruptly. For David Adelman, we must now convince this group that the season is not over.
“What should change?” The general atmosphere “ he confirms. “It sometimes happens in professional sport. »»
Club owners, the Kroenkes have advised him “To do better”. And probably to have young people play. This night, Jalen Pickett was a holder, while Russell Westbrook only played 17 minutes.
| Shots | Rebound | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | Lf | Off | Def | Early | PD | COP | Int | Ct | Fte | Pts |
| Nikola Jokic | 67 | 36.7 | 57.7 | 41.5 | 80.3 | 2.9 | 9.9 | 12.8 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 30.0 |
| Jamal Murray | 65 | 36.3 | 47.6 | 39.6 | 88.7 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 21.6 |
| Michael Porter, Jr. | 74 | 33.8 | 50.4 | 39.3 | 76.9 | 1.8 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 18.3 |
| Christian Braun | 76 | 33.9 | 57.8 | 39.8 | 82.4 | 1.3 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 15.4 |
| Aaron Gordon | 48 | 28.0 | 52.8 | 45.2 | 80.4 | 1.5 | 3.4 | 4.8 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 14.1 |
| Russell Westbrook | 72 | 28.1 | 45.1 | 33.1 | 64.4 | 1.4 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 6.2 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 13.3 |
| Julian Strawther | 63 | 21.6 | 43.5 | 35.3 | 82.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 9.2 |
| Peyton Watson | 65 | 24.5 | 47.7 | 35.7 | 68.9 | 0.7 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 8.1 |
| JALEN PICKETT | 46 | 13.2 | 43.3 | 38.9 | 83.3 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 4.0 |
| Deandre Jordan | 53 | 12.5 | 64.7 | 0.0 | 41.7 | 1.5 | 3.6 | 5.1 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 3.7 |
| Dario Saric | 16 | 13.1 | 36.2 | 26.9 | 70.0 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 3.5 |
| Zeke Nnaji | 56 | 10.7 | 50.0 | 33.3 | 61.9 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 3.3 |
| Hunter Tyson | 50 | 7.9 | 37.8 | 31.1 | 73.1 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.8 | 2.6 |
| Vlatko Cancar | 13 | 10.4 | 38.5 | 26.7 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.8 |
| Pj hall | 19 | 3.5 | 58.3 | 25.0 | 75.0 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 1.7 |
| Trey Alexander | 23 | 4.8 | 30.0 | 17.6 | 75.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.3 |
| Spencer Jones | 20 | 6.2 | 32.4 | 5.9 | 100.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.3 |
