The Denver Nuggets’ championship was crushed in the Western Conference semi-finals and fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 125-93 in a devastating Game 7 defeat.
Denver was completely abolished by Oklahoma City. It was especially in the disastrous second quarter, surpassing 39-20 after taking a first quarter lead.
One of the turning points came when coach David Adelman decided to rest both Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and start the second quarter.
After a crushed defeat, Adelman acknowledged Oklahoma City as a great team on the night, and praised the ability to overwhelm Denver throughout the contest.
David Adelman highlighted Thunder’s tactical flexibility as an important factor that the Nuggets were unable to match.
“It’s a unique group. The way they bring teams together feels like a winning formula. It’s not just talent. There are many entities in their game.
“They can play small, they can play big. They can go wherever they want on the roster, and that’s difficult,” Adelman added, highlighting how Oklahoma City’s versatility caused multiple issues with Denver’s defensive scheme.
Despite the heartbreaking conclusion, Adelman acknowledged the importance of this playoff journey for both himself and the Nuggets organization, but admitted that Game 7 losses take quite a bit of time to process.
“When you lose, it’s crushed. This is the moment we were together to do this run. And they’re all personal to ourselves. They’re so special. It’s crushed and it’s going to take time to get through it,” he said.
The interim coach also certainly recognized his team’s collective efforts throughout the postseason, even if the disappointing finale overshadowed previous achievements.
Adelman was particularly impressed by Aaron Gordon’s brave performance. The forward has overcome a serious hamstring injury that raised questions about the decisive game.
Gordon played 25 minutes despite his physical limitations and contributed 8 points and 11 rebounds, which could have been the last game of the season.
“Aaron Gordon is incredible. What he played today is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen,” praised Adelman.
Adelman took over as interim coach after the front office fired Kevin Malone just before the playoffs began, and this run was even more noteworthy given the situation.
Whether the Nuggets managers will extend Adelman’s contract next season remains unrequited as questions about Denver’s future direction following this elimination.