Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman highlighted his team’s defensive adjustments following a 116-93 victory against the Golden State Warriors at Ball Arena on Sunday. “I just thought a better overall basketball effort on that end,” Adelman said, emphasizing the importance of team defense in the first half.
Adelman noted that the Nuggets limited Golden State to just 40 points in the second half. “Yeah, I think that’s true. In today’s NBA, giving up 56 a half is not that bad…40 is absurdly great. Love to have that every night,” he said, adding that the effort reflected a disciplined adherence to the game plan.
The coach acknowledged issues with cutting and moving layups early in the game. “The first half we actually did a lot of good things, but we still did not shore up some of the cutting and moving layups we gave up like we did in the Utah game,” Adelman explained. He credited adjustments in switching and physicality in the second half for the defensive improvement.
Injuries forced Denver to rely on smaller lineups. Aaron Gordon was sidelined with calf soreness, while Spencer Jones and Cameron Johnson left the game due to tightness and rib issues. Adelman praised the role players who stepped up. “I give the smalls a lot of credit. We had smaller guys guarding Porzingis and they were fighting him. JV was ready to play like you hope he would,” he said.
Adelman singled out Zeke Nnaji for his contributions. “Zeke has been so good this year in a role that could be very frustrating…he was very impactful. He’s very good defensively,” Adelman said, noting Nnaji also stood up for teammates during a chippy second quarter incident with Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton.
The Nuggets received strong performances from their stars. Nikola Jokic posted 25 points and 15 rebounds, narrowly missing a fifth consecutive triple-double, while Jamal Murray added 20 points. Adelman commented on Jokic’s defensive approach, saying, “In the second half, he was very aggressive on the ball…took some chances at the rim…that’s what we need from him.”
Despite the absence of Curry and other Warriors starters, Adelman emphasized consistency and focus as keys moving forward. “Sometimes the game plan may not work and we adjust, but you have to at least give the effort to what we said we’re going to try to accomplish,” he said. He called the game a model for what the Nuggets hope to replicate in the postseason.
Denver extended its winning streak to six games and holds a 48-28 record, sitting two games ahead of Minnesota and Houston for fourth place in the Western Conference. Golden State, still missing Stephen Curry, dropped to 36-39.