The interim coach of the Denver Nuggets, David Adelman, was dismayed and angry at the amount of contact that officials allowed, while the Los Angeles clippers defended Nikola Jokic in game 6 of his first -round playoff series on Thursday night.
The physical defense of the clippers is a main reason why Denver goes home to play another game 7.
Adelman and Jokic are confident that Nuggets will fight with their season back to the edge.
Adelman denounced the standards of indulgent officers in the loss of 111-105 of Denver in game 6. Jokic shot only two free throws, and the nuggets went to the line only nine times compared to the 15 free throws of the clippers while they were physicized.
“Nikola receives a very foul,” said Adelman. “I am not sure what was happening tonight, but for him to shoot two free throws with the amount of contact that was happening there he was absolutely crazy. They put Smalls on him. Those little ones were allowed to do what they, so I am,” i’re, “i’re.
The “Smalls” group that protects the 11 -foot 11 -inch Jokic included Nicolas Batum of 6 -foot 8 inches, whose second half effort played an important role in changing game 6 in favor of the clippers. Batum and Ivica Zubac joined for an effective effort against Jokic, who scored only five of his 25 points in the second half while obtained 2 for 9 from the field.
But even Adelman knew that officials did not decide another closed game in a series between two teams that ended the regular season with the same record.
“This is what I expected, to be honest,” said Adelman. “This was felt as a series of seven games. It is a series equal to combat. There are so many good players out there, boys who can have nights.”
No one had one night for nuggets in game 6, and that is why they go to game 7.
The closing games have been mainly a nightmare for the Nuggets since they won the only franchise championship two seasons ago. They have four of their last five closing opportunities, including two games in the second round series last year with Minnesota.
The Nuggets had a 3-2 advantage in that series, only to be beaten by 45 points in game 6 before losing game 7 in their local sand, the same place where they will play the clippers on Saturday.
Denver has lost four of its five possible closing games, beating only the Lakers in the first round last season, but only after losing game 4 with an advantage of the 3-0 series.
“It will be a different team,” said Jamal Murray, who had 21 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in game 6. The same type of despair, the same child or intention.
Jokic does not see the recent closing failures of the Nuggets as something rotten on his team. After all, Jokic and Murray led a team that closed four opponents the duration of that 2023 championship race.
“I’m going to address it in the same way,” said Jokic. “For me, every game is really important. I want to win, so I’m going to play as a regular game.”
The Nuggets are only hosting game 7 because their last three games won the tiebreaker on the clippers, than eight consecutive games and 18 or 21 to close the regular season. Adelman only became the chief coach of Denver for the last three games after Michael Malone’s impressive dismissal only 23 days ago, but the new coach already has a clear message for his team in the final of the series.
“You earn those last three games not only to stay out of the play, but to get the local court in game 7, and we won it,” said Adelman. “That’s what I told them. You’ve earned this opportunity … you play all year for that. We have that opportunity and we are very excited to return and play again.”
Associated Press reports.
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