MINNEAPOLIS — As the Nuggets’ first-round playoff series seemingly unraveled on them, their rookie head coach caught heat for refusing to light up his players at the podium.
David Adelman elaborated on why he didn’t as Denver prepared for Game 6 against the Timberwolves.
“I talk to my guys individually and as a team in the locker room,” he said. “You guys aren’t on our team. They hear my message every day. And I have extreme confidence in this team. There’s a reason why these guys won 54 games with all these different lineups. They trust each other. And yeah, it sucks to play poorly in the playoffs. But that doesn’t mean they’re not competitive. They’re competitive. Obviously. What we saw the other night (in Game 5) speaks to that. That’s who they are.”
Adelman, 44, pushed back at reporters after Game 4 of the series for questioning his team’s competitive spirit in a 112-96 loss. Minnesota starters Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo both suffered injuries that knocked them out for the series in the first half of that game, but the Timberwolves caught a second wind anyway after halftime.
“I don’t care what you write,” the longtime Nuggets assistant and first-year head coach said. “I really don’t. I know what the team feels. I know what they felt before the game. The narrative doesn’t matter to me.”
Adelman remained snippy after a Game 5 win back home at Ball Arena on Monday. Emotions had eased up a few days later. Denver went into Game 6 at Target Center on Thursday night needing two more wins to advance past the depleted Wolves.
In addition to Edwards and DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu (calf) and Kyle Anderson (inning) were both ruled out before opening tip as health continued to take its toll on the first-round series. Timberwolves players arrived for the game wearing DiVincenzo’s jersey to honor the shooting guard, who tore his Achilles tendon in Game 4 and rejoined the team Thursday after an out-of-town surgery.
“Great to see his smile,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said before Game 6. “Everything is going well so far, early out of the gates. He was in getting some rehab. … He means a lot to us, and (we all) know how the guys feel about him.”
For Denver, Aaron Gordon was a late scratch from the lineup, missing his third game of the series. Peyton Watson also remained out.
The remnants of the Nuggets? Adelman made clear that he plans to stand by them, win or lose, as a lousy situation unfolded at the end of the first round in the Twin Cities.
“I understand that people want me to crush our guys after losses,” he said. “But I’m not gonna do that when I know the temperament of the team. Playing poorly is not being uncomfortable.”
