They look like they've lost a step. They look like a team that's ready for a breather. They look gassed. And head coach David Adelman has confirmed what you can clearly see: the Nuggets need a rest. Thankfully, the NBA All-Star break is here to provide some much-needed time off.
Adelman, who said he had a hard time sleeping after the loss to the Cavs, when asked about the break being used as a "reset," he said, "I think mentally, for sure." He went on to single out Jamal Murray specifically. "Jamal needs a break. I know he’s going to the All-Star Game, but he
needs a physical break."
Murray's been the only consistent piece of the starting rotation this season, and he's been shouldering an extra part of the load. He's started 49 of Denver's 54 games, playing 35.7 minutes per contest on his way to a career year in nearly every major offensive and shooting metric, plus he was selected to his first All-Star Game. Murray's 42.8% three-point shooting was also recognized by the league. He'll be competing in his first NBA 3-Point Contest.
The last few games took a toll physically, mentally
You could see at the end of each game. Hands on hips. Slower to get to the spot. The loss to the Knicks really hurt, extending to two overtimes and pushing Adelman to play Murray 48 minutes and the newly returned Nikola Jokic 45 minutes. That was only one night after a three-point loss in Detroit. Both to the East's top two teams.
You can see it in the way the team's been getting beaten: they're beating themselves. Clutch play has been lacking, along with some other disturbing trends that have been plaguing the team, besides the injury bug. Like their lack of defense. That's got to improve moving forward.
And it sounds like it should. Despite not having slept well, Adelman sounded upbeat about his team's prospects. He says the team "should be ready to roll again," once the break is over. His confidence should go a long way not only for the team's preparations, but it should also help alleviate some fears the fans may have about what lies ahead.
Adelman said the coaching staff is already preparing game plans and schematics for player development, so they're ready for the back end of the schedule. No rest for the coaching staff, apparently. But, given the past few performances, Adelman's group needs to be better prepared.