Nikola Jokic is the greatest player in Denver Nuggets history, but he isn't beyond reproach. It's a simple fact that the Nuggets haven't had to consider in recent years, as Jokic has been busy racking up MVP honors and the only championship the franchise has ever won.
As the Nuggets sit just two losses shy of a second-round exit, however, it's time for interim head coach David Adelman to prove he can hold Jokic accountable.
Jokic is one of the most dominant individual forces in NBA history. He possesses a unique ability to score from every angle of the court, pass teammates open with the court vision of a generational point guard, and rebound at a level that even the purists can respect.
In the midst of what may be the worst three-game stretch of his career, however, Adelman needs to find a way to help his centerpiece overcome this hurdle.
Jokic's statistics have remained impressive, but he's gone as far as to publicly criticize himself for his lackluster play. If any numbers can exemplify why, it's likely the fact that he's shot 21-of-63 from the field and 4-of-22 from beyond the arc over the Nuggets' past three games.
Seemingly flustered by the Thunder's defense in a similar way to how Ivica Zubac managed to contain him at times during the first round, Jokic needs help—from his head coach.
David Adelman must prove he can help Nikola Jokic through challenging stretches
The primary function of a head coach's job is designing strategies that can lead their team to victory. A close second behind managing the team itself, however, is creating a relationship with the offensive focal point that ensures the player through whom the system runs is at their best.
It's the unavoidable truth of why awards and maximum salaries exist: The go-to players carry a burden to which few NBA challenges compare.
For Adelman, the greatest test of his time as interim head coach has officially arrived on that very front. Jokic is having trouble against the defenders and systems he's encountered during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, shooting 45.7 percent against Zubac and 33.3 percent against Chet Holmgren.
Even when Jokic is making shots, the degree of difficulty and his general shot selection have created cause for concern—leaving Adelman to figure out how to simplify the game for his star.
Jokic attempted 18 threes between Game 3 and Game 4 of the second round—more than he'd put up between his previous four games combined. For that matter, he attempted a mimum of eight threes in just 10 games during the 2024-25 regular season, but has done so in back-to-back outings against the Thunder.
It's been an uncharacteristically overwhelmed response by Jokic, who's playing outside of his comfort zone to try to right the ship.
It's something that even the most gifted of offensive players can be forced into doing from time to time. The key is for said player to dig deep and find a solution, but it's not just on Jokic to figure this out. If Adelman wants to prove that he's the head coach of the future, then he must make a statement that could save Denver's season.
Jokic will need to take inventory, but Adelman must establish that he can build the necessary rapport with the three-time MVP to push him through the walls in front of him and help him win this series.