The Nuggets used to be formidable in the clutch. In the last couple of years, you just came to expect a win in tight games. But something has changed this season, and the Nuggets aren't closing them out as they used to. Now it appears there's one thing in common that wasn't in place last season, their biggest change, and it could be a factor contributing to the Nuggets' newfound clutch woes. Could it be coaching?
To be fair, first-year head coach David Adelman has had his hands full dealing with a slew of injuries to the starting unit, including a 16-game absence from the world's best basketball player, Nikola Jokic. Adelman's also had to deal with injuries to key reserves, such as Peyton Watson, who is currently still sidelined with a grade 2 hamstring strain.
But the clutch problems are still occurring even after the Nuggets' starting lineup became whole again and after Aaron Gordon returned to the rotation. And even more concerning, it's become worse since the Joker's returned from the aforementioned absence.
Track record shows this is a new problem
The Nuggets are just 4-8 in clutch games since Jokic returned to the lineup. What was once a part of the game that the Nuggets never struggled with has become a big weakness. But that was under head coach Mike Malone, who coached the Nuggets to their first, and only, NBA championship.
Under Malone, last year, the Nuggets went 21-16 in clutch games. 2023-24, they were 26-14. 2022-23, the year they won the title, their record in the clutch was 22-15. The Nuggets are just 17-18 this season.
In fact, Jamal Murray went out of his way after the Nuggets got a clutch win against the Lakers in Denver to remind the doubters that they could still get it done late in games. We know they can. They just won in the clutch against the Spurs, in San Antonio, a couple of nights before the Nuggets lost in the clutch again in Los Angeles.
The common thread seems to be coach Adelman
The only thing that has materially changed is the head coach. Malone, the winningest head coach in Nuggets history, was axed at the end of last season. Michael Porter Jr. was also traded for Cameron Johnson, but that's not the reason for the difference in clutch performance.
It makes you wonder how much of this is coming down to coaching. Is the right situational lineup deployed? Do the Nuggets have the right matchups? Are the plays not drawn up well enough for success? Yes, there have been a lot of poor bounces, like Austin Reaves' free throw. But what if it's truly something else?
There are only 14 games left to get this figured out before the playoffs start. Thankfully, the schedule does get easier, but something's going to have to change before the playoffs start, or these nail-biters will keep ending the same unfortunate way.