Following the surprising and franchise-altering firing of former coach Michael Malone and former GM Calvin Booth, Nuggets fans should be incredibly happy with where the season has turned. In what once felt like a hopeless season that was going to result in misery, Denver is now just one game away from the Western Conference Finals, and Coach Adelman is a big reason as to why.
After Malone was relieved of his duties as head coach, many suspected that Adelman would be the interim coach for the final 3 games of the regular season and the playoff run, however short that may be. After going 3-0 in the regular season to enter the playoffs as the 4th seed, he helped coach the Nuggets to a 7-game series win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Entering the playoffs, many NBA analysts and fans were arguing that a lack of depth would be the Nuggets' undoing in the playoffs this year. That and the fact that the locker room seemed like it would be in turmoil. Luckily, Adelman’s steady hand has righted the ship, and despite many thinking that Denver only had 6.5 rotation players, he has found spots for others to shine.
For many, the Clippers series proved enough that he should be given the reins as the Nuggets' official head coach, but there were also still some skeptics, wanting to see more out of him against an elite team like the Thunder. OKC won 68 regular season games and were the favorites to win the title, so a good showing from Denver would go a long way for Adelman.
Well, fast-forward 6 games and Adelman has proven himself even more. Whether the Nuggets win or lose game 7 against OKC on Sunday, he looks to be the man for the job. Give it to him.
Coach Adelman has done more with less looking at Denver's rotation
Not only has Adelman dealt with health issues to his rotation such as Michael Porter Jr.’s AC joint sprain, Jamal Murray’s illness, and Aaron Gordon’s recent hamstring strain, but he has empowered players like Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther to perform at a high-level in some of the biggest moments of the playoffs.
Last game, when it was clear that MPJ’s shoulder was bothering him and his defense was lacking, and Russell Westbrook was having more of a “Russ taketh” game, he turned to Strawther. The young wing rewarded Adelman with fantastic play to end the 3rd quarter, scoring 8 points in the final minutes of the quarter. Strawther added an efficient 15 points overall in the game.
Watson also had a massive transition block at a crucial point in the 4th quarter to prevent an OKC comeback and generated a 4-point swing that helped the Nuggets go up by 9 points rather than just leading by 5 points. Denver eventually won 119-107.
It’s not just Adelman’s rotation successes that deserve to be highlighted, though. Throughout the playoffs, he has also given chances to Jalen Pickett, DeAndre Jordan, Zeke Nnaji, and even Vlatko Cancar. Sure, most of them did not work out as well as hoped, but the simple fact that he is not rigid in his rotation and is open to trying things is perfect for a team lacking depth.
Even if the Nuggets get blown out in game 7 at Oklahoma City, Adelman has proven that he is up to the task, and the players seem to really respect him and his process. Give him the job.