You would think that after getting whooped in Game 3, the Denver Nuggets would've come out with a fire under them in Game 4 on Saturday, rather than return to Ball Arena facing a 3-1 deficit. After all, this is a team trying to add more hardware to its trophy case. They certainly didn't play like that was the goal, falling 112-96 in a lackluster performance that should've upset David Adelman.
After the game, DNVR's Brendan Vogt asked the head coach where the team's competitive spirit was, to which Adelman took offense. Yes, seriously.
My first question to Adelman was about this team’s competitive spirit.
— Brendan Vogt (@BrendanVogt) April 26, 2026
Where did it go?
He did not like the question.
“You don’t think we were competitive tonight?”
In a later answer, he said this question bothered him.
Insisted it was about poor offense. https://t.co/zhm87anJ8f
What is his definition of competitive? It doesn't mean showing up and going through the motions without any fight, which is what the Nuggets have done the past two games. They look like a team that wants their season to end early.
The media isn't wrongfully attacking Denver, or even attacking them. Vogt asked a reasonable question about the lack of effort that everyone saw. Maybe Adelman was just frustrated and let his emotions take over, misdirecting his anger. Still, he should be angrier at the truth, not someone who pointed out the truth.
If he truly thinks that the Nuggets played hard in Game 4, that leaves even less reason to feel any optimism at all for Game 5.
Nuggets fans have quickly lost hope in David Adelman
When you have an experienced championship core made up of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, the head coach shouldn't have to be the one to light a fire under their feet. Those three, plus the rest of the team, should be able to take accountability, regroup, and get ready for Game 5 without needing a motivational speech from Adelman.
Here's the thing, though. Right now, Denver clearly needs something more after losing three games in a row. With Adelman as the leader, he should be able to provide that, but to do so, he has to see that something is wrong so he can push his team. Based on what he said postgame, he doesn't.
Michael Malone has been gone for over a year, but it's hard not to think that if he were still around, he would've made sure that Jaden McDaniels' comments didn't go unchecked on the court. He wouldn't have been satisfied with the level of effort that the Nuggets have shown. He would've been absolutely fired up.
Every coach is different. Adelman doesn't exude the same charisma as Malone, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, except right now, it is. It's on him to have the Nuggets prepared, and when effort wanes, it's on him to push them to dig deep. Hey, maybe that will happen in Game 5, whether because of him or not, but fans understandably aren't all that confident.
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