I like Coach Adelman’s pressers. He’s very much to the point and basically calls it like it is in regards to his team’s performance. Very much looks the part of the son of a coach.
I agree…both teams were leg weary from the overtime late ending game on Friday night.
The difference in the game was Michael Porter Jr, Russell Westbrook, and Peyton Watson were not good on Sunday. In fact they were really bad. Consequently, Coach Adelman had to ride his top four guys even harder. Problem with that is Coach Mark was then able to bring in three relatively fresh guys in Caruso, Wallace, and Wiggins for several second half pushes which decided the game.
The last six minutes of the game the Nuggets not only looked leg weary, but brain weary as well with an inbounds ‘cannot happen five second violation’ and the missed free throws by Jokic and Aaron Gordon.
If I’m Coach Adelman right now on late Monday afternoon…I have three of my players alone with me off the court to have a discussion. Those three guys would be Michael Porter, Russell, and Peyton Watson. At this point I no way trust Julian Strawther.
What I would say, “Guys…it’s hard enough to win games in this series playing 7 on 10. Winning a clutch semi-final game 4 on 10 against a good team is virtually impossible. This is about you three guys doing your job. This is not complex.”
Game 5 tomorrow night at the PayCom. We’re now down to best out of three. The only possible avenue I saw to Denver winning this series was by winning Game 6 in Denver. That’s still a possible sceanrio givn how tight several of the Thunder starters have looked at time in this series.
So this basically means Coach Adelman’s guys need to find a way to win Game 5.
This is why I love NBA playoff basketball.
Mike J