Category: Denver Nuggets Blog

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Nuggets name David Adelman as Head Coach

The Denver Nuggets have named David Adelman as the 13th Head Coach in Denver Nuggets NBA franchise history, Vice Chairman of KSE Josh Kroenke announced today.

Adelman was named Interim Head Coach on April 8th with three games remaining in the regular season. Adelman helped lead the Nuggets to a 3-0 record (1.000) to end the regular season, earning the fourth seed in the Western Conference and home court advantage in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Denver secured a first round series victory by beating the Clippers in seven games, advancing to the Conference Semifinals to face the Oklahoma City Thunder where they were defeated in Game 7 on the road. Adelman concluded his first postseason run with a 7-7 record (.500), becoming just the sixth Head Coach in Nuggets NBA history to lead his to team to a playoff series win.

Adelman entered the 2024-25 campaign as Denver’s lead assistant, his eighth season as an assistant coach with the organization. Prior to Denver he served as an assistant coach with the Orlando Magic during the 2016-17 season and also spent the previous five seasons (2011-16) with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Before joining the Timberwolves, Adelman spent five seasons as head basketball coach at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon.

Adelman went 83-53 (.610) during his five seasons at Lincoln, leading the Cardinals to three Portland Interscholastic district championships (2006-07, 2009-10, 2010-11). He also guided Lincoln to the Oregon Class 6A state championship final in 2009. Adelman was named PIL Coach of the Year three times.

Luka Doncic puts up big game in Lakers win over Nuggets

Per the Denver Post:

JJ Redick’s challenge to Luka Doncic in Denver was of the emotional variety. But he knew it would probably translate to the statistics.

“I want at least one blackout episode where he’s screaming indiscriminately at no one in particular because he’s excited,” the first-year Lakers coach said Saturday before facing the Nuggets. “That means he’s back. That’s the Luka I know. The killer.”

Back from what, exactly? Doncic’s recent calf injury, yes, but also the mental malaise associated with getting traded away from a city where he thought he would play his entire career. It’s still sinking in throughout the basketball world that Luka is a Laker — that the Dallas Mavericks would choose to ship off their 25-year-old franchise cornerstone.

As Doncic processes it all, he’s been struggling by his standards. But not on Saturday. The Slovenian point guard went for 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals to lead the Lakers in their 123-100 win at Ball Arena.

Timberwolves win big, force a Game 7 with Nuggets

Per the Denver Post:

After an exchange of blowouts that has lasted six games, there’s no telling what could happen in the seventh.

Jamal Murray’s shooting efficiency reverted to Game 2 form, Michael Porter Jr. was held to single-digit scoring for a third consecutive game and the Nuggets were crushed, 115-70, by the Timberwolves in a potential close-out Game 6 on Thursday night. It set a new franchise low in playoff single-game scoring.

Anthony Edwards bounced back with 27 points and three steals. Jaden McDaniels supplied 21 points on 10 shots as Denver gave him the Aaron Gordon treatment, living with his shots. And the two Minnesota wings combined to quiet the Nuggets’ second and third options at the defensive end. Murray shot 4 for 18, totaling 10 points. Porter scored eight on 3-of-9 shooting.

Nikola Jokic’s 22 points weren’t enough to overcome the lack of supporting offense. He registered only two assists, matching a season low (at Minnesota in March).

FULL ARTICLE

Nikola Jokic wins 2023-24 NBA MVP award

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is the recipient of the Michael Jordan Trophy as the 2023-24 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player. Jokić has been named the Kia NBA MVP for the third time, having previously earned the honor in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.

The nine-year NBA veteran from Serbia is the ninth player to win three or more MVPs, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six), Michael Jordan (five), Bill Russell (five), Wilt Chamberlain (four), LeBron James (four), Larry Bird (three), Magic Johnson (three) and Moses Malone (three).

In the 2023-24 regular season, Jokić ranked 10th in the NBA in points, fourth in rebounds and third in assists per game. He became the second player in NBA history to have at least 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 700 assists in a season, joining Oscar Robertson (1961-62).

Jokić finished second in the NBA in both double-doubles (68) and triple-doubles (25). He shot 58.3% from the field, the 10th-highest mark in the league.

Behind Jokić, the Nuggets (57-25) matched the franchise high for victories in a season and tied for the best record in the Western Conference.

Michael Porter Jr. making it rain for the Nuggets

Via the Denver Post:

In a quest for history, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. couldn’t be denied.

Entering Thursday’s matchup against the New York Knicks, Porter only needed three 3-pointers to set the franchise’s single-season record. The way Porter’s been shooting of late, it felt as if it was only a matter of time during Denver’s 113-100 victory inside Ball Arena.

With 38 seconds left in the second quarter, forward Aaron Gordon drove to the free throw line before passing to Porter, who drained a contested step-back 3-pointer. Later in the third, Porter caught a pass from Nikola Jokic before draining a 3 to extend Denver’s lead to 10 points.

As the Nuggets began pulling away from the Knicks in the fourth, Gordon once again found Porter on the wing, where the sharpshooter knocked down his 193rd 3-pointer of the season, surpassing former Denver small forward Dale Ellis (192) on the franchise’s all-time list.

Nuggets sign head coach Michael Malone to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets and Head Coach Michael Malone have agreed to a multiyear contract extension, KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke and General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.

“We are thrilled to announce this extension with Coach Malone and to keep him leading the Nuggets for years to come,” said KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke. “To see our team continue to improve year after year, culminating with our ultimate goal of an NBA Championship is exactly what we all envisioned on the day we hired Michael in 2015. This extension is extremely well deserved and there’s no question about the commitment and dedication that Michael has shown to our organization.”

“I’m excited to continue working alongside Coach Malone as we look towards the future with our core intact and a lot of young talent to develop as well,” stated General Manager Calvin Booth. “Michael has proven he is the right coach for our team and there is no doubt he will continue to keep pushing and striving for more after last season’s Championship run.”

On the development of Michael Porter Jr.

Per the Denver Post:

The old cliché about defending champions evolving from hunters to the hunted has meaning that’s two-fold in the case of Michael Porter Jr.

As opponents attempt to identify any potential weak spots they can exploit on Denver’s championship roster, Porter’s checkered history as a defender might stand out. The Nuggets generally switch one through four in their starting unit, so it’s easy enough for teams to hunt a one-on-one matchup against Porter for their top scorer. Then play iso-ball.

The problem is, Porter isn’t playing like someone who should be hunted at the defensive end.

One of the smoothest 3-point shooters in the NBA is shooting 18 for 68 at his speciality since the start of the NBA Finals in June — that’s 26.5% over an 11-game stretch — but the story of his 2023-24 season so far is the same as his Finals arc.

FULL ARTICLE

NBA Players of the Week, Week 1: Nikola Jokic and Tyrese Maxey

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey were named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for Week 1 of the 2023-24 season (Oct. 24-29).

Other nominees:

West: Stephen Curry (GSW), Anthony Davis (LAL), Luka Dončić (DAL), Kevin Durant (PHX), De’Aaron Fox (SAC), Paul George (LAC), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC) and Zion Williamson (NOP)

East: Jalen Duren (DET), Joel Embiid (PHI), Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith (IND), Donovan Mitchell (CLE), Kristaps Porzingis (BOS) and Franz Wagner (ORL)

Denver Nuggets 2023 NBA championship parade highlights

Denver Nuggets 2023 NBA championship parade highlights:

Nikola Jokic wins 2023 NBA Finals MVP

Via the Denver Post:

Jokic is now a winner of two NBA MVPs, a Finals MVP and a Western Conference Finals MVP to supplement the Larry O’Brien Trophy he and his teammates hoisted Monday night at Ball Arena. During the course of the five-game series, the Nuggets hung up posters in their locker room with a variety of motivational quotes, including Jokic’s own go-to phrase about the pursuit of a championship: “We have a chance to do something nice.”

Jokic averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists during the Finals while registering his ninth and 10th triple-doubles of the playoffs. He had already passed Wilt Chamberlain’s record for triple-doubles in a single postseason by Game 3, when he became the first player ever to amass a 30-point, 20-rebound, 10-assist game in the NBA Finals.