At Denver's Wednesday practice at Target Center, Adelman spoke about the importance of rebounding and second-chance points.
The Denver Nuggets are still alive. One win in Game 5 doesn't erase the hole they're in, but it proved they can win with their backs against the wall. Now they have to do it again, on the road with their season on the line. David Adelman knows exactly what got them into this position, and he knows exactly what has to change.
"Why we lost here was second-chance points," Adelman said. "It was way more possessions for them than us, and we have to avoid that. And those young guys they have off their bench can really offensive rebound." Plenty of Nuggets fans noticed this issue in Games 3 and 4.
"And so your rotations aren't just about contesting threes, but it's also about just getting a body on somebody. And not letting them just control the pace of the game." Simple diagnosis with a hard fix. Minnesota has averaged 46.6 rebounds per game in this series, and they've done it with a bench that crashes the glass.
Apr 27, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Bones Hyland (8) controls the ball under pressure from Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) and center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second quarter during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesRebounding Has Been a Problem All Series
Adelman is right that the problem runs deeper than perimeter defense. You can execute your rotations perfectly on a three-point contest and still give up an offensive rebound and a put-back because nobody found a body to box out. Against a team with Minnesota's length and energy off the bench, that's a losing formula.
Denver has averaged just 39.4 rebounds per game in this series compared to Minnesota's 46.6. That gap in possessions is exactly what Adelman is pointing to.
Extra possessions mean extra scoring opportunities, and against a shorthanded Timberwolves team that's been relying heavily on its bench, those second-chance points have added up in ways that have changed the outcome of games.
Bones Hyland and Terrence Shannon Jr. each scored 15 points off the bench in Game 5 for Minnesota. Naz Reid added 12. Those are guys who play with physicality and aren't shy about going after the glass. Adelman understands that fixing this means doing the unglamorous work of bodying up and keeping them off the offensive boards.
Win Or Go Home, Again
Minnesota has won both games on their home court this series, and both came with a level of control that made Denver look uncomfortable. Adelman's team has to go into Target Center, in an elimination game, and solve a rebounding problem they haven't fully solved all series long.
The good news is Game 5 showed this team can still impose its will when the offense is clicking. Denver shot 57% from the field and knocked down 11 threes in that win. Jokic was dominant and Murray was sharp. The offensive rhythm that went missing in the middle of this series came back at exactly the right time.
The question now is whether they can carry that into a hostile environment while also cleaning up the glass. That's a lot to ask. But Denver has done it before, and they know what this moment requires.
Adelman is putting the emphasis in the right place. You can't out-execute a team that's getting two and three cracks at the basket every time down the floor. Thursday night in Minneapolis, the glass is where this series gets decided.