Adelman was livid about the team's energy starting the game.
The Denver Nuggets walked into FedExForum on Wednesday expecting to take care of business against one of the worst teams in the Western Conference, but they left Memphis with one of their most embarrassing losses of the season.
The Grizzlies beat Denver 125-118 in a game that was never really close, and head coach David Adelman did not hold back when talking about it afterward.
"Playing behind is not a good place to be in the NBA," Adelman said after the game.
"We gave them a lot of confidence with how we played early, even if it was tied at the half, I didn't think we played well."
Denver Dug Itself a Hole Early
Memphis controlled the game for most of the night, holding the lead for about 80 percent of the contest, and the Nuggets never found their footing on either end of the floor.
Denver committed 19 turnovers that turned into 27 points for the Grizzlies, and they also gave up 12 offensive rebounds and 29 fast break points.
The Grizzlies outscored the Nuggets 39-31 in the third quarter, and even though Denver tried to rally in the fourth, it was too little too late.
Nikola Jokic had one of the sloppiest games of his career, finishing with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists but also turning the ball over 10 times, which tied a career high.
Jamal Murray added 26 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals, but his effort was not enough to overcome the team's overall lack of energy.
Bigger Problems Beyond One Bad Night
The loss dropped Denver to 42-28 on the season, which puts them in sixth place in the West and just 2.5 games ahead of the seventh-place Phoenix Suns.
Memphis improved to 24-44 with the win after snapping an eight-game losing streak, so the fact that the Nuggets lost to a team in that kind of shape makes it even worse.
This was not just a one-game problem, either.
Denver has now lost four of its last seven games, and the issues that showed up Wednesday have been lingering for a while.
The defense has been a concern all season long, with the Nuggets ranking 22nd in defensive efficiency, a huge drop from their top-10 ranking earlier in the year.
Adelman's rotation decisions have also come under fire, as key reserves like Jonas Valanciunas and Julian Strawther played just six minutes each in the loss.
On top of the defensive struggles and questionable rotations, Denver has been one of the worst teams in the league in close games this season, going just 7-11 in contests decided by three points or fewer.
That inability to close out tight games has haunted them throughout the year and it is not a habit you want heading into the postseason.
What Comes Next
The Nuggets have 12 games left in the regular season and the schedule looks manageable on paper, with matchups against the Raptors, Trail Blazers, Mavericks, and Jazz coming up over the next couple of weeks.
But if Wednesday night proved anything, it is that Denver cannot afford to overlook anyone.
Jokic is still averaging 28.2 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game this season, and Murray is putting up career-best numbers with 25.2 points and 7.1 assists per game.
The talent is there, but the consistency is not.
If the Nuggets want to be taken seriously as a contender in the West, nights like Wednesday cannot keep happening.