Adelman explains how he prepares for opponents while navigating injury challenges during his first full season at the helm.
David Adelman has faced his fair share of challenges in his first full season as the Denver Nuggets head coach, and on Tuesday night his team fell to the Detroit Pistons 124-121 as they continue a grueling three-game Eastern Conference road trip.
The Nuggets, who sit at 33-18 and third in the Western Conference, have dealt with a revolving door of injuries throughout the season, which has forced Adelman to get creative with his game preparation.
With Aaron Gordon sidelined by a recurring hamstring injury that will keep him out until at least late February and Cameron Johnson still nursing a right knee bone bruise, the Nuggets have had to adapt on the fly.
Feeling It Out Game by Game
Adelman was candid about the difficulties of preparation when his lineup changes almost nightly, and his comments shed light on just how fluid the NBA can be.
"I am feeling it out, man. Like I'm feeling it out every game," Adelman said. "We walk through stuff in a hotel room and I presuppose lineups and put them out there in their sandals and then we go play. Then you have to react during the game and, you know, that's part of the NBA."
The quote paints a picture of a coach who has learned to embrace uncertainty while making the most of whatever he has available on any given night.
Earlier this season, the Nuggets were without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic for 16 games due to a hyperextended left knee, and the team managed to go 7-9 during that stretch thanks largely to stellar play from Jamal Murray, who earned his first All-Star selection this season.
Against the Pistons, the Nuggets trailed by as many as 20 points before clawing their way back in the fourth quarter, but they came up just short.
Murray led the way with 32 points and eight assists, while Jokic contributed 24 points and 15 rebounds in his third game back from injury.
Knicks Up Next in Back-to-Back Situation
The loss to Detroit sets up a difficult Wednesday night matchup against the New York Knicks (32-18) at Madison Square Garden, and it comes on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Knicks enter on a seven-game winning streak, including a dominant 132-101 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
Adelman touched on the difficulty of managing minute restrictions and reintegrating players after the Pistons loss.
"The challenge for us right now is with all the things that are happening, people coming back, the minute restrictions, we have to avoid paying attention to that, and we just have to play," Adelman said. "And deal with it as we go. We're going to have some clunky moments."
For a first-year head coach navigating one of the most injury-plagued seasons in recent Nuggets memory, Adelman has managed to keep Denver competitive and in prime position for another deep playoff run.
How he continues to prepare in hotel rooms and adapt during games may very well determine just how far this Nuggets team can go.