Adelman was asked about McDaniels' viral moment at the Denver Nuggets' practice on Wednesday, and fans will want to hear his response.
Jaden McDaniels handed the Denver Nuggets a gift on Monday night, and it looks like they're planning to use it. After Minnesota's 119-114 Game 2 win at Ball Arena, McDaniels didn't hold back when asked about the Timberwolves' offensive approach.
He called out Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr., Cam Johnson, and Aaron Gordon by name, then extended the indictment to the entire roster. "They're all bad defenders," McDaniels said. "They don't got people that can defend the rim."
The comments went viral. By Wednesday, the Nuggets had some thoughts. "I can't wait for his podcast," Adelman said sarcastically. "He's a really good player. Everyone has a sounding board these days. It'll help his social media."
Apr 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) defends on Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the second half during game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesDenver Didn't Take the Bait, But They Heard It
It's the kind of response you give when you're annoyed but smart enough not to show it too much. The Nuggets held Wednesday practice before flying to Minneapolis for Thursday's Game 3, and every player asked about McDaniels' comments took a similar approach: measured, unbothered, and pointed.
Aaron Gordon, one of the players McDaniels specifically called out, had perhaps the most efficient response of all, saying simply: "Brother, I don't care." Cam Johnson acknowledged the comments could serve as bulletin board material. "Sure, sure," Johnson said. "But I'm not entertaining those antics."
Christian Braun framed it as part of the rivalry and said the team wants to "take care of our own." The thing is, McDaniels isn't entirely wrong on the numbers. Denver finished the regular season with a league-best 121.2 offensive rating and won 54 games to claim the third seed, but their defense ranked 21st with a 116.0 rating.
The Nuggets also allowed opponents to shoot 45.4% in the paint, ranking 22nd in the league. The case McDaniels is making isn't built on thin air.
The Series Just Got a Lot More Interesting
Denver goes into Game 3 already dealing with a personnel issue. Peyton Watson, one of their better perimeter defenders, is dealing with a hamstring strain and is expected to remain out, leaving Christian Braun as one of the few legitimate options to guard Anthony Edwards at the point of attack.
McDaniels' comments might sting more because of the context they came in. This isn't the regular season. The Timberwolves already came back from 19 down to steal a road win. And now their most vocal player is telling anyone who'll listen that Denver can't stop them.
The Nuggets are heading to Minnesota with a 1-1 series, a hobbled roster, and a highlight clip they'll be seeing all week. Adelman's sarcasm was clean. But this group has to back it up on Thursday.