The Denver Nuggets needed every ounce of resilience on Friday night to secure a 135-129 victory over the shorthanded Utah Jazz, and head coach David Adelman made no attempt to downplay the team’s early struggles.
Denver found itself trailing by as many as 14 points in the third quarter against a rebuilding Jazz team that entered the matchup at 21-53 and had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Despite the final score extending the Nuggets’ winning streak to five games and improving their record to 47-28, the manner in which the victory unfolded left Adelman searching for answers regarding his squad’s initial lack of intensity.
Adelman Calls Out Defensive Lapses and Delivers a Clear Message
“Energy, communication, and care factor — much higher, which it got to,” Adelman said postgame. “Yeah, we struggled to find a rhythm tonight. So, it was one of those NBA games. They happen. It just seemed like everything was going the opposite way for us. They ran it down our throats, we weren’t getting back.”
“You have to understand you have to sit down and guard to get yourself back into it, which we did in the fourth quarter — much better after a horrific third quarter and second quarter defensively. We made enough plays to win the game. At this point in the season, it is what it is.”
The Jazz dominated the paint, pouring in a staggering 84 points there. Utah rookies Kyle Filipowski (season-high 25 points) and Cody Williams (24 points) were major factors in keeping Denver on its heels for much of the contest.
The Nuggets finally flipped the switch in the final five minutes, outscoring the Jazz 18-5 to complete the comeback. Adelman’s pointed message to his players emphasized the need for greater focus and defensive urgency, especially as the team prepares for the postseason push.
Jokic and Murray Lead the Charge
Even as the defense faltered around them, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray delivered vintage performances on the offensive end.
Jokic posted his fourth consecutive triple-double with 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists, though he committed seven turnovers in one of his less polished outings. Murray contributed 31 points and 14 assists, and along the way, he surpassed Michael Porter Jr. to set a new franchise record for three-pointers made in a single season (his 221st).
Tim Hardaway Jr. emerged as a clutch contributor down the stretch, knocking down 5-of-8 three-pointers in the second half after an ice-cold 0-for-4 start.
Addressing the Season-Long Inconsistency
This kind of uneven effort has been a recurring issue for the Nuggets throughout the 2025-26 campaign. A roster packed with championship-caliber talent has occasionally sleepwalked through games against inferior opponents, a problem compounded by injuries that have disrupted lineup continuity since the fall.
Jokic missed 16 games earlier with a knee issue, while Aaron Gordon and others have dealt with significant absences. Only recently has Denver been able to field something close to its full rotation consistently.
Still, there are reasons for optimism. The Nuggets have just seven games remaining, including a largely favorable home-heavy schedule. They’ve won five straight, appear healthy, and the pieces are beginning to mesh once more.
However, Friday’s game served as a reminder that a less-focused version of this Denver team can still show up against opponents it should dominate — a troubling sign with the playoffs looming. Adelman’s candid postgame comments underscored the message he delivered to the group: playoff-bound teams cannot afford lapses in effort, communication, or defensive commitment, no matter the opponent.
With the postseason approaching, the Nuggets will look to carry the urgency they showed in the fourth quarter into their final stretch and beyond.