The Denver Nuggets advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs, defeating the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games. The series win follows a late-season change in team leadership.
Less than a month ago, the Nuggets organization made the decision to fire head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth with three regular season games left. Malone had coached the team for nearly a decade and led them to a championship in 2023.
David Adelman took over as interim nuggets coach during what was described as a chaotic period for the team. Despite the timing of the change, Adelman guided the Nuggets through the final games of the regular season, securing home court advantage for the first round.
The interim coach then led the team through a challenging first-round series against the Clippers. After trailing 2-1, Denver won three of the next four games, including a Game 7 series-clinching victory Saturday night.
A Nuggets executive told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that the changes were necessary to avoid an early playoff exit. "If we don't make the changes, there's no way we're even in a Game 7," the executive said.
Star Nikola Jokic commented on the change after the series win. He said he believed the owner wanted to change energy within the team and got the result sought.
Adelman previously served as an assistant coach for the Nuggets. His father, Rick Adelman, was a long-time NBA coach.
The team faces the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round. The organization has not yet announced a permanent head coach or general manager.
Rick Adelman commented on his son's coaching prospects in 2023. "A few guys have gotten fired who have been pretty good. You just never know,” Rick Adelman said. “You've got to get lucky. … But I just thought he had all the knack and the wherewithal to do the job."
