BREAKING: David Adelman stands up for Nikola Jokic following poor Game 3 performance

Though he didn’t turn in his best effort of the season in Game 3, David Adelman was still proud of Nikola Jokic for his contributions.

In a postgame press conference following the Denver Nuggets’ 113-104 overtime victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder, interim head coach David Adelman made sure to defend his star player despite an uncharacteristically off shooting night.

“And Nikola’s ‘off night,’ I mean 20-16-6 just an awful NBA night,” Adelman said jokingly. “The stat sheet always says something, but sometimes it says nothing at the same time. The guy shoots 45% from 3. He had an off night.”

David Adelman going to bat for Jokic on his 'off night.'

"The stat sheet always says something, but sometimes it says nothing at the same time. The guy shoots 45%." pic.twitter.com/Wi4JQTMafn

— Rachel Strand (@MileHighRachel) May 10, 2025

Adelman does make a good point here. A 20-point, 16-rebound, and six-assist statline is one that most NBA players would celebrate. But for Jokic, it ends up being a disappointing night for the three-time MVP, who regularly records triple-doubles like it’s nothing. However, going 8 for 25 from the field and missing all 10 of his 3-point attempts certainly does qualify as an off night, by Jokic’s standards.

What made the biggest difference in Game 3 was that when Jokic was struggling, the Nuggets’ supporting cast stepped up. Jamal Murray led the way with 27 points and hit huge shots while being smothered by defenders. Aaron Gordon had 22 points, including a clutch game-tying 3-pointer in the final minute of regulation. And Michael Porter Jr. delivered his best performance of the postseason with 21 points while being 5 for 6 from 3-point range.

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Nuggets coach continues to support Nikola Jokic

Even on the rare night when Jokic’s shots aren’t falling, Adelman still encourages him to shoot the ball. According to Adelman, Jokic’s impact goes beyond what shots he hits, as he consistently creates plays for others on the court with him.

“The bottom line is, just keep shooting the ball. The ball is coming to him regardless of the results or efficiency that night,” Adelman said of Jokic. “And I’m sure he’s frustrated. When you’re that efficient, arguably one of the most efficient players to ever play, any sport, yeah, I get it. I get why he’s frustrated. But Game 4 is going to come, and he’s going to touch it a million times. Hope he shoots it all the time. He’s gonna make plays for other people. His defensive rebounding was really impactful. So yeah, Nikola is Nikola.”

With Game 4 approaching, Adelman’s message remains clear: No matter what, keep feeding the big man, and trust that the NBA’s most efficient player will bounce back.