Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets are suddenly on the brink. The team is now down three games to one against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who have become their playoff nemesis.
This is not what the Nuggets organization envisioned, as the expectation is always a deep playoff run as long as Jokić is healthy. NBA legend Charles Barkley revealed who he believes deserves most of the blame.
Charles Barkley Calls Out Nuggets Head Coach David Adelman’s Poor Strategies
Barkley provided a rough take on the Nuggets’ current situation, specifically taking aim at Adelman for poor coaching.
Speaking on ‘Inside The NBA,’ Barkley said, “I think Coach Adelman has done an awful job helping the Joker. Because the reason the kid from Minnesota is doing great, they’re putting Joker in the pick and roll. I don’t like what Coach Adelman is doing with Joker. Joker is not a post-up guy. He’s gotta do a better job putting Rudy in the pick and roll.”
The majority of Barkley’s criticism revolves around the Nuggets’ strategy for stopping combo guard Ayo Dosunmu, who has given the Timberwolves a major boost.
Dosunmu had the best game of his career in Game 4, scoring 43 points in the Timberwolves 112-96 win over the Nuggets. He scored 25 points and dished out nine assists in the Timberwolves’ Game 3 win, as the Nuggets have had major trouble stopping him during the series.
As Barkley notes, the Timberwolves’ strategy is to attack Jokić defensively, and Dosunmu had success getting in the lane. Jokić isn’t a rim protector, which allowed Dosunmu to get into the paint and score or go to the free-throw line.
Dosunmu went 12-12 from the line in Game Four. The Nuggets’ perimeter defense was also poor, allowing Dosunmu to hit five threes.
The other half of Barkley’s criticism targets Adelman’s offensive strategy. The two-man game between Jokić and All-Star Jamal Murray has been one of the NBA’s signature plays the last few years.
However, as Barkley points out, instead of Murray taking four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gilbert off the dribble, the Nuggets have opted to let Jokić play in isolation against Gobert on several occasions.
That strategy has been generally ineffective, as Jokić was denied at the rim by Gobert multiple times in Game Four. Jokić shot 15-48 from the floor in the last two games, as Gobert has been up to the challenge defensively.
Gobert has been exposed in the playoffs when forced to defend the pick-and-roll in space. Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, among others, have carved Gobert when he’s forced to defend on the perimeter. Clearly, Barkley thinks the Nuggets should look to do the same thing.
Whether Adelman listens to Barkley’s advice to adjust the game plan or not, something has to change in Game 5, or the Nuggets will have to answer some tough questions this summer following an extremely disappointing playoff exit.
