David Adelman criticizes referees, calling Nikola Jokic a ‘different game’
The Denver Nuggets find out the hard way how life on the road in the NBA often is comes with questionable whistles. After a tough 124-121 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, Nuggets acting head coach David Adelman he didn’t hold back, referring to the perceived double standard that left the three-time MVP behind Nikola Jokic out in the cold.
Adelman’s frustration boiled over when comparing the treatment of the league’s elite big men to his star guardians. “The frustrating thing about these games is that Cunningham shoots 11 free throws. Jamal shoots 13. Jokic shoots 3,” Adelman told reporters after the game. “It’s like a whole different game. I’m trying to figure it out. So it’s just two different basketball games going on with the big one and the little one.”
The numbers from the tentative result certainly highlight the disparity. While Jamal Murray was aggressiveled Denver with 32 points and eight assists while going 12-of-13 at the plate, Nikola Jokic struggled to get the same respect. “The Joker” finished with 24 points, 15 rebounds and four assists, but made just three free-throw attempts despite struggling to finish for 33 minutes.
On the other hand, Cade Cunningham orchestrated balanced offense of the Detroit Pistons, who finished with 29 points and 10 assists. Detroit never trailed in the contest, torching the Nuggets defense early and building a huge 69-50 halftime lead.
Denver mounted a furious comeback in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pistons 41-31 in the final frame, but the hole was just too deep. A late 3-pointer by Tobias Harris and a free throw shot in the closing seconds allowed Detroit to secure the victory and season momentum over the Nuggets.
For the Denver Nuggets (33-18), the loss is a tough pill to swallow as they continue to navigate a physical Western Conference. If they want to get back into the win column, they’ll have to find a way to improve even when the whistles aren’t going their way.
2026-02-04 05:09:00
