David Adelman Looking to Learn From Controversial Call in Loss to Blazers

The Denver Nuggets suffered their second loss of the season on Saturday, as they met their match in an NBA Cup game against the Portland Trail Blazers. In a back-and-forth nail-biter, the Nuggets ultimately fell 109-107, despite a near triple-double effort from Nikola Jokic.

Jokic finished with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists on 7-10 shooting from the field and 5-7 from the free-throw line, but many believe the three-time MVP center should have had a chance to win the game for Denver at the charity stripe with just seconds remaining.

A controversial jump ball changes the game

With just six seconds remaining and the game even at 107-107, Jokic was tied up by Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, causing the referees to call a jump ball. However, Camara had both of his arms wrapped around Jokic from behind, and many believe it should have been called a foul rather than a jump ball.

@OfficialNBARefs How is this a jump ball? Jokic was clearly fouled. pic.twitter.com/LiVjdTvqNC
— Courtside Dave (@Courtside_Dave) November 1, 2025

At practice on Sunday, Nuggets head coach David Adelman said that he wants to use that experience to get his team to adjust to the rulebook.

"We have to teach guys to do that. If you're allowed to wrap someone from behind with two arms, as long as you touch the ball, it’s jump ball, that's a fundamental I have to teach in practice. So we will definitely do that," Adelman told reporters (via Katy Winge).

David Adelman on the jump ball call against Portland:

“We have to teach guys to do that. If you're allowed to wrap someone from behind with two arms, as long as you touch the ball, it’s jump ball, that's a fundamental I have to teach in practice. So we will definitely do that.”
— Katy Winge (@katywinge) November 2, 2025

Of course, if this is how the referees will consistently call it, then it makes sense for Adelman to want his players to do the same wrap-around that Camara did on Saturday night. The NBA confirmed that the jump-ball call was the correct decision by the officials in their Last Two Minute Report, backing Adelman's thinking of teaching his guys to use that strategy.

Adelman's initial reaction to the call

During his postgame press conference immediately after Saturday's loss, Adelman had a different perspective on the jump-ball call.

"I don't know what [the officials] saw. It ended up being a jump-ball. I thought there was a lot of contact on that play," Adelman said about the play.

After looking back on the play in the film, Adelman likely got a better look at why there was no foul called, and it is a great idea by the young coach to use that as an opportunity to teach his players.

A controversial jump ball changes the game

Adelman's initial reaction to the call

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