Nuggets' David Adelman Reacts to Painful Loss vs Clippers

The Denver Nuggets came up just short of claiming a win in the first game out of the All-Star break against the LA Clippers, falling in a 114-115 defeat on the road despite some near-late-game heroics to keep the Nuggets' hopes alive.

The Nuggets were just seconds away from extending this one to overtime. Jamal Murray was fouled on a three-point shot, got three chances at the line, but after making the first pair at the charity stripe, would miss the final that would've tied things at 115 all, and thus brought the Clippers a victory.

Jamal Murray MISSED the GAME-TYING FREE THROW 😱🤯

Did Mathurin get in his head? 😅 pic.twitter.com/sLK7rAhOst
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 20, 2026

A heart-breaking finish for Denver fans, but Nuggets head coach David Adelman made sure to stand by his guy during his postgame interview, which made it clear he was confident in Murray for those situations.

"Jamal made a huge shot, gave us a chance at the end at the free throw line. A guy that we trust the most at our team to make those shots. So, yeah, I just thought the turnovers and the free throws; that's what killed us in this game."

"It kept them in the game when we had control of it. And then late, you know, it just let them control the clock those last five, six minutes."

David Adelman Won't Fault Jamal Murray for Missed FT

There's not many other players in the league you'd want in that same game-tying situation like Murray was. The Nuggets guard has been a part of his fair share of big moments and critical shots throughout his time in the league, so a game-tying free throw shapes up to be his bread and butter.

Instead, the bounce didn't go Murray's way. But after the game, Adelman wanted to instill some confidence in his All-Star guard for even being able to put the Nuggets in that game-tying opportunity in the first place.

"He did his job late. That's what you're supposed to do," Adelman said. “These are our guys, you know, him and Jok'... Jamal made a hell of a three late, and obviously, the dunk, so that's great. That kept us in the game. But what got us behind in this game again was not being disciplined enough."

"Defensively, Mathurin shooting 13 free throws. that's just not good enough... When guys get into the scoring area, you've got to be more disciplined. I like the physicality out on the floor. I thought that was a positive. That something we've been talking about. But now we have to be much better."

Feb 11, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman in the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

While Murray and Jokic held up their end of the bargain as usual–– each chipping in for at least 20 points a piece–– it would be on the defensive side where the Nuggets fell flat, which becomes much tougher when forced to roll without top defenders like Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon.

Those lapses, especially when it came to limiting fouls, allowed for Bennedict Mathurin, in his first home game in Los Angeles, to steal the show, scoring an impressive 38 points, 13 total foul shots, and a quality win for the new-look Clippers.

As for the Nuggets, they'll once again go back to the drawing board to see how they can refine their defensive unit to be better and well-rounded; a factor that's been a fatal flaw of Denver's rotation all season long.