Nuggets' David Adelman Weighs In on Christian Braun’s Struggles

It hasn't been the smoothest start for Denver Nuggets wing Christian Braun in the three games he's had under his belt since returning from his ankle sprain.

In the three appearances he's had since returning from his near-two-month-long injury absence, Braun has averaged just 2.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting a brutal 21.4% from the field and 20.0% from three, also going 1-2 through the games in which he's played.

Xertainly not the most optimal set of performances for the Nuggets' starting two-guard, and a far cry from the production he's used to having as one of Denver's more impactful players on both sides of the ball.

However, Nuggets head coach David Adelman clearly isn't sounding any alarms just yet when it comes to Braun and his rusty start, who remained confident in what's ahead for his 24-year-old wing after their latest loss to the Atlanta Hawks:

"I'm not going to overreact," Adelman said of Braun. "Christian's won a championship here. He's been one of the main reasons why we've won so many games here over the years. So, this is going to be a process for him... I'm going to have extreme patience with guys that I trust because they're one of the main reasons why we win so many games."

"I have no frustration with CB. He's going to be fine. He's getting used to the foot again, and I think the more he defends, the more he runs the floor and gets used to that again, he'll find things for himself to gain confidence."

David Adelman Not Worried About Christian Braun

Braun's performance against the Hawks was his quietest of his three showings yet: 24 minutes to put up zero points on 0-5 shooting from the field, four rebounds, two turnovers, and one of the worst Nuggets losses of the season against the Hawks by 20-plus on their home floor.

Yet, Adelman is willing to give his guys some grace, especially for those like Braun who have proven to be quality, championship-winning pieces within their tenure in the Mile High.

Dec 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun (0) before the game against the Houston Rockets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

For some players, returning to 100% from a multi-week absence can take a bit time than expected before they are able to revert back to pre-injury form. That appears to be just the type of situation Braun has fallen into, as the numbers tend to show. And being just three games into the Nuggets' lineup, it's far too early to have any real doubts for the coming weeks to months.

Denver's also had a ton of factors playing against them. The Nuggets' lineup has undergone numerous changes both in the starting five and in the second unit. Braun is still getting back to NBA-game speed from a few weeks off, and of course, there's no three-time MVP in Nikola Jokic on the floor, which makes for a vastly different look than everyone around the roster is used to, and creates an even steeper uphill climb to face for everyone involved.

For Adelman, though, for the time that Jokic is out, and his other injured rotational players are getting back to full form, expect him to remain patient with his rotation, trying new concepts out as his lineup is stuck shorthanded, and in due time, lead his team back to the dominant offensive machine they're capable of being once healthy and back in the groove.

David Adelman Not Worried About Christian Braun

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