ALL Denver Nuggets Postgame Media vs. SAC🎙️

ALL Denver Nuggets Postgame Media vs. SAC🎙️

some things that got away from you guys tonight. Uh the fast break points. I mean, they they played with great pace. It’s not what they do. Um you could tell that that’s what they talked about. They pushed the ball after makes and misses. Uh the first half was our turnover. Second half we actually took care of it. Uh but the first half we gave them run outs, live ball turnovers ended up being dunks. So, you know, you have a team that’s lost games and you give them confidence with layups and dunks. I mean, it’s going to it’s a bad recipe in the NBA. Um, and then obviously the paint points in the first half were outrageous. They had 40 and we shored up some of that. Uh, but with that defensive effort I thought we had we, you know, a lot of shots were short. You know, that stuff happens. U, but yeah, I give them credit. They had, uh, it was, this was like a, uh, carbon copy of the Chicago game. I mean, Shreder goes for 21. You know, Monk comes in and gets 12. Their bench was really impactful. Um, and they kind of kept them in the game in the first half, then made the run, you know, at the end of the third quarter. So, I don’t know. We just didn’t have enough. Thought the guys played hard as hell. Uh we just made some mental mistakes throughout the night. Guys only forced six turnovers on the guys pretty much this season for just in situations like this. How important is it to try to force the opposing team out of their mistakes? Right. I you know our shrinks weren’t as impactful. Uh I didn’t think the activity was as good. And for them to get 32 assists to your point that’s a team that usually plays isolation basketball mainly. um is not a good number. It means that they’re driving it and they’re finding people for easy baskets, easy looks from three. Uh so yeah, they give them credit, man. They they attacked us throughout the night. They lived in our paint and then eventually the three ball fell for them late uh when they didn’t make shots early in the game. So it’s an NBA night. Uh you know, you fly back, prepare. I thought the guys were ready to go. Uh I was really proud of the energy in the first half. Uh, I just thought the end of the third quarter, uh, you could really see us kind of lagging behind and I, you know, it was tough. Do you do you burn timeouts throughout the end of the third quarter and then you have nothing at the end? You know, it’s a guessing game in those moments. Uh, so yeah, just didn’t have enough tonight. You said how hard this back was going to be earlier. Did Did you guys start to feel that late third? I don’t know. I mean, I shots, you know, we miss shots. I think we make, you know, guys had good looks. um runs that we make in this building where you you think that ball’s going to go in just the way we’re playing. Uh so I don’t know it’s the NBA obviously wasn’t a huge fan of the schedule but that has nothing to do with this game. We um you know they beat us they’ve been and I they were desperate to win a game. Uh we come in and I thought we played like I said I thought we played with the right effort just made too many mental mistakes throughout that led to very easy baskets for them. And then as the game wears on, the tough shot making players they have, that’s what their roster is. Those guys made some big shots. The one thing defensively with Spencer has been fing so far. Um, does that go into the calculus? Are you concerned about that when you put him on D Rozan at all on that last possession? Yeah, I’m concerned about anybody guarding D Rozan. Uh, and he’ll learn from that. You know, he got his hand in there. Uh, you know, it’s that’s what Demar does. You know, he’s always been an artist with that. you know, he’s one of the best scorers in the modern era. A lot of it is because of that. And of course, it’s comes at a really key time. So, Spencer learned from it. I have nothing but full confidence in him. Uh, you know, the way he moves his feet and competes and these great great players he’s guarded the last 10 days, two weeks. Uh, that’s how you learn. You got to go out there and do it. We can show you clips. I’ve said that before. But until you feel it and you know the change of pace of these some of these guys like Deamar um it’s a different kind of thing to guard him as it is to guard anybody of these great players. They they’re all unique to themselves. Felt like another really steady night from Jali just 23 and what did you see from him out there? Yeah, I thought he was great. Uh I played him too many minutes. It was out of necessity. Uh he’s getting blitz the whole, you know, anytime the second units in. He got blitzed and he handled that well. just have one turnover like you said and nine assists that’s a great number. Uh, no. I thought Jamal was really good and for Jamal last I mean what he went through last night and then to come back and do it again you know to have 26 and 10 23 and nine that’s not a bad backto-back. So he was really good. Nola was Nola u you know I I thought Nola around the basket maybe shoots more free throws a different night. Uh but he was really good too. It’s just we just didn’t have enough from the whole team. That’s what it’s all about. It’s a group effort and the whole group has to be there and we did give great effort. uh just didn’t play well enough to win an NBA game. You don’t usually see Hunter Tyson in the first quarter. What were you hoping to see? Exactly what I got. I mean, he played hard as hell. Um you know, he hit the glass a little bit in the sense of he was blocking out all the crashing they did. And you know, we’re going through this process with a couple guys out. Well, really, you know, three guys out. So, we want to see what each guy can do. And we played Jaylen a little bit. We started him. Uh Zeke started in New Orleans. Uh I want to give Hunter a little bit of run and as we go through these this time if guys are out and some are as you know uh we’ll try different lineups to see what what we can do to one give guys opportunity but also minimize some of these minutes. I can’t I can’t play eight and a half man rotation every night. So I’ll get creative with it as best I can. Uh we got to get through Monday and try to get a win there and we’ll have time to kind of recalibrate during the week. I know you guys like you’re never going to watch you’re 12 and four. You’ve done a lot of really good early work. Just can you stomach something like this loss knowing that you’ve already done a lot of the hard things? Yeah, I think in in the moment it it just sucks because it’s just you lost. That’s that’s it. Uh you have to take a big picture look at things uh where we are in the West and that’s really all that matters. Um and you have to understand, you know, I I lived this week by week. That’s what this is. So, you know, this is Saturday. Next week starts a new a new week. It’s a new chance to get better. We have, you know, obviously Memphis, San Antonio, Phoenix. So, it’s it’s to me that’s my focus now. It’s we move on to the next thing, a totally new opponent. Um, that brings totally different challenges. And that’s what the NBA is. You you you got to grow up. You know, you lose the game, you get better from it, and you you know, you go to the next one. So, that that’s the way I look at it. I think the guys hopefully look at it that way, too. take a professional approach and we’ll be better on Monday. Are you seeing champions grow more and more uh as a ball handler too uh initiating offense uh taking shots confidently um you know I think not looking around and wondering is this a shot I should be taking with this group or not. Um no he’s it’s exactly what I thought would happen honestly. I think he just slowly is getting more comfortable um with the you know the injuries obviously there’s more responsibility with the ball and he he is a guy that I have to put more responsibility in with give him the ball and let Jamal take a break. Uh so it’s one of those things you got to maximize what these guys can do and and Cam is showing us more and more what he can do. I thought defensively really competed as well. He’s a great team defender and he’s really sat down individually you know the last week or so and shown us what he can do. So there there’s always positives in these games with we play so many. Uh obviously you’re going to look at the negative when you lose, but you’re right. You got to look at some of the things that are progressing the right way to what we’re going to be in the end. Uh so tough loss, we will bounce back. Yep. Thanks. And tonight, uh I don’t know. It was it was a really hard game for us. Heavy game for us. Uh first half was really I think we had a lot of me especially a lot of miss layups uh turnovers um and and we were kind of slow one step behind I don’t know it was just um it was just and they played really good you know they were pushing the pace in in the third quarter every kind of shot was heavy know okay we we had the game yesterday But we didn’t uh looked um [Music] how to say it looked like everything was heavy for us. How were they able to be in your guys’ paint as often as Yeah. Yeah. I mean they were they were attacking. We we didn’t that’s something that we were not usually we are really good at. Um but they were just attacking us and we the the help the first one container was not good and the help was not there. So it was just um like I said we were always kind of slow one step slower than than them. Where did you find the energy that you did personally to go on that run in the fourth quarter to try and find a way to get your I mean it’s a it’s a dog fight then you’re just trying to do whatever whatever you want you want to win the game and uh we we had opportunity we had chances and then um you know they they executed they they scored some big big points um and that’s why we won the game that’s why they won the game for for you guys to 12 and four right now. Obviously, the depth has been a big part of that. Um missing multiple starters in some of these games as you have just how what’s the process like of trying to figure out sort of the right rotations, the right sort of chemistry with different guys when when you have I think I think the 12 and four are just um it’s not the real picture. I think we are not that good. I think we need to be much better if we want to do something uh uh big. Uh yes, we we we play better. Uh we look better, but I think we need to do on on consistently every night, every every possession. Even if you make a mistake, but do correctly mistake from from um from our system what we want to do. Make a mistake. Don’t make a mistake. Oh, I’m just going to do something, you know. So I think um we need to be much better. I think uh we need to be uh scared not scared uh we need to have a sense of urg urgency of um rebounds so being on the right place u confident shooting the ball he often just just shoot it. Uh so I think 12 and four is just u I don’t say it’s a real picture but uh we we can definitely be better and we must be better if you want to do something. [Music] missing the pom. Where do you feel like Cam has grown the most in 16 games now? I mean, I think he just, you know, maybe the expectation was expectation was too much. Uh, and people thought he just going to go out there and score 30 points a game or something. I think I think he’s playing really well. Um, shots are going to miss or make. It’s part of the part of the game, part of of the shooter. But I think he’s not just a shooter. Um, I think he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. uh he doesn’t um he don’t care if he sacrificed him. I think yesterday against Houston he made a quick two fouls but that kind of built up our energy and um I think they scored like 11 points in something in the first quarter. So uh I think he’s doing a really good job for us. How do you feel like the chemistry is coming along for you and him when you play some pick and hole with him? I think it’s good. You know, like I said, we need more reps. We need everything. Uh it’s 16 games, but I think um uh I’m starting to figure out what he likes where he wants to screen and I think he he figures out how to pass me the ball. Pocket is pocket is the pop for the three. So it’s just a normal um game to know with the play guy. Where do you feel the absence of CV and AG the most? you know, I mean, it’s different. You know, they’re both of course defensive really good defensive player for us. And I think we miss CB in all the splits action, all the uh kind of in that semi- transition when he’s sending off flares or a rip screen for the guys and always finding a right spot to be in, getting us easy points. uh getting getting us easy point and getting us to the rim. Um and and JG, so of course especially when they play against smaller lineups, he’s a he’s a really good low post player, whatever. He’s always good with attacks and uh he’s, you know, he’s just putting a lot of pressure on defense and offense. He’s shooting the ball really well of course and in the defensively he is really probably one of if not best him and Sab are really good defenders. Thank you guys. Pleasure. As far as the controlling factors go, what are some of the things that that got away from you guys tonight? Uh let them score in our paint too much. um too many transition points and let them go on runs that uh we know we can’t let them go on. Obviously tough tough second back to back with the team you guys played last night. Do you feel the energy kind of you can’t use as an excuse NBA every team has backto-backs. Every team got to deal with it. This is our home court. Um so that’s not an excuse. mentioned the mental mistakes. How did you see those play out? Um, they just took advantage of them, you know? I mean, sometimes they happen, but too many critical moments. I know I had some stupid turnovers that just led to run outs. Um, stuff like that, defensive stuff, uh, just unnecessary fouls or not being in the right spot. U, those came back to haunt us today for sure. Where do you feel like your comfortability is at just playing within this offense? Um, I think it’s improving um, day by day, game by game. Um, still a lot of work to do. Just figuring out where people are, what we’re looking for, what we’re doing, and um, how I can best serve the team in that way. Now, we talked about possibly putting the ball in your hands more to try to help Murray out. What’s your comfort level bringing the ball up the floor and then having it in your hands? Yeah, I mean, that helps a lot. any basketball player, any anytime you get the ball in your hands, it brings you some, you know, comfort and uh gets you in a rhythm. When you don’t touch the ball, it’s a lot harder to get a rhythm. So, um yeah, that’s part of the game that I’m really looking to embrace going forward. When you see when you say where people are, can you give an example of that? Yeah. So, um those those turnovers I had and the handoff situation, I just kind of got caught between you know, my mental mapping between where people will be, where defenders are, and I just um made the bad decisions in a lot of them, whereas, you know, just over time, I’ll get, you know, yoke popped on one and I’m didn’t see the roller, didn’t see the pop, the drop kind of messed me up a little bit and I just threw it away. Um, so as I get more comfortable with that and then just movement off ball, um, you know, sometimes I’m able to get a couple cuts, get on the rim, get get towards the basket, but there’s still a lot of potential in those things. Just doing it once or twice isn’t good enough. So, just kind of finding that, learning to create space for my teammates um, and in turn create space for myself. You guys are starting to hit that portion of the season where guys are getting hurt without CV for a little while. Might be without AG for a bit. Um, Is it harder to kind of keep adapting and keep progressing sort of in a linear way with that stuff when some of the rotations might just kind of change with the flow of the season based on injuries? Um, those guys are really important to what we do. They’re very talented players. CB and AG very um, you know, gritty guys, contribute a lot to the game. Um, but as part of the league, you know, it’s part of the game. 82 games is a long season. Sometimes things happen. And so I think we have the depth that we can next man up and and rally and find ways and find ways to, you know, maximize the guys that we have on the floor. Um and so I’m not going to use as an excuse. I think we’ll uh get it back together and and keep pushing forward. Can you elaborate on mental mapping? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um just the knowledge of where everybody is on the floor without having to specifically see them. one uh pew cut and I was kind of expecting somebody to be out and um yeah, it’s just stupid mistakes really. It’s just stupid mistakes, but I just mean knowing where all my teammates are on the floor without having to actually stare them in the eyes. What was it like watching Nicole Yic playing Nicole Yic trying to will you guys to a win? He’s incredible. I mean, it’s it’s it’s like a like a guilty feeling, you know, the performances he puts together and not being able to come out with a win. and he puts his all into it. Uh, plays hard, plays a lot of minutes, does a lot of things. I mean, 44 points is like it’s like no big deal or whatever he had tonight. Um, so you want to win those games when those guys have those types of performances. Um, I think we let up too many points today. I think offensively we probably scored enough points to win a basketball an NBA game. Uh, so we got to get better and um, you know, just like I said, clean those mistakes up and turn those into wins, especially at home. You talked about having 13 turnovers tonight, but you guys only feel like that kind of came from not getting only 46. Yeah, only for six. I just feel like you guys Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you got to improve on that. Anytime they d W up in turnovers, it’s not a recipe for a success, especially the way we like to get out and run. Um maybe just maybe just not getting into the ball, not force them around. you know, you try to clog up the paint with some of their guys and and make them make decisions and, you know, play uncomfortable. Um, but yeah, the bottom line is they were probably too comfortable tonight. Thank you. Thanks, guys. Payton, obviously a really tough backto-back for you guys. How did you feel the effects of that out there tonight? Um, I mean that’s just the fatigue of the league. I feel like we all know what we signed up for playing in the NBA. It’s a grind, but I mean, uh, it’s the best job in the world to me and, you know, uh, I love to go out there and compete no matter the day. I think obviously, um, we’ve just been a little bit fatigued, a little bit short-handed, but, um, that’s no excuse. We There’s things we could have done better and gotten the win tonight. They were really good in the fast break tonight, and you guys struggled with your turnovers. How did you feel like that fueled them? Uh just being careless with the ball, myself. Um included just with our post entry passes um some of our ball handling. Uh they really got into us and they allowed those turnovers to kind of fuel their break and fuel their um their their offense. So it was tough. We got to take care of the ball better. Um just have more attention to detail in that stretch. End of the third quarter into the fourth quarter. What did they figure out? Um, like you said, I think that the fast break points were huge and then also just they they really were moving the ball. Um, a lot of guys were touching it. They were keeping the ball movement moving bodies moving and we were in rotations and they were just finding good looks at the basket. So, the they were really good with their execution offensively. You guys don’t accept the readily available excuses, but how much do you miss CB and AG in a game like this? Oh, we miss them. We miss them every day. Um, every game that we play and we don’t have them. Um, obviously we’re a little bit short-handed, but uh I think that we have we had enough to win tonight. I feel like we had enough to win vers Houston. We won. I feel like we had enough to win tonight and we didn’t. So, we just got to go back to the drawing board, watch some film, and um look at reasons why we lost and then try to be better from it.

Hear what the Denver Nuggets had to say after the loss at home against the Sacramento Kings.

0:00 Coach Adelman
7:33 Nikola Jokić
13:58 Cam Johnson
19:29 Peyton Watson

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ALL Denver Nuggets Postgame Media vs. SAC🎙️