Denver Nuggets Practice Media + Special Guest 😊 | 12/9/25 🎙

Denver Nuggets Practice Media + Special Guest 😊 | 12/9/25 🎙

Is she not camera shy? Uh, we’ll see. With the eight one game in eight days, this is the most practice time you guys get in a while. What’s the number one thing you think the team needs to accomplish with through practice? Uh, not overthink it. It’s just practice, getting days off, getting some rest, and um, get back to doing what we do. What do you think is different or unique about the starting lineup with Payton and Spencer as opposed to the other guys? What’s something that you like or or maybe something’s unique about it? Uh, I think we get up and down more. Um, uh, you know, just, you know, Peyton Peyton is really lanky, really fast, really twitchy. Uh, Spencer’s, you know, plays super hard, crashing everywhere, giving up his body. So, I think just those guys just going up and down everywhere, you know, um, is slightly different than, you know, CB and AG. I don’t want to. Okay. Jamal, could you just talk about the player of the week and what that means to you? School. School. It’s cool. It’s cool. You’re getting a lot of the the allstar buzz. I know that’s never been a pure motivation of your but the fact that you’re playing as well as the team’s playing well. Does that make a little more little more satisfaction in that the start that you have as an advanced team? Uh happy we’re off to a good start. Um I’m glad I got off to a good start as well, which was a goal. So, um I’m I’m pretty I’m pretty, you know, happy with, you know, the way things are going right now. [Applause] is had you been thinking about some of the accolades that you hadn’t gotten like player of the week in your career? Did it mean anything like you don’t get it? It’s good. It’s It’s a great recognition for the three games that I had. Um I appreciate it. Can you explain uh you guys 10 wins in a row on the road, just your ability to focus up in in those kinds of situations? Just what does that take from a team? I just think we’re really together. Um, you know, just, you know, bringing our own energy for the most part. You know, some doesn’t matter where we go, what arena we’re playing with, or who we’re playing against. Just, uh, just kind of bringing our own energy to to the building and and, uh, sustaining it, you know, just I think that’s been the best chemistry. Okay. We’ll go through like seeing dad at work sometimes. How do you evaluate your own play? Like, are you really critical? Are you kind of like measured with curious about watching your own film? Is that kind of like uh just I mean, you know, I know what I can do, right? So, it’s just thinking about some of the shots I missed or maybe a couple turnovers that I didn’t, you know, I jump past or Okay, let’s go. We’ll go after this. Um, but I mean, I’m just watching, you know, coverages and stuff like that. I’m not really worried if it’s, you know, I don’t know. I’m just not not like critiquing my game. and just think of how I can get better each game. Even with all the injuries, you guys are off to a great start. One of the best in franchise history. What have you learned about this week, Jerome, so far? Uh, we’re a tough, resilient team. Um, got guys that are vets that understand the the the ways of the game. Um, and so, you know, they just them having that kind of experience, you know, helps everybody calm down and helps everybody get into place and and go forward, you know, moving at whatever point of the game it is. You called DA a genius earlier this season. Is is it fun to see him kind of work through the injuries and and just kind of like collaborate together, coach to player on how you guys will get through portions where you’re out two starters? Yeah, I mean uh he’s been our offensive coach for quite a while now. So just we always have the relationship of talking about what we see and what works and what doesn’t and stuff like that. So I think he’s done a great job and um in his first head coaching stint. So, um, it can only get better from here. How funky is it playing a team like the Kings so frequently so often this early on in the season? Nothing much. You play playoffs, you play them four times in a row, seven times in a row. So, four times in two months is is normal, I guess. What’s it take for a guy like Spencer to step up the way that he has? What does it take for him to step up the way he has? Yeah. Um, he has what it takes to step up the way he has, right? What’s What’s on Santa’s wish list for her? Um, a couple things. Couple things. We’ll see. I can’t give them away right now. Did she take all the money out of that wallet? It’s not a wallet. Oh, it’s not. Oh, I thought it was Hey, Dad. Yeah, I’m sweating. Hot. I want a towel. Mhm. You need a towel? Uh-huh. Okay. Um, no. I’m just playing my game. No, I make a couple more shots and one player of the week, but same game. A little extra practice time, I think. Just make sure we’re all healthy for the most part. Make sure we get our guys back. Uh uh no they did I mean I’m pretty sure everybody sees that we’ve been doing a great job of just trying to hold down the four but we know how really good and how really special this team can be with we’re fully healthy. So uh um just hoping you know we get some of our key players back and uh uh keep pushing. Why do you think offense is there’s like five teams right now in the top 10 all time in offense. Why do you think offense is is had such an advantage or or so efficient this year across the league with the honest truth? Yes, you ain’t getting that cuz you ain’t getting fined by me. Uh no. Uh just um I don’t know. I mean just obviously the three-point line plays a huge part, huge role in in today’s game. Uh a lot more threes being uh shot. uh a lot of more fast break, a lot more athletic guys one through five uh you know out there on the floor pushing the break and uh getting easy shots. Uh so uh it’s it’s tougher for defend defenders, you know, to stay in front uh especially when guys uh now have so much creativity um with handling the ball and and uh going out there and and knowing how to put the ball in the basket. So, we I’ll say that we’ve seen Jamal great late in the postseason. Never seen him start a season like this statistically as someone who’s played with him and and against him. What do you see from his game right now? Uh just his poise uh picking and choosing his spots. Um I think uh you know him and Yoke, they do an amazing job of just playing off of and reading off of one another. Uh it was a prime example of the last game in Charlotte. you know, Maul had it going in the first half and and uh you know, Yoke, you know, came in in the second half and and uh helped uh carry the load on offense. So, uh it I mean, it was great uh just to see um um and be able to witness it not only on the court, but actually watching it. So, it was fun. Tim, with the the injuries and the the bench rotation being so thrown off, guys having a start up there, how much pressure do you feel to be the offensive spark for that second unit? For the most part, I don’t think it’s I don’t think the I don’t think it’s a no, we’re thrown off at all to be honest with you. I mean, that’s what us veterans are here to do uh and provide. Uh we’ve been in so many situational uh games uh positions uh while we’ve been playing in our career. Uh so um we’re used to that. We know what it takes. Um we’re trying to do whatever we can to make it life uh easier for our coaching staff and for our teammates. Um so I don’t think we’re we’re thrown off, but like I said earlier, it’ll be great to to have uh you know, our guys, you know, all all the way healthy and um um really uh getting back to how we were in the beginning of the season. Tim, how hard is it in today’s NBA to guard on the perimeter and not foul? I mean it’s I mean like I said it’s uh it’s it’s it’s tough. Uh a lot of guys u now especially um when they’re growing up. I mean middle school, high school, elementary school, you know, their training regimen is is uh is all about handling the rock, putting the ball in the basket, um finding easier ways to score the ball. And uh there’s a lot more guys now that are multi-talented and not only uh scoring um or being onedimensional players, they can score in the paint mid-range or or shoot the three. So, uh our game is evolving. I mean, it’s a beautiful fight sight to see. Uh but defensively, I mean, it’s tough. You need all four or five guys, you know, to be able to stop one guy and uh um that’s why it’s a team game. What’s your explanation for why you guys are so good on the road? I don’t know. Probably because we only play one game here and then we got to go play three games on the road. You tell me. That’s probably why. Uh but yeah. No, that’s the honest answer. How funky is it? It feels like you guys are playing the Kings for the 20th time this season, just going up against the same opponent with such regularity so early on. I think it’s great. you know, uh, uh, when you have games and and when you’re in situations like this throughout the season, when you can play a team three or four times, it kind of gives you an idea of, uh, like a playoff series, I would say. Uh, not for obviously, I mean, obvious seating and all that stuff towards the end of the year, but you get an idea of, uh, knowing what you got learned on and off the floor, watching film, learning your tendencies of what you’ve done in the past in previous games against that, uh, opponent. So, uh, I think it’s great. I think it’s great that I mean we played them this many times. Uh so um it’s going to be it’s going to be a fun match up. Even with all the even with all the injuries, you’re off to one of the best starts in this franchise’s history. What have you learned about this group so far? Uh everybody eats, man. Everybody eats. That’s all I got for y’all, man. Appreciate you. Appreciate you, David. with uh one game in eight days. What is the most important thing you’ve seen to accomplish with a little bit of practice time? Uh I mean stay sharp, the things we’ve done well. Uh try to clean up some things we struggle with as of late the last couple of weeks. And then honestly just to get healthier. Uh that’s the most important thing because on the back end of this, the days off are great. Uh but once January hits, it’s like uh it’s a gauntlet, you know, with the way the cup schedule works out. So love the days off right now. It’s nice to be home for a couple of days, but it’s uh yeah, it’s just about us being right uh with our bodies and then obviously just being good mentally with things we can get better at as we go forward. What is unique that you like about the starting lineup with Spencer and Payton that’s going to be different? And what’s something you hope to see improvement on in the coming games? Yeah, I think our spacing could get better uh with those guys. I think there’s sometimes it’s on me. There’s some confusion with excuse me, who’s going to be in the dunker, who’s in the corner with Peyton and Spencer. Both guys can do those roles well. Uh, but I’ve really really enjoyed the energy. Um, I think the screening, uh, some of the fundamental stuff that, uh, we preach, uh, Payton and Spence have done a great job of that, freeing people up, setting screens. Uh, the cross match hasn’t been an issue for us cuz those guys have made enough shots and they’ve made plays for other people. So, uh, been very, very happy with that unit. And defensively, they’ve gotten better as they’ve gotten, you know, more reps together. Uh, and they get a better feel for each other. So obviously Jamal and Nola have been incredible uh offensively and those guys really compliment complimented them on the other end. When you got you had your press conference about when you officially got hired, you talked about guys hitting the ground running in training camp to remember this thing of elimination and feels like no one took that as personally as Jamal. We’ve seen him great. We’ve never seen him great like this early. Do you think he took that message or why is it so different the first couple months with him statistically? I mean he’s a great player but he’s never played like this early, right? Uh I I mean, it was a conversation with Jamal. Um, you know, open communication sometimes leads to positive things. Uh, sometimes the whole idea of it can be just an idea and it doesn’t work out. But I from what I saw this summer mentally, physically, uh, all those things were so at such a high level and it’s cool to see that translate into the season. Um, you know, Jamal’s been a special player forever. I don’t I don’t really judge his starts each season, but obviously this one has been one that will stand out just because of the way he’s played. Not just the way he scored the ball and the efficiency, but the way he’s got off the ball uh when he needs to uh for his teammates. So happy with Jamal’s start. Uh happy with the team start, you know, outside this random thing at home. What was that conversation like with him given you know him so well? It’s not like you’re a new coach talking to a player you haven’t met. What was that like? uh that conversation that led to what was obviously a very productive summer camp. Yeah, I think it was an organizational conversation too. It’s just about, you know, it’s not really the physical sometimes for guys. It’s just the mental and maybe releasing some of the pressure that he’s felt and just becoming more of a leader with the guys. Um you know, going through your summer, understanding what working too hard means going into an 82 game season and what feeling fresh means. uh but being mentally stronger. And I think that stuff actually translates. Um you know, it sounds like I’m writing a book, like a self-help book or something. Uh but it really is true. Like you go into this thing and you everybody’s got good juice when the season starts, but once you get into the grind of it, that’s the hard part. And so far, he’s just kept himself at this very uh this perfect level. Not too high, not too low. Successes are fun. Uh but the next day comes, you know, and that’s kind of how he’s handled it in my opinion. Uh, so it’s really cool to watch. You guys already been on the road a lot. Do you feel like this is a little bit of a reset given the the way that the schedule is broken for you? I don’t know, man. I I feel like I’ve said we reset every time we come home and then we lose. So, I don’t know. I’m just glad we’re home, you know, in our back where we have our our stuff and you get to kind of chill for a second. Nice to have practice in here. Have practice tomorrow back and then we head to Sacramento. But, uh, no, but I think it’s a mental reset. you know, we’ve kind of been in this zone of hotel rooms and uh playing in random cities and getting on the plane. Uh but there is a rhythm to that, too. You know, you kind of find this rhythm to the locker rooms and being together. Uh it sounds crazy, but the way we travel, your nap schedule and all the things you do when you eat, you get this rhythm where at home it’s very different. You know, you kind of control your own time here as opposed to on the road where it’s all kind of dictated to you. Uh so yeah, we for whatever reason when we’ve been here it hasn’t gone great. So we have to find a better rhythm to that. But yeah, it’s nice to come home and reset things personally more so than professionally. David Tim shot making has been obvious, but like what have you seen from him on the intangible front? Just like the energy like Yeah, Tim has been so good for us in the locker room, too. Uh there’s a veteran leadership thing there uh where the energy doesn’t change dayto-day. Uh he’s been everything we thought he’d be and more. Uh the shotmaking just the threat of what Tim can be nightly uh isn’t intangible man. It’s it’s I I imagine I can’t imagine scouting us because you’d have to talk about him. Um you know just how dangerous the guy is. But leadership’s been great. Uh you know and I think honestly we kept him in defensively in Atlanta the other night. close the game with him. He’s been really good defensively as well. I thought he did a really nice job on Brandon Miller the other night. Uh he’s a hard guy to guard. So just yeah, competitiveness uh just going through all the things that he’s been through in his career translating to our locker room has been such a big deal. How are Christian? I mean, Jules looks looks all right. Um Aaron and Christian are it it’s a slow process. I I would imagine they celebrate the holiday uh without playing, but we’ll see. Uh and maybe on that trip, maybe we get him back. Maybe we don’t. Uh but they both seem good. You know, Christian’s in a good spot. He’s moving around more and Aaron’s working his way through it. Aaron’s injury is one of those you got to be kind of a tedious buildup. You know, you have to be careful with what could happen to the same injury, not to mention other things. So, uh yeah, excited to get both guys back. In the meantime, uh, we have to hold it down for those guys until we get them. League offense efficiency has been on the rise for a decade, but this year it feels like it’s taking a whole another step up. What do you think is the reason that so many teams are scoring so efficiently? Pace. And I actually think taking chances defensively, uh, less us in other teams, but, you know, picking people up full, turning people over, it leads to easier baskets. Uh, the three-point shot obviously has been the same thing for a decade, so everybody’s shooting threes. Uh but yeah, I do think it’s the pace and I also wonder sometimes if that’s why the injuries are so high, too. Uh just the fact that we’re almost playing some nights it feels like a college game for three quarters without the 3 days off in between games. Uh so it’s an interesting thing. It’s u you know it is trends come and they go right now. Teams have really tried to pick up and make things faster and make sense with some of the rosters and uh how teams have downsized. So you’re trying to use that to your advantage. Uh but that would be my take. Uh, I know our offense has been out. I mean, it’s been crazy the way we scored the ball. 115 felt like we scored 90 the other night. Uh, but it’s, uh, yeah, that’s how I see it. And watching games nightly and watching the pace of the games. Watching New Orleans last night against San Antonio was insane. I mean, just the amount of skilled players in the court, how fast the game was going, how much uh, defensively people were picking up. It leads to a lot of baskets. I don’t think it leads to bad defense either. I just think it leads to so many more possessions and just how skilled everybody is now. The efficiency is really high. How how would you evaluate how you guys have sort of controlled that tempo when teams try to play really fast? Obviously, you guys can play in transition, but you’re better in the half court generally. Just how do you kind of feel like you’ve kept a lid on it when you needed to in certain spots? Work in progress to be honest. Uh especially with Aaron and CBL. You know, with Aaron, uh, we are very capable of playing a very slow style, but keeping our efficiency really high. And we talked about in the playoffs last year, I think it was game three in LA, they just ran us off the court, they pressed us, they trapped us, all those things. Game four, we really calmed down and we executed out of our splits. I played out of the post more. Uh, so we can do it. I just think right now with the group being a different rotation of players, it almost feels like we should be playing faster cuz that’s who we are. uh with Payton, the way Spence runs the court, obviously with the way Jamal Nola are playing the game and how they push the ball. So, I just feel like you have to be a different team probably 10 times during the season, the way the NBA is now. And but I to your point, I I would like to be a team that can play fast for a while and then slow down and execute when we need to. And we have to get better at that. Even with the injuries and some of the disappointing losses at home, you’re still off to I think the best start of the franchise history. What have you learned about this group about a quarter of the way into the season? resilient and I think we don’t freak out as much as maybe the outside noise does. Uh we lose a game, it’s not like the I know losing at home is is never good. Uh but winning on the road this many times is also very good. So it’s uh you just take the next challenge every day and you can say that and I can say that but they’re doing it. Uh those guys are very connected today. Just a very positive vibe, got things done correctly, which means you don’t have to go as long. It’s just a veteran group. They get it. They understand the rigors of what this is and there’s only one OKC right now, you know, and then there’s us, the Lakers, Houston, San Antonio, and you keep going and going and going. Uh, what Detroit’s doing is really, you know, outstanding. But you just have to understand where you are in the season, who you are, and if you ask me before the season, are you 17 and six? Would you feel good about that? I feel good about that. Uh, you know, you you can always go back and judge the wins and the losses, but the numbers are the numbers, and 17 and six is what we are.

Hear what Jamal Murray, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Coach Adelman had to say after practice December 9th

0:00 Jamal Murray + Mini Mal
5:05 Tim Hardaway Jr.
10:26 Coach Adelman

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Denver Nuggets Practice Media + Special Guest 😊 | 12/9/25 🎙