HC David Adelman-led Denver Nuggets fell to a humbling 117-108 loss to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Franchise superstars Nikola Jokic (35pts, 13 rebounds, and nine assists) and Jamal Murray (25 pts, five rebounds, and four assists) starred for the home team but could not prevent their second loss in a row.

Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, who was dealing with right ankle inflammation and was listed as questionable, was particularly ineffective tonight. He had zero points on 0-6 shooting, but managed four rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes. HC Adelman was disappointed with the outcome and expressed his feelings during the post-game press conference.

“Yeah, he (Cam Johnson) did not move well today. Obviously, Cam knows we’re out a lot of people, the wing positions, we fought through it, and I think it obviously affected his game, you know. He had a hard time moving side to side. He’ll get checked on now before we move to Utah. I’m hoping for better news,” Adelman told reporters after the game.

Johnson was part of the Nuggets team that fell to a narrow 121-127 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb 27. He was on the court for 40 minutes but could only manage seven points with eight rebounds and one assist.

“It (right ankle) was hurting him tonight, throughout the OKC game, but he was moving better in OKC than he was tonight. Cam’s out starting small forward. I trust him, but tonight his body just wasn’t there,” Adelman added.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

But coach Adelman maintained that Johnson’s injury issues should be added motivation for bench players to step up. “If Cam’s out, somebody else has to step up. That’s what we’ve done throughout the season, you know, we were searching for someone to give us some energy. I actually thought Jalen Pickett’s minutes were good. He came in and gave us something. We need more of that from more people,” Adelman concluded.

Johnson, who had previously played for the Brooklyn Nets, signed with the Nuggets in the summer of 2025. He’s averaging 11.6 points, 3.8 total rebounds, and 2.3 assists over 36 games with Denver this campaign.

Adelman Asserts the Importance of Leadership Within the Nuggets Squad

Denver started the game this afternoon on a positive note, ending the first quarter with a nine-point lead. However, the Timberwolves fought back in the second quarter, scoring 36 points as opposed to the Nuggets’ 19. The home team spent the rest of the game playing catch-up as Minnesota grabbed a much-needed win.

“Give Minnesota credit, uh, they came back after we had an excellent start. Um, you know, they took control of the game, obviously ended up winning it. And again, they’re playing eight people in this game,” Adelman told the press. “They understand the importance of what it is, too….we have to have a little better effort. We cannot have stretches like the start of the second quarter. Uh, you know, throughout the season, we’re going to be behind it again, and I’m going to be playing people way too many minutes.”

Adelman, who was an assistant coach at Minnesota and the Orlando Magic, reasserted that he needs players like Jokic, Murray, Johnson, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to lead by example and uplift the youngsters on the team in moments like these.

“When you’re on an NBA team, guys have to lead; they can’t just lead by example, they have to use their voice. And we’ve had that throughout the season. And when you get to this part of the season, everybody’s tired, it’s just the way it is…I really do believe in our group. I believe we can find some energy, and as we get bodies back, we can lower the minutes a little bit, obviously, that helps with a more condensed schedule,” HC Adelman concluded.

The 2023 NBA Champions sit fifth in the Western Conference with a 37-24 record. They go on the road to play a depleted Utah Jazz outfit before returning home to host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Nuggets fans will hope their team can find the right balance before the playoffs arrive.