Everyone was shocked when Josh Kroenke abruptly fired Mike Malone with just three games remaining in the regular season. With the playoffs right around the corner, David Adelman was handed the massive responsibility to lead the Nuggets as their interim head coach. Despite the obvious pressure, he held his nerves and is now just a win away from making it to the West Finals. But NBA skills trainer Chris Johnson put Adelman’s credibility in question by revealing the true mastermind behind the Denver team’s postseason success.

After witnessing the Nuggets function closely, Johnson made a bold claim during a recent podcast appearance: “I didn’t realize they had a better coach.” Who? Nikola Jokic. When asked if he was talking about the Serbian star, he immediately replied, “You better damn believe it. Jokic is coaching the s— out of that team.” Yes, since Malone’s firing, Jokic has been far more animated than usual during games and especially on the bench. On several occasions, he has been seen motivating his teammates and even drawing up plays during pressure situations. So, is he the one truly coaching the Nuggets?

Well, Dwyane Wade, who was also on the podcast, did not like Johnson taking credit away from Adelman and his staff, “Hey man, don’t disrespect the coach on that sideline and that coaching staff. What do you mean, Jokic is coaching that team?” But the NBA trainer stood his ground, “Jokic is coaching that team. Jokic is able to move the pieces on the board, and he’s in live motion. And he’s actually showing that a player could coach a team if he’s high IQ.”

Johnson continued, “Because the adjustments are made between him, Murray, and AG. And I’m watching him in full game mode. ‘You go there. Pass the ball back. Get to a spot.’ They’re picking the teams apart. And I like that because it shows that you don’t really need someone to over coach. The players are that important.” The trainer was so confident in his claim that he even made Wade reconsider his stance, “Well listen, you ain’t lying. Some coaches be over coaching.”

While it’s high praise for Jokic and his ability to impact the game, it does put Adelman in a tough spot heading into Sunday’s Game 7 encounter against the Thunder. Obviously, he would be hoping to get a permanent head coaching role next season, but Jokic getting the credit for the Nuggets’ success could diminish David’s impact. “That’s what Jokic is doing. He’s anchoring the defensive system. He’s anchoring the offensive system… he’s been a team player, but he’s actually coaching the team,” Johnson added. Jokic, however, seems to be more in sync with Adelman than Johnson claims.

Nikola Jokić reveals relationship with David Adelman ahead of Game 7 vs. Thunder

Sure, Jokic has been a vocal leader for the Nuggets, especially following Malone’s departure. But that does not mean he is not running things by Adelman first. Following Thursday’s season-saving win, the big man highlighted his fluid communication with the interim head coach, “Talk to him a lot. We are texting even when I see something, I just ask him a question what he thinks about it, and I think we have great communication and relationship. It’s been good.”

If Jokic and Adelman are in sync, it does not matter who leads the charge as long as it gets the Nuggets over the hump. Even Russell Westbrook has been spotted playing the role of a veteran leader multiple times, guiding his teammates during games. So, the Nuggets seem to be okay with multiple high-IQ members controlling the reins when needed.

Now, their focus is strictly on winning Sunday’s game in OKC and advancing to the next round. And Jokic already knows the changes they need to make to gain an edge, “Probably defense. I think probably defense. Details. Rebounding for us, especially because how much they are attacking the glass. Turnovers for us… I think the details: defense, box out, turnovers, that’s gonna probably decide the winner.” It is possible that Jokic and Adelman are working together to fix these issues and give the Nuggets a better chance at reaching the West Finals.