November 16th 2024.
The atmosphere at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans was quite subdued as the Nuggets and Pelicans faced off for their first NBA Cup game. The stands were sparsely filled, mirroring the depleted rosters of both teams. New Orleans was without six players, including their star forward Zion Williamson, due to injuries. Meanwhile, Denver was missing some key players as well, such as Nikola Jokic who was absent for personal reasons, and Aaron Gordon who was out with an injury. Even their coach, Michael Malone, was not present as he attended his daughter's high school volleyball game.
Despite Jamal Murray's best efforts with 16 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals, the Nuggets were unable to overcome Jokic's absence and suffered a 101-94 loss to the Pelicans. This marked the end of Denver's five-game winning streak and snapped New Orleans' six-game losing streak. Brandon Ingram led the Pelicans with an impressive 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Jokic's absence was announced on Friday, just hours before the game. His temporary replacement, acting head coach David Adelman, assured reporters that Jokic was doing well and that his absence was due to personal reasons. The team was unsure when Jokic would return, but Adelman respected his privacy and stated that he would come back when he felt ready.
As for Malone, he was back in Denver to support his daughter's volleyball team in the state tournament. Adelman acknowledged the importance of family and understood why Malone chose to be there. He expressed his support and hoped that Malone was able to watch the game on his phone. Adelman, who was filling in for Malone, recognized the challenge of replacing Jokic and experimented with different lineups to make up for his absence.
One of the changes Adelman made was starting Dario Saric, who had previously been out of the rotation, in place of Jokic. However, Saric's early exit from the game due to fouls proved to be a disadvantage for the Nuggets as they lost their lead and struggled to keep up with the Pelicans. Adelman also tried out smaller lineups, with PJ Dozier playing as a center, but it was not enough to overcome the Pelicans' dominance on the boards. They outrebounded the Nuggets 58-45 and had a staggering 17 offensive rebounds compared to Denver's 5.
In the second half, Adelman introduced Vlatko Cancar, who had just been cleared to play after dealing with an ankle injury. Cancar's contribution was small but promising, showing off his skills with a left-handed hook shot and a timely block. Despite the efforts of Murray and Michael Porter Jr., who led the Nuggets with 24 points, the Pelicans proved to be too much to handle, eventually winning the game 101-94.
Despite the loss, the Nuggets remain optimistic and look forward to their next NBA Cup game against the Memphis Grizzlies next Tuesday. In the meantime, they continue to work on improving their game and adjusting to the absence of their star player. With Jokic's return uncertain, the team must come together and find ways to fill the void left by their MVP. And as for Malone, his daughter's volleyball game will always take precedence over a single basketball game, and the team fully supports and respects his decision to be there for his family.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
