David Adelman slams refs about Nikola Jokic calls, “absolutely crazy”

INGLEWOOD, CA — It was a physical Game 6, fought for and won by the Los Angeles Clippers 111-105 on Thursday, and Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman was ticked about how the referees called the game specifically with Nikola Jokic.

After his ninth game leading the Nuggets, Adelman took the podium with a strong point about the lack of calls on Jokic. The three-time MVP took 18 shots inside the arc and yet he earned just two free throws, his fewest in a game since March 2.

“Nikola gets fouled a lot. I’m not sure what was happening tonight, but for him to shoot two free throws with the amount of contact that was going on out there was absolutely crazy,” Adelman said. “They put smalls on him. Those smalls were allowed to do whatever they want, so I’m really excited for Saturday that we’re going to be able to do the same thing with their best players, because if that’s the physicality we’re allowed to play with,
we’ll react to it, and we will go there in Game 7.

Jokic led the Nuggets with 25 points, 15 of which came in a roaring second quarter. He added eight assists and seven rebounds in a slow night at the office, considering he averaged a 30-point triple-double this season.

Adelman took over as Jokic’s bench boss with three games left in the regular season after a shocking firing of the franchise’s winningest coach, Michael Malone. While this is the first time Adelman has sounded off about the way Jokic is whistled — or isn’t — it was a common theme for the old guy to voice his displeasure. Compared to other players of his stature like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is expected to win the MVP this season and the last three MVP winners besides Joker, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and now Clippers’ guard James Harden, Jokic hardly gets to the line. Even though Jokic operates even closer to the hoop than the other three and is almost constantly left with visible gashes on his arms.

Joker shot a career high 6.4 free throws a game this season, SGA shot 8.8, Greek Freak took 10.6, The Beard had 7.3 and The Process was at 10.2 in 2024, when he was last healthy. On Tuesday, Harden went five-for-five at the stripe, compared to the Nuggets as a team, who went six-for-nine.

A common strategy for the Nuggets is putting smaller players on Jokic, who seems to be called for fewer fouls when hacking the big man. That allows the opposing team’s big to help over the top, which not only keeps Jokic from getting to the line but makes it harder for him to operate across the board.

The bad news for Adelman is that refs tend to swallow their whistles in a Game 7, Jokic attempts under his season average across his five career appearances in such contests at 5.6 a night.

“We’ve seen it on his arms all year. He plays inside, and he plays a really physical game,” Nuggets forward Peyton Watson said. “So what comes with that is a lot of bumps and bruises. We know that he’s in there getting hit. Obviously, it’s hard to see when there’s five bodies surrounding him at all times, but we lean on the refs to make those calls in the right time, in the right place when we need them. But we know that the game is going to be physical and Nikola knows that. You didn’t see him go off, take his mouthpiece off, or get a tech the entire game. He expects it. We expect it. So we got to be the ones to dish the physicality next game. I think instead of subscribe to it.”

Game 7 tips at 5:30 at Ball Arena, maybe some home cooking will lead to a few more calls for the Nuggets.

David Adelman is NOT happy with the officials’ whistle, or lack there of for Nikola Jokic in Game 6.

“I'm not sure what was happening tonight, but for him to shoot two free throws with the amount of contact that was going on out there, it was absolutely crazy.” pic.twitter.com/qoATr2Lc2g

— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) May 2, 2025