The Denver Nuggets needed a big performance, and they got it in Sacramento.

In their first game since the firings of Michael Malone and Calvin Booth, the Nuggets defeated the Sacramento Kings 124-116. It was an all-around performance, with four Nuggets starters scoring 20+ points and another (Jalen Pickett) scoring 18. The Nuggets used a strong first quarter defensively to earn a lead, and the Kings were fighting uphill for the rest of the game. They got close at times, but the Nuggets responded every time with a run of their own.

David Adelman, in his first game as Nuggets interim head coach without Malone to lean on, coached a solid first game. The players brought energy, the rotations were consistent, the timeout usage was precise, and the play calls were good. Adelman passed his first test tonight and helped the Nuggets in his first game as the primary leader and voice. It was good to see the team respond around Adelman as well.

Nikola Jokic earned a triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and four steals. his energy was good throughout the game, playing good help defense at the level without giving up direct lanes to the basket as frequently. He also brought good energy and leadership, responding well in an adverse situation and setting a good example for his teammates. While most possessions still revolved around Jokic, he finished with just 12 shot attempts, looking to get others more involved just as often.

Christian Braun led the team with 25 points, shooting an efficient 9-of-12 from the field, 3-of-5 from three, and 4-of-5 from the free throw line. He was great tonight, especially setting the tone in the first half with confident shotmaking, effort in transition, and understanding of how to find his buckets. It was a good night for Braun, and while his primary matchup Zach LaVine, had a great game tonight too, it was mostly because the Kings screened Braun off of him on several possessions.

Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon each had 21 points apiece. Porter was important as a floor spacer, shooting 4-of-8 from three and hitting a clutch, contested stepback three in the fourth quarter. Gordon led the team in shot attempts, and though the outside jumper wasn’t working as well, he was on the receiving end of some fun lob passes from Jokic at the rim.

But it was Jalen Pickett that made the difference tonight. His 18 points came in bunches tonight. He has a third quarter run in which he scored nine straight Denver points on three three-pointers, forcing a Kings timeout. He also hit a clutch corner three late in the fourth that ended up being the dagger. In 31 minutes tonight, Pickett shot 6-of-10 from the field, 5-of-7 from three, and had four assists compared to just one turnover. His one rebound also doesn’t show how helpful he was times on the glass, boxing out a bigger player frequently so others could grab the board. It was a great moment for Pickett, who has been jostled often in between what was an ugly feud between Malone and Booth.

The bench wasn’t great tonight, but there were helpful elements. Peyton Watson had seven points and a block as the sixth man, leading the Nuggets bench with 25 minutes played. Russell Westbrook didn’t have a great game, but he still had four assists while shouldering the playmaking load. Julian Strawther had seven rebounds in 11 minutes. DeAndre Jordan had three blocks. It was a team effort tonight, even if it was primarily the starters the shined the brightest.

Adelman’s Debut

Coaches often say that it’s never easy to take over during the middle of a season with expectations. It has to be even more difficult when you’re at the very end.

With as much pressure as David Adelman faced tonight, it was cool to see how he and the Nuggets responded. In some ways, it was a real team effort. Jokic grabbed the whiteboard in one timeout and diagrammed a defensive concept the Nuggets were working on. The players on the floor were a lot more communicative and played with more effort, which led to better success regardless of what any coach said.

Postgame, Adelman shared that everyone took a small step up tonight to fill the void left by Malone. It wasn’t just him. It wasn’t just one or two people. It was everyone assuming a bit of the responsibility. That’s a good way to put it, and it’s important for everyone to feel like they have some agency in the way this season goes. It’s not going to be on David Adelman to fix the woes of the team. This was a wakeup call for the team itself.

I did like the plan Adelman and the Nuggets put forth. They played Jokic up the floor when they could, and he was in a defensive stance a bit more frequently, directing traffic, deflecting passes, by taking away as much of the paint as he could with his basketball IQ. The Nuggets rotated behind him, and while that allowed for some open corner threes, it was still a better way for Denver to not give up as many wide open shots as they have in the past. That connection and motivation stood out, so credit should go to Adelman on that front.

Time will tell just how impactful this move will be. In a nutshell, the Nuggets ended a four-game losing streak by defeated a ninth seeded Kings team. It wasn’t a season-defining win against a quality opponent, but it was a good start. All Denver can continue to do now is put one step in front of the other and keep moving forward.

Because after the changes the Nuggets just made, there’s no looking back.

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