Finally awake! The Nuggets defeated the Thunder 119-107, Adelman Jr. "activates 1 player" to achieve great success

119-107 The Nuggets won! In the just-concluded NBA playoffs, the Nuggets defeated the Thunder in a back-to-earth battle. With the final whistle, Nuggets fans' hearts that hung for the whole game finally landed.

Who would have thought that this team that was forced into a desperate situation would stage a Jedi counterattack in G6? What no one expected was that it was not Jokic or Murray who rewrites the battle, but an unknown rookie.

Adelman Jr. "activates 1 player"

Nuggets returned to home court with a disadvantage. The atmosphere in the locker room was so depressing that it could be twisted out. Porter Jr. played with injury but was in no state. Westbrook and Watson took turns to make a fuss. Adelman Jr., who insisted on the rotation of 7 players in the first five games, also got a stubborn horn.

Luzhong Morning News: NBA | Grab 7 is here! The Nuggets defeated the Thunder 119-107, Jokic 29+14+8, Alexander 32 points

until the third quarter, the score on the court was at 80, and the camera suddenly pointed at the bench: the young man wearing the No. 29 jersey was pushed to the court by the coach.

Strausser, the No. 29th pick in the first round of 2023, had only sporadic garbage time in his previous playoff history, but when he touched the ball for the first time, he hit a three-pointer with his hand on the top of the right arc.

This young man, who is 1.98 meters tall, has a top scorer like Boyang and Joe Harris, but why doesn’t the coach just need him in the first five games?

Murray broke into the penalty area and was double-teamed by three people. He threw the ball towards the bottom line in panic. Strauser had already been waiting in the left bottom corner, and he scored another three-pointer with a knife. It doesn't matter if he can't run out of the tactics. He accelerated and threw away the defense, cut the empty space to catch Murray's pass, and turned the body and made a layup in one go. In the last 5 minutes of the third quarter, the kid scored 8 points alone, directly pulling the score from 80 to 90-82.

He only played 19 minutes in the game, but he scored 15 points and 5 rebounds, with the highest positive and negative values ​​in the team.

In fact, looking at the Nuggets' rotation in the previous few games, you will understand that Adelman Jr. has always put the stability of the core lineup first, but Westbrook and Watson's performance was not satisfactory. G6 and they made 2 of 8 shots together, which was almost both offense and defense.

At this time, it was actually Adelman, a young man, who let go, but unexpectedly, this let go activated the team's hidden killer move.

From the high school coach to the G7 helm

, the camera swept across the sidelines, Adelman Jr. was clenching his fists and roaring. Who would have thought that this young coach who commanded thousands of troops would still take his children to play in the high school league a few years ago?

In 2017, he joined the Nuggets as an assistant coach. In April 2025, the team suddenly fired Malone and pushed him to the position of coach. At that time, many people were waiting to see jokes and thought he was a transitional candidate. Even the G7 defeated the Clippers in the first round was said to be lucky.

But in G6, Adelman Jr. slapped the questioner hard with his results. He knew too well Strauser's potential. After all, he was a coach and was best at exploring the highlights of young players.

I still remember that when he was in the Timberwolves, he trained several marginal people to a stable rotation. This time, he boldly activated Strauser, which is not so much a risky test.

directly let Strauser start in the final quarter, using his breakthrough to tear the defense line, creating a tip-in opportunity for Westbrook. When the Thunder chased points, they decisively replaced Westbrook with the defensive mission and stabilized the situation with the veteran's experience.

These are not temporary intentions. Just look at his resume. In the summer of 2024, the Lakers and the Cavaliers rushed to give him an interview opportunity, and they had long been targeted by the league.

But then again, Adelman's coaching style has always been quite contradictory. He insisted on the rotation of 7 players in the first few games and was scolded for using the main force. G6 suddenly changed its formation and became a tactical genius again.

The young coach's magical change of formation, how much insurance can he get for the Nuggets' tie-up? Faced with the talented Thunder, how many trump cards do they have?

Eve of tiebreak 7

Jokic has played 14 playoff games in the past month. His calf muscles are as hard as stones. The three-day rest time is simply a life-saving straw for the Nuggets.

You should know that last year's playoffs, they were dragged down in the tiebreak. Jokic was so tired that he even struggled to raise his hand. This year, he finally didn't have to repeat the same mistakes.

Looking at the Thunder again, Alexander slumped in the chair in the locker room, holding an ice bag in his hand and applying his knees. The 28-point and 6-point error data were placed in front of him. It was dazzling no matter how you look at it. What's more serious is that except for Gidey, who scored 13 points, the rest of the bench only scored 8 points in total.

The coaching team drew on the tactical board, and finally pointed the arrow at the same name: Strauser, this kid made 3 of 3 shots from the bottom corner of the G6, but the Thunder has always used the defensive strategy of not making any sudden shots. This is good, it is directly regarded as an ATM.

The Nuggets seem to have the best time and place, but the hidden dangers are not small. Can Porter's injured leg hold up the high-intensity confrontation? If Westbrook and Watson continue their previous form, will Adelman Jr. dare to continue to trust Strauser?

Don't forget, Alexander of the Thunder is a well-known big heart. He scored 50 points in a single game last season. Once he regained his rhythm, the game will change suddenly.

The Nuggets rely on experience and integrity, while the Thunder relies on their talent to be tough. Just like in the last moment of G6, Jokic looked at him, Murray and Strauser immediately pulled out the space, while the Thunder often took Alexander to play singles, and others started watching the show. Who can laugh to the end? After the game ended, Strauser's social media exploded, with the number of fans rising from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, and the hot search entries one after another.

But the most surprising thing is his treatment in the locker room: Jokic hugged his shoulder and took a photo, and Murray threw the ball to him as a souvenir. This is a scene that many veterans have been fighting for half their lives.

In the past, the Nuggets were driven by Jokic + Murray, and Porter Jr. was injured and his offense was constipated directly, but now Strauser and Braun stood up, one with a accurate three-pointer and the other with an all-round offense and defense, which directly raised the team's offense level to a higher level.

Just as the commentator said after the game: The Nuggets are no longer the team that plays with only two people.

Conclusion

But then again, the rookie's outbreak is a surprise and a test. Strauser's denomination in this next game will definitely focus on the opponent. Can he withstand the pressure? How should Adelmann adjust his tactics to protect him? Let's wait and see.