The Los Angeles Clippers put their series hopes alive with a 111-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night, setting the stage for a critical Game 7 this Saturday. However, Nuggets coach David Adelman expressed frustrations over the officiating, specifically regarding the lack of foul calls for his star player, Nikola Jokić.

Jokić ended the night with 25 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds, yet only shot two free throws, a point Adelman deemed unacceptable. “Nikola gets fouled a lot,” Adelman stated. “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. They put smalls on him, and those smalls were allowed to do whatever they want. If that’s the physicality we’re allowed to play with, we’ll adapt and respond in Game 7.”

Adelman’s remarks hint at possible repercussions, as criticizing referees could result in him receiving a fine. Nonetheless, his observations suggest that an increased physical game is to be expected in the next matchup, particularly as the Nuggets aim to counter the Clippers’ tactics.