Denver Gazette beat writer Vinny Benedetto takes you around the NBA and inside the Nuggets locker room:

NBA Insider

Welcome to the life of a head coach in the playoffs, David Adelman.

Three of the four playoff games Adelman has coached have been decided in the final minute, including overtime in Game 1. All five of Denver’s starters played 42 or 43 minutes of Game 4 after Adelman rode four of his five starters for the entire fourth quarter.

“The challenge of the rotation is more so, when do you give our starters a break to get them back in? The mistake — if you want to call it that — I felt after the game that I made was I should’ve had two of the (starters) out to start the fourth, not one. Jamal was the only fresh body we had coming in at the nine-minute mark, and I think it would’ve helped to have two mentally fresh guys coming in,” Adelman said Monday.

“I know it’s a small thing and maybe I’m just doubting myself a little bit afterward. Yeah, it’s hard man. By the way, I see J.J. Redick getting killed for playing (the Lakers starters the entire second half against the Timberwolves). If they don’t reverse that call (at the end of Game 4) and they win that game, did J.J. Redick make the right call? Yeah, sometimes you go with your gut and what I watched yesterday was the Lakers go up 12-14 points because of what he did and the decision he made. You can’t worry about what they’re going to say afterwards, and it’s tough. Our starting five has to be on the court the majority of the game and I’m going do my best to make sure that they get breaks and, at the same time, keep three or four guys on the court that can make plays offensively and defensively.”

Jamal Murray is not complaining. Denver’s starting point guard has battled a few different nagging injuries over the course of the season, but he has had 48, 42 and 42 minutes in the three competitive games in the series.

“That’s what the playoffs are about, playing hard and the competition and getting over that hump,” Murray said. “We’re ready for it. We knew what we’re getting into and it’s just fun to play that kind of basketball.”

Adelman’s job is further complicated by some things out of his control. Michael Porter Jr. is playing through a painful sprained left shoulder. Russell Westbrook missed Game 4 with left foot inflammation and is questionable for Tuesday’s Game 5. Without Westbrook, Adelman largely had to rely on a group of reserves who don’t have much playoff experience – Peyton Watson, Jalen Pickett and Vlatko Cancar. Meanwhile, the Clippers have had the advantage in health and depth, but Tyronn Lue, who’s coached nearly 100 playoff games

“(The Clippers) have to manage it, too. They shortened their rotation in the second half. When you get to the end of these series, it’s rare to play eight and a half guys. You start to really limit who’s going to be out there,” Adelman said. “Obviously, they’ve played more guys than we have consistently, but that’s who we are. Our guys have played big minutes throughout the season. I understand the mental fatigue, the wear and tear, but I think there is something to the moment and finding that extra gear and finding your third and fourth wind in these games. Not everybody can be OKC and just chill for a week. We got to do what we got to do to win games.”

What I’m Thinking

However the NBA wants to punish Michael Porter Jr. is justified. What’s not fair to anybody involved is waiting so long to come to a conclusion.

There was a lot of action after Nuggets guard Christian Braun and Clippers star James Harden looked like they were weighing in for a title fight, standing with only a sliver of space between their noses after Harden took exception to Braun’s fall seconds before halftime Saturday.

Nikola Jokic was the first to come to Braun’s defense. Aaron Gordon joined the fracas later. Harden swung or shoved Gordon, and things escalated as the Nuggets forward tried to discard Clippers center Ivica Zubac to even the score.

Among all the drama, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. left the bench and took a couple of steps onto the court before Denver’s assistants and staffers got him to stop. By the letter of the rulebook, Porter is subject to a one-game suspension. The rule was added after the “Malace at the Palace” brawl between the Pacers, Pistons and Detroit fans in 2004.

“I understood that (rule) back in the day when fights were actually fights. I thought Mike made a non-aggressive walk (toward the scrum). I didn’t see anything dangerous about any of that and you’ve got guys slapping each other out there. I’m sorry, but growing up, some of the fights I saw scar you for life,” Adelman said.

“That was just a disagreement between a bunch of guys that are probably gonna play in the summer together in L.A. You could say whatever you want about it. I know it’s cool, it’s exciting. I didn’t think anything about Michael, all that stuff. There was no danger there. That was just a little thing. I didn’t see anything resonate in the second half, either.”

The rule has been selectively enforced since. The most famous suspension came when the Suns lost Amar’e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw after a scuffle with the Spurs in the 2007 postseason. But that decision came under the late David Stern’s tenure as commissioner.

Porter said he was unaware of any such rule. Whatever Adam Silver decides should be accepted, but leaving the Nuggets and Clippers in limbo for more than 48 hours after the incident doesn’t seem right.

What They’re Saying

The Clippers’ fourth-quarter adjustment of switching to a zone caused the Nuggets some serious problems. Denver’s interim coach explained the issues at Monday’s practice.

“We stared at it. It was like we were sitting in a park or something. I didn’t understand that. That’s on me. We talked about it today,” Adelman said. “Time’s not going to run out. It’s an NBA game (with) a 24-second shot clock (and) a lot of possessions left. We have to attack that thing. The funny thing about that is, (at) the start of the fourth quarter, we scored right away and we got up 22. We scored back-to-back baskets, very comfortable and then it felt like we were watching the clock run instead of playing basketball. That sounds like an easy adjustment, but honestly that is what happened. If we could just run our man stuff, a lot of that zone ended up back into man-to-man, so disappointed in myself and I thought there was some mental fatigue, obviously, and we could’ve helped them out defensively, too.”

After not meeting the Clippers’ level of physicality in Game 3, the Nuggets were up to the challenge in Game 4. Murray is expecting more physicality in the remaining games and looks forward to the challenge.

“100%. It’s fun. For me, it’s fun,” Murray said. “It just makes the game more interesting and allows guys to show their true emotions or true skill.”

What I’m Following

– What a rollercoaster of a month Damian Lillard had. After being diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf, Milwaukee’s star guard made a miraculous recovery to return for Game 2 of the Bucks’ first-round series against Indiana. The return ended in Game 4 when Lillard went down with a non-contact leg injury. Lillard was diagnosed with a torn Achilles in his left leg. Lillard turns 35 in July, so it’s fair to wonder what his future looks like, as he’s expected to miss all of next season.

– After a standout college career at Brigham Young University, a five-year NBA career and a few stints overseas, Jimmer Fredette announced his retirement from playing basketball last week. It didn’t take long for him to find a new job in the sport. USA Basketball announced Fredette as the first managing director of the 3-on-3 men’s national team on Monday morning. Fredette represented the United States in multiple 3-on-3 events in recent years.

What I’m Reading

The Ringers’ Michael Pina spent most of the season diving into Nikola Jokic’s brilliance on the basketball court. The results make a solid case for Jokic’s to win a fourth Most Valuable Player award this season. Even if that’s not the case, Pina’s piece is worth a read, even for those who believe Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the more impactful season.