The Denver Nuggets’ difficulty securing victories on their home court worsened Monday night when they dropped a close 119-117 game to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Ball Arena. With head coach David Adelman expressing frustration, the Nuggets have now lost six of their last ten games at home, intensifying concerns about their ability to defend their territory this season.
Despite controlling much of the game, the Nuggets faltered late in the contest, allowing Cleveland to escape with the win.
“It’s one of those losses you’ll remember at the end of the year. (We) had control of the game. This happens in the NBA. I told them (in the locker room), ‘This stuff happens.’ We’ve won some games like this, where the other team’s looking back, going, ‘How did we lose that game?’ We found a way to not execute the last three minutes. And we have to be better,”
Adelman said after the defeat.
Ongoing Home Court Challenges and Historical Context
Denver’s struggles at Ball Arena have become a troubling trend this season. Sitting at a 14-11 record at home before their upcoming game against Memphis, the Nuggets are on track for a home record of 23-18, which would be the franchise’s poorest performance at Ball Arena since the 2021-22 season.
The team’s issues echo past seasons when injuries to key players hampered success. In the spring of 2022, Jamal Murray was sidelined for the entire year with knee rehabilitation, while Michael Porter Jr. appeared in only nine games before injury sidelined him for months. The Nuggets’ depleted roster limped into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed and were eliminated in the first round by Golden State. That season underscored how vital the team’s “Core Four” — Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. — is to Denver’s success.
If the Nuggets continue to falter at home after the All-Star break, it could seriously damage their championship ambitions. Historically, Western Conference champions rarely lose more than 10 home games during a season. Since 2005-06, only five champions lost 10 or more games on their home court, with only the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks exceeding 12 losses at 25-16.
The last NBA champion to endure 11 or more home losses during the regular season was Golden State in 2017-18. In contrast, Denver’s recent high baseline included only 7 to 8 losses at home over the 2022-23 and 2023-24 campaigns. This season, the team is already close to matching a historically poor home record that does not bode well for deep playoff progression, especially given the added pressure on stars like Jamal Murray and Jokic.
Defensive Woes and Declining Closing Ability
While Jokic has maintained his status as the NBA MVP and a premier player globally, the Nuggets require stronger defensive consistency. Many observers see Aaron Gordon increasingly as the linchpin for stabilizing the defense. A missing element reminiscent of a shutdown defender like Dikembe Mutombo could greatly assist the team.
Once among the league’s most reliable duos in clutch moments, Jokic and Murray have seen their late-game effectiveness fade. Advanced NBA statistics reveal troubling trends: in home games decided by five points or fewer, the Nuggets possess a negative Net Rating of minus-5.1 points per 100 possessions.
Despite scoring an NBA-best 138.2 points per 100 possessions in the final three minutes of close games, they have conceded a league-worst 143.8 points per 100 in that same span. This sharp decline contrasts sharply with last year’s performance, when the Nuggets posted a positive Net Rating of plus-3.1 in similar situations, highlighting defensive breakdowns that continue to plague the team.
Three seasons ago, Denver demonstrated dominance by closing out games decisively, reflected in a plus-31.6 Net Rating during crunch time. Now, the current team appears to be inviting opponents back into games, often struggling to protect leads in critical moments at home.
Unexpected Home Losses and Unsettling Trends
Recent home defeats to teams like Charlotte, Atlanta, and Detroit—each achieving rare victories in Denver—have fueled questions about whether this slump is a temporary lapse or a deeper problem. The Nuggets have allowed franchises to break long home losing streaks, signaling a vulnerability unusual for a reigning champion contender.
Jokic himself voiced uncertainty following the Cleveland loss, saying,
“I don’t know. I think we lost a couple close ones at home … But belief we can win a game? I don’t know. I don’t know what’s the answer.”
With time on their side and the All-Star break approaching, there remains an opportunity to regroup and address these challenges. However, the history of Denver Nuggets teams that have stumbled significantly at home suggests that failure to correct these issues could jeopardize their postseason trajectory.
