By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: 20:25 BST, 22 May 2025 | Updated: 20:26 BST, 22 May 2025
DENVER (AP) - The Denver Nuggets have taken the interim tag off David Adelman, making him their head coach after he took over on the eve of the playoffs and led them into the second round.
Nuggets boss Josh Kroenke said Thursday that he was proud of the work Adelman did and the way the team rallied around his leadership.
Adelman [replaced Michael Malone](https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-kroenke-malone-booth-jokic-playoffs-d57c82fd4c577da4c825f35836659eb5) last month. Under Adelman, the Nuggets won their last three regular-season games to avoid the NBA´s play-in, dispatched the Clippers in seven games and took the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder to the brink in the semifinals only to get beaten 125-93 Sunday.
Kroenke said he´s going to take more time to decide about a general manager to replace Calvin Booth, who was fired the same time Malone was let go. Ben Tenzer has served as interim GM.
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Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman walks along the bench area late in the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)
Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman directs his team against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman, left, confers with guard Jamal Murray as he sits on the scorer's table during a break in play in the first half of Game 6 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman, center, argues for a call with referee Tyler Ford, left, as Nuggets trainer Dan Shimensky, right, comes over to stop him in the first half of Game 4 in the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, May 11, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)