NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Denver Nuggets were without star center Nikola Jokic and coach Michael Malone for their NBA Cup opener Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Jokic missed Denver’s 101-94 loss for personal reasons. Malone stayed behind to watch daughter Bridget compete in a high school volleyball playoff match.
Nuggets lead assistant David Adelman took over for Malone and said the most difficult challenge of stepping in was that “Nikola is not here.”…