The NBA announced Sunday a $35,000 fine for Denver Nuggets coach David Adelman for addressing referees with “inappropriate language” and failing to leave the court immediately after being ejected during a regular-season game.
According to the league’s official statement, the sanction was imposed following an incident that occurred Saturday night in Denver during the game between the Nuggets and the Houston Rockets.
Adelman was ejected in the last quarter of the game after receiving his second technical foul, after angrily complaining about a referee’s decision related to a foul called -or not called- on Nikola Jokic, the team’s main star.
“The fine is in response to the coach using inappropriate language toward the referees and failing to leave the court immediately following his ejection,” the NBA detailed in its disciplinary report.
Adelman’s first NBA firing
David Adelman shouts in the referee’s face “WHAT THE F*CK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” and gets ejected from the game (2nd technical), after Jokic didn’t get a foul (with replays) pic.twitter.com/HDb1TOTcue
– MrBuckBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) December 21, 2025
This episode marked the first ejection in David Adelman’s NBA coaching career.
Adelman took over as head coach of the Nuggets last season after serving on the team’s coaching staff for several years.
His ascension to the top bench came against a backdrop of continuity for the franchise, which has been one of the most competitive in the Western Conference in recent years.
The ejection occurred at a key moment in the game, when Denver was trying to react to a Houston team that had taken control of the scoreboard.
Without their coach down the stretch, the Nuggets were unable to turn things around and ended up falling 115-101.
Houston cuts Denver’s streak
Awesome play to ice a #Texans win.
Good blitz pickup by the protection. C.J. Stroud delivers a great ball in the face of pressure. And an incredible catch by Nico Collins in double coverage.
Houston avoids a disastrous loss and moves to 10-5.pic.twitter.com/WR7pcEKUMu
– Sam Warren (@samwarren_3) December 22, 2025
The Rockets ‘ victory carried significant sporting weight.
The win not only marked a solid result as visitors, but also snapped a streak of six consecutive wins for the Nuggets.
Houston also avenged a defeat suffered five days earlier, when the two teams had met in Denver, with the home team winning.
The result reinforced the good momentum of the Rockets, who have shown greater consistency in the season, while for Denver it represented a halt after a positive run of results.
Referee discipline under the spotlight
The game was not without tension from the bench.
In addition to the Adelman sanction, the NBA recalled that Houston coach Ime Udoka was also fined, in his case $25,000, for repeated complaints to the referees during the same game.
For the league, these types of sanctions are part of its policy to protect the referee’s authority and maintain order on the field, especially in highly competitive matches.
The NBA usually applies financial penalties when it considers that coaches or players cross the limits established in the rules, even when no suspension is involved.
So far, neither David Adelman nor the Nuggets have announced a public appeal of the suspension, and the team will continue with its regular schedule following the loss to Houston.
