NEW ORLEANS (AP) 鈥� 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 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 鈥淣ikola is not here.鈥�
Adelman said he did not know how long Jokic 鈥� who has had four consecutive triple-doubles 鈥� will be out.
鈥淚t鈥檚 personal reasons for him,鈥� Adelman said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 things at home. For somebody, that鈥檚 their business. When he feels like he鈥檚 ready to come back, he鈥檒l come back.鈥�
The Nuggets had not played since Sunday, when Jokic had 37 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists in a 122-120 home victory over Dallas.
Adelman said he hoped Malone would not be trying to watch the NBA game on his phone while his daughter was playing.
鈥淗e鈥檚 watching his daughter play 鈥� that鈥檚 really cool,鈥� said Adelman, whose father is former NBA coach Rick Adelman. 鈥淔rom being a coach鈥檚 son and growing up around this, there鈥檚 things you miss as a dad. It鈥檚 really cool that he鈥檚 there."
Bridget Malone is set to play at the University of North Carolina.
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The Associated Press