There’s hardly any doubt the Denver Nuggets have steered their ship after a sluggish start to the season. Despite a gut-wrenching three-point loss to the Dallas Mavericks Friday night, Denver has generally looked and played much better of late, a run that included a five-game win streak. Unfortunately, the NBA Cup loss to the Mavs left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Nuggets Coach Experiences ‘Blood Boiling’ Mavericks Matchup
Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone Reacts After Painful Defeat
Nuggets coach Michael Malone was not gun-shy in his remarks after his team came back from a twenty-point deficit at halftime to eventually take the lead late in the game, only to lose by three, 123-120. It was a remarkable effort to get themselves back into the game, led by Michael Porter Jr‘s third-quarter performance and Nikola Jokic taking over in the fourth. Still, it wasn’t enough to come out victorious in the end. The Mavericks bent but didn’t break, eventually shutting the door.
As impressive as the comeback was, being down 73-53 at the half was the kicker, and Malone let his guys know about it in the locker room. After the game, he spoke about why Denver lost and how it started in the first half.
“I mean it never comes down to the final five minutes. I thought in the first half, it was just really bad basketball by us on every front. You know, the 44 in the paint, the 15 second-chance, the transition, we didn’t do anything in that first half, especially that second quarter.” Malone then called on his team to be better. “I can’t do everything for these guys. I mean look, you’re professional athletes, we all have a job to do. So, everybody’s just gotta show up and do your job…We gotta understand who we are and the things that are non-negotiable… I will continue to do my job to help these guys get ready. There’s also responsibility upon everybody in the locker room to bring it themselves…I think in the first half, we gave up 44 in the paint. And I told our players at halftime ‘You know they’re on pace to score 88 in the paint.’ You know that had my blood boiling.”
There’s no denying that the Nuggets showed up—in the second half. Going into the locker down twenty is never a good place to be. Malone’s halftime challenge appeared to pay off, as Denver came out in the third playing hard and competitive. Unfortunately, they were unable to close out.
Denver Remains A Threat
If you’re counting the Nuggets out of contention in the West based on their underwhelming start to the campaign, it’s best to reconsider. Are they a lock to return to the finals? Let’s not go that far either. It’s been two years since their championship run. Last year, they crashed out in the second round at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. For the time being, Denver is going forward sans Aaron Gordon, which takes away size, presence, and a defensive pillar from the Nuggets game plan. Jamal Murray needs to play up to his talent and skill level, which he’s presently not doing. He knows that and should be expected to turn it on at some point. He’s too great a player to continue his current pace for the entire season.
Denver remains a threat in their conference due to one man: Jokic. The three-time league MVP is the sole reason you can’t sleep on the Nuggets. He’s the perfect example of a player who can carry a team. He might have to while Gordon remains out and Murray works to snap out of his funk. Denver’s schedule shows tough sledding ahead, with bouts against the Lakers, Knicks, Clippers, Warriors, and Cavaliers over the next two to three weeks. Jokic needs to shine, but his teammates need to step up around him. No more going into halftimes with significant deficits included.
