The Nuggets misplaced at dwelling for the second time in 4 days on Monday, falling by a rating of 145-118 to the Knicks. Requested by a reporter throughout his post-game media session if he was ready to “flush” the sport and transfer on, head coach Michael Malone strongly pushed again on that concept, via DNVR Sports.
“F–t that, no, no, no. We’re not flushing,” Malone stated. “You don’t flush while you get embarrassed. You don’t flush while you gave up 145 factors. You don’t flush while you didn’t play laborious, didn’t play with effort, didn’t play with physicality. I’m not flushing something.”
Malone praised Russell Westbrook, who scored a team-high 27 factors, for his willingness to be “vocal” on and off the courtroom, however stated he’d wish to see extra of that type of management from gamers who’ve been cornerstones in Denver for years.
“I want Nikola Jokic, I want Jamal Murray,” Malone stated. “I want guys which were right here in that beginning lineup to be vocal.”
The Nuggets have been with out beginning ahead Aaron Gordon since Nov. 4 as a result of a calf damage, and Jokic and Murray have every missed a couple of video games, however Malone doesn’t view that as an excuse for a modest 9-7 file and what he views as an inconsistent compete degree thus far this season.
“No matter who’s in (and) who’s out, who will we need to be as a staff?” Malone stated. “Management could be nice. toughness could be nice. Physicality could be nice. Enjoying such as you truly care could be nice. We didn’t do this tonight.
“… We’re simply fooling ourselves,” Malone added later. “Sure, (the Knicks) are a great staff, but when that’s the hassle we’re going to present forth, we received’t even be near being a playoff staff.”
Jokic agreed with Malone’s evaluation, telling reporters that the Nuggets wanted “a great punch within the face simply to get up” and stated the gamers “collectively must do a greater job,” via ESPN.com. Murray agreed that it was on the gamers, not the coaches, to determine issues out and questioned if staying in Los Angeles in a single day after Saturday’s win vs. the Lakers may’ve performed an element within the staff’s sluggishness on Monday.
“It’s an extended season. Guys have lives outdoors of basketball,” Murray stated, via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports activities. “We simply beat L.A. in L.A. We’ve acquired some guys who stay in L.A., so (we) stayed in L.A. I don’t suppose the main target was there from everyone, and that’s what occurs while you don’t have the main target.”
The Nuggets are at present tied with the Suns for the seventh-best file in a crowded Western Convention and sit only one sport forward of the No. 11 Timberwolves.
