Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone won’t be treating his team to dinner after Wednesday’s sorry showing.
Following the Nuggets’ 123-114 loss to the Anthony Davis-less New Orleans Pelicans, Malone had some rather harsh words about the team’s performance.
“They didn’t feel us, we didn’t take it personally. They kicked our a–,” said the veteran coach, according to Harrison Wind of BSN Denver. “It’s becoming the same story every single night.
“Until our guys start taking it personal, until our guys start understanding the importance of playing defense and guarding your man 1-on-1, forget playoffs,” Malone continued. “That is a word we should not use with this team.”
Granted, the Nuggets are without star bigs Paul Millsap and Nikola Jokic right now and are still 13-11 on the year. But they have now given up 120 or more points in four of their last nine games and rank 25th in the league in defensive rating. Still, it could have been worse — they could have lost to the Kings.
