Michael Malone Rips Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray Following the Nuggets’ Crushing Defeat

The Denver Nuggets let up the most regulation points they’ve given up at home since 1991 in a 145-118 thumping defeat to the New York Knicks at Ball Arena. The team would want to move on from such a crushing defeat, wouldn’t they? False. After the game, a frustrated Michael Malone told reporters that he wanted his squad to remember this emotion.

Malone stated: “Nah, f–k that,”. “No, we’re not flushing. You don’t flush when you get embarrassed. You don’t flush when you gave up 145 points. You don’t flush when you didn’t play hard, didn’t play with effort, didn’t play with physicality. I’m not flushing anything.”

At one time, the Knicks had a lead of up to 30 points thanks to their impressive 60.9 percent shooting from the field and 52.8 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

Michael Malone talks about Nikola Jokic and others under performing

Even though Denver had a successful offensive night, Malone felt that the team’s best two players—three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and star guard Jamal Murray—did not put up nearly enough effort on defense.

Malone further stated : “Well yeah, like Russell Westbrook,”. “He’s vocal. But we need more than Russell Westbrook. I need Nikola Jokic. I need Jamal Murray. I need guys that have been here in that starting lineup to be vocal. And tonight we got embarrassed.”

Jokic himself admitted that the team “didn’t show up” and that they need to “do a better job.” In his interview with the media, Murray expressed his belief that some of the players were not paying enough attention to the team.

The Nuggets have lost four of their last six games after going on a five-game winning streak earlier in November, so whatever the cause, it’s obvious that something has to change. Malone said : “We’re 16 games in and we’re talking about effort, we’re talking about toughness, we’re talking about physicality,” . “… And regardless of who’s in, who’s out, who do we want to be as a team?” “So, yeah, leadership would be great, toughness would be great, physicality would be great, playing like you actually care would be great, and we didn’t do that tonight.”

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