Michael Malone Criticises Denver Nuggets Following Embarrassing Loss To New York Knicks

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The Denver Nuggets faced a tough defeat, losing 145-118 to the New York Knicks at home. This marked their second consecutive home loss. The Knicks' score was the highest by a visiting team at Ball Arena since April 2022, when the Los Angeles Lakers scored 146 in an overtime win. Despite having one of the best home records last season at 33-8, the Nuggets are now 5-4 this season.

Michael Malone, the Nuggets' coach, expressed his frustration with the team's performance. He refused to dismiss the loss lightly, stating: "F*** that man, no. 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, physicality, I'm not flushing anything."

Malone emphasized the need for stronger leadership from his starters. He acknowledged Russell Westbrook's vocal presence but urged others like Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray to step up as well. "Russell Westbrook, he's vocal -- but we need more than Russell Westbrook. I need Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, I need guys that have been here in that starting lineup to be vocal," Malone said.

The game saw OG Anunoby achieve a career-high of 40 points for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson also set a personal record with 17 assists out of New York's total of 45. Despite these achievements by the Knicks players, Malone remained focused on his team's shortcomings.

Russell Westbrook contributed significantly off the bench with 27 points for Denver. However, Nikola Jokic had a disappointing game with only seven rebounds and 22 points. Reflecting on their performance, Jokic admitted: "We didn't show up tonight. It's always a good punch in the face just to wake up."

Jokic further elaborated on their struggles: "Coach was right. We are in the games, and we are always down 20 at a half." He acknowledged that they needed to improve collectively and questioned their preparation and effort levels.

The Nuggets' current situation raises questions about their ability to replicate last season's success at home. With leadership and effort being key areas of concern highlighted by both Malone and Jokic, addressing these issues will be crucial for future games.