Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone Reflects on Playoff Exit: “Our Offense”

When presenting himself at a press conference, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone had every reason to remain laconic. His Nuggets, defending champions, had just squandered a 20-point lead, were eliminated from the Playoffs, and, behind him, the cries of joy from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the adjoining locker room spilled into the press room.

So, to decipher what had changed defensively for his team to collapse, Michael Malone responded in two words: “Our offense” and moved on. The rest was not any easier to get the Denver coach to speak. How hard is this defeat to take? “Next question. The season is over. It’s hard. Throwing away a 20-point lead. The season is over. Don’t you understand that? The season is over. It’s hard. Stupid question.”

The images of his final press conference last season, champion cap on his head, bottle of champagne and ski goggles on the table, already seem a long way away. “It’s the beginning of something” he then exclaimed. And the disappointment is even greater this Monday morning as the Nuggets led the series 3 wins to 2 five days ago, and they only had to win one of their last two games. to reach the conference finals.

24% 3-point success

But the Timberwolves have found the solution to muzzle the Nuggets in the meantime. And this Sunday evening, none of his players finished the evening with more than 50% shooting success, including the two stars Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic: “Too much pressure was put on their shoulders, he said. – he tried to explain. We expected too much from Nikola (Jokic) and Jamal (Murray) to continue pulling rabbits out of their hats. But they also need help.

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone at a press conference after his team’s elimination in the conference semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves

Credit: Getty Images

The reigning double MVP wasn’t looking for excuses: “I missed eight 3-pointers, Jamal (Murray) missed eight, Michael (Porter Jr) five. We shot 8/33 at 3-pointers, in today’s basketball you can’t win a game by not making any 3-pointers.” However, with 34 points, 19 rebounds, and 7 assists, the Serb largely did his part this Sunday evening.

But he understood it very well: these Timberwolves were perhaps the worst opponent for them: “They are built to beat us. Look at their squad, they have two All-Stars, two of the best defenders in the league, Mike Conley who is probably the most underrated player in the NBA they have the sixth man of the year. This is a team that can do everything, play small or big.

And above all, Nikola Jokic did not want to put anything on fatigue. A little earlier, his coach had made it one of the reasons for the bankruptcy: “Last year, we played until June, recalled Michael Malone. And this season, we had to play our best players until the end of the season to secure second place. The guys are gassed, dead tired.” An explanation that Jokic refutes: “It didn’t work for them. So I don’t think that’s the reason. Sometimes it was us who wanted the most, sometimes it was them.”

With moist eyes and a blocked nose, Nikola Jokic left the press conference like his coach a little earlier: moved and visibly shocked to have let slip this series which was reaching out to them. However, the story is not that surprising for a reigning champion. This is now the sixth consecutive year that the champion has not made it through the second round of the play-offs the year following his title.

“We knew it was hard, that the last team to have done it was the Warriors in 2017-2018, admitted Michael Malone. And I think that with the current rules, it will be harder and harder to do it. do. But you know, I consider the San Antonio Spurs to have been a dynasty and they’ve never been champions two seasons in a row. We’ll be back.”

2024-05-20 10:18:37
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