The Denver Nuggets suffered a demoralizing 145-118 loss to the New York Knicks, with Knicks fans taking over the arena and chants echoing throughout the game. Head coach Michael Malone was visibly frustrated with his team’s lack of effort, energy, and passion during the game, especially after a strong performance against the Los Angeles Lakers just 48 hours prior. Malone emphasized the need for the team to play with more heart and physicality.
The loss to the Knicks highlighted ongoing issues for the Nuggets, who have struggled with inconsistency throughout the season. Despite moments of brilliance, including a win over the Lakers, the team has lacked defensive prowess, ranking 17th in the league in defensive rating. Malone and his players understand the need to improve defensively to compete at a championship level.
Malone expressed disappointment in the team’s performance and stressed the importance of learning from games like this to prevent similar outcomes in the future. Nuggets star Nikola Jokić echoed Malone’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for the team to wake up and show more resilience in the face of adversity. The Nuggets are currently 9-7 and sitting in the eighth spot in the Western Conference, but they are determined to turn things around and establish a more consistent identity moving forward.
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