Michael Malone calls out Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray after Nuggets’ loss vs. Knicks

On By Littum

In a 145-118 loss to the New York Knicks at Ball Arena, the Denver Nuggets allowed the most regulation points they’ve allowed at home since 1991. Such a lopsided loss would be one the team is eager to put behind it quickly. , right? Wrong. Talking to reporters after the game, a frustrated Michael Malone clearly wants his team to remember this feeling.

“Nah, f–k it,” Malone said. “No, we don’t flush. You don’t flush when you get embarrassed. You don’t flush when you gave 145 points. You don’t flush when you didn’t play hard, didn’t play with effort, didn’t play with physics, I don’t flush anything .”

Shooting 60.9 percent from the field and 52.8 percent from beyond the arc, the Knicks opened a lead as large as 30 points at one point. And while Denver enjoyed a productive night offensively, they didn’t get nearly enough effort on the defensive end and, in Malone’s view, not enough leadership from the team’s two best players, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and star guard Jamal Murray.

“Well, like Russell Westbrook,” Malone said. “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 the starting lineup to be vocal. And tonight was we embarrassed.”

Jokic, for his part, acknowledged that the team “didn’t show up” and needs to “do a better job.” Murray said during his session with the media that he felt the focus of some of the players on the team was elsewhere.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear something needs to change as the Nuggets have lost four of their last six games after going on a five-game winning streak earlier in November.

“We’re 16 games away and we’re talking about effort, we’re talking about toughness, we’re talking about physicality,” Malone said. “… And regardless of who’s in, who’s out, who will we 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.”

Denver (9-7) travels to Utah to take on the Jazz (4-12) on Wednesday.