WASHINGTON — After his Denver Nuggets, one way or the other, received carved up by the moribund Washington Wizards on Saturday night time, squandering a career-high 56 factors from Nikola Jokić within the course of, Nuggets coach Michael Malone blamed … Michael Malone.
“One factor in regards to the NBA is, nobody feels sorry for you,” Malone stated after the Nuggets, persevering with an ominous development, have been nonexistent defensively for 48 minutes, falling 122-113.
The issue: The opponent was Washington, which got here into Saturday’s sport on a franchise-record 16-game shedding streak and an NBA-worst 2-18 report whereas clearly in full tank mode to have one of the best likelihood at a excessive draft choose in spring’s lottery. 1 / 4 into the season, the Nuggets, the 2023 NBA champions, look nothing like a contending group regardless of Jokić’s once more wanting precisely just like the NBA’s Most Priceless Participant.
“We have now to understand that all of us have to start out taking part in our personal restoration,” Malone stated. “As a result of nobody’s going to provide you an olive department. Nobody’s going to provide you one as a result of they really feel sorry for you. We have now to (do it). And once more, we’ve movie periods. And also you watch the movie, you maintain guys accountable, you handle the problems they usually simply sort of are being repeated, over and time and again. That’s the place I take blame for us to be 11-10, as a result of clearly I’ve a performed a poor job as a head coach in making ready this group, not solely to win, however to go on the market and execute. I’ve no drawback proudly owning that.”
The Nuggets have been with out Jamal Murray (hamstring) and Aaron Gordon (calf) Saturday. However the Wizards have been with out starters Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon and rookie middle Alex Sarr, together with reserves Corey Kispert and Kyshawn George. (Come to think about it, Elvin Hayes and Caron Butler didn’t costume, both.)
Nonetheless, the Wizards carved up the Nuggets’ protection. Jordan Poole drained a career-high 9 3-pointers en path to 39 factors, together with 8 assists. Veteran massive Jonas Valančiūnas didn’t cease the Joker, in fact, however didn’t get run off the ground, both, going for 20 factors, 12 rebounds, 5 blocks and 5 assists in a spirited 32-minute battle with the three-time league MVP.
Washington gave Justin Champagnie his first begin of the season instead of Kuzma, and the fourth-year ahead torched Denver, scoring 23 factors on 9-of-13 capturing. He made two 3s however killed the Nuggets time and time once more chopping baseline for straightforward layups, a la Boston’s Jrue Vacation or Derrick White. The Wizards have been properly into the 50s in area purpose proportion earlier than Denver awoke and tried to play protection within the fourth. By then, it was too late.
“Immediately, and the final couple of video games, have been actually unhealthy for us,” stated Jokić, who additionally had a career-high 38 area purpose makes an attempt en path to his profession excessive in scoring.
“We’re actually going within the improper path. I believe it’s everyone’s fault. It’s not simply Coach’s fault. It’s not his fault that we can not make photographs. It’s not his fault that we don’t talk. In fact, there’s a little bit, I believe it’s the entire, collectively, that we’re not good, and we’re getting into a foul path.”
Jokić posted HISTORIC numbers for the Nuggets!
🃏 56 PTS (career-high)🃏 16 REB🃏 8 AST🃏 3 3PM
He is the primary participant in NBA historical past to whole 55+ PTS, 15+ REB, 5+ AST and three+ 3PM in a single sport. pic.twitter.com/7L0lM1e5bJ
— NBA (@NBA) December 8, 2024
The Nuggets have gambled on their younger guys, believing Peyton Watson, Christian Braun and Julian Strawther may play main minutes on a contending group after shedding Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, key contributors to the 2023 title group, to free company the final couple of summers. However Denver’s protection has been horrendous all season irrespective of who’s on the ground. It gave up 145 factors to the Knicks at residence late final month and ranks twentieth in factors allowed per 100 possessions, twenty first in opponents’ 3-point proportion and twenty fourth in factors allowed.
Malone stated earlier than the sport he anticipated Poole to be “tremendous aggressive” with all of Washington’s injured gamers out, however the Nuggets nonetheless couldn’t cease him from doing something he wished on the ground.
Denver desperately missed Gordon’s protection and playmaking, in fact. The Nuggets are being cautious with him as he returns to the courtroom after lacking 10 video games with a calf damage.
“I imply, I believe a part of it’s, as a gaggle, there’s some a part of us who’ve performed by means of plenty of years, so we’ve developed a sure chemistry, some communication, and we haven’t actually had our full group,” stated ahead Michael Porter Jr., who scored simply 11 factors on 5-of-14 capturing. “Aaron’s an vital a part of that. Jamal clearly didn’t play tonight. However the younger guys are greater than succesful. Tonight, identical to Coach took accountability, I believe I’ll take accountability. I may have performed lots higher. I believe general, as a group, we’ve received to seek out our swag again, our jive, like understanding after we come into buildings, we’re imagined to beat groups. And I don’t assume we’ve that proper now. We’ve simply been very, very mediocre.”
Saturday, with nobody else actually punishing Washington’s heretofore havarti-like protection, Malone needed to journey Jokić’s sizzling hand 39 minutes. In opposition to a group as unhealthy as Washington, Jokić shouldn’t have wanted to method 30 and will have sat the entire fourth quarter. However Malone had no alternative.
The Joker went wild with a 23-point third quarter, however needed to play all 12 minutes of the interval. Malone needed to get him some relaxation, so the coach sat him the primary 4 minutes of the fourth. And, as has been the case … seemingly perpetually, Denver received smoked throughout its non-Jokić minutes, with the Wizards outscoring the non-Nikolas 9-2. Washington’s lineup throughout most of that stretch was guard Jared Butler, rookie guard Bub Carrington, third-year guard Johnny Davis, veteran Anthony Gill and third-string middle Marvin Bagley III.
Geesh.
“Groups rating 125 factors each night time on us, so I believe we’re the worst (defensive) group within the league,” Jokić stated.
In fact, it’s nonetheless early. A return to well being from Murray and Gordon would re-level Denver’s potentialities, a minimum of on offense. There are nonetheless 61 video games left. However till then, what does Jokić want to start out seeing on the courtroom, no matter who’s on the market with him?
“Response,” he stated. “In my nation I’m coming from, after this sort of stretch, you’re going to get a paycheck that’s somewhat bit lower than typical. So possibly that’s what we have to do. Somewhat motivation in that manner. And being benched, being on the bench, I believe that’s actually good motivation, too.”
(Photograph: Patrick Smith / Getty Photos)
