Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone had no time to mince words about his team’s performance against the New York Knicks on Monday night.
The Nuggets gave up 145 points to the Knicks in the loss. OG Anunoby dropped 40 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 30 points and 15 rebounds. New York also dished out 45 assists and held Denver to 118 points.
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Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone looks on in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Malone questioned his team’s effort after the game, saying they will not be “flushing” it and moving on.
“F— that man, no. No, we’re not flushing,” he said, via ESPN. “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 said he wanted more of his players to be vocal when it comes to being leaders. He called out Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray specifically.
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New York Knicks guard Josh Hart, #3, congratulates forward OG Anunoby, #8, as they head to the bench late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
“We’re 16 games in, and we’re talking about effort, we’re talking about toughness, we’re talking about physicality. … And regardless of who’s in, who’s out, who do we want to 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,” Malone added.
Jokic agreed with Malone and said the team needed a wake-up call. Murray also questioned the focus of the team after they played the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s a long season. Guys have lives outside of basketball,” Murray said. “We just beat L.A. in L.A. We’ve got some guys who live in L.A., so stayed in L.A. I don’t think the focus was there from everybody, and that’s what happens when you don’t have the focus.”
Murray later clarified his remarks on X.
“We all stayed in LA BTW! and had a great win. Not excluding myself guys we didn’t play together tonight,” he wrote.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, #15, looks to shoot for a basket over New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, #32, in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Monday, Nov. 25, 2024 in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
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Denver is 9-7 on the season.
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