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Nuggets head coach Michael Malone not watching NBA Finals, yet

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6 months ago

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Nuggets head coach Michael Malone not watching NBA Finals, yet


Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone is still stinging from the team’s Game 7 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

So much so in fact, Malone hasn’t brought himself to watch the rest of the NBA playoffs so far.

Malone joined Jim Rome on Friday for a rare offseason interview, and shared that interesting tidbit. Rome asked him about the Boston Celtics beating down the Dallas Mavericks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

“I’ll be honest, I did not watch it,” Malone said with a laugh. “I will definitely watch the games at some point. You can always learn.”

And even though the Nuggets were NBA champions in 2023, it’ll be a learning offseason for the team. Blowing a 20-point second half lead at home in an elimination game will do that.

But for Malone, he’s simply bummed out that Denver isn’t on the same stage it was a year ago, trying to win back-to-back titles.

“I still have a hard time sitting there and watching it because I want to be there. I want to be coaching the Nuggets in the NBA Finals,” Malone said. “But it’s just still a little bit too raw for me right now to sit there and watch those games.”

Malone’s logic is fair. Fans are still hurting from the collapse to the Wolves, and so is the team’s head coach. That said, he’s also in the process of moving on.

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Michael Malone went on to tell Rome it’s been nice to spend time with his wife and two daughters, while also focusing on offseason priorities like meeting with the front office and draft workouts.

For now, the NBA Finals will have to wait. Maybe come July or August, coach will be able to fire them up. And hopefully the Nuggets are back in that series in 2025.





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Denver, CO

PHOTOS: Denver Broncos beat Las Vegas Raiders, 29-19, in NFL Week 12

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7 hours ago

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November 24, 2024

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PHOTOS: Denver Broncos beat Las Vegas Raiders, 29-19, in NFL Week 12




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Denver, CO

Raiders HC Sounds Off on Broncos QB Bo Nix’s Rapid Rise

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15 hours ago

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November 24, 2024

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Raiders HC Sounds Off on Broncos QB Bo Nix’s Rapid Rise


On Sunday, fans will be treated to a head-to-head contest between two rapidly emerging offensive powerhouses, both of whom are bonafide Rookie of the Year contenders. Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers found new homes with consecutive picks during last April’s NFL draft, and since then, they’ve performed exceptionally well in the pro ranks.

Nix is firmly on the radar of Raiders head coach Antonio Piece, but that’s even more true after yet another award-winning performance last week.

“He was a winner as a freshman. He was a winner as a six-year player,” Pierce noted of Nix. “All he does is win, come in the league. Won the quarterback battle there in Denver. Maybe they were keeping them tight on the leash early on, and now they’re not. He has full control that offense. You can see that Sean Payton gives him opportunities to audible and make some adjustments. He’s making throws, he’s running with his legs, he’s taking care of the football, and he’s winning. That’s all you can ask for from a rookie.”

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Nix presents a clear and present danger to the Raiders’ chances of squeezing out what would be only their third win of their massively disappointing season. Stopping the impressive rookie is proving to be another matter entirely for NFL defenses, especially one with a badly beaten-up roster like the Raiders.

“This is crazy,” Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo said via ESPN‘s Paul Gutierrez. “I’ve never seen this amount of injuries on any team I’ve been on.”

This week, Broncos head coach Sean Payton has pumped the brakes a little on the burgeoning hype exploding around Nix. That being said, you get the distinct feeling that Payton is more than comfortable unleashing Nix’s full array of talents at his disposal. Confidence is growing in Nix, and that’s been reflected in how Payton has opened up the playbook for his first-year signal-caller.

The juices are flowing, and Payton may have found an answer in dynamic second-year receiver Marvin Mims Jr. The mystical “joker” role within the Broncos offense seems to have been filled.

“I think we always gotta be saying, ‘Hey, are we doing everything we can to highlight his strengths?’ And so, yeah, I don’t know if he’s got the ‘joker’ tattoo, but he might be invited to the club,” Payton said via Andrew Mason.

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When push comes to shove, if Nix plays lights out again, an easy win might come Denver’s way, but stopping Bowers would also ensure the victory and help in the race for Rookie of the Year honors. Payton is already on high alert, but it was also tinged with a bit of football envy when he illustrated Bowers’ “joker” abilities.

“Someone had a really good vision for him and you see all the ‘Joker’ traits, means and change of direction,” Payton said of Bowers. “It can’t be a little. It’s a high-end receiving trait and he can move, he can be outside and he can run a route tree maybe different than most tight ends.” 

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Denver, CO

Jokic and Denver take on the Knicks in non-conference play

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1 day ago

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November 24, 2024

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Jokic and Denver take on the Knicks in non-conference play


Associated Press

New York Knicks (9-7, fourth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (9-6, fifth in the Western Conference)

Denver; Monday, 9 p.m. EST

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BOTTOM LINE: Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets host the New York Knicks in a non-conference matchup.

The Nuggets have gone 5-3 at home. Denver ranks sixth in the Western Conference with 12.0 offensive rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 4.4.

The Knicks are 4-5 in road games. New York ranks seventh in the Eastern Conference allowing only 112.4 points while holding opponents to 47.3% shooting.

The Nuggets are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.5 percentage points higher than the 47.3% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks average 14.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 more made shots on average than the 13.1 per game the Nuggets allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is averaging 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds for the Nuggets.

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Jalen Brunson is averaging 25.1 points and 7.4 assists for the Knicks.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 118.4 points, 45.5 rebounds, 31.6 assists, 8.7 steals and 4.8 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.7 points per game.

Knicks: 6-4, averaging 120.3 points, 42.9 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 6.7 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 50.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points.

INJURIES: Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: out (calf), DaRon Holmes II: out for season (achilles), Vlatko Cancar: out (knee).

Knicks: Precious Achiuwa: out (hamstring), Miles McBride: day to day (knee), Mitchell Robinson: out (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.



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