With time to cool down, Malone vows Nuggets will improve in Game 3
Jun 6, 2023, 11:58 AM
Game 2 of the NBA Finals was the worst the Denver Nuggets have played in this postseason.
It was the team’s first lost at Ball Arena, erasing their perfect home record from 9-0 to 9-1. And it’s the first time they haven’t been up 2-0 in a series. The finals now shift back to Miami with things knotted up 1-1.
We hadn’t heard from head coach Michael Malone since he ripped Denver’s effort on Sunday night after the loss. Well, he spoke from Miami on Tuesday, and with some time to cool down, he’s vowing his team will play better in Game 3.
“We had a really good film session this morning,” Malone said. “Guys owned what they needed to own. We have to learn from Game 2 to use it to our advantage. What I know about our group is for years now we’ve handled adversity very well. I have no doubt that tomorrow night will be a much more disciplined, urgent team for 48 minutes.”
The Nuggets have been great on the road over their last three games, hammering the Suns in Game 6 to close out a Round 2 series and winning Games 3 and 4 of the Western Conference Finals in Los Angeles.
As far as his harsh comments after the defeat on Sunday? Malone says that was simply the truth, nothing more.
“Honesty isn’t critical, so I don’t view it as being critical. I think it was an honest assessment of the game. Before I came out and spoke to you guys, I had the same conversation with our players. Never once will I come into a press conference and say something to you that I haven’t spoken to our team about,” Malone said.
The Nuggets are still 13-4 overall in these playoffs, and big favorites to win their first title. They hit a little adversity in Game 2, but seem to think Game 3 will go much better.
We’ll know if that’s the case in a little less than 36 hours.
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