The Big Lead

Michael Malone admits East team is 'superior' to Denver Nuggets

By Aikansh Chaudhary

Dec 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone walks on the court in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Dec 5, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone walks on the court in the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images
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Heading into the season, the Denver Nuggets were viewed as one of the biggest contenders to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy. However, with 20 games into the campaign, the Nuggets have had a rocky year so far.

Following their most recent defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Nuggets have now fallen to the eighth seed in the Western Conference, with an 11-9 record.

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Although they are still two games above the .500 mark, the franchise has hardly managed to string together a solid win streak this season.

Speaking of their 126-114 defeat vs. the Cavaliers, head coach Michael Malone made some concerning comments about his team. He gave a brutally honest assessment of where the Nuggets stand in comparison to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

"We are a team that is trying to find themselves, I think that's fairly obvious tonight. They are a superior team across the board," Malone said. "I think everybody has to own where they are at, where we're at. I think it's important for all of us and it starts with me as a head coach, to really look in the mirror and say what can I do better how can I help this team more? We have to get back to playing we basketball for each other."

Malone has never been someone who minces his words after a bitter defeat. But at the same time, he also took accountability for his role in ensuring that the Nuggets get better as the season progresses.

Right now, outside of Nikola Jokic, no one has been really consistent on the floor. As a result, the Nuggets are playing below the preseason expectations of the NBA community.

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