The Denver Nuggets currently hold a 1-0 lead over the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, but you wouldn’t know it after listening to head coach Mike Malone on Saturday. Coach Malone met with the media following Game 1’s 104-93 win after being given some time to watch the film, and he didn’t like what he saw from his players.
In a game where the Nuggets led by as many as 24 points, winning each quarter aside from the final frame, Denver’s coach noticed several areas where his team can improve their effort heading into Game 2 on Sunday.
Just like we’ve seen before when ripping his team, saying they would get bounced in the first round of the playoffs, Malone wasn’t subtle about his comments to the public this time around, either.
“I don’t think we played well in Game 1. I watched that tape, and they were 5-of-16 on wide-open 3’s. As I told our players this morning, the fact that they got 16 wide-open 3’s is problematic. And if you think that Max Strus is going to go 0-for-9 again or Duncan Robinson is going to go 1-for-5 again, you’re wrong.”
Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone on team’s play in Game 1
The Heat did have the NBA’s worst offense during the regular season, but the Nuggets coach has a good point. Expecting Miami to be so cold from distance again is unrealistic. But Malone didn’t stop there. He had more warnings for his locker room.
Instead of feeling prideful about taking Game 1 on their home floor, the coach wants his players to remember it’s the first to four wins, not one or two, that wins the series.
“I told our players today, don’t read the paper. Don’t listen to the folks on the radio and TV saying that this series is over and that we’ve done something, because we haven’t done a damn thing.”
Mike Malone, continued
Even though the Nuggets have never won an NBA championship, they seem to have found a coach with the right mentality, knowing nothing is given until you go out and earn it. Based on his comments, he hopes for an even sharper performance from his players next time out. Game 2 will get underway on Sunday at 8 PM ET on ABC.
Related: How the Denver Nuggets’ Game 1 win over Heat proves they’ll be tough to beat