Michael Malone gives Nikola Jokic the Highest Praises

Michael Malone gives Nikola Jokic the Highest Praises

I’m B man he’s ready it is cold out um Michael how big was the difference that you could set just in terms of energy from your team from Wednesday to night two oh it was Night and Day a different team um you know I felt in that Utah game you

Know that wasn’t Denver Nugget basketball we didn’t start the game with the requisite energy or urgency and against a team that’s playing well like Utah was you’re you’re playing from behind the whole night and uh my challenge last thing I told the players tonight was uh last five games they were

Outscoring their opponent in the first quarter 33 to 23 so our goal is small goal micro goal win the first quarter and I felt the way we started the game was tremendous the bench came in and followed suit with what the starters uh LED with um so 37 to 25 was really good

I love to have we ran tonight you know we had 19 fast break points uh 56 in the paint and uh 16 on the glass we had a plus 13 rebound margin 30 assist this is always a great number too many turnovers though 17 for 19 um but I just nicoa

Came out aggressive Jamal was sitting everybody up I thought Michael Porter had a terrific game tonight uh the bench unit came in and contributed this was a complete team win against a team that had won seven straight on the road so uh really proud of the group tonight what

Do you like most when you stagger Jamal with the second un know what what does he add to that those well it gives a gives us a guy that you can play through you know I mean like with that in group you know you have Nico you have Jamal

You have Michael Pope and Aaron you know five really good players when you get Jamal out you bring him in the second unit now one of your two best players is always on the floor nicoa Endor Jamal and now and then when you you have Reggie and Jamal together Jamal goes

From being the primary point guard in the first group and now he can play off the ball let Reggie handle the you know point guard responsibilities like we did for years with Monte moris and I thought Jamal kind of likes cuz that’s what he was in college right I mean he was a

Combo guard so now he’s getting a chance to be a point guard and a scoring guard with that second unit and um Reggie pton had a really good first half Christian DJ um you know those guys are finding a rhythm with Jamal and that that’s that’s

Going to continue to get better col had two Dums tonight what was the last time you saw that oh man it’s been a while it’s uh yeah I can’t remember when the last time that happened but I I just liked his assertiveness tonight from the

Get-go you know he I thought he him and Jamal were imposing their will early instead of like sometimes we have a habit of just kind of showing up and easing our way into games we can’t do that against the team that’s playing well but against anybody because they’re

Get we’re getting their best effort every night so we have to bring it to start the game and we did that tonight so yeah Nicole is a you know quiet athlete very very quiet but 274 and 10 and his efficiency is just through the

Roof right now 11 of 17 um it was great to see him have that night and Jamal nine assists two turnovers terrific numbers for him as well Jared bner was sitting in that chair a couple nights ago and he was talking about greatness now it takes a night off and he decided

Nate McKinnon and he went on about joker as well Joker’s consistent what does that mean beyond the triple double skills to a team after you have a blip like you did in Utah or maybe develop being pton Watson into a championship culture yeah I mean if I’m a young player kid and I’m

And not a locker room I am studying and watching everything that Cole does for me I might be I would eat what he eats I would drink what he drinks I would lift what he lifts and I would go as hard as he does every day and I

Always tell this to you guys like I wish there was a camera behind the curtain a wizard of oz to see that like there’s no secret to suc it’s hard work and Nico yes he’s talented he’s got a great IQ he makes everybody better but he puts the

Time in every single day and we talked about a pregame like the fact that he plays at the level he plays at every damn night year after year after year is just incredible and so you hope that Payton Christian Julian Jaylen Hunter all of our young guys and even some of

The Vets can can learn from his example because leadership can be vocal and it could also be by his actions and Nicole’s actions speak really really loud and look at the results the guy’s the best player in the NBA best player in the world and all the success we’ve

Had obviously Nia is a very big part of that coach the the pass he made the blind over the head pass I mean you’ve seen him make maybe thousands of credit passes where is I mean did that open your even your eyes a little bit that F yeah well

It’s funny you know we drew the play up and you know the play was to get Nia in the pocket from J all and the way they defend we knew they were going to step up and I said Aaron you’re in the dunk work behind the defense as he steps up I

Didn’t imagine the behind the back over the head pass you know that that’s just you know when you’re a young kid and you’re watching NBA basketball that’s Magic Johnson you know that’s Pistol Pete marovich the guys that just had this uh Pizzazz to their game and Nico

Can beat you a lot of ways and that was definitely one of the best passes I’ve seen him make and you know after N9 years there have been a lot of them but but he continues to amaze do you have someone on triple double watch like how

How do you monitor how close he is to getting a triple double and do you pay attention to it during the game I I don’t have anybody monitor it and I have no idea now with that being said I think every night he’s getting a triple double

Because he’s just the triple double king um the guy is he can score he can rebound and he makes everybody better so it seems like every night I don’t have any career triple doubles that is now I heard walking off the court Chris MC saying that I think he’s got 10 career

Triple doubles against New Orleans uh which I’d have to imagine maybe the most against one particular team um but then you think about how many times he’s missed triple double by one rebound or one assist but yeah I don’t get caught up in the individual stats till after

The game it’s always about um are we playing the right way and and tonight we did that for most of the game the last couple of minutes I I wanted to leave but I had to sit there and watch it and be able to get through deandre’s minutes

Last year were um were pretty rough and that was one of the reasons why he wasn’t in the rotation as much last year they’re much better this year and the whole benches but deandre’s minutes in particularly have been much better what’s worked with him on the floor

Whether it’s guard play or how DJ’s played to make those minutes a lot more manageable for you guys yeah well one I give DJ credit to your point Matt I think DJ’s playing well you know it’s great to see him step out there and make his free throws um he gives us

Offensively he gives us a dynamic roller even at this this stage of his career and then defensively he he had a play in the first half where he walled up Zion at The Rim tremendous play he’s got size he’s got physicality and he also has respect to the officials which is

Something that I think people don’t really fully understand when you’re a onetime All-Star 16year vet you’re going to get away with stuff that other guys aren’t I think the second part is really important is that the relationship efficiency and dynamic between Reggie and DeAndre is real and if you look at

Pick and roll combos that have r at least 100 picking rols this season going at least a couple games ago Reggie and DJ were top 10 so that is you have a really good point guard and Reggie you have a dynamic roller and DJ and now you

Have a shooter in Jamal and Payton and Christian kind of fing the void filling the gaps um they have an identity and so that’s why that group is a little bit heavy pick and roll at times but you know it’s been pretty effective so far one more where’s where has Watson

Improved the most so far this season and what’s his next steps that you want to see from yeah I I think most people would probably guess I’d say his his offense is shooting and um and obviously stepping in making shots like in the first half he knocked

Down two thre shot it with confidence um but I I think he’s continuing to get better defensively I I think his real impact is going to be a I I’m a defensive impact player you know and like he had another one night long in the gaps deflection steel blocks at The

Rim he was he thought he did a really good job of guarding Zion in the first half extending his catch sitting down moving his feet using his length and uh the one thing I just want to make sure it’s such a fine line of when you’re

Open from the three shoot it but he should be attacking the basket more I don’t want him becoming Reliant upon the three-point shooter uh the shot rather I would rather him if you’re open from the three shoot it no hesitation but I want him to play with an attack mode mindset

Get to the basket get to the free throw line I think the last couple of games um he hasn’t gotten to the free throw line like he should be getting to the free throw line while he’s out there but uh it’s just so much fun to watch his

Growth and development because the sky is the limit for pton Watson thank you coach all right thanks everybody and Michael in here kids welcome back man

Michael Malone press conference after Denver Nuggets Win 125-113 over New Orleans Pelicans. Join Denver Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone in this exhilarating press conference as he shares his insights and praises following the team’s impressive 125-113 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Discover Malone’s thoughts on Nikola Jokic’s standout performance, the team’s energy shift since the Utah game, and the strategic use of Jamal Murray with the second unit. Get an in-depth analysis of the Nuggets’ game plan, player performances, and Malone’s vision for the team’s future. Don’t miss these exclusive insights from the coach of one of the NBA’s most exciting teams!

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