Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone didn’t hold back following his team’s disappointing 149-135 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, delivering a scathing critique of their defensive performance. The Cavaliers, riding a six-game winning streak, shredded Denver’s defense with a barrage of three-pointers and dominant offensive execution. Malone’s postgame comments reflected his frustration and concern about the state of the reigning champions.
“Well, it’s hard. I mean, they lead the league in three-point attempts. That’s how that roster has been built. You look at their roster, and I think they have seven guys shooting over 40% from three. We have two. They have shooting everywhere—off the bench, in the starting lineup.”
“They get threes in transition, off pick-and-rolls, and they have two dynamic rollers in Allen and Mobley. Donovan Mitchell had 25 points in the first half. We started getting aggressive in the second half, and he only had eight.”
“But yeah, it’s definitely a challenge, Ryan, to guard the three-point line against that team because they get their looks in so many different ways, shapes, and forms. Scoring 149 points and allowing 23 made threes is not going to cut it. I think the really important, decisive stretch of that game was the second quarter. It was a 21-to-2 run.”
“Quarters 1, 3, and 4 were even games, but just that one stretch in the second quarter was critical against a team like that. Really, when you play them, there’s no margin for error. We had a play tonight off a dead ball where no one covered Sam Merrill.”
“There were five guys on the court looking around at each other, not talking, and we left one of the best shooters wide open for a three. Then there was a loose ball—they get a three. They win the 50-50 battle.”
“Those are the types of plays you have to prevent if you have any chance of beating that team because they’re playing at such a high level.”
The Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell’s 33 points, exploited Denver’s lackluster effort on the perimeter and punished every defensive lapse. Cleveland shot 47.9% from beyond the arc, with Evan Mobley (26 points), Darius Garland (25 points), and Jarrett Allen (22 points) combining for a lethal inside-outside attack.
Malone pointed to a critical second-quarter meltdown as the turning point. Despite Nikola Jokic’s brilliance, Denver couldn’t keep pace. Jokic recorded his league-best 12th triple-double of the season with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, but his efforts were overshadowed by Denver’s inability to get stops.
Jamal Murray matched Jokic with 27 points and a season-high 11 assists, while Michael Porter Jr. and Peyton Watson chipped in 18 points each. However, the offensive output couldn’t compensate for the team’s porous defense.
Cleveland’s high-powered offense, ranked first in the NBA, exposed Denver’s deficiencies. The Cavaliers led by 15 at halftime and never relinquished control. Denver made brief runs in the third and fourth quarters, but Cleveland responded with timely threes and dominant interior play. Mobley hit two critical threes and made key defensive stops to stifle Denver’s comeback attempts, while Allen’s presence in the paint neutralized Denver’s inside scoring.
The loss highlights growing concerns for the Nuggets, who have now dropped two straight games and allowed a season-high in points. Without Aaron Gordon, sidelined with a calf strain, Denver’s defensive intensity and communication suffered, exposing a lack of depth and cohesion.
Malone’s harsh critique underscores the urgency for improvement. With their defense under scrutiny, the team faces the challenge of rediscovering the championship-caliber effort that propelled them to the title last season. If not, the Nuggets risk falling short of their lofty expectations.
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