NBA
Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone called his team ‘soft’ after their 124-103 loss to the Houston Rockets
The Denver Nuggets had a chance to lock up the #1 seed in the Western Conference with a win last night. However, they were not able to beat one of the four worst teams in the league, the now 20-60 Houston Rockets. Denver embarrassingly lost 124-103 to the Rockets on the road and head coach Michael Malone was not happy with his team’s performance. He called them “soft” during the game and was livid afterward to the media after his team had no fight left in them.
Only two games now separate the Nuggets in first and the Memphis Grizzlies in second. Denver still has three games left on their regular season schedule to get the job done, but they won’t be easy wins. Two of those three games are against opponents that are top four teams in the West, including a game tomorrow night on the road vs the Phoenix Suns.
Colorado Sports Betting sites have the Nuggets at (+900) to win the Finals this season. Those are the second-lowest odds of any Western Conference team. Only the Suns have lower odds at (+500).
"If that's how we're going to play, we'll be out in the first round. … I just called our team 'soft,' and I dared someone to challenge me. No one did, because we as a group were soft tonight."
Mike Malone didn't hold back after Nuggets' 21-PT loss to Rockets 😳 pic.twitter.com/iEeEFR9aN2
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 5, 2023
Michael Malone did not hold back after the Nugget’s embarrassing loss to the Houston Rockets
The Denver Nuggets still own the Western Conference’s best record at 52-27 but missed an opportunity to lock up the #1 seed last night. It should have been a very winnable game vs a Rockets team that is in last place in the West and are 2-8 in their last ten games.
To make matters worse, Jamal Murray played only nine minutes last night after he left the game early in the second quarter due to a right thumb sprain. His availability moving forward for the final three games is still in question. The Nuggets missed a massive opportunity last night, but still have three games left to lock up the #1 seed.
Their next game is on the road vs a tough Phoenix Suns team that is 7-0 when Kevin Durant has played for them this season. After that, they have what should be a winnable game vs the Utah Jazz and then will finish their season back at home vs the #3-seeded Sacramento Kings.