Coach Michael Malone expects Denver to react in Game 2 and ‘set the tone early’

After almost sweeping the Lakers 4-1 in their first-round series, the Nuggets were full of confidence entering the Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Timberwolves this past weekend. However, the reigning champions lost surprisingly on Game 1 and are hoping to wake up this Monday in search of revenge. 

Minnesota coach Chris Finch was extremely respective of his opponents, even calling them “probably the most complete and complementary starting five in the league,” after beating them 106-99.

Denver coach Michael Malone, on the other hand, was very aware on what his team needed to change before entering the next contest. “We have to do a better job, our starters in particular, have to do a better job of being ready to play and setting the tone early,” he said on Sunday. “What are we waiting for? I mean, now we’re down 0-1, what are you waiting for?”

The Colorado squad actually outscored their rivals 25-23 in Saturday’s first quarter, but fell behind with an 18-4 run from the Minnesota team. The tactician immediately compared their performance to those played during the series against the purple and gold.

“I talked to our players this morning about how for five games against the Lakers, we were down [virtually] every first quarter,” Malone explained. “So, do I believe that our guys are fully ready to give whatever it takes to try to defend our title? Of course I do. But at some point, man, you got to stop doing the same thing.”

One who surprisingly underperformed was Jamal Murray, who even went scoreless in the first half, missing all his five shots. When asked about his display early in the game, he simply replied, “Nothing, I’ve been scoreless plenty of times before.”

Despite finishing the game with 17 points, the player did come into the match listed as questionable because of a left calf strain. “I’m good,” he said after playing 34 minutes this weekend. “How [many] minutes did I play? It was good enough.”

Murray enters Game 2 with a lingering injury and is listed once again as questionable

Even though he refused to acknowledge any limitations from his left calf issue, Jamal Murray continues to be listed as questionable for Monday’s Game 2. The guard knows that he’s still going to have plenty of game time, which has been the case in every contest since he fell to injury against the Lakers.

“I’m not going to make no excuses, bro,” he expressed. “Everybody has got nagging injuries. Everybody is playing through something at this point of the season. My calf is no different than anybody else on the team or in the league, honestly. Obviously, it sucks, but it’s not something that I enjoy talking about as part of the loss.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone on Jamal Murray remaining “questionable” for tonight’s game:

“I think it was one movement that worsened the calf.” pic.twitter.com/zuwgEpxOFB

— Bernie (@BernieKnowsBall) April 30, 2024

“It’s going to be a part of [the playoff run], and I’ve accepted that and there’s counters for everything. So I just got to keep adjusting, we got to keep adjusting and find ways to get it done. I don’t know, man. The calf is whatever it is,” Jamal added.

Last spring, the reigning champions never trailed in a playoff series, so this feeling of being down after Game 1 is certainly new to them.