And this is exactly why Michael Malone wears a championship ring on his finger.
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone issued a challenge Sunday night to forcing most of his starters to play the entire third quarter. Lost in preseason 118-114. A matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
Malone did it intentionally, with the goal of strengthening the physicality of the roster. (Related: 76ers’ Joel Embiid misses remaining preseason games with left knee injury… Should Philadelphia be concerned?)
After the game, Malone spoke to reporters about the incident, leaving the players in the dark and slamming the NBA for being “very lax.”
“[I] We tried to push their boundaries a little bit,” Malone said. “It probably was a little tough for some of the players. And I think you can go up and down a lot more when you actually do it. … The league has gotten a lot softer. Everybody’s conditioned and running. I’m afraid we have to.
clock:
Michael Malone: ”The league has gotten so soft. Everyone is afraid to condition and run. Well, you have to.”
Some Nuggets players aren’t feeling well, and Malone made that clear last night. That’s why he played with most of the starters through the third quarter. pic.twitter.com/adKt4JEpM7
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) October 14, 2024
This is why I like Mike Malone. Yes, he may have beaten my Miami Heat in the NBA Finals a few seasons ago, but I can’t help but like him – the real guy here.
