Nuggets’ Michael Malone calls out Denver after Timberwolves’ Game 2 ‘a**kicking’

Michael Malone, Nuggets ‘frustrated’ by 0-2 deficit vs. Timberwolves

In his post-game press conference, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone admitted that he felt his team “lost control” of its emotions in a decisive Game 2 loss, which featured Jamal Murray throwing a heat pack onto the floor and Malone himself getting in the face of an official.

“Frustrating night and the frustration creeped over, and I thought we lost control of our emotions a little bit tonight,” Malone said. “We have to have a little bit more poise when they’re going on a run, when we’re not getting calls, whatever it may be. You gotta be able to handle that, read the game, react to the game. I felt as a unit tonight it wasn’t great. We can definitely be better.”

Despite the 0-2 deficit, which only six teams in NBA history have overcome after dropping their first two home games, Malone said that he had not lost hope in the series.

“We got outcoached, we got outplayed,” he said. “You can feel sorry for yourself or you can do whatever you can to try to be better come Game 3, and that’s my focus, is rallying these guys to continue to fight. No one said it was gonna be easy. Right now, we understand that.

“My hope is yeah, we’re down 2-0, not ideal. But it’s a long series, first one to four. Can we find a way to believe in each other, believe in ourselves, and win Game 3? That’s all that matters.”

The Nuggets will now travel to Minneapolis, where they will need to win at least one of the next two games to avoid what would be a shocking series sweep. If Denver does lose Game 3, the team would need to pull off the unprecedented feat of winning a series after trailing 0-3. No team in NBA history (out of 154 instances) has ever done it,

Game 3 is set to tip off on Friday at approximately 7:30 p.m. MT.