Michael Malone did not hold back when speaking during the Denver Nuggets ' post-game press conference last night . After their loss to the Suns, the Nuggets head coach spoke about playing all of his key players big minutes in the third quarter, before slamming the NBA for going soft and not wanting to work on their conditioning, before vowing the Nuggets would do just that next season.
“Tonight, I ran those guys the whole third quarter. Obviously Jamal didn’t play in the second half. We played that starting unit the whole third quarter, try to push their envelope a little bit."
"That was probably a little bit hard on some of those guys. In practice, I think we can get up and down more. I think so often as coaches in the modern day NBA, the league has gotten so soft. Everybody is afraid to condition and run. Well, we have to.”
Malone is known for being one of the more hard-nosed Xs-and-Os coaches in the NBA, someone who is very old school in their approach. So for him to levy this criticism at his players, along with the rest of the league, is not surprising, even if it is a little harsh on his own players.
In their last game against the Phoenix Suns, Malone had three player - Nikola Jokic, Christian Braun, and Julian Strawther - play 30 minutes. Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Russell Westbrook all played 24 minutes or more each. In fact, Jamal Murray was the only starter who played under 20 minutes for the Nuggets in their 118-114 loss to the Suns.
For comparison, the Suns only played Ryan Dunn 30 minutes last night, with five other players playing 20 minutes or more. The Suns picked up the win over the Nuggets despite not having the big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal in the game at any point. Check out our instant analysis of the game right here .
Michael Porter Jr. Speaks On Importance Of Conditioning
Michael Malone was not the only Nuggets member who spoke about the importance of conditioning. Michael Porter Jr. also discussed his offseason preparations, and how much importance he put on his own conditioning heading into the new season. He added that improved conditioning provides more opportunities for him on the court.
"Staying in good shape. I've been running the floor, being active, running to spots, and being ready to shoot. I think the better conditioned you are, the more opportunities will find you, because you're always moving. That's a big goal for me."
Porter Jr.'s improved conditioning really showed last night, as he put up 21 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals. He shot an efficient 8-13 from the field, while going 3-6 from the three-point line, showing his improved ability to shoot the ball.
Porter Jr. will be one of the few Nuggets starters that need to shoot more three-pointers, and do so well. With the departure of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason, the Nuggets - one of the team's worst three-point shooting teams last season - have to be better and make sure his absence is not felt.
Related: Anonymous NBA Executive Thinks The Nuggets Are Stuck: Jamal Murray Is Declining And Michael Porter Jr. Is Overrated
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