Nuggets Show They Still Have More Questions Than Answers After Blowout Loss To Knicks

November 26, 2024

Here’s the thing about the Denver Nuggets: Some nights, they look like the defending champions, a team ready to roll through the Western Conference. Other nights, they look like this: scattered, soft defensively, and thoroughly uninterested in doing the dirty work.

Monday night’s 145-118 drubbing at the hands of the New York Knicks at Ball Arena wasn’t just a loss — it was an unraveling. The Knicks ran roughshod over Denver’s defense, pouring in 76 points by halftime and leaving head coach Michael Malone searching for answers.

“Tonight, we got embarrassed,” Malone told reporters after the game. “Leadership would be great. Toughness would be great. Physicality would be great. Playing like you actually care would be great, and we didn’t do that tonight.”

He didn’t sugarcoat it, and he didn’t try to. The Nuggets didn’t compete. They didn’t push back. They didn’t even foul much, which tells you how little physicality they brought to the floor.

Let’s not kid ourselves here. The Knicks are a good team. Jalen Brunson is crafty and precise. Karl-Anthony Towns, when he’s feeling it, can be unstoppable offensively. And OG Anunoby? Well, Anunoby torched Denver for 40 points, looking like he was playing a solo layup line at times.

But this wasn’t about how good New York was. This was about how bad Denver was.

Jokic’s Quiet Night

It’s rare to say Nikola Jokic didn’t bring enough, but Monday was one of those nights. Sure, the numbers look fine: 22 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists in 32 minutes. But Jokic wasn’t himself. He shot just 2-of-7 from three, and defensively, he didn’t provide much resistance.

Jokic called out the team’s defensive effort postgame. “We didn’t make them do anything hard,” he admitted. That’s as blunt as you’ll hear him be.

Murray Isn’t Celebrating

Jamal Murray had a decent offensive game — 20 points and seven assists — but he wanted no part of discussing individual performances.

“We lost by 30,” Murray said. “It does not matter how I look, how anybody looks. It’s about everybody else on the team.”

He’s right. The Nuggets didn’t look like a cohesive unit. They looked like five guys on a court, each hoping the next would take responsibility for getting stops.

Malone Pulls No Punches

If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s that Malone won’t dance around the issues after a game like this.

“We’re not flushing this one,” he said firmly, dismissing the idea of simply moving on. “You don’t flush when you gave up 145 points. You don’t flush when you didn’t play hard, didn’t play with effort, didn’t play with physicality.”

And Malone didn’t stop there. He called on his stars to step up—not just on the court, but vocally.

“Russell Westbrook is vocal, but we need more than Russell Westbrook,” Malone said. “I need Nikola Jokic. I need Jamal Murray. I need guys in that starting lineup to be vocal.”

That’s a pointed message, and it lands with some weight.

Where Do Nuggets Go From Here?

Now 9-7, the Nuggets are at a crossroads. Are they missing Aaron Gordon’s physicality and toughness? Absolutely. Do they need better defensive efforts from Michael Porter Jr., Julian Strawther, and others? No question.

But the bigger question is whether they’re willing to take a hard look at themselves. Do they want to be the team that lifts a second banner, or are they content to coast until April?

Effort games like this can serve as wake-up calls or signal deeper issues. It’s on the Nuggets to decide which one it will be. Monday night, the choice wasn’t clear.