Visiting the Clippers, the Nuggets lost last night for the third time in five games, and it is increasingly difficult to fight without Jamal Murray. Result, this Friday, the Wolves are alone at the top of the Western conference, and the meeting against the Clippers was marked by the expulsion of Mike Malone. In a huff after an uncalled foul on Michael Porter Jr, the coach of the NBA champions came out of his control, and he was therefore not on the bench when it was necessary to manage the last possession, two points behind.
“The first thing I did when I entered the locker room was apologize to the players for being sent off.” explains the Nuggets coach at a press conference. “I know that behind my expulsion, they only made a free throw, but in a close game, I had to be there at the end of the match to help them. It's my fault. »
Michael Porter Jr.'s reception was 'somewhat scary'
And why did he get angry like that? “ I have to fight for my players, for Michael… But as a leader, I have to keep my cool” he continues. “Initially, I spoke with Michael to make sure he was okay. I thought there was a foul up and down on his 3-point shot, and when you watch the slow motion, and the way he lands on his leg, it's a little scary. »
It's true that we feared the worst for his knee at the time, and that it was a mistake. More fear than harm, but as behind the referees whistled a foul that Porter Jr, Malone tripped!
One thing is certain, with the exception of a few missed free throws, he does not blame his players. “We didn’t lose because of a lack of effort. They score 102 points on 38% shooting and 21% on 3-pointers. Which means we defended well. It comes down to shots… They shoot at 85%, and we shoot at 68%, that's a lot of points lost. But in terms of effort, I give them an A.”
