"Became really easy to guard": Michael Malone cites offensive efficiency drop as root cause of Nikola Jokic and Co.'s recent struggles
Despite superstar center Nikola Jokic’s dominance, the Denver Nuggets have been struggling, going 3-5 over their last eight games entering Monday. Many attributed this to star point guard Jamal Murray’s absence. However, according to Nuggets coach Michael Malone, his team hasn’t been playing its typical team-oriented offense.
Per Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, Malone was asked about Denver’s recent misfortune ahead of Monday’s road game against the LA Clippers. He highlighted how the Nuggets’ team offensive rating had been dropping considerably before their win over the struggling San Antonio Spurs on Sunday:
“The offense in the last five games, prior to the game last night against San Antonio, we had dropped down to 25th in offensive efficiency. We’re a team that’s usually top four in the NBA in offensive rating,” Malone said.
Malone added that the Nuggets have been too stagnant on offense, making it easier for their opponents to defend them:
“We’ve gotten away from attacking the paint, we’ve gotten away from moving the basketball,” Malone said.
“We became really easy to guard against good defensive teams like Orlando, like Houston, like the team we’re gonna play tonight.”
The Nuggets (11-6) will look to win their second straight game on Monday against the Clippers (7-8). However, they will be extremely shorthanded, as Jokic (back) and Murray (hamstring), as well as starting forward Aaron Gordon (heel) are sidelined due to injuries.
Also Read: NBA In-Season Tournament MVP Ladder: Top 5 candidates ft LeBron James
Jokic and the Nuggets are struggling to win on the road
Entering Monday, Jokic and the Nuggets are 8-0 at home and just 3-6 on the road. This has led many to question why they can't win away from home.
After Sunday’s win over San Antonio, Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. was asked about Denver’s road struggles. Porter said the Nuggets are still trying to figure out why their effort is so inconsistent on the road:
“All of us are kind of frustrated trying to figure out why we play so different and so at a different pace,” Porter said.
“We’re running more at home. I don’t know what it is, so I think we got to figure it out.”
The Nuggets also struggled on the road last season, going just 19-22, in contrast to their 34-7 home record. However, they still went on to win the 2023 NBA title.
So, most would probably agree that there isn’t too much cause for concern for Denver fans.
Also Read: "100% going to change the game": Nikola Jokic believes Victor Wembanyama is on the right path to mark new era