"Seen no signs of LeBron James slowing down": Michael Malone lauds Lakers star's longevity after mocking retirement claims
Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone recently praised LA Lakers superstar LeBron James for the longevity he has shown ahead of their NBA first-round playoff showdown. It was an about-face from last year when he took dig at 'The King' about retiring after they swept them in the Western Conference finals.
The outspoken coach made the joke during his session on The Pat McAfee Show following their sweep of the Lakers in last season's West finals, which eventually led them to winning their first NBA title.
Michael Malone said he had enough of them not getting the respect they deserve against the Lakers and joked about retiring, in subtle reference to James, who after the sweep at the hands of the Nuggets said he had a lot of things to think over.
The 52-year-old Denver coach, however, was quick to say it was a joke, drawing laughs from the panel.
In the lead-up to their first-round playoff showdown against the Lakers, Michael Malone was all praises about LeBron James and what he has done in his 21st year in the NBA. He added that his team are expecting another tough challenge.
He shared in his session with the media:
"It's like year 21 and the guy is getting better... It's really amazing when you sit down as a fan of the game, not only about his body of work but also what he is doing at the present day is incredible. I hope he gets tired. I hope he wears down. But I've seen no signs of LeBron James slowing down by any means. I think it is gonna be another hell of a challenge for our group..."
The defending NBA champions, the Denver Nuggets, finished as the No. 2 team in the West at the conclusion of the regular season with a 57-25 record, behind the top seeds OKC Thunder, who also had a similar record but held the advantage in the tiebreaker.
The Lakers (47-35), meanwhile, recently secured the seventh seed after defeating the New Orleans Pelican in their play-in tournament clash, 110-106, on Tuesday.
Michael Malone looks to build on their recent success over the Lakers in their playoff showdown
The Denver Nuggets have had the number of the LA Lakers lately, and their coach Michael Malone looks to continue building on their victories as they battle once again in the NBA playoffs.
Denver swept LA last year as well as this season. The Nuggets wants to continue the narrative as they take their NBA title defense push to another level.
Michael Malone spoke about the sweeps they have had over their rivals at DNVR Sports, saying:
"We swept them last year. We swept them this year. They come in playing really well and hungry. They want to flip that script. Our players understand that."
In their dominance of the Lakers this season, two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic has been at the forefront of their attack. He averaged 29.3 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists in the three games they played. Point guard Jamal Murray also had it solid with norms of 24.7 points and 9.3 assists.
The best-of-seven first-round NBA playoff series between the Nuggets and the Lakers begin on Saturday, April 20, at the Ball Arena in Denver.