The Nuggets enter Thursday night’s Game 2 holding a 1–0 series lead. But, as Denver coach Michael Malone has apparently heard, the series is already over—in favor of the Lakers.
Malone made the tongue-in-cheek remark ahead of Game 2 when asked about Los Angeles’ defensive strategy against Nuggets star Nikola Jokić in the previous game—particularly late in the fourth quarter, when the Lakers opted to put backup forward Rui Hachimura as Jokić’s primary defender rather than Anthony Davis, which turned in improved results.
Malone, though, apparently thinks that praise for the move is a tad overblown.
"This is the first time I've ever been in a series up 1-0 and the series is over in everybody's eyes because [the Lakers] put Rui Hachimura on Nikola Jokic for six possessions."
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) May 18, 2023
— Nuggets coach Michael Malone 😅
(via @AnthonyRod33)pic.twitter.com/gKTSJPyttz
“We’ve seen this before. Nikola’s gonna figure it out, we’re gonna figure it out,” Malone said. “This is the first time I’ve ever been in a series, up 1–0, and the series is over in everybody’s eyes because they put Rui Hachimura on Nikola Jokić for six possessions. So let’s see how it plays out tonight.”
Hachimura didn’t guard Jokić for long, but the two-time MVP was held without a made field goal in the fourth quarter. He did plenty of damage before then, though, finishing the game with 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists on 12-for-17 shooting from the field.
No defender has proven able to shut down Jokić for the past few seasons, and expecting Hachimura to do so again might be a lofty goal. But given how effective Jokić was on Tuesday, the Lakers will likely be open to trying anything as the series progresses.
