Tuesday night’s game between the two best teams in the Western Conference–the No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers and the No. 2 Denver Nuggets–is likely the biggest challenge the Lakers have faced through 20 games. However, the head coach of the Nuggets provided some motivation for his team as he believes they’re not on the same level as LeBron James and the Lakers.
Malone told reporters on Monday that the Lakers were on a “whole other level” than the Nuggets and anybody else in the Western Conference, according to Altitude’s Katy Winge.
Malone’s respect for the Lakers is also a personal one as he and LeBron James go back to the days when Malone was an assistant coach on the Cleveland Cavaliers during LeBron’s first run in Cleveland.
Still, it’s interesting to hear the coach separate his strong squad from the Lakers as a contender. But being that the Nuggets are a much younger team than this veteran Lakers group, the extra motivation from the coach may prove useful as they attempt to give the Lakers their fourth loss of the season.
In addition to tonight likely being the toughest game on the Lakers schedule to this point, it’s also the start of a stretch where they will play eight of their next nine games on the road.
