The Nuggets coach called for mobilization before hosting the Heat for Game 5 of the NBA Finals
“They are desperate, we must be even more so. They are hungry we must be more“, Called Michael Malone, coach of the Nuggets, Sunday on the eve of facing the Heat at home for the decisive game N.5 of the NBA Finals.
Denver leads 3-1 in this series. He therefore lacks a victory to be crowned champion for the first time.
“And what concerns me the most, as we approach this meeting, is human nature and the fact of having to fight against it. Most teams, when they are 3-1 up, tend to slack off, they play too relaxed and take for granted that they are going to win.Malone explained.
“That’s why the message I sent to our players is that our approach must be this: consider we are down 3 to 1and not the other way around, he added.
“What’s good for us is that in the bubble (anti-Covid Orlando, for the 2020 play-offs), we were down 3-1 in two series (against Utah and the Clippers, editor’s note) . And we came back and we won. We know anything is possible“, he continued.
And Malone to insist: “victory is obligatory for us. I hope if that’s the mindset our guys are going to step onto the pitch and play with, then we can win.“.
His star Nikola Jokic abounded in this direction.
“We will approach this meeting with the obligation to win it. It’s a big opportunity (for the title), I think everyone knows that. Looking back to training today, how the session went and how focused everyone was, I think we’ll be ready.“, he ured.
“I think we won’t be overwhelmed by emotion. This is a job that we have to do. We will be ready to move forward. It’ll just be a game we have to win“, hammered the double MVP.