"I let my frustrations after that loss get to me,": Malone regrets public comments following Kings' loss

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DENVER — Following the Nuggets’ 120-113 loss to the Sacramento Kings earlier this week, Michael Malone noted after the game that Denver lacked leadership from its’ veteran players. In the locker room following his coach’s comments, Danilo Gallinari disagreed with Malone’s assessment that a lack of leadership was an issue within the Nuggets’ locker room.

Before Denver took on San Antonio Thursday night, Malone shed some light on those comments and how they should have been kept in-house.

“I apologized to our veterans,” Malone said. “Anything that is going on within our locker room should be left in the locker room. I failed in that regard. I let my frustrations after that loss get the best of me. If I have issues with our veterans, I will address it with our veterans 1-on-1 to try and resolve whatever issues there may be. That’s all I want to say on that matter. I owned up to them, just like I expect them to keep all of our stuff in house. Me as the head coach, I have to do the same thing and I didn’t do that the other night and I apologized to them for that.”

Veteran leadership shouldn’t be an issue in Denver. The Nuggets have a veterans who have been in the finals; Jameer Nelson and Mike Miller, made playoff runs; Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, and guys like Darrell Arthur who know what it takes to win in the NBA.

“We have a great group of guys, and I’ve talked to guys 1-on-1,” Malone said. “I just feel, so many young players on this team and I want to make sure our young guys are staying positive, staying in the right direction and we do have good leadership. Obviously, last game, I was frustrated with that, but as I mentioned, that shouldn’t have come out after the game in the media. But I think our locker room is tied together and I expect us to come out and play with great energy and effort tonight.”

Footnotes

Kenneth Faried (low back pain) remains out of the lineup versus the Spurs. There’s a chance he could return when Denver visits Oklahoma City Saturday.

Arthur is replacing Chander in the starting lineup. This will be Arthur’s fourth start of the year. He’ll start alongside Emmanuel Mudiay, Gary Harris, Gallinari, and Nikola Jokic