Michael Malone Fires Back at Lakers Eyeing Opening Day Matchup vs Nuggets
The 2024 NBA regular season already appears to be one for the ages with plenty of preseason soundbites for Laker fans and others around the league to digest.
One recent comment by Nuggets coach Michael Malone only amplifies this intensity ahead of Denver's season opener against the Lakers in just under a month.
Malone's team took down LA in the 2023 Western Conference en route to the team's first Finals trip in franchise history.
Revenge has fueled the purple and gold throughout the summer but for all the comments on either side, the true battle will occur on the court.
Nikola Jokic spearheaded a sweep against the Lakers after their inspired playoff run as a seventh seed in the West last season.
Jokic and teammate Jamal Murray dominated the four-game series against Lebron James and Anthony Davis and went on to beat Miami for the team's first ring in team history.
Davis knows LA hasn't been the hunted for the past few seasons and with the crown atop another team's head, his earlier comments sparked another flame in this budding rivalry.
Malone, to his credit, isn't backing down and defended his team due to their status as defending NBA champions.
As Denver lost some pieces from their championship roster, many wonder how vulnerable the 2023 winner will be headed into this season.
LA on the other hand only added to their roster after they brought back multiple pieces from their 2023 playoff roster and bulked up with depth from other teams in free agency.
An early test awaits both teams in the 2024 season opener with some possible added motivation for the Lakers to spoil ring night in Denver.
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