Nikola Jokic Reacts to Michael Malone Calling Out Nuggets' Effort

Following their Game 2 loss, Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone called out the team's effort, saying certain guys may have been feeling sorry for themselves because they weren't making shots.

"Let's talk about effort," Malone said. "This is the NBA Finals. We are talking about effort. That's a huge concern of mine. You guys probably thought I was just making up some storyline after Game 1 when I said we didn't play well. We didn't play well. Tonight, the starting lineup to start the game, it was 10-2 Miami... We had guys out there that were just, whether feeling sorry for themselves for not making shots or thinking they can just turn it on or off - this is not the pre-season, this is not the regular season. This is the NBA Finals. That, to me, is really, really perplexing, disappointing."

When asked about these comments during his media availability on Tuesday, Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic talked about Game 3 being an opportunity for Denver to respond:

Reporter: “Michael Malone was harsh in calling out the effort of the Nuggets in Game 2. How did you respond to that?”

Nikola Jokic: “Yeah, we're probably gonna see tomorrow. Are we gonna respond well or not? But… You know when… I mean, that's it. That's the answer.” 😂

(via… pic.twitter.com/mYdDHg9fqU
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 6, 2023

Jokic answered in his typical lighthearted fashion, keeping the energy up while discussing a frustrating topic and development. This is part of what makes Jokic such a good leader, because rather than allowing Game 2 to linger, the Nuggets star recognizes his team has an opportunity to turn the page and respond in Game 3.

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