LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Nuggets’ bubble is about to burst. Their pathetic defense succeeds only as an exercise in social distancing. Injured starter Will Barton has gone home. And his teammates acted as if they didn’t want to be here during a distressing 124-105 playoff loss to Utah on Wednesday.
“We can’t be afraid to look in the mirror and see why we lost,” Denver coach Michael Malone said afterward.
The first person requiring deep reflection is Malone. He’s paid to make tough decisions. It’s time to bench veteran forward Paul Millsap, who has been $30 million of dead weight since Denver arrived in Florida more than a month ago.