The hallway connecting the court and home locker room at Ball Arena was occupied by a vibrant Jamal Murray, amped up on the high from scoring 24 first-half points, but funneling his energy in the opposite direction.
Denver’s third-quarter defense had been dismal the last two games. Everyone was to blame, Murray included. The Nuggets couldn’t afford another lackadaisical 12 minutes in a contest this close against the desperate-to-win Pistons.
“I loved it,” coach Michael Malone said. “He’s telling all the guys in the hallway, ‘We closed the half well, but hey, it’s not about the offense, it’s about our defense.