Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone wants more from his team in NBA Finals

DENVER – Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone told his players on Saturday that they “haven’t done a damn thing” despite

an opening-game romp over the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals.

The Nuggets, led by 27 points from Nikola Jokic and 26 by Jamal Murray, ripped the visiting Miami 104-93 on Thursday for a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven championship series ahead of Sunday’s (Monday morning, Singapore time) Game 2 in Denver.

But Malone was not pleased about the chances the Nuggets conceded to the Heat and urged his players not to get complacent in order to play at their best.

“I told our players today, ‘Don’t read the paper, don’t listen to the folks on the radio and TV saying that this series is over and that we’ve done something, because we haven’t done a damn thing’,” he said.

“I told our players the reason I was excited this morning is because we won Game 1 and we didn’t play well and there are so many things we can do better. If we do those things at a better level, we’ll have a chance to win Game 2.”

Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic added 10 rebounds and 14 assists while Murray also contributed 10 assists as the Nuggets led by as many as 24 points in the third quarter before the Heat trimmed the margin in the final quarter.

“The fourth quarter, we gave up 30 points, 60 per cent from the field, six-of-12 from the three-point line,” added Malone.

“I thought our pick-and-roll defence was poor. Our shrink the floor was poor... There are so many areas we can clean up. I’m not worried about what they’re going to do. I’m worried about the things that we have to do better to try to win Game 2.”

Malone also said he stressed tougher defending against Bam Adebayo, who led the Heat with 26 points.

“We can do a better job,” he said. “That’s something we talked about, giving him different looks, making sure we’re contesting, making sure we’re shrinking the floor.

“I expect the Miami Heat to come out with a much greater energy and force and attack mindset.”

Miami, meanwhile, are confident they can turn up the heat against the Nuggets in Game 2.

The Heat’s chances in the first game were doomed by their inability to connect on shots – including a 33.3 per cent success rate from three-point range.

Max Strus was zero-for-10 from the field, Caleb Martin one-of-seven and Duncan Robinson one-of-six.

But Heat talisman Jimmy Butler – himself held to 13 points – said he has a simple message for his teammates, who have played a key role in making Miami the second eighth-seeded team ever to reach the NBA Finals.

“Stay aggressive, because you’ve been the reason that we have won so many games before,” he said.

The Heat collectively agreed – in the immediate aftermath of Thursday’s defeat and after studying game video – that they had plenty of good opportunities in Game 1.

“We did see some things that we liked and we got some great looks, myself included,” Strus said.

“We’ve got to knock those down, and we’ve got great shooters in our team, and we will knock those down.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said that when it comes to shooting, it would not take much to open the floodgates.

“In terms of the shooters, that’s pretty simple,” he said.

“Let it fly. Ignite. Once they see two go down, it could be three, it could turn into six just like that. As long as we are getting those clean looks, that’s what matters.”

Butler added that there was no sense of panic in a Heat team who saw a 3-0 lead against Boston evaporate before they finished off the Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

“We are very calm,” he said. “We are very collected. We have so much confidence, still.” AFP, REUTERS