CHICAGO — When Nuggets coach Michael Malone has craned his neck to talk to Nikola Jokic in recent days, he’s reminded the young center that he is at his best when he’s playing loose and relaxed, not harboring the burden of putting Denver on his back.
“I want these guys to enjoy the experience and not get overwhelmed by it,” Malone said before the Nuggets began at two-game road trip against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday. “If you start feeling tense and having that pressure, then you don’t perform at your best. No one ever does.