The elephant in the room has made himself feel right at home.
That’s not good news for the Nuggets, who have designs on being an elite team but know they won’t get there unless they evict the elephant.
“We understand that you can’t be 15th in the NBA in defensive efficiency and be serious about winning at a high level,” coach Michael Malone said before the season began.
After beating a depleted Utah team, 115-110, Saturday night at Ball Arena, Denver improved to 16-10. But the team’s biggest issue remains unsolved.
“We can’t pick and choose when we want to defend,” Malone said after the victory.