FOR THE PAST 10 years, Michael Malone had been the lead narrator of the Denver Nuggets' story. He played the tough guy when his team needed it during its championship run. He was the empathetic loyalist when Jamal Murray suffered a devastating knee injury in 2021. He became Nikola Jokic's hype man during each of his three MVP seasons, chiding anyone who didn't appreciate or vote for the Serbian superstar.
Sunday night, after the Nuggets lost their fourth straight game for the first time since March 2023, Malone was at his acerbic best in assessing the team's issues and just how urgent Denver's predicament had become.