After leading the Nuggets to a 108–103 Game 2 win over the Lakers, coach Michael Malone delivered a strong statement to the media regarding his perception of the pro-Lakers narratives he says have surrounded the Western Conference finals thus far.
Prior to Thursday’s Game 2, Malone made headlines after dismissing reports of the Lakers’ plan to have forward Rui Hachimura see more time as Nikola Jokić’s primary defender over Anthony Davis. As it turns out, L.A.’s adjustment didn’t appear to affect the two-time MVP too much as Jokić followed his 34-point triple-double in Denver’s Game 1 win with a 23-point, 17-rebound and 12-assist effort for his 13th career playoff triple-double (third all-time) and his seventh this postseason.
With Denver now up 2–0 and Jokić continuing his legendary run, Malone made it clear he has an issue with the way his star center and team have been covered in the media compared to the coverage the Lakers have received through two games.
