Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) shoots the ball over Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the second half at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Michael Malone wants his Denver Nuggets to play the Minnesota Timberwolves with a “tremendous amount of energy.” While the effort level the Nuggets bring is to be determined, Malone believes Minnesota will be bringing big-time energy, based on previous evidence that he believes suggests they step up more for the Nuggets than they do most opponents.
Talking with reporters after practice Monday, Malone said a team scout that watches the Wolves said Minnesota never plays as hard against other teams as they do against Denver.
“I think they’ve approached these games like it’s a rivalry, and I think we’ve approached these games like it’s another game sometimes. One of my coaches, Andrew Munson, this is his scout, he says it after every time that we play them, ‘I’ve watched their last 5-7 games and they never play as hard as they do against us,'” Malone said.
“And you can sense that, you can notice it. You throw everything else out the window. This team’s beaten us five games in a row and hopefully that can resonate within our guys and we can come out with the proper mindset,” he added.
Minnesota has walloped Denver the last two times they’ve played. After narrowly beating them in the fifth game of the season, it was a 133-104 Wolves blowout on Jan. 25, and Minnesota crushed the Nuggets 115-95 in Denver on March 12.
The Wolves will not have Donte DiVinencenzo and Naz Reid for the game Tuesday night. Both are serving one-game suspensions for their roles in the brawl with the Detroit Pistons Sunday at Target Center in Minneapolis.
Denver could be short-handed as well. Jamal Murray practiced Monday, so he should be fine as he deals with a hamstring issue, but Aaron Gordon is questionable due to an illness and a strained calf.
“We just gotta play harder, whether it’s a rivalry or not. I don’t care who you’re playing,” Malone said. “They beat you five times in a row. Sometimes your pride’s gotta kick in and not allow somebody to come into your house and continue to kick your ass.”
Published 8 Hours Ago|Modified 3:42 PM EDT
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