It’s clear which of the Nuggets’ four remaining games is the most consequential, but what precedes it might be the dictionary definition of a trap game.
There’s even a precedent. Ninth-year coach Michael Malone had that on his mind as he arrived at Ball Arena for practice Monday morning, causing him to ask special assistant to the head coach Andrew Munson for evidence.
“I knew that we had struggled in Salt Lake City,” Malone said. He didn’t realize just how bad his coaching record was, though.
Munson informed him that Denver has lost six consecutive road games against the Utah Jazz entering their matchup Tuesday. Sounded about right to Malone. “But…” Munson continued, catching Malone off guard — “I’m like oh, there’s a ‘but’ to this?” — the Nuggets are also 1-14 in Salt Lake during Malone’s tenure.
Bulletin board material: obtained.
Denver’s excursion to face Utah (29-49) is the forgettable first half of a critical back-to-back that will help shape the final seeding of the Western Conference playoffs. The second half is back home against Minnesota in a showdown that could finally determine the No. 1 seed once and for all. With four games to go and the entire league idle Monday, the Nuggets (54-24) know this much: They will automatically clinch that top seed if they win out. But if they lose to the Timberwolves, with whom they’re currently tied, they’ll all but forfeit the race. Minnesota would have to lose two of its other three remaining games, while Denver would have to win all three. And Oklahoma City would have to lose at least one more.
Needless to say, human nature might be to disregard that irksome round-trip flight to Utah, where a lottery team awaits.
“My most important message to our group today was, everybody’s talking about Wednesday night; I don’t care about Wednesday night,” Malone said. “Because if we don’t handle our business tomorrow night, that takes away from the importance of Wednesday.”
So Malone quizzed likely MVP winner Nikola Jokic about the number of games they’ve won together at Delta Center. The Nuggets center guessed three. “I wish it was three,” Malone responded.
He had one-on-one discussions with a number of Denver’s players Monday, making sure everyone was on the same page entering the last week of the regular season. As of about noon, Malone believed the entire roster would be making the trip, “and hopefully they’re all available to play tomorrow night.” That includes Jamal Murray, who returned Saturday after a seven-game absence, and Aaron Gordon, who missed the last win with a foot injury.
Despite various bumps and bruises, the Nuggets are feeling good overall about their collective physical state with the playoffs looming.
It’s their mental state that has Malone worried. And the apparently cursed state that is Utah.
“I think it’s jet lag,” he deadpanned. “That’s a really long flight. And we don’t really acclimate to the altitude very well.”
KCP’s off day
One of those bumps is the swollen and distorted-looking right pinky finger of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who dislocated it during a game in February. Since then, he’s been deciding during his pregame shooting routine whether he wants to tape up the finger or leave it alone that night.
Whatever he’s doing is working — he’s shooting 47.6% from 3-point range in 22 games since the All-Star break — but he says the injury “won’t heal up until the summertime.”
With Sunday and Monday off, the Nuggets finally had two days without a game for the first time in more than a month. “Oh, it’s lit,” Peyton Watson said after being informed of that after Denver’s win Saturday. Upon subsequently learning about the back-to-back, he shook his head and said, “I’ve gotta start looking at the schedule.”
Caldwell-Pope was a little better prepared than Watson. One of his three sons celebrated his seventh birthday with a LEGO-themed party Sunday, but his seven-month-old daughter stole the spotlight at the event by saying her first word (“daddy”). Caldwell-Pope says his sleep hasn’t been jeopardized this season by the newborn, his fourth child.
“She’s a quiet baby,” he said. “She doesn’t cry as much. She just likes to chill. She’s very observant. Just likes looking at people.”
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