Denver coach Mike Malone knows what to expect when the Nuggets play the Memphis Grizzlies.
But do his players comprehend the physicality required?
Malone will get another opportunity to impart that wisdom Tuesday when the visiting Nuggets play the Grizzlies for the second time in three days, this time in an NBA Cup game. Host Memphis beat Denver 105-90 on Sunday.
“You know, telling ain’t teaching,” Malone said. “You know, we can tell our guys all day long, ‘This team is very physical. They’re aggressive. They’re going to attack you for 48 (minutes).’ And the players will look at you and nod their head, and I have no idea what they’re thinking about.
“And then, you go out there, and then you feel it for 48 minutes. And now, it’s not me telling you, it’s you experiencing how hard they play. And so now, we have a much better idea of what to expect come Tuesday night.”
The Grizzlies used their physicality to pull away from the Nuggets on Sunday. Memphis led by 12 at the half and outrebounded Denver through two quarters.
In the third quarter, the Grizzlies extended their lead to 22. Denver was without three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic for the second consecutive game due to personal reasons, an absence that allowed Memphis to score 52 paint points and outrebound Denver 45-39.
Still, the Nuggets were able to rally in the fourth quarter and trim the Memphis advantage to 11 with four minutes remaining. Early in the final period the Grizzlies led 94-70 — the Nuggets’ biggest deficit of the season.
“We were able to cut that 24-point (Memphis) lead to 11 when we became more aggressive, when we became more physical, and that allowed us to kind of get back in the game,” Malone said. “We need to not wait until the fourth quarter and a 24-point deficit to do that. That’s got to be our M.O. from the beginning of the game.”
Denver got a team-high 19 points from reserve Julian Strawther. Dario Saric had 10 points and 10 rebounds filling in for Jokic, whose status for Tuesday is uncertain.
The Grizzlies have been without star guard Ja Morant since Nov. 6, when he fell hard to floor against the Los Angeles Lakers and suffered a right hip injury. Rookie big man Zach Edey, Memphis’ first-round pick in this year’s draft, may not be available either, due to a left ankle injury he suffered in Sunday’s game.
The injury situation, which also included starter Marcus Smart sidelined by illness Sunday, has forced Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins to use his team’s depth to remain above .500. The Grizzlies have won four of their past six.
“We kind of had a rash of injuries and didn’t have the number of available bodies and guys we have confidence in, so it’s definitely something we’re very mindful of,” Jenkins said.
“We’re trying to figure out our chemistry as guys are coming back to the rotations. Does our starting lineup change at some point? Bringing back (Desmond Bane), that always factors into the chemistry equation, so we definitely want to know, as I always say, what our standard is. It doesn’t matter who’s on the floor. We know what we’re capable of. “
Bane returned to the floor Friday at Golden State as a reserve after missing seven games with a strained right oblique. He started Sunday against Denver and produced his fifth career double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. He also had seven assists.
