The Denver Nuggets, known for their strong performance early in the NBA season, faced a setback in a game against the Houston Rockets, resulting in a 107-104 loss. Despite an outstanding triple-double from Nikola Jokic, who contributed 36 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists, the team struggled, particularly with the underwhelming performance of their bench. The Denver reserves scored only eight points, while the Rockets’ bench excelled with 31 points.

Expressing his frustration postgame, Nuggets’ head coach Michael Malone called attention to the poor performance of some players and emphasized their individual responsibility to step up.

“Guys gotta help themselves,” Malone asserted. “It’s not my responsibility to get guys going. You’re an NBA player.”

While acknowledging the commendable effort of Colin Gillespie, Malone pointed out the need for improvement from other players, including Christian Braun, Julian Strawther, and Peyton Watson.

“I can help Christian [Braun], Julian [Strawther], Peyton [Watson], figure out how they can be better out there, but I can’t get them going. That’s something that each individual has to do,” Malone added.

Despite the disappointment, Malone expressed confidence in his players’ capabilities and highlighted his commitment to helping them reach their full potential.

“I know they’re better players than how they’re playing right now,” Malone stated. “And that’s my biggest concern: How do I help them become better players, and impact the game at a higher level?”

Looking ahead, the Nuggets are set to face the Los Angeles Clippers in Denver for their second game of the NBA In-Season Tournament on Tuesday.