Michael Malone's Brutally Honest Quote Before Nuggets-Heat Game 4

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone met with the media before Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

On Friday evening, the Denver Nuggets are in Florida to face off against the Miami Heat for Game 4 of the NBA Finals.    

They have a 2-1 lead in the series after winning Game 3 on Wednesday night (also in Miami).  

Despite Game 5 being on their home floor at Ball Arena in Denver, head coach Michael Malone believes the team needs a victory on Friday evening. 

Via Jake Shapiro of Denver Sports.com: "Malone “this is a must win for us, this is the finals. It can’t be human nature of getting one game and relaxing. We want to go out there and take it, that’s been our mindset the whole postseason. We expect them (the Heat) to come out with great energy and we need to exceed it.”"

Malone “this is a must win for us, this is the finals. It can’t be human nature of getting one game and relaxing. We want to go out there and take it, that’s been our mindset the whole postseason. We expect them (the Heat) to come out with great energy and we need to exceed it.”

— Jake Shapiro (@Shapalicious) June 9, 2023

Malone is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Nuggets, and they finished the regular season as the first seed in the Western Conference.    

They have defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves (in five games), Phoenix Suns (in six games) and Los Angeles Lakers (in four games) through the first three rounds of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. 

On top of having one of the best rosters in the league, they are young, which means that the franchise has plenty of time to contend for several more years. 

The Nuggets & Heat meet in Game 4 Friday.

Nikola Jokic needs 9 rebounds to become the 1st player in NBA history with 500 points, 250 rebounds and 150 assists in a postseason. pic.twitter.com/zaUaQoPPNa

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 9, 2023

As for the Heat, they are the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and have defeated the Chicago Bulls (play-in tournament), Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics through the first three rounds.