Denver Nuggets Head Coach Mike Malone was frustrated that NBA headlines didn't revolve around the team's latest NBA title - and instead were dominated by LeBron James, who has hinted at the possibility of retirement before next season.
The Denver Nuggets won the NBA Championship, defeating the Miami Heat in Game 5 thanks, largely, to the heroics of Finals MVP Nikola Jokic. The title marked the first in the organisation's history, ending a 47-year-long wait dating back to the NBA merger.
However, NBA headlines and television shows have been dominated by LeBron after a cryptic post-game interview and an array of tweets hinting that the NBA's all-time scoring leader would retire at the end of the season. James stated that he would "have to think about it" in regard to continuing his NBA career.
The Denver Nuggets dominated the LA Lakers during the Western Conference Finals, sweeping the LA team four games to zero. But the national media continued to build stories around the possible retirement of James rather than focusing on the Denver team that just won four games in a row with a two-time MVP on the roster and was on their way to winning their first championship.
Malone playfully addressed the situation, responding sarcastically on last Wednesday's edition of The Pat McAfee Show. "Speaking of the Lakers, I just want you guys to know — this is breaking news. I'm thinking about retiring, so don't tell anybody," joked Malone.
"The frustration against the Lakers was - we win Game 1 against the Lakers, and the headlines are Lakers figure out Nuggets,' and we're up 1-0! I've never seen that for a team that was up 1-0, and they're talking about Rui Haichamura guarding Nikola [Jokic], and the team has figured us out."
Malone continued his frustrations after the series was over, thinking that the Nuggets sweep should be enough to dominate NBA headlines. Instead, the leading stories after the Western Conference Finals revolved around the Lakers, James, and the upcoming NBA Draft.
"You win the series, and the narrative is the Lakers, Lakers, Lakers. I think we've done enough to hopefully put the Denver Nuggets in people's minds and their hearts because of how we play. I think it's the right way to play basketball. [An] unselfish [style] where guys are playing not just with each other, but for each other."
He continued, "But the reality is if they [news outlets] don't [cover the Nuggets as NBA champions], we don't give a s**t. We believe in each other, we know what we are doing every single day on this journey. To celebrate with the people you love and care about, that's what we all work so hard for."
The Nuggets Coach also previously addressed journalists during the Lakers series who created unwanted narratives surrounding Jokic in a way that diminished the recognition that he deserved. Malone shut down the idea that casual NBA fans didn't know who Jokic was - despite his MVP status and averaging a triple-double during the NBA Finals.
