Nuggets’ Michael Malone: NBA postgame report said Nikola Jokic deserved eight more free throws

Only minutes after Game 1 against Portland, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon voiced questions about the whistle.

According to Nuggets coach Michael Malone, an NBA review confirmed Gordon’s suspicions had merit.

When asked ahead of Monday’s Game 2 about the 19-8 free-throw disparity from Saturday night, Malone said the NBA’s report addressed numerous missed calls.

“Well, there were a bunch of calls that were missed according to the NBA postgame report that was sent back to us,” Malone said. “In that report, it stated that Nikola (Jokic) probably could’ve gone to the foul line eight more times.”

Despite taking 27 shots, Jokic went to the line just four times. Blazers superstar Damian Lillard went to the line nine times, one more than the Nuggets got as a team.

“Yeah, I’m not sure what was going on with the foul calls,” Gordon said. “I thought I was fouled a couple of times. I thought Jok was fouled a couple of times, and I don’t know.”

In reviewing film and making necessary adjustments, numerous Nuggets said they needed to be more aggressive and physical. Austin Rivers, in particular, cited the screens Portland set and said they needed to match the Blazers’ physicality.

“Yeah, we can be more aggressive, we can attack the basket,” Malone said. “Certain players are not attack-the-basket players, so we are who we are. We have not been a high-volume free throw team all season. But for them to outshoot us from the line 19-8 is something that we have to do a better job of. … Any time you’re more aggressive, any time you put more pressure on the defense and on the rim, that’s going to be, most times, a big positive.”

Outside of the free throws, one of the other outlier stats from Game 1 was Jokic’s season-low one assist. But Malone wasn’t willing to concede anything abnormal about that number.

“I actually think much is being made about nothing,” Malone said. “He had one assist. We couldn’t make a 3-point shot (11-of-36). … If Nikola would’ve had 10 assists and 18 points, the narrative would’ve been, ‘He’s gotta be more aggressive to score.’ So, you’re never gonna please everybody, especially in a loss. I trust Nikola 1,000 percent.”