Nuggets coach makes feelings clear on $5,000,000,000 franchise - "Best running team in the league"

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone had high praise for the Chicago Bulls ahead of Monday's home matchup. The 2023 NBA champion lauded the Eastern Conference playoff hopeful's run-and-gun playstyle amid its late-season surge.

Despite being one of the NBA's most storied franchises, Chicago, valued at $5,000,000,000 by Forbes, has been considered a treadmill team over the last decade. It has mostly alternated between mid-to-late draft lottery finishes and early postseason exits.

The Bulls are seemingly in a similar position this season, sitting ninth in the East, nine games below .500 (31-40), entering Monday. However, they have elevated their play lately behind their fast-paced offensive attack, spearheaded by young guards Josh Giddey and Coby White.

Meanwhile, rookie forward Matas Buzelis has shown flashes of potential as an athletic two-way player alongside veteran center Nikola Vucevic. As a result, many have observed that Chicago has become an entertaining team to watch and a nightly upset threat.

The upstart unit has won seven of its last nine outings, perhaps most impressively blowing out the LA Lakers 146-115 during Saturday's road showdown. The Bulls' improvement appears to have caught Malone's eye, as he raved about their playstyle during Monday's pregame briefing.

"This might be the best running team in the league," Malone said, per Chicago Sports Network's K.C. Johnson.

To Malone's point, Chicago ranks third in the NBA in pace (103.35), narrowly trailing the Memphis Grizzlies (103.95) and Atlanta Hawks (103.65).

Moreover, during its 7-2 stretch, it sits ninth in offensive rating (118.9) and fifth in defensive rating (109.9), possibly peaking at an optimal time.

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Michael Malone expresses optimism about shorthanded Nuggets dispatching thriving Bulls

While Chicago has been firing on all cylinders recently, Denver has been trying to stay afloat without its top player, superstar center Nikola Jokic. Monday's game marks the three-time MVP's fifth consecutive absence due to a left ankle injury.

The Nuggets have gone 2-2 over their last four outings without Jokic, including beating the Houston Rockets 116-111 during Sunday's road clash. On the second night of a back-to-back, Malone is optimistic his undermanned squad can match the Bulls' intensity.

"What I'm hoping for is for our group to continue to show why we're the most resilient group in the NBA," Malone said. "No matter who's in, no matter who's out, just go out there and play hard."

Denver (45-27) is 0-1 against Chicago (31-40) this season, falling 129-121 on the road on Jan. 27. So, it will look to avoid getting swept in their two-game season series.

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