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SALT LAKE CITY — The Denver Nuggets want to talk about free throws without actually talking about free throws.
"We’ve struggled to get to the line, but I’m not going to really comment on that," Denver coach Michael Malone said. "I’m not giving the league any of my money."
By saying nothing, Malone said everything.
There’s been a big free throw disparity in the Utah-Denver first-round series. Through four games, the Jazz are averaging 25.5 free throw attempts per game, nearly 10 more than Denver’s 16.25. In Utah’s Game 4 win on Sunday, the Jazz took 23 more trips to the line than the Nuggets. So it’s understandable if Denver may be feeling a little annoyed at the officials following a 2-point loss.
But do they have a legitimate gripe? A little, but mostly no.
Utah has averaged 57.5 drives per game over the course of the series and Denver has averaged 40.0, according to NBA tracking data. In Game 4 alone, the Jazz had 21 more drives than the Nuggets. Those drive lead to more chances to get fouled, which lead to more free throws.
To the Nuggets, though, that’s not all it is.
"To be honest, even when we were aggressive, we didn’t have the benefit of the whistle," Nikola Jokic said. "That’s not the reason (we lost). I’m just saying when we had aggressive moves to the basket, we didn’t have the benefit of the whistle."
Jokic played 39 minutes, took 24 shots but had just two free throws in Game 4.
"I gotta look at the tape and find a way to help Nikola and to see what’s going on out there," Malone said.
The tape will show that 18 of Jokic’s 24 shots came away from the basket. He fired up 10 threes and eight midrange jumpers — he’s a lot less likely to be fouled on those types of plays.
But Denver’s frustrations were summed up in a controversial play in the game’s final minute.
With 28 seconds left and the Jazz leading 124-120, Jamal Murray drove into the lane and challenged Rudy Gobert at the rim. Gobert went straight up initially and forced Murray to try to lay it in around him. As Murray’s arm extended for the layup, so did Gobert’s, and it appeared the reigning Defensive Player of the Year just barely got Murray’s wrist — no whistle was blown. The league confirmed Monday, as part of its last two minute reports, that it was a foul.
"Jamal drives to the basket, gets fouled, but they don’t call it," Malone said. "At least from my angle and the replay on the big board, it looked like he got fouled. And that would’ve been a big basket for us, the two free throws would have cut it to two at that point."
Murray pleaded with officials after the play, but when it came time to talk, he, like his coach, didn’t want to have to write the league a check.
"I’m not going to speak on it," Murray said. "I don’t want to get fined."
His silence was deafening.
If that call was made, the Nuggets could have had a chance to extend the game and even up the series. The Jazz are favored to win Game 5 and end the first-round battle on Tuesday.
While that non-call played a part in Denver’s loss, Malone admitted it wasn’t the reason his team fell behind 3-1 on Sunday. The Jazz shot 57.5% from the field and 48.3% from three. Denver’s defense, once again, couldn’t contain Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz offense.
And sometimes all they could do was reach out and foul.
