MILWAUKEE — One of the Nuggets’ toughest back-to-backs of the season began with a game that slipped through their fingers — just not for the usual reasons.

Denver dominated the paint, the glass and the break, but most of the team went cold in unison Thursday in a 121-112 loss to the Bucks. That’s why coach Michael Malone wasn’t too distressed by the result.

“We really struggled to make shots, and we really struggled to finish tonight,” he said. “We easily could have had 70 or 80 in the paint. But we missed a bunch of bunnies, a bunch of easy ones.”

The Nuggets settled for a 68-42 advantage in the paint instead. They out-rebounded the Bucks by nine and doubled them up in transition. They missed 25 of 34 shots from the 3-point line, though, and attempted only 11 free throws to Milwaukee’s 28.

“For there to be a 28-11 differential is just crazy to me,” Malone said. “I was trying to talk to the referees all night long about that one, because we are a team that attacks. We had 32 in transition. We had 68 in the paint. We just couldn’t get a foul call. … We didn’t lose the game because of just the free throws, but obviously I’m gonna fight for my guys and talk to the refs. And talking to Karl (Lane) especially, who I have a lot of respect for. All we want is the same whistle.”

After falling into third place in the West, half a game behind Memphis again, the Nuggets (38-21) now have to fly to Detroit and face a Pistons team that has won eight in a row — its longest streak in almost 20 years.

“Really aggressive team. Really young team. I think they have a lot to prove,” Nikola Jokic said. “They’re playing much, much better than last year. They seem united as a team. They have good size.”

Denver put together a late 9-2 run at Fiserv Forum to close the gap to 111-106, but Giannis Antetokounmpo scored the next four points, sandwiching a pivotal Jokic turnover. Antetokounmpo finished with 28 points, 19 boards, seven assists and an outstanding block from behind on Aaron Gordon in the dunker spot.

“The list of (stats) that he’s No. 1 in, in the entire NBA, is pretty impressive,” Malone said pregame. “… You have to show him a crowd. No one can guard him one-on-one.”

Denver was able to contain him to an 11-for-23 shooting night, but the four Milwaukee starters around him had each scored in double figures by the end of the third quarter.

That was the difference in the game. Jokic posted an efficient 32-point triple-double, but he didn’t get much help. Gordon and Russell Westbrook were both 4 of 13 from the field. Christian Braun was 5 of 11 — low for his standards — with a couple of bad misses at the rim. Most notably, Michael Porter Jr. went 4 of 21, falling to 20% from 3 since the All-Star break.

“That was mostly on me,” Porter told The Post. “Jamal shot almost 50%. Joker shot well. … We got a lot of open shots. I got a lot of open shots. But they didn’t fall today. Guys kept shooting. I kept shooting. And I think that’s a good thing, because we’ve just gotta continue to play our style of basketball.”

Malone took an early timeout after the Nuggets fell behind 14-5, but they were able to steady themselves with a jolt from Westbrook off the bench. He scored eight quick points, including a put-back on the offensive glass while he was getting fouled. Jokic scored 16 of his points in the first frame. Even after Damian Lillard’s 3 at the buzzer, Denver had worked it back to a 30-30 tie.

After the bench unit won its minutes to start the second quarter, the game seemed ready to tip in Denver’s direction. But the Bucks stuck around and pulled ahead in the third frame. Early in the fourth, the Nuggets were still trailing only 84-83, but AJ Green made his only two shots of the night — both 3s — during an 8-0 run that was too much for Denver’s struggling starters to overcome. Porter was particularly off, missing open 3s that are usually automatic for him.

“Very unlike him,” Malone said. “… I don’t want him turning those looks down, because it’s going to turn for him. I have no doubt about that.”

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Originally Published: February 27, 2025 at 8:31 PM MST