Hey, Trey: Malone says just go play your game

After all of his Nuggets teammates had retreated to the locker room following Thursday morning’s shootaround, Trey Lyles made his way slowly through a Pepsi Center hallway, tilting his head toward the floor to listen to the coach walking beside him.

Michael Malone’s words for the struggling, 22- year- old forward were simple.

“I said, ‘ Trey, you’ve just got to go out there and play,’ ” Malone told Lyles, who was shooting just 33 percent from the floor and 12.5 percent from 3- point range in the last four games. “‘ I know you’re struggling right now, but you’re a good player.’ We wouldn’t be in the situation we’re in right now without Trey Lyles, how he’s played, especially after Paul ( Millsap) was out.

“He’s going out there right now feeling like he has to make every shot. I said, ‘ You can’t play like that. Just take a deep breath, relax and play your game.’ ”

The role of a coach in the NBA can be as much therapist as X’sandO’s tactician, especially when guiding a young roster. So as the Nuggets prepared for their home game against the Pistons on Thursday night, which was to precede a seven- game road trip, Malone said he’s made a concerted effort to be a calming presence as his team begins feeling the tight pressure of a playoff race.

The Nuggets entered the game against the Detroit at 37- 31 and in 10th place in the NBA’s Western Conference, a full game behind the three teams — Clippers, Jazz and Spurs — that were tied for spots seven through nine.

“If I’m uptight and if I’m nervous, they’re only going to feed off that,” Malone said. “I think that’s important for myself. The one thing I keep telling myself is, ‘ Don’t be negative. Be positive.’ Yes, we have to coach and we have to hold guys accountable, but make sure we’re keeping it a very light atmosphere, not where it feels like everything is life and death.”

Millsap update. Millsap went through Denver’s shootaround Thursday without the brace that has protected the left wrist that was operated on in November.

Millsap said he still plans to wear the brace during games for now.

“I’ll definitely have that for protection, just for the hits and the smacks,” Millsap said. “But the more I can get comfortable without it, it will help me.”