Malone knows about respect in NBA

PORTL A ND, ORE . » Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he thinks this season’s schedule is the most favorable one his team has gotten entering his fifth season in Denver.

The 17 national TV games, along with the Christmas Day game against New Orleans, can be seen as tokens of respect from the NBA. Consider the appearances a nod to a team that carried itself well in the postseason last spring after finishing second in the Western Conference.

But for the life of him, he has no idea why, after five years in

Denver, the Nuggets have never opened a season at home. Wednesday’s season opener in Portland marked the fifth consecutive year the Nuggets will have opened on the road. At Houston. At New Orleans. At Utah. At Los Angeles. At Portland.

“It’s funny, I don’t have an explanation because I wasn’t even aware of it,” Malone joked. “Who do I talk to?!

“I think the fact that we’re, as an example of respect (getting) national TV games, playing on Christmas Day, (second) time at home in franchise history, those are signs of respect from the NBA and how they view us.”

After Wednesday’s game, the

Nuggets return home to face Phoenix on Friday night in their home opener. Naturally, Malone found a silver lining to the scheduling snub.

“I think if it was Wednesday night, I still think we’d have a great crowd, but I love our crowds on Friday and Saturday nights,” Malone said. “Fans are out there enjoying that really good Colorado beer and whatever else they have recreational for all the fans.”

In Malone’s four years, the Nuggets have made Pepsi Center a nightmare venue for opposing teams. A season ago the Nuggets were 34-7 at home. Overall under Malone, the Nuggets are 105-59 at home.