Dan Issel Praises Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone And Nikola Jokic

Former Denver Nuggets player and coach Dan Issel joined CBS4 sports anchor Michael Spencer on Xfinity Monday Live this week to talk Nuggets, Nikola Jokic, and much more.

DENVER (CBS4) - "Absolutely he deserves the MVP," Issel said of Jokic. The Nuggets big man is currently averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game.

"The thing that has impressed me is that he might be the most complete center in the NBA since Bill Walton, and he's perfect of the way the game is played today. He's an unbelievable passer for a big man. I've become a big fan of Nikola's."

Issel, who coached the Nuggets for parts of eight seasons, has also been impressed with what Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has done this season, despite injuries to multiple players, including star guard Jamal Murray.

"Michael deserves all the credit, he's done a terrific job coaching this team. He understand the way you have to play to be successful in the NBA today, he seems to have made a seamless transition to the way the team is playing now."

Most people thought that the Nuggets shot of winning the title went out the window with the injury to Murray, but Issel sees things differently.

"They showed last year that they can be successful in the playoffs, that they can come back from adversity, and I think it's wide open. We don't know how Utah and Phoenix are going to perform, I think the Nuggets have as good a chance to come out of the West as anybody."

The Nuggets have four games remaining in the regular season, all four of them on the road, beginning Tuesday in Charlotte.

UPDATE: Denver Nuggets Wind Up As No. 3 Seed In The West As Regular Season Comes To A Close