February 5, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone reacts during the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory credit: Jeffrey Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone channeled his inner Rudy Tomjanovich on Sunday following his team’s win in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Nuggets defeated the Timberwolves 115-107 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Nuggets’ win evened the series 2–2 after the team lost the first two games of the series in Denver.

During his post-game press conference, Malone was asked what the Nuggets had “regained” over the past two games. Malone cited Tomjanovich’s memorable quote when the former coach of the Houston Rockets led his team to a second NBA championship in 1995.

“Never underestimate the heart of a champion. They quickly wrote us off. But these guys, we won a championship a year ago. We went to Miami (during the 2023 NBA Finals) and won two games in a row,” the Nuggets coach said.

“This team has been tested time and time again and we have found a way to solve everything thrown at us. … what I discovered about our group is that they believe in themselves and, more importantly, the man next to them.”

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“Never underestimate the heart of a champion. They wrote us off quickly… This team has been tested time and time again and we have found a way to solve whatever comes our way.” 🗣️

Nuggets HC Michael Malone after regaining momentum in the series pic.twitter.com/mEyLmOPkH1

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 13, 2024

The 1994-95 Rockets famously defended their title after one of the most grueling playoffs in NBA history.

The sixth-seeded Rockets had to beat the four winning teams in the regular season that year. The four teams – the San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic – averaged a season win total of 59.5, compared to the Rockets’ 47.

The Nuggets’ path to a repeat likely isn’t as difficult as the gauntlet the ’95 Rockets team had to go through. But Denver has certainly shown its championship qualities over the past two games.