The Denver Nuggets secured a win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, but it was far from easy.

Despite taking a 131-126 victory, the Nuggets faced a depleted Lakers squad missing Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Jaxson Hayes, Rui Hachimura, and others.

Many expected Denver to dominate, but that wasn’t the case. As a result, head coach Michael Malone expressed his frustration, making it clear through a post-game gesture.

A video shared by Oh No He Didn’t, via Legion Hoops, captured Malone crumpling up the printed box score and tossing it aside before addressing the media.

“This isn’t a beauty pageant. We don’t get rated on our wins. It’s a win,” Malone said.

Michael Malone crumbled up the box score after Lakers-Nuggets 💀

“This isn’t a beauty pageant. We don’t get rated on our wins, it’s a win.”

While Malone’s statement is true, this narrow victory raised concerns for the Nuggets.

They were expected to cruise past the Lakers, who were missing their two biggest scorers and much of their defensive depth.

However, Los Angeles came out aggressive, playing strong from start to finish.

Austin Reaves stepped up as a key leader, while Dalton Knecht delivered one of his best performances yet.

On the other hand, Denver’s defense struggled, allowing the Lakers to take advantage multiple times.

At one point, Los Angeles held the lead and seemed poised to pull off an unexpected upset.

This game raises red flags for Denver, as defense is crucial for the playoffs. If they hope to return to the NBA Finals, they must address their weaknesses.

The Nuggets remain the second seed in the Western Conference with a 43-24 record.

But this matchup proved that anything can happen, and no opponent will take it easy on them.

They must avoid nights like this—especially in the playoffs.