Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone seemed to take a subtle shot at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

Malone said there have been “a lot of front-running benches” in Orlando, or teams whose reserves bring energy when their team leads while staying silent when they fall behind.

The Clippers have a pair of emphatic personalities in Patrick Beverley and Marcus Morris, two guys who previously irked Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard with their bench antics.

Los Angeles' bench had plenty of reason to celebrate when their team led the Nuggets 3-1 in the conference semifinals, though the series quickly turned in Denver's favor.

In fact, the Clippers were totally demoralized after blowing double-digit leads in Games 5 and 6. Not to mention, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were both held scoreless in the fourth quarter of Game 7, completing a monumental collapse.

It is interesting Michael Malone chose to make these comments ahead of Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Whereas the Clippers' cheers quickly turned to silence, the Lakers have remained pretty steadfast throughout the course of their playoff run.

The Purple and Gold lost Game 1 in each of its first two series against the Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets, respectively. However, they rallied to win four consecutive games on both occasions.

Moreover, guys like JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard remained energized and engaged even as their minutes dwindled in the Rockets showdown.

Regardless, Michael Malone and the Nuggets will be sure to give their full attention to the Lakers as they try to stage another upset.