If you're a passionate follower of the NBA, you might have noticed a recent trend. We're seeing a lot more high-scoring games than usual. In the 2023-24 NBA season, we've seen eight different players have 50+ point games, per StatMuse. And crazy enough, it's not just a one-time occurrence for a player. Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have all had multiple 50+ point games this season.

High-scoring games are undoubtedly more entertaining for fans to watch. Despite this, many coaches, players, and analysts have spoken up about the lack of defense in today's NBA. Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone was the most recent coach to share his thoughts on the topic. However, he looked at it both positively and negatively.

Nuggets' Michael Malone addresses NBA's high-scoring games 

“There is no defense in the NBA right now,” Malone said, via the Denver Nuggets on YouTube. “You could be top 10 in defensive efficiency right now and three years ago you'd be bottom 10 with the same efficiency. It's getting harder and harder to guard guys. Guys are ultra-skilled. Guys like Joel [Embiid], guys like Luka [Doncic], guys like Devin Booker. It's just really hard to guard guys 1-on-1 anymore. You also have to give the individual credit. What Joel's doing for example this season from a scoring standpoint is just almost unprecedented.”

Malone has been in the league for a long time. He's personally witnessed the changes and growth in the NBA. While the lack of defense can sometimes be an annoyance from a coaching standpoint, he understands that high-scoring games benefit the league.

“If you look at the last 20 years if you want since I've been in the NBA, almost every rule that's put in place is to favor the offense. And that always goes back to this is a business first and foremost and you want to keep the fans glued to the TV. And so the league wanted to get away from the 92-88 scores of the 80s and early 90s to keep the viewership up. Everything is to create excitement, and we have the best players in the world and the most exciting players in the world.”