The Denver Nuggets have been one of the best-performing teams in the NBA early this season. Unfortunately, that success didn't carry over into the game against the Houston Rockets, as the Mile High franchise lost 107-104.

The loss also overshadowed an incredible final stat line from Nikola Jokic. The Serbian big man notched himself another triple-double after he put up 36 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 assists

Jokic's performance simply wasn't enough to get the Nuggets the win, as one of the main struggles on the night was the poor performance of their bench. The Denver bench scored a measly eight points, while the Rockets' bench scored 31.

Nuggets' head coach Michael Malone expressed his frustration postgame, and he even called out the poor performance by their reserves.

“Guys gotta help themselves,” Malone told reporters. “It's not my responsibility to get guys going. You're an NBA player.”

Malone did applaud Colin Gillespie and how he “played his heart out.” But he also noted that some of the other players need to step up.

“I can help Christian [Braun], Julian [Strawther], Peyton [Watson], figure out how they can be better out there, but I can't get them going. That's something that each individual has to do,” Malone added.

Malone knows that his players can play better, and he's willing to help bring out their best.

“I know they're better players than how they're playing right now,” Malone furthered. “And that's my biggest concern: How do I help them become better players, and impact the game at a higher level?”

The Nuggets will face the Los Angeles Clippers in Denver on Tuesday for their second game of the NBA In-Season Tournament.