The Denver Nuggets find themselves in a deep 0-2 hole in their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors. For Nikola Jokic and Co. to overcome the deficit, they need to be able to solve Draymond Green.

That's how Nuggets head coach Michael Malone sees the series turning for his side.

Via ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk:

Michael Malone: “Draymond Green is literally not guarding anybody,” said the Nuggets coach. “He is a free safety out there. We have to find a way to make them pay for doing that. Until we do, it is going to be hard for Nikola to get off when he's got 3 guys around him [and they're daring others to score]”

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Through the first two games, Nikola Jokic has posted 25.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per contest. While those numbers would be monstrous for most other players, it's been a huge step down for the Nuggets' reigning MVP.

It's most seen in his efficiency stats as his shooting has gone down to just 46.7%, compared to his sky-high 58.3% from the regular season. He's also missed all eight of his three-point attempts. Joker's assist numbers have also dropped from from 7.9 to just 5.0.

While he's not always guarding the Nuggets star directly, Draymond Green has been able to keep his attention centered on Nikola Jokic. With co-stars Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. on the sidelines, Denver needs the rest of the supporting cast to step up and make the Warriors pay for helping.

Until that happens, it's going to be double and triple teams galore for Nikola Jokic.