Malone on 3-0 Nuggets: “We’ve already rewritten history.

Even after watching his team fall into a 3-0 hole during a 116-102 Game 3 loss to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals Friday night, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone is hopeful his team won’t be eliminated via sweep on Sunday.

“I know for myself, I can’t speak for anybody else, the last thing I want to see is the Phoenix Suns with a broom on our court after Game 4,” Malone said. “We’ve had a tremendous, tremendous season. I said going into this year you can’t judge a season by the end result. We made it to the Western Conference Finals last year, certain things can happen, but we can have a better season this year, and not make it that far.

“But the one thing I don’t want is for us to go out quietly into that good night. I hope we show real fight and resolve and force a Game 5 by going back to Phoenix for a Game 5.”

Malone drew attention after the Game 2 loss when he said he felt his team “gave up” while being outscored by the Suns in the second half for the second straight game.

He seemed more pleased with his team’s effort after Game 3, and took solace in the fact that his young squad climbed out of a 3-1 hole twice during the bubble playoffs last season.

“As far as the 3-0 deficit, yeah, history is not on our side,” Malone said. “But you know what? We’ve rewritten history in the last few years. When we were down 3-1 twice last year, it was never about trying to win three more games. It was about winning the next game, winning the first quarter, winning the second quarter, and that has to be our mentality.”

The Nuggets also need to find a stronger resolve when it comes to defending All-Star Chris Paul, who has been torching the Nuggets throughout the series. That continued Friday, when Paul had 27 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds in 37 minutes.

Paul’s stabilizing presence has been a big reason why the Suns are one game away from ending Denver’s season. He has scored 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range, with eight assists and no turnovers combined in the three-quarter segments of this series, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

“We’ve got to make it tougher on him,” Nuggets shooting guard Monte Morris said. “He’s a Hall of Fame, top-five point guard easily, still playing in the NBA … He’s getting everybody involved. CP is a tough cap for anyone, but we have to stick to our game plan and try to execute it the best way we can.

Morris added, “Mie—, it’s 3-0. We have to leave it all out there. We have nothing to lose. But we’re definitely not trying to get swept before the offseason on our home court. That one wouldn’t sit well.”

The one sentiment that did sit well with the Nuggets centered on center Nikola Jokic, who received his MVP trophy before Friday’s game and then went out and scored 32 points, snared 20 rebounds and dished out 10 assists. Jokic joined Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to have 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a playoff game.

“It was a special moment,” Jokic said. “I enjoyed the moment. I wish my wife and my parents could be here. I had my teammates behind me because this is my trophy, but it’s for all of them. So I have to thank them.”

If Jokic and the Nuggets lose Sunday’s Game 4, he would become the fifth MVP in league history to be swept in a playoff series, joining Magic Johnson (1989 Finals), Moses Malone (1979 first round), Abdul-Jabbar (1977 conference finals) and Wes Unseld (1969 conference semifinals).

“We’ve already experienced one [closeout game],” Suns point guard Devin Booker said. “We know those guys aren’t going to give up. They’ve got the league’s Most Valuable Player in there, they’re well coached by Mike Malone and they’ve got some players that play really hard. Nobody wants their season to end, so we know they’re going to try their hardest and we’re ready for that.”

Malone said he hopes his team can right itself before it’s too late.

“My only hope is that we haven’t let go of the rope because of what history tells us,” Malone said. “My only hope is that come Sunday afternoon/evening, when whatever that game is, our guys show up and fight. I think they deserve it, their teammates deserve it, and our fans deserve it, to come out and leave it all on the line and you can walk off the court with your head held high.”