Jeff Wagner learned the answer starts very early in life -- but changes as we get older (2:44). WCCO 4 News At 10 - June 1, 2021

- Starting today, Minnesotans can earn a reward for getting the COVID-10 vaccine.

- It's part of a new state program aimed at getting more shots into arms. With so many states offering something similar, we wondered why are we motivated by incentives? Good question. Jeff Wagner learned the answer starts very early in life, but changes as we get older.

JEFF WAGNER: Did you hear about the state's incentive program for vaccines?

- We did. Not Minnesota's, but various other more popular ones.

- I think a popular one is Ohio. Everybody knows the lottery and the amount of money that you could have won.

JEFF WAGNER: A million bucks, in fact. That's what a 14-year-old boy--

- I'm definitely not quitting my job.

JEFF WAGNER: --and 22-year-old woman earned for rolling up their sleeves. Minnesota went the Minnesota route, meaning you could get a free fishing license, state fair admission, or state park pass, among other choices. Would it be nice to, like, retroactively get one of those because you already did it, right?

- Yes. So I'm already vaccinated. But it would be nice to kind of be patted on the back for that.

JEFF WAGNER: Why are we motivated by incentives?

FIYYAZ KARIM: It's a really good example of positive reinforcement and operant conditioning.

JEFF WAGNER: Fiyyaz Karim is a University of Minnesota professor who specializes in behavior health.

FIYYAZ KARIM: Looking at those external rewards as a motivation to change certain desired behavior.

JEFF WAGNER: Is this something we learn, or is maybe it instinctual in us?

FIYYAZ KARIM: It's actually a little bit of both because I think we are born innately with certain temperaments and personality styles.

JEFF WAGNER: Incentives can be taught in parenting techniques, like telling a child they only get dessert if they finish their vegetables.

FIYYAZ KARIM: Those different rewards helped to establish healthy routines and behaviors.

Story continues

JEFF WAGNER: As we grow up, Karim says motivation often comes from within, such as getting vaccinated because you feel it's the right thing to do.

- I think for us, being involved with health care, I think it's easier for us to think more so for herd immunity.

- For me, it's like how can we do the most for the people around us?

JEFF WAGNER: Your job could be considered incentive-motivated. If you work, you get paid. Hopefully, there's internal motivation as well.

FIYYAZ KARIM: As an educator and a teacher, I have a passion for teaching. And I enjoy having that positive change on others.

JEFF WAGNER: Thousands of Minnesotans missed the boat on getting a vaccine incentive. But there is one external reward everyone gets to enjoy.

- I thought the more people get vaccinated, the faster we can get back to normal.

JEFF WAGNER: Jeff Wagner-- So that normalcy, almost like an incentive in itself?

- Yeah, absolutely.

JEFF WAGNER: -- WCCO 4 News.

- Minnesota's incentive program is paid for through federal COVID-19 funding, which is similar to the lottery system in other states. If you would like to register to get vaccinated for a reward, look for the link attached to this story on our website.

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Good Question: Why Are We Motivated By Incentives? - Yahoo News

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The Atlanta Hawks put together a big performance against the New York Knicks on Friday, posting a 105-94 win that wasnt even as close as the score would indicate. It seems there was a motivating factor behind the Hawks coming out and playing the way they did.

Hawks guard Kevin Huerter revealed that two key incidents from the second half of Game 2 made the team angry when watching film, and the team focused on not letting the Knicks beat them physically in Game 3.

Physical play has been a hallmark of the series. Hawks interim coach Nate McMillan has made it a key point publicly, too.

There was one moment where the Hawks seemed to be setting the tone early in Game 3. It definitely worked out, as theyre up 2-1 in the series and the Knicks look badly off on offense. Now its up to New York to mount a response.

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Hawks' Kevin Huerter reveals what motivated team in Game 3 - Larry Brown Sports

The gap between Europe's richest clubs and the rest has grown in the past 12 months despite no team avoiding the grave financial impacts of the pandemic, according to a new KPMG report which highlights the financial muscle of the dozen owners behind the failed Super League proposal.

While eight Premier League clubs are in the top 20 of the auditors annual Enterprise Value rankings at the end of a season in which games being played behind closed doors and broadcast rebates led to significant decreases in clubs perceived worth, a more concerning chasm has opened between 14 clubs across the continent and the rest.

Three London clubs feature in the top 11 of the 32-team table. Chelsea are seventh, Tottenham have fallen to ninth, while Arsenals on-field decline is being mirrored by their slump to 11th. West Ham United have dropped out.

But the most notable aspect is the fracture that now exists within the elite clubs. There are 13 clubs with midpoint valuations of more than 1bn and, underlining the yawning gap, the 15th-placed club, Schalke, have a worth of significantly less than half of that at 451m.

In the past season the top 10 clubs operating revenues accounted for almost 60% of the total income of all 32 clubs, while they accounted for only a third of the aggregate net loss, the report said.

The analysis says the clubs "at the very top" have operating models that are now "noticeably different" to the rest and in the six years since the began to evaluation ranking "the top 10 clubs have performed better than the other 22 clubs combined when considering total operating revenues, staff costs-to-revenue ratio and net result."

KPMG also found that of the 98 clubs in Europes big five leagues the dozen Super League members accounted for 74% of all social media followers 1.34bn compared to 474m.

All 29 clubs that were part of last years analysis recorded a decrease in valuation as the impact of the pandemic struck hard. More than 5bn has been wiped off the collective value of the elite clubs compared to last year but it has still risen 27% since 2016.

The rankings

1 Real Madrid -16% (compared to last year) Value: 2.62bn

2 Barcelona -10% Value: 2.58bn

3 Manchester United -20% Value: 2.39bn

4 Bayern Munich -9% Value: 2.36bn

5 Liverpool -14% Value: 2.059bn

6 Manchester City -17% Value: 1.95bn

7 Chelsea -15% Value: 1.69bn

8 Paris Saint-Germain -8% Value: 1.58bn

9 Tottenham Hotspur -17% Value: 1.54bn

10 Juventus -15% Value: 1.33bn

---

11 Arsenal -22% Value: 1.3bn

18 Everton -15% Value: 410m

20 Leicester City -24% Value: 382m

"The aggregate Enterprise Value of the 32 most prominent European football clubs has dropped by 15% year on year (-5.26bn), down to 33.6bn (29bn), a value slightly higher than the 2018 level," the report added.

"Broadcasting and matchday income were impacted to the greatest extent by the pandemic, whereas commercial revenues slightly increased, mainly thanks to agreements signed before the start of the health crisis.

"The impact of the pandemic is apparent in clubs profitability as well: only seven of the top 32 clubs reported a net profit, while there were 20 profitable clubs in this elite a year before. Despite the latest 15% EV drop mainly caused by Covid-19, the 32 clubs increased their aggregate EV by 27% from 2016 until now."

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The damning figures that explain motivation for Super League as gap between biggest clubs grows - Football.London

This is a still frame from the arrest of CNN correspondent Omar Jimenez. Another Black member of his team, Michael Cooper, says his arrest the following day was racially motivated.

Roughly a year after covering protests that followed George Floyds murder, a Black security officer for the CNN broadcast team reporting live from Minneapolis sued the Minnesota State Patrol troopers who arrested him in an incident his lawyers call racially motivated.

On May 30, 2020, Michael J. Cooper provided security as part of the same CNN team that included correspondent Omar Jimenez, who was arrested on air a day earlier.

Michael Cooper, a former Illinois trooper, being interviewed by ABC 7 Chicago in Nov. 2020.

Both men are Black, and Coopers lawyers claim that the fact both were targeted for arrest was no accident.

The selective arresting of Black media members was not coincidental,his lawyer Jeffrey S. Storms wrote in an 11-page complaint. It was intentional and racially motivated.

One of Coopers lawyers, Ben Crump, is a prominent civil rights attorney who represented the Floyd family. Though the lawsuit was filed on May 27, the firm announced it on Tuesday.

How many times will the country need to see this script play out, where a Black man is treated differently by police than other people in the same situation? lawyer Christopher ONeal,from Crumps firm, asked in a statement. Mr. Coopers experience while simply working while Black is, unfortunately, all too common. There must be justice for him and for all Black Americans who have had their basic civil rights violated and their dignity offended while going about their lives.

According to the lawsuit, Cooper was 64 years old at the time of his arrest and was a 43-year, honorably retired law enforcement veteran. Cooper spent most of his career in the Illinois State Police.

The irony of Mr. Coopers arrest and mistreatment cant be understated, lawyer Antonio M. Romanucci ofRomanucci & Blandin, wrote in a statement. As the city was engulfed in protests for the harsh mistreatment of a Black man by Minneapolis police, Mr. Cooper himself was mistreated by state law enforcement officers, which is both baffling and extremely disappointing. We are committed to securing justice for Mr. Cooper for the way his civil rights were violated.

Coopers lawsuit names as defendants Trooper Patrick Kelly and an unknown supervising captain identified as Jane Doe.

As it became dark on the evening of May 30, the Broadcast Team found itself in a dangerous location where the police were shooting tear gas and rubber bullets towards the crowd. Mr. Cooper was charged with navigating the Broadcast Team to a different location to keep the team safe.

According to the lawsuit, one of the producers fell to the ground in pain after being shot with a rubber bullet, and the broadcast team came across a cloud of tear gas.

Mr. Cooper eventually identified law enforcement and recommended that they calmly approach law enforcement, present their press credentials, and seek assistance with evacuating the area, the complaint states.

Carrying two lawful firearms in his capacity as CNNs security officer, Cooper was the only Black member of the CNN team in the immediate vicinity at the time, according to his complaint.

Cooper says that the troopers ignored him after he repeatedly identified himself as press and presented his credentials.

The troopers ordered Mr. Cooper to kneel down, then lay down, and place his arms straight out from his body with his palms facing straight up, the complaint states.

According to the lawsuit, the supervising captain wrongfully proclaimed that Cooper violated curfew, ignoring Coopers explanation that Governor Tim Walz exempted press from it.

Cooper says he was held in jail 20 hours before being released, but no charges were ever filed.

Despite efforts made on Mr. Coopers behalf, Mr. Cooper never received so much as an apology or public recognition of this unlawful act by the State Patrol or Minnesota public officials, the complaint states.

This experience has caused Mr. Cooper great stress and anxiety not only due to his own unlawful arrest but because he has now been left to contemplate that the system he has dedicated his life to is capable of unlawfully arresting and causing resulting harm to wholly innocent men and women, it continues.

Cooper alleges violations of his First and Fourth Amendment rights, seeking $500,000 for each of the two counts.

Minnesota State Patrol did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

[Image via screen capture from CNN/YouTube.]

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Black Security Officer for CNN Sues Over Racially Motivated Arrest that Occurred a Day After Omar Jimenez Was Handcuffed on Live TV - Law & Crime

Cesar Azpilicueta revealed the double motivation behind Chelseas stunning European success.

Azpilicueta said they were determined to prove the doubters wrong after losing their way earlier in the season while the pain of losing the FA Cup final two weeks ago drove them on.

Chelsea captain Azpilicueta said: "Losing a final, of course it hurts a lot, I wish we could have won both, the FA Cup and the Champions League but we didn't and we took this energy, we suffered 15 days ago, what it meant to lose a final and it hurts. You don't want to be on the losing side.

"The first trophy as a captain is something really special, it took three finals and the fourth was the right one, the big one, I'm so happy, I'm very pleased.

"A few months ago, lots of people doubted the quality of the team and we created a special bond and we did it.

Azpilicueta arrived in the summer of 2012 just after Chelsea had won their first Champions League trophy and now he says the feeling of their latest success feels so special but he insists they are already thinking about the next one.

He added: When you play for a club like Chelsea, you always think in the future. That's done, we are very happy, we will celebrate, we are champions of Europe again after nine years, second time in our history.

"But football like this, the ones who go to the Euros get a new challenge ahead of us, we will come back in the Premier league, we didn't finish where we wanted to finish and we want to fight for everything.

"At Chelsea, I always learned that we go for every single game, fight for every single trophy and I'm pleased that I could get my hands on the trophy that I missed before.

Thomas Tuchel, beaten in last year's final with PSG, was over the moon to go one better and praised his players for winning their individual battles.

He said: To share it with everybody is incredible. What a fight, we made it 1-0 but I dont know what to feel actually.

I was so grateful to arrive anyway, to arrive the second time, but it felt different. We somehow, we could feel it and Im happy.

Today, they were deserving to win this. We wanted to be the stone in the shoe, the stone in the clockwork of Man City. We encouraged everyone to step out, go for duels one-on-one.

"We were great and had some dangerous counter-attacks, had some opportunities. The second-half was a real fight.

That was a massive moment [with Christian Pulisic] that could have been 2-0 then we had to defend. It was very intense, very fast, the circumstances.

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Cesar Azpilicueta opens up on double motivation that powered Chelsea to European success - The Mirror

Next opponent: Wildcats

Both UA and Alabama come in on winning streaks as both swept their opponents in the regionals and Super Regionals. However, Alabamas is actually quite a bit longer. The Crimson Tide hasnt lost since April 17 to Florida, and are 18-0 since then.

Alabama, behind Montana Fouts, eliminated Arizona in 2019. Fouts (25-3) is still around and still one of the best pitchers in the country, with a 1.49 ERA. She threw two shutouts in the three-game regionals and struck out 28 batters in 14 innings. She struck out another 11 batters against Kentucky in a Super Regional win.

None of that intimidates the Wildcats.

Alabama's Montana Fouts, center, celebrates her win over UA two years ago in Oklahoma City. The Wildcats are looking forward at another chance to face her Thursday.

I dont think you ever forget a loss that a team gives you, UAs Jessie Harper said of Fouts three-hit shutout in that 2-0 win over the Wildcats two yeas ago.

I definitely remember it its etched in there (she points to her head). I wont forget it. We are definitely just going to come out and just play our game. I think thats really the key. Im really excited, its going to be a very fun experience.

With both teams hot at the moment, Candrea said when you get to the WCWS, its really about you not your opponent.

Right now, its really not necessarily the opponent but how you play, and, if you execute the game in the circle and you execute the game offensively and defensively, then you got a chance to play with anyone, Candrea said.

Excerpt from:
Not going out that way: Cats motivated by missing last year's WCWS due to COVID-19 - Arizona Daily Star

When Gov. Jared Polis announced the states latest attempt to convince holdouts to get vaccinated, he placed a giant prop check for a million dollars on a stand and assumed his best carnival barker act.

Thats right! You can win one million dollars, and you may already be entered! the governor declaimed from a podium. Anybody who got the vaccine in Colorado or who gets the vaccine will be an automatic participant in not one, not two, not three, not four, but five drawings for a million dollars!

Yeah. It was bad.

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The idea of offering cash prizes to get vaccine-hesitant people to do what should be considered a civic duty was popularized in Ohio, whose leaders announced the states Vax-A-Million drawings earlier this month. In Colorados program, modeled on Ohios, every adult who has been vaccinated for COVID-19 will be entered in five drawings to choose a million-dollar winner in each. The first drawing in whats called Comeback Cash is scheduled for June 4, the last on July 7.

Its hard to imagine anything else that could so perfectly encapsulate American societys pitiful response to the pandemic. That response has been characterized by stupendous acts of selfishness, complete abandonment of social responsibility, extremist elevation of the individual over the community, lethal rejection of the common good, and nauseating displays of personal entitlement. The million-dollar drawing is not only necessitated by the selfishness of so many Coloradans but it relies on it.

From the start of the pandemic, right-wing lunacy created a more dangerous environment for everyone. It fueled resistance to social distancing measures. It celebrated defiance of public health orders. It jeopardized the lives of public health care workers. It encouraged rejection of mask-wearing protocols. It normalized the view that COVID-19 was a hoax. And it gave license to outrageously antisocial behavior under the banner of individual freedom.

Thats the banner Republican Rep. Ken Buck raised in opposition to the vaccine. I have the freedom to decide if Im going to take a vaccine or not and in this case I am not going to take the vaccine, he said on Fox News in December.

Herd immunity when a large enough proportion of a population is protected from a virus for it to be eliminated as a community threat is estimated to be at least 80% for COVID-19. But about 30% of the U.S. population is reluctant or unwilling to get vaccinated, including a sizable portion of Coloradans. Some, especially from communities of color, harbor an understandable distrust of vaccines, or they have a medical condition that precludes vaccination. But many have gone unvaccinated out of hesitancy or laziness, as Polis once described it. Others subscribe to the Buck brand of responsibility-free personal choice, no matter how many fellow Coloradans it kills.

But public health officials are betting that pecuniary selfishness will overpower political selfishness. And its probably a safe bet. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine claimed that after implementation of his states lottery, shots increased 49% among people 16 and older. Coloradans seem to have an insatiable appetite for gambling in other arenas. And the roughly 1-in-500,000 odds of winning the vaxx prize are attractive.

But even if the program works, theres no avoiding the profound failure at its heart. We might acknowledge that methadone clinics offer an effective treatment for heroin users, but we dont celebrate them. Comeback Cash is at best a regrettable expedient to address shameful behavior. The state essentially is spending $5 million in bribes to persuade residents to do the right thing at a time when Colorado unemployment remains at double pre-pandemic rates, when a wave of evictions could be imminent, when the pandemic is believed to have contributed to a significant increase in homelessness, and when COVID-19 has killed more than 6,700 people and counting in the state.

During his announcement of the drawings, Polis quoted The Hunger Games and said to eligible Coloradans, May the odds be ever in your favor. In the movie the line referred to a deathmatch among children for entertainment in a dystopian future society. Odds are that Polis was careless with the quote, but, given the dystopian qualities of our own societys approach to the pandemic, it was apt.

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People were killed by the thousands. But only cash will motivate some Coloradans. - Colorado Newsline

Amar Patel who is a well-known name in the Nutritional Supplements manufacturing industry has effect carved a niche as an entrepreneur in the market. Amar Patel , oversees the strategic direction, Manufacturing Sourcing and Distribution. When Patel was just 19, he made the decision to leave his job and pursue the life of an entrepreneur. He said, I realized the only person that knows whats best for me and my future is me. Over the last 8 years, Amar has not only been into Nutritional Supplements manufacturing industry for the growth of the health, fitness but has also been managed to build a massively powerful network of contacts along the way which has led him to connect with some of the largest companies in the world.

It is rightly said Where there is a will, there is a way. To do anything, you have to be willing to do it in the first place. Which is when, as they say you will win half the battle . That will to do something would further lay out your objectives and the ways you can accomplish those objectives. Will is one thing which you must believe in, something that will further cement the importance of self motivation. When anyone is motivated to do something, they will be more committed to the task and will put all their efforts into it. It sounds easy when youre naturally motivated to do a good job, but when youre feeling demotivated, you need to remind yourself of the importance that commitment can have on your overall success.

If you want to achieve greatness, you need to stop asking for permission. This is why motivation is important in life because it stops asking questions and aligns you to work towards your goals. Goals are the stepping stones toward your dreams so in order to achieve them, you need motivation to keep you chugging along towards them says Amar.

Motivation is important for everyone. Motivation is important to live. We cant live our daily life happily without motivation. Motivation is the presence of purpose and desire to achieve daily life, career, and business goals. Just an example, Motivation helps us to get up early and become productive. He says, motivation builds determination to achieve something, like losing weight or securing a new job, and when you succeed, you feel happy with your results. So, if you continue to motivate yourself and set and achieve new goals, youll generally feel happier than you did before. And although success is the root of motivation, happiness is the underlying desire leading the motivation. So, to ensure that both your happiness and motivational levels are growing, set yourself small challenges and learn to be satisfied with gradual improvement.

When we are inspired, excited, getting more than expected results from something we get motivated. Such as its inspiring when you read stories and beliefs of successful people. Its inspiring when you see someone achieving something great and feeling happy. Thats the way we feel motivated and it helps us to achieve our own goals. So yes, I believe motivation is important for helping us achieve our goals. However, its more than being a productive employee because motivation is a feeling that comes and goes at any given moment. We may not always feel motivated to take action, thats ok. Take action anyway. The feeling of motivation may come back, it may not. Thats ok too.Motivation is innate within us and when were seeing clearly and aligned with our vision and values, it appears. Whatever you are feeling; you got this he quoted.

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Motivation Helps You Grow As A Person Amar Patel - Thrive Global

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February 16, 2021 4 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

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The world is in a constant state of flux, and the same is true for us humans who are in it.

Every day, we encounter a certain amount of change and unpredictability that rock our boats. On some days, we charge at these challenges with a high level of motivation and bring calm back. While on other days, we are unable to muster enough motivation to even get out of bed. This cycle could be potentially disastrous, especially for an entrepreneur.

Lack of motivation is a known killer that has gotten away with the brutal murder of countless hours of productivity. As an entrepreneur, you must master the art of staying motivated at all times in order to avoid this killer monster. And to master this art, you must become a superhuman. The good thing is that Im ready to show you how.

The superhuman world iswhere you can do the impossible by making little changes and sticking to a few beneficial habits. To stay motivated, you do not have to do many things at a time. Unless youre interested in courting burnout and exasperation, you should stick to doing only the things that are essential.

Here are five ways that can help youstay motivated and continue your journey to success:

1. Rise early and conquer the dayOne of the easiest ways to damage yourself as an entrepreneur is not to get enough sleep. Do this too often, and youre trading your creativity for discomfort. Sounds like a pretty awful deal, right? Sleep is a vital process that helps your body to rest and regenerate. For this vital process, you would need about 6-8 hours of sleep each day. Therefore, you have to go early to bed so that you can rise with the sun. Getting enough sleep helps you to get more done. With greater creativity and productivity comes better chances of success. So, if you have great plans for yourself and your business, why not start by getting enough sleep? Watching the sunrise with a grateful heart is a great way to start the day.

Related:How To Stay Motivated (Even When You Really Don't Want To)

2. Keep a journalThe next thing to do after you wake up is to write in your journal. When you spend the first part of your day journaling, you will bring clarity to your life. Journaling helps you organize your thoughts, ideas, memories, and all the things you are grateful for. With journaling, every other practice,such as exercise and meditation,becomes worthwhile because you constantly remind yourself why youre doing them. The five-step journaling method in my book Dose of Meditationcan help you shed some light on how you can cultivate or enhance the journaling habit.

3. MeditateMeditation helps you to connect with your inner being. Without meditation, fresh ideas may continually elude you. You can choose to meditate right after you finish journaling. Connecting to your inner genius helps you to remain relevant. If you carve out just 15 minutes for meditation every day, youll have an awesome head start for the day.

4. Practice essentialismAbove all, you should be an essentialist. Essentialism helps to make sure that youre not running around the whole place, dissipating your energy. It helps you to focus on what matters and shun other, less productive activities. When you continually channel your energy down the right path, you will become a master at what you do. When you already have a goal and vision at the back of your mind, it is easy to start the day full of energy and motivation. When you stay true to a cause, youre assured of success!

5. Get someone to hold you accountableAs entrepreneurs, we hold others accountable, but who is holding us accountable? Eight times out of ten, we do not have someone to hold us accountable! Thats a mistake I have learned how to avoid, and the best way to have someone to hold you accountable is by getting a coach. On your journey to becoming superhuman, you need someone who can get you in the right state of mind and bring out your deepest creativity. You need someone who can share experiences with you, ask you mind-boggling questions, and help you get to the next level in your career, business, and life.That someone is a certified coach.

Related:Bring It On, 2021: Getting Ready For What Is Set To Be The Year Of Intention And Attention

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Five Ways to Stay Motivated On Your Journey to Success - Entrepreneur

Denvers recipe for success is middle-school simple: defend and win.

And yet through nearly two months of this season, the Nuggets understanding of that formula has fluctuated far too much for coach Michael Malones liking. The offense, sitting comfortably in the top-five, has never been the problem.

Coming off back-to-back wins where the Nuggets (14-11) held their opponent to 95 points each, respectively, Malones squad is still in search of a reliable defensive identity. Hes said countless times as long as their defensive effort is there, theyll have a chance to win. But the truth is that defensive focus has been hit or miss all year.

Through five games in February, Denvers defense ranks 13th in the NBA. Over the three consecutive losses that preceded their two recent wins, all three opponents scored at least 114 points.

Asked whether hed seen any signs of consistency on the less heralded side of the court, Malone was blunt.

For two games I have, Malone said. The three games prior to that, we played little to no defense.

Sundays opponent, the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, left no room for a team trying to find itself defensively. Not when they come to Ball Arena riding a seven-game winning streak.

Lets be honest, the Lakers are a different animal, Malone said. Well be tested (Sunday). Thats been our challenge early in this season has just been defensive consistency from game to game, from quarter to quarter.

It was only 10 days ago that the Nuggets went into halftime with a 12-point lead against the Lakers only to sputter that away amid an incessant transition attack. Los Angeles punished the Nuggets 37-17 in the third quarter of that game, exposing lackluster effort and questionable gameplan discipline.

If you dont get back and set your defense against this team, nothing really matters, Malone said. Last five games, theyre averaging 64 points per game in the paint, which is first. Theyre averaging 22 points per game in fastbreak, which is first. Theyre averaging 21 points a game off of turnovers that they force, which is first.

When the Nuggets defend, they give themselves runway should the offense hit a lull. And when they dont, they give themselves hardly any margin for error.

Case in point? The defending champs. Entering Sundays matchup, the Lakers were the No. 1 defensive team in the NBA. With that blueprint, the Nuggets should need no further motivation to commit defensively.

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Lakers top-ranked defense should be all the motivation Nuggets need to improve - The Denver Post