The Nuggets have 10 days to get in shape, based on Michael Malone’s assessment.

That’s the remaining time between their third preseason game — a 118-114 loss to Phoenix’s bench on Sunday — and their opening night of the 2024-25 regular season.

Malone questioned his team’s conditioning after the Nuggets fell to 0-3 in the preseason, unable to pull out a win at Ball Arena even with their starters playing until the end of the third quarter.

“I don’t think we’re in great condition right now, and that’s one thing we talked about as coaches during the game,” Malone said. “Looked like some guys are just winded and a little tired out there. So that’s something that we can try to improve upon.”

Malone was frustrated by the Nuggets’ failure to guard Phoenix’s role players one-on-one, which he said resulted in constant help-defense rotations while the Suns rained 3-pointers. Phoenix finished the night 23 for 50 beyond the arc, while Denver made just 12 of 36 attempts.

“We dominated the glass, dominated the paint, but got our (butt) kicked from 3,” Malone said. “To give up 37 points in that third quarter was embarrassing.

“So we have a lot of work to do. That’s what preseason’s for. (On Monday) we’ll watch a lot of film.”

With only two preseason games remaining a week before Oklahoma City visits on opening night, the question will be how the Nuggets can remedy any conditioning problems in such a short span: By continuing to push the starters deeper into the second half of their remaining exhibitions, or by running more behind the scenes?

“Probably both,” Malone said. “… Tonight, I ran those guys the whole third quarter. And obviously, Jamal (Murray) didn’t play in the second half. But (I) played that starting unit the whole third quarter and tried to push their envelope a little bit. And that was probably a little bit hard on some of those guys. Then in practice, I think we can get up and down more. I think so often as coaches in modern-day NBA, the league’s gotten so soft (that) everybody’s afraid to condition and run. We have to.”

Malone had initially planned for his starters to play into the second half of Sunday night’s game, which they hadn’t done previously. The Nuggets started their preseason with two games against the Celtics overseas in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where Malone rested multiple starters in the second contest. After that came a week of recovery and practice before the loss to Phoenix, which was resting Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Grayson Allen and Bradley Beal.

A more at-ease Malone after Monday’s practice was reluctant to attribute tired legs to the unusual preseason travel schedule.

“One of our coaches told me this morning that — I don’t know if this is true, maybe it’s an old wives’ tale — but it takes a day for each hour when you come back from a long trip like that,” he said.

“So, 10-hour time change, and we’re not even back to that yet. I think it’s only been a week since we’ve been home. So I’m sure there’s some carry-over from that. But my retort, because I’m not one to give into excuses, is I look at the Boston-Toronto score at halftime last night. And I say, well, it’s not affecting Boston. They had (69) points at halftime, and Toronto had (37). So it affects everybody differently.”

Tempo also might have had something to do with Malone’s discontent.

The Nuggets have made it a point to get out of their comfort zone this preseason by seeking transition opportunities.

That was part of the second unit’s identity last season, but the starting lineup thrived by methodically dissecting defenses in the half-court.

“Obviously if you’re playing at a pace that maybe you’re not accustomed to, it could definitely challenge your system,” Malone acknowledged after the game. “But you know, we’ve talked about trying to be a better running team this year. … It can’t be just Russell Westbrook off the bench. It’s gotta be everybody.”

Malone says Murray’s knee felt “funny” >> Injury fears involving Murray resurfaced once again Sunday.

Murray’s knee started bothering him prior to Denver’s first preseason game at Ball Arena, coach Michael Malone said Monday. Murray ended up playing 18 first-half minutes then sitting out the rest of the game.

The Nuggets’ other starters played through the end of the third quarter.

“He told me this morning that he had been feeling great, then all of a sudden last night during his pregame warm-ups, it just was starting to feel a little funny, if you will,” Malone said.

“A lot of times, he’s able to just kind of get going and play through (injuries), and it’ll loosen up. And last night that wasn’t the case. But up until that point, he’s been healthy, ready to go. I asked him this morning, I said, ‘Where do you think your conditioning is?’ And he feels he’s in a good place.”

Murray tore his left ACL and underwent a surgical reconstruction of the ligament in April 2021, causing him to miss two playoff runs and the entire 2021-22 season.

Throughout last season, he navigated a collection of minor leg injuries that caused him to miss 23 games.

He struggled in the 2024 playoffs and during the Paris Olympics, where he suited up for the Canadian national team. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke commended Murray in August for his toughness and desire to play through injuries on those big stages.

“Knock on wood; I have seen a healthy Jamal Murray,” Malone said on Oct. 4 before Denver’s first preseason game in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

“I’ve seen a guy that … (has been) explosive. Making plays. And that’s always a micro-goal of any game that you go into during the preseason, is making sure you have player health.”

Murray scored two points on 1-of-6 shooting in Sunday’s preseason loss to Phoenix, contributing three rebounds, three assists and a steal.