It’s all about a learning experience.

The NBA is a slow motion marathon that can get away from you before you know it. Finding the balance between lessons and moving on is an essential component of every successful NBA team. The teams that can take the appropriate measure of education from a disappointing loss without ruminating on it are those that make it deep into the playoffs.

Do the Nuggets have that in them? We will find out tonight as the Nuggets take on the Sacramento Kings 7:00 pm at Pepsi Center. The team is honoring the players who’s jersey’s have been retired by the team as well as Doug Moe. If anything, the players who are being honored at halftime can attest that a short but receptive memory can help you in your career and boost your team. Rebounding from tough losses without spiraling is where the Nuggets mix of youth and high priced veterans need to display.

Nuggets head coach Michael Malone spoke at shootaround this morning and spoke about the need to take the lessons from the troubling finish of the Utah Jazz game and apply them to tonight’s matchup. Will the Nuggets be able to apply those lessons and prevent the youthful backslide? That is the question that the Nuggets need to answer. For many the loss to the Jazz was too uncomfortably close to the Nuggets of the past few seasons. Now is the time to prove that you have, indeed, retained your short memory.

The team will be honoring Byron Beck, Alex English, Doug Moe, Dan Issel, David Thompson and Dikembe Mutombo tonight. 50 year anniversary celebrations are now officially underway. Would be nice for the current Nuggets to prove they can turn the page in front of these Nuggets legends.

Below is the full audio from Michael Malone’s post shootaround presser today.