The difficulty lies in coming up with creative ways to say “our opponents are good, and we’re not,” without outright saying that. Malone’s approach prior to Game 3 of this opening-round playoff series was certainly an attempt at addressing the elephant in the room: he compared the Nuggets to the discontinued Ford Pinto, and the Warriors to a Maserati.

The Ford Pinto comparison works perhaps a bit better than Malone intended. Just as it was a car that was never considered to be in the same realm as a Maserati, the Nuggets -- without notable players like Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray -- aren't considered in the same realm as the Dubs this postseason.

金塊總教練馬龍在第三戰賽前接受訪問表示，金塊在進攻時一直嘗試追上勇士的腳步，並且拿福特斑馬(一個福特早期出產的車子，已經因為各種安全性問題與缺陷停產)比擬自己的金塊隊，而用名車瑪莎拉蒂比喻勇士。