Nuggets coach George Karl is frustrated by what he perceives to be a lack of effort this season.
Denver lost 106-100 to Minnesota on Sunday night. It was just the second win of the season for the Timberwolves.
"The playing-hard thing is driving me crazy. Tell me my play-hard (lineup), tell me five guys I can put on the court to play hard every possession?" Karl said after the loss. "I had it last year. I don't have a play-hard team this year, and it's making me very angry."
The Nuggets lead by 14 at halftime, but allowed the Timberwolves to outscore them 56-36 in the second half.
"We didn't respect them enough to put them away," said Denver guard Chauncey Billups. "You give a team confidence, it's tough to stop them from rolling, no matter what their record is. That really is our fault in this locker room; that's my fault for not stepping up and leading at the start of the third quarter."