WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nuggets coach Michael Malone was frustrated and dumbfounded before he perked up at the sound of cuss words. On the way back to the halftime locker room Wednesday night, after the Nuggets had sleep-walked through the first two quarters and were actually down two to the hometown Wizards, Malone trailed Jamal Murray in the hallway when he heard some encouraging words. “We’re (BS-ing) right now,” Malone recounted hearing from his star point guard after the Nuggets bludgeoned Washington in the second half to seize a 118-104 win. Malone heard his fiery playmaker raise his voice and question the effort and intensity they’d just displayed. With nine games left in the regular season, the first half was hardly the type of basketball that would engender any optimism heading into the playoffs.