Radical Decision by the Nuggets on the Verge of the NBA Playoffs

Denver Nuggets have decided to fire Mike Malone with three games left in the regular season

In recent weeks, doubts have been increasing significantly regarding the direction Denver Nuggets were heading in this final stretch of the regular season. Therefore, the front office has decided to dismiss Mike Malone, along with the general manager, just as the NBA playoffs are about to begin.

Denver's poor performance has cost Malone his job

The decision to fire Mike Malone comes as a surprise because, just two years ago, he took over the team in 2015, led them to the playoffs for the last six seasons… and was the man who guided the franchise to win its first NBA championship. However, it is even more striking that this decision was made at this stage, with only three games left in the regular season.

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The truth is that Denver's performance in recent weeks was far from positive. In fact, quite the opposite. The loss to the Indiana Pacers (120-125) was their fourth consecutive defeat after losing to the Warriors (118-104), Spurs (106-113), and Timberwolves (139-140)… and their seventh loss in the last 10 games, with victories only over Jazz (129-93), Bucks (127-117), and Rockets (111-116).

The difficult situation of Denver in the Western Conference

This situation has caused Denver Nuggets to fall from second place in the Western Conference… to not having a guaranteed spot for direct entry into the playoffs. Right now, they are in fourth place with the same number of wins as the Clippers (seventh) and only one more than the Timberwolves (46). In any case, they do have a guaranteed play-in spot, as the Kings and Mavericks have only 39 and 38 wins, respectively.

With the firing of Mike Malone, his former assistant David Adelman will take over as head coach of Denver Nuggets starting tonight against Sacramento Kings, and, in principle, he will also coach the team against the Grizzlies and Rockets before the regular season ends. However, due to the uncertainty surrounding the franchise’s decision, it is still unknown whether Adelman will be the coach for the playoffs… or if Denver will look for a more reliable alternative.