Denver Nuggets Fire Head Coach Mike Malone With 3 Games Left

Source: Dustin Bradford / Getty

The tight-necked race for the fourth spot in the NBA‘s Western Conference just got much more stressful for the Denver Nuggets. There are just three games left before the Nuggets compete in their seventh straight postseason, but what better time to shake things up? So, the team’s front office has decided to fire head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth, who reportedly “never liked each other, rarely spoke and talked behind each other’s backs.”

The decision comes as the Nuggets are on their unprecedented first four-game losing streak of the season, which included a loss to the Pacers on Sunday despite Nikola Jokic‘s 41-point performance. It was also highlighted by a double overtime 140-139 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where the Joker’s 61-point triple-double was spoiled by two late-game Russell Westbrook blunders of a missed layup and fouling a three-point attempt. The Nuggets are in danger of slipping into playing territory, as assistant coach David Adelman, who’s been with the team since 2017, takes over as head coach. Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke is conducting business as usual, telling reporter Vic Lombardi that his players should “Play hard and have fun.” But the sudden change is a head-scratcher, coming just a week before the playoffs and just two years after the Mile High City franchise won its first NBA Championship. The players will have to adjust quickly to only the latest shocking midseason firing, like Taylor Jenkins, who the Memphis Grizzlies fired in March, and Mike Brown, who was let go by the Sacramento Kings at the end of December. The musical chairs of coaching are a problem that extends beyond the 2024-25 campaign. CBS reports that only three coaches from the 2019-20 season—Erik Spoelstra, Gregg Popovich, and Steve Kerr—still have the same job. Even Kerr, who has won five NBA championships as a player and four as coach of the Golden State Warriors, recognizes the trend and isn’t sitting so cushy in the Bay Area.

“Shocked, like everyone,” Kerr said ahead of his team’s game against the Phoenix Suns. Mike has obviously been a great, great coach—championship coach—and fantastic record. Again, like with Taylor, you don’t expect anything like this this late in the season. Doesn’t seem right, but this is the business we’re in. We’re all going to suffer a similar fate at some point. That’s kind of the way it is.”

Social media is just as surprised at Malone getting the boot. See the reactions below.