For the second time in less than two weeks, a Western Conference team in the NBA playoff picture fired their head coach just ahead of the postseason.
Just over a week after the Memphis Grizzlies fired head coach Taylor Jenkins, the Nuggets made the call on Tuesday to fire head coach Michael Malone with just three games left on their regular-season docket.
Beyond the late timing of Malone’s dismissal, he is less than two years removed from coaching the Nuggets to a championship — and was holding court as Denver’s all-time winningest coach.
As shocking as it was for Denver to hand Malone a pink slip at this juncture of the NBA calendar, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was his candid self on Tuesday when asked ahead of Boston’s road game against the Knicks about Malone’s dismissal.