Michael Malone was surprisingly fired as Nuggets coach when only three regular season games remained and the playoffs were just around the corner. It was the latest dismissal in NBA history, equaling that of Hubie Brown with the Hawks in 1981. From the locker room there were no words in defense of the coach who had led Denver to its first NBA championship.
Neither did Nikola Jokic, the franchise player, who limited himself to lukewarm comments. “If you want to change something, this is the way and the owner wanted to do it. It was a tough day for everybody, probably especially for him and his family, but I would say it’s just part of the business,” said the Serbian center.
Malone has not taken long to find work, although not on the bench. The coach has signed for ESPN to act as a commentator during the Conference Finals. He made his debut on Wednesday in the first game of the series between the Thunder and the Timberwolves and, taking advantage of the presence of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the court, left the first message to Jokic, with whom he is fighting for the MVP of the season.
Shai’s first exhibition in the Western final
“Shai showed why he’s the MVP. He took control in the second half. He did it with great efficiency and carried the team on his shoulders when they needed him most,” Malone said of the Thunder point guard’s performance, who finished with 31 points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals in the 114-88 win in the first game.
Shai showed why he is the MVP. He took control in the second half. He did it with great efficiency and carried the team on his shoulders when they needed him most
Malone’s words contrast with what he thought in March, when he was still the Nuggets’ coach. He then said that “if a player averages a triple-double and is in the top three in the three major statistical categories, things that no one has ever done before, he wins the MVP 10 out of 10 times. And if you don’t believe it, I think you’re all lying.” Of course, he was referring to Jokic, his disciple.
The NBA is delaying the MVP award more than in other years. In previous seasons, it was already known who the winner was. Probably the duel between Shai and Jokic in the Western Conference semifinal has something to do with it. To decide the winner, only what was done in the regular season counts, but the last thing that is in the retina is the classification of the Thunder and the incidence of the point guard, which has been greater than that of the center.
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