Calvin Booth, the Nuggets’ general manager, had grown frustrated with coach Michael Malone and considered firing him in the past, but lacked the authority to do so. The team’s owner, Josh Kroenke, decided to fire both Booth and Malone at the same time to reset the organization and give assistant coach David Adelman a chance to audition for the head coach position. The move was surprising, especially with the regular season almost over. Adelman will lead the team as interim coach and has the support of the players, including star Nikola Jokic. The team’s strategy and effort will be under scrutiny, but they have a chance to make a playoff push.
The Nuggets played their first game under Adelman with a different energy and vibe, with more rest for Jokic and less minutes for Westbrook. The team is still in the fourth spot in the Western Conference and has home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The players know they are in the crosshairs of criticism after Malone’s and Booth’s firings.
Jokic had a conversation with Kroenke before the official announcement and accepted the decision. The team’s season is not over, and they have a chance to do something special.
Denver beat the Sacramento Kings, their first win under Adelman, and moved closer to clinching a top-six spot in the Western Conference and avoiding the Play-In Tournament. The team’s locker room after the game was quiet, but there was a sense of relief and positive vibes.
Adelman said he didn’t feel much difference in communicating with the team and that the team still had the same responsibilities and delegation of duties in front of him.
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