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The Denver Nuggets, who’re simply two years faraway from successful an NBA Championships, made the gorgeous determination to half methods with head coach Mike Malone on Tuesday. Denver presently sits in fourth place within the Western Convention with the playoffs proper across the nook and plenty of followers believed they’d but once more contend for a championship.
However because it seems, issues have been slightly extra shaky behind the scenes than followers have been led to consider. Along with firing Malone, the Nuggets additionally fired normal supervisor Calvin Sales space after the 2 reportedly clashed over a number of selections, together with Malone’s propensity to play controversial star Russell Westbrook over 25-year-old backup level guard Jalen Pickett.
“Russell Westbrook might need been the largest lightning rod,” Sam Amick and Tony Jones of The Athletic report. “On one hand, Westbrook has largely been productive this season and has offered some vitality on the ground to a staff that wanted it … However the Westbrook expertise has turned erratic recently, as his play on the ground has tailed off. The truth that Pickett has emerged not too long ago together with his skill to make photographs and supply a relaxing presence on the ground, has offered a big distinction to Westbrook’s type of play.”
Westbrook’s miscues and the staff’s struggles reportedly angered famous person Nikola Jokic. Amick and Jones report that Jokic’s frustrations grew to the purpose the place the group was involved about maintaining the three-time NBA MVP.
“That dynamic intensified not too long ago, beginning with Westbrook’s meltdown towards Minnesota on April 1 wherein his late-game blunders price Denver the win and spoiled Jokić’s 60-point triple-double,” the report states.
Of the final six coaches Westbrook has performed for, solely Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers stays within the NBA. Malone defended the nine-time NBA All-Star on a number of events. So it was seemingly his option to go down with the ship. However it undoubtedly sends a message to any coaches who could have thought-about signing Westbrook within the years to return.
