The Nuggets shocked the NBA world by dismissing Michael Malone of his head coaching duties Tuesday. Not only did they fire Malone, but the Nuggets also fired GM Calvin Booth, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Malone notably has been coaching the Nuggets since 2015. During his run in Denver, the Nuggets had eight winning seasons, including this year, they won their first NBA championship in 2023 and they advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2020.
These firings come a midst a four-game losing streak for Denver. While the Nuggets currently sit as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, they have the potential to finish as low as the No. 8 seed if they keep losing. With Malone out, lead assistant David Adelman will serve as the Nuggets’ interim head coach, per Charania.
Following these firings Tuesday, the Nuggets now carry the sixth-best odds to win the NBA championship at +1800 and the fourth-best odds to win the Western Conference at +800 on DraftKings Sportsbook. While these are appealing prices, Denver’s hopes of reaching the finals and contending for another championship seem to be gone.
While the Nuggets went into the All-Star break as the hottest team in the NBA, winning eight in a row before the layoff, they have taken a major step backwards since. Post All-Star break, Denver is 11-13 and they rank 21st in net rating. Their defense has been their main issue, ranking 22nd in defensive rating, and the Nuggets have been extremely turnover prone, ranking 25th in turnover percentage. Additionally, they have struggled in close games. In clutch situations, which is when there is five minutes or less in the game and the difference in the score is five points or fewer, the Nuggets are 5-6 since the break. Now, with the highly-praised Malone out of the picture, it’s hard to imagine the Nuggets improve. While a few players may be pleased about Malone’s departure, there are absolutely many key Nuggets players who certainly aren’t thrilled with this major move.
Denver faces the Kings, Grizzlies and Rockets in their final three games of the regular season, all of which are clubs that will likely be motivated for seeding purposes. The Nuggets losing at least two of these games and slipping into the Play-In Tournament wouldn’t be shocking, and it’s hard to imagine them advancing further than the second round this postseason, considering how strong the Western Conference is this season.
If you’re looking to place a wager on a team to win the Western Conference other than Denver, the Warriors stand out at +550 on DraftKings Sportsbook. Jimmy Butler has been a match made in heaven for Golden State. Since the All-Star break, they are an impressive 18-5, while ranking top-eight in both offensive and defensive rating. Overall, the Warriors rank third in net rating since the All-Star break, trailing only the defending champion Celtics and the top seeded Thunder. While Oklahoma City has been magnificent this season, they are still the youngest team in the association and their lack of experience may shown up in big moments in the playoffs. When Oklahoma City advanced to the NBA Cup final earlier this season, they faced a more experienced Bucks team and lost by 16 points. A savvy Warriors team lead by Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Butler have the tools to upset the Thunder this postseason and at these +550 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook, Golden State is the most appealing bet to win the Western Conference with the playoffs starting next week.
