Denver Nuggets Fire Head Coach Michael Malone In Stunning Move A Week Before Playoffs Begin

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The Denver Nuggets have fired head coach Michael Malone with just three games left on their regular-season schedule. The move comes amid the team's four-game losing streak, but the Nuggets currently sit fourth in the Western Conference standings.

ESPN's Shams Charania has also reported that the Nuggets are firing general manager Calvin Booth, who joined the franchise in 2020.

Malone, the franchise's winningest coach, led the Nuggets to an NBA title just two seasons ago and will leave the Mile High City with an overall record of 471-327 in 10 seasons at the helm. Malone's firing comes two days after Denver's 125-120 loss at home to the Indiana Pacers. 

The Nuggets are now the second team in two weeks to be holders of a playoff spot and part ways with their head coach with the Memphis Grizzlies being the first to do so when they let go of Taylor Jenkins on March 28.

Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is firmly in league MVP conversations yet again, and has scored 61 points and 41 points in two of Denver's last four games, but those efforts all ended in losses.

NBA fans across social media had quite the reaction to Denver firing Malone:

The Nuggets close out their regular season with games against Sacramento, Memphis, and Houston, with the regular-season finale against the Rockets taking place on April 13.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets, including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016, when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.