The Denver Nuggets stood by their guy, and it’s paying off.
The franchise decided to be patient with Mike Malone despite several shortcomings in the playoffs, and they’re now reaping what they sowed.
With the big win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Coach Malone became the winningest coach in franchise history.
Standing at 433 wins, he passed the legendary Doug Moe.
When asked about this accomplishment, Coach Malone was humbled and straightforward (via NBA):
“Life’s about moments, as my father would always talk about, and that was a great moment to celebrate with my guys, with our team,” he said.
“Life’s about moments, as my father would always talk about, and that was a great moment to celebrate with my guys, with our team.”
Michael Malone on becoming the winningest head coach in @nuggets history 💯 pic.twitter.com/xBMM9D9sAs
— NBA (@NBA) November 24, 2024
Malone is the only coach to have led the Nuggets to the NBA Finals and, obviously, the only one to have won an NBA championship for them.
Teams aren’t that patient with their head coaches right now.
Even when they lead them to winning seasons and turn them into perennial championship contenders, they usually let them go after several failed postseason trips.
That wasn’t the case with the Nuggets.
If anything, they doubled down on him, and the front office put together a roster that fulfilled his vision.
The Nuggets haven’t been as dominant this season as they were over the past couple of years, and some believe they might consider breaking up their championship core if they don’t get the job done this season.
Even if that’s the case, and even if their reign at the top is shortlived – which would be a major disappointment – Coach Malone deserves a special spot in this team’s history, and he should be in charge of the team for many more years to come.
