A Legendary Coach Dismissed and a Star Player Fired
A major stir has taken over the offices and arenas of the NBA in recent hours following the dismissal of Denver Nuggets’ historic head coach Michael Malone and the firing of Los Angeles Lakers’ Slovenian star Luka Dončić during his team’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Malone’s dismissal, just one week before the start of the playoffs, came as a major shock to many observers, especially fans of the team. The 53-year-old coach had taken over Denver a decade ago and led the team to the championship title in 2023.
Assistant coach David Adelman will temporarily take charge of the team, which includes Serbian star Nikola Jokić, a three-time league MVP, until the end of the season.
Denver currently sits fifth in the Western Conference with a record of 47 wins and 32 losses, including defeats in their last four games. However, they have already secured at least a spot in the play-in tournament.
The Nuggets are battling for playoff qualification alongside the Los Angeles Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Memphis Grizzlies, making their final three regular-season games extremely crucial in securing a seventh straight playoff appearance.
Denver’s next game is on Wednesday against the Sacramento Kings, who are fighting to reach the play-in tournament, followed by matchups against the Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets, the latter having already clinched qualification in the Western Conference along with the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Dončić Fired
Meanwhile, in a tense game affected by the aftermath of Oklahoma City’s heavy 27-point loss to the Lakers just days prior (99-126), Lakers’ star Dončić was fired, paving the way for Canadian standout Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to steal the spotlight with 42 points, leading his team to a 136-120 revenge victory.
The fourth quarter saw Dončić fired after receiving a second technical foul. Referee DJ O’Rourke claimed the player verbally abused him after making a shot that put the Lakers ahead 108-107 with 7:40 left in the game.
Dončić protested the call, insisting he was merely responding to a disruptive fan in the crowd, not the referee. However, the decision stood, and it visibly affected the Lakers’ momentum, allowing Oklahoma City to take control and secure the win.
Dončić, who scored 23 points in 31 minutes, insisted he did not direct any profanity toward the referee, saying: “It wasn’t about the referee, so I didn’t really understand it. It was tough, but you know, that’s on me too. I can’t let my team down like that.”
LeBron James, who finished with 28 points, couldn’t explain his teammate’s firing either, saying: “I don’t know why the ref took it personally. He thought what Luka said was directed at him. The game just got really weird after that.”
Despite the loss, the Lakers remain in third place in the Western Conference with a 48-31 record and need to win two of their final three regular-season games to secure their spot.
Behind the Lakers are four teams tied with identical 47-32 records: the Los Angeles Clippers, who moved up to fourth after a 122-117 win over the San Antonio Spurs; the fifth-placed Denver Nuggets; the sixth-placed Golden State Warriors, who crushed the Phoenix Suns 133-95; and the seventh-placed Memphis Grizzlies, who boosted their playoff hopes with a 124-100 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
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