Denver Nuggets: Will Mike Malone finally win Coach of the Year?
Could this finally be the year that Mike Malone wins the NBA’s Coach of the Year award?
Since beginning his head coaching career with the Sacramento Kings in 2013, Mike Malone has continuously proven time and time again why he should be regarded as one of the top-tier coaches in the NBA.
Last season, Mike Malone was closer to winning the NBA Coach of the Year award than he’s ever been before. Leading the young, promising Denver Nuggets to a 54-28 record and second seed in the Western Conference, Malone was clearly one of the favorites to win the award.
Unfortunately, Malone was beaten out by another Mike (Budenholzer) who led his Milwaukee Bucks to the best overall record in the NBA. With three years of coaching experience with the Nuggets under his best, he’s definitely shown he could potentially lead this team to the promised land, the NBA Finals (where this franchise has never been before).
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While the award slipped through his hands last season, you can make the argument that he could be the favorite to win the award this season looking at the rest of the league. The Nuggets are currently 7-2, tied for the best record – with the Los Angeles Lakers – in the Western Conference.
Denver has picked up where they left off last season, and are hoping they can take the next step in their overall progression and advance beyond the second round in the NBA Playoffs.
If Malone can keep them afloat, on pace with the likes of the Lakers and Clippers, and avoid any setbacks for derailment, the basketball world of awards won’t be able to push Mike Malone away this year.
Malone has his Nuggets playing out of their minds, and this is a team that is only scratching the surface on what they could eventually transform – and evolve – into by the end of the season.
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The Nuggets are young, intriguing, and have one of the best coaches in the NBA. It’s about time he finally gets the recognition he deserves.