When it came to Michael Malone and his level of support in the locker room, team and league sources say the bottom started to fall out in mid-March. The home loss against Washington was a new low, with the tanking Wizards scoring at will in a 126-123 win that left Jokić fuming afterward. The defense, which was eighth in the league last season and top 16 in each of the previous six seasons, had fallen to 22nd at that time (it’s currently 21st). At the time, league sources say, rival teams began to hear that Nikola Jokic’s patience was wearing thin with the sad state of affairs.Source: New York Times
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
StatMuse @statmuse
Triple-doubles this season:
33 — Nikola Jokic
30 — 2nd, 3rd, 4th place combined pic.x.com/sdM1ctxUMm – 9:51 AM
Triple-doubles this season:
33 — Nikola Jokic
30 — 2nd, 3rd, 4th place combined pic.x.com/sdM1ctxUMm – 9:51 AM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
🇷🇸 Nikola Jokic powers up the Nuggets with 33rd season triple-double
🇭🇷 Ivica Zubac post first career triple-double
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/18… – 3:36 AM
🇷🇸 Nikola Jokic powers up the Nuggets with 33rd season triple-double
🇭🇷 Ivica Zubac post first career triple-double
eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/18… – 3:36 AM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
👀🗣️ Nikola Jokic speaks out for the first time since Coach Malone’s firing! pic.x.com/o1PMhpQETm – 1:24 AM
👀🗣️ Nikola Jokic speaks out for the first time since Coach Malone’s firing! pic.x.com/o1PMhpQETm – 1:24 AM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
“They felt this team needed a jolt to end the season. Going into the playoffs, they want to inject this team with some life.”
@ShamsCharania shares insights on why Nuggets ownership decided to fire head coach Michael Malone, and how Nikola Jokic might respond. pic.x.com/oZ8LIh4ljQ – 8:42 PM
“They felt this team needed a jolt to end the season. Going into the playoffs, they want to inject this team with some life.”
@ShamsCharania shares insights on why Nuggets ownership decided to fire head coach Michael Malone, and how Nikola Jokic might respond. pic.x.com/oZ8LIh4ljQ – 8:42 PM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
Starting Pickaxe and Roll in 15 minutes to share some insights into yesterday’s Malone-Booth firings.
Also, what does Nikola Jokic actually want?
youtube.com/live/MaJYxNmIG… pic.x.com/8P8DjRqfez – 12:46 PM
Starting Pickaxe and Roll in 15 minutes to share some insights into yesterday’s Malone-Booth firings.
Also, what does Nikola Jokic actually want?
youtube.com/live/MaJYxNmIG… pic.x.com/8P8DjRqfez – 12:46 PM
BasketNews @BasketNews_com
Zeljko Obradovic believes that Michael Malone’s decision to make Nikola Jokic the offensive facilitator and ball handler was a game-changer for his career 👏 pic.x.com/LUNmDRVf8i – 11:46 AM
Zeljko Obradovic believes that Michael Malone’s decision to make Nikola Jokic the offensive facilitator and ball handler was a game-changer for his career 👏 pic.x.com/LUNmDRVf8i – 11:46 AM
Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
The tension, the overreliance on vets and the thought of wasting another Nikola Jokic season (and more) led to the housecleaning in Denver. New for @YahooSports sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/te… – 9:13 PM
The tension, the overreliance on vets and the thought of wasting another Nikola Jokic season (and more) led to the housecleaning in Denver. New for @YahooSports sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/te… – 9:13 PM
Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
Firing playoff coaches so early or late in seasons is a long established practice 2 attempt 2 conceal the overt incompetence of decision makers. It works as long as foolish fans are satisfied to pay important money to see quasars like Joker & Ja, as well as mediocrity or worse. – 4:25 PM
Firing playoff coaches so early or late in seasons is a long established practice 2 attempt 2 conceal the overt incompetence of decision makers. It works as long as foolish fans are satisfied to pay important money to see quasars like Joker & Ja, as well as mediocrity or worse. – 4:25 PM
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA
Do star players have a say in coaching decisions? 🤔
“[Michael Malone’s] firing doesn’t happen without the okay from Nikola Jokic.”—@KendrickPerkins 😯 pic.x.com/I0RBF5sj0P – 4:09 PM
Do star players have a say in coaching decisions? 🤔
“[Michael Malone’s] firing doesn’t happen without the okay from Nikola Jokic.”—@KendrickPerkins 😯 pic.x.com/I0RBF5sj0P – 4:09 PM
Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
Luka and Jokic both hitting free agency in the summer of 2027 pic.x.com/ZlwICXYjcj – 1:46 PM
Luka and Jokic both hitting free agency in the summer of 2027 pic.x.com/ZlwICXYjcj – 1:46 PM
Bobby Marks @BobbyMarks42
I promised that the word “shocking” would be removed from my vocabulary post Luka, but this one is a stunner.
Denver is 11-13 post All-Star break but has seen Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray miss significant time in March/April.
Their defense has fallen off the cliff.
They – 1:37 PM
I promised that the word “shocking” would be removed from my vocabulary post Luka, but this one is a stunner.
Denver is 11-13 post All-Star break but has seen Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray miss significant time in March/April.
Their defense has fallen off the cliff.
They – 1:37 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Jokic in April:
45.0 PPG
12.3 RPG
10.7 APG
2.0 SPG
62/45%
0 wins — coach fired. pic.x.com/Iyh0FekL6f – 1:35 PM
Jokic in April:
45.0 PPG
12.3 RPG
10.7 APG
2.0 SPG
62/45%
0 wins — coach fired. pic.x.com/Iyh0FekL6f – 1:35 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Jokic this season:
3rd in PPG
3rd in RPG
2nd in APG
2nd in SPG
Unreal. pic.x.com/nWRrtLuKX6 – 10:13 AM
Jokic this season:
3rd in PPG
3rd in RPG
2nd in APG
2nd in SPG
Unreal. pic.x.com/nWRrtLuKX6 – 10:13 AM
Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburn
In cast you haven’t felt bad enough, Pickaxe and Roll is back and starting now!
On the Pacers loss, Jokic’s plight, Braun’s accountability, and a sketchy Jamal Murray injury update.
youtube.com/live/YpfVM8HpG… pic.x.com/YB5HUCIv4j – 12:12 PM
In cast you haven’t felt bad enough, Pickaxe and Roll is back and starting now!
On the Pacers loss, Jokic’s plight, Braun’s accountability, and a sketchy Jamal Murray injury update.
youtube.com/live/YpfVM8HpG… pic.x.com/YB5HUCIv4j – 12:12 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Plus/minus leader by team this season (West):
DAL — Luka
HOU — Sengun
MEM — Jackson Jr
NOP — Quinones
SAS — Wemby
PHX — Morris
GSW — Steph
SAC — Sabonis
LAL — Finney-Smith
LAC — Zubac
POR — Walker
OKC — Shai
DEN — Jokic
MIN — Reid
UTA — Harkless pic.x.com/ZRxOxq1Civ – 11:52 AM
Plus/minus leader by team this season (West):
DAL — Luka
HOU — Sengun
MEM — Jackson Jr
NOP — Quinones
SAS — Wemby
PHX — Morris
GSW — Steph
SAC — Sabonis
LAL — Finney-Smith
LAC — Zubac
POR — Walker
OKC — Shai
DEN — Jokic
MIN — Reid
UTA — Harkless pic.x.com/ZRxOxq1Civ – 11:52 AM
Bobby Manning @RealBobManning
Consensus @itsbrianbarrett & I built on #AllNBA, in some order: Shai, Jokic, Giannis, Tatum, Mitchell, Edwards, Brunson, LeBron, Curry, Mobley, Cade, Jackson, Towns, Sengun…then Tyrese, Booker or Ja.Williams? And where does Jaylen stand?
We discuss: youtube.com/live/kqQP01HHP… – 11:38 AM
Consensus @itsbrianbarrett & I built on #AllNBA, in some order: Shai, Jokic, Giannis, Tatum, Mitchell, Edwards, Brunson, LeBron, Curry, Mobley, Cade, Jackson, Towns, Sengun…then Tyrese, Booker or Ja.Williams? And where does Jaylen stand?
We discuss: youtube.com/live/kqQP01HHP… – 11:38 AM
More on this storyline
All the while, Malone’s choice to continue supporting Westbrook — despite the frustration he was causing on and off the floor — ultimately led to a loss of credibility among the team’s key players. It was one thing when Malone handled Jokić and Murray with more leniency than the rest of their group, but affording Westbrook that sort of treatment, even with his Hall of Fame resume, wasn’t received well by some. That dynamic intensified recently, starting with Russell Westbrook’s meltdown against Minnesota on April 1 in which his late-game blunders cost Denver the win and spoiled Jokić’s 60-point triple-double. After a brutal Jokić turnover late in a loss to Indiana on Sunday, when he and Westbrook miscommunicated up top and the big man’s pass flew out of bounds, Malone defended his veteran point guard in a way that was seen by some as a shot at the team’s young talents. -via New York Times / April 10, 2025
Bennett Durando: Nikola Jokic on the Nuggets firing Michael Malone and Calvin Booth: “I knew a little bit before everybody. And (Josh Kroenke) told me, ‘We made a decision.’ So it was not a discussion. It was a decision, and he told me why. So I listened and I accept it.” -via x.com / April 10, 2025
EuroHoops: 👀🗣️ Nikola Jokic speaks out for the first time since Coach Malone’s firing!: People say we are vulnerable, but the beast is always most dangerous when they’re vulnerable. So maybe he woke the beast. -via x.com / April 10, 2025
