Michael Malone

The coach who delivered Denver its first title after 47 years.

Michael Malone is an American basketball coach who served as the head coach of the Denver Nuggets from 2015 until his dismissal on April 8, 2025. During his decade-long tenure in Colorado, he led the franchise to its first-ever NBA championship in 2023, defeating the Miami Heat in six games after overcoming historic playoff deficits. Before his time in Denver, Malone held head coaching roles with the Sacramento Kings and served as an assistant for several NBA teams, including the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Golden State Warriors. His career is defined by deep playoff runs, a record-breaking 433 wins with the Nuggets, and a historic sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2023 Conference Finals.

Quick Facts

Current team: North Carolina
Current conference: ACC
Contract: $8.4 million
Born: 15 September 1971
Birthplace: Queens, New York, U.S.
Player positions: Guard
Championships: NBA champion (2023)

Lore & Background

Malone's time in Denver began on June 15, 2015. In his first major playoff test during the 2019 Bubble, he guided the Nuggets to a historic comeback, becoming the first team in league history to overcome multiple 3–1 deficits in a single postseason by defeating the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. Despite falling short that year against the eventual champion Lakers, Malone secured a contract extension on March 23, 2022, setting the stage for the following season. In 2022–23, the Nuggets dominated the Western Conference from December 20 onward, earning Malone his second All-Star coaching gig in five years. The team swept the Lakers in the Conference Finals, marking the first postseason sweep in franchise history, before facing the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Reader's Guide

To understand Malone's impact on Denver, one must look at his specific playoff achievements and the milestones he reached. He led the Nuggets to the second seed in the West in 2019 with a 54–28 record before their famous 3–1 comebacks. His coaching style was tested in the 2023 Finals where, despite shooting struggles from deep (37.6% average entering Game 5), his team secured the title. He became the first coach to guide Denver to a Finals appearance and the first to secure a playoff series sweep for the franchise. His legacy includes surpassing Doug Moe's win total in November 2024. However, his final season ended in controversy when he was dismissed on April 8, 2025, after four straight losses, making him the latest-coach fired from a team that had previously made the playoffs.

Did You Know?

On November 24, 2024, Malone recorded his 433rd win with the Nuggets, surpassing Doug Moe for the most wins in franchise history.
Malone was fired on April 8, 2025, just 79 games into the season, tying the record for the latest in-season coaching change by any team in NBA history.