Michael Malone has etched his name into Denver Nuggets history as the franchise’s all-time winningest coach with 433 wins. The previous wins leader, Doug Moe, has his name hanging in the rafters at Ball Arena after earning 432 wins during his tenure. Now that Malone is the franchise leader in wins, he will undoubtedly join Moe in the rafters at some point in the future.
And in poetic fashion, Malone’s 433rd win came against the Los Angeles Lakers, a team that the Nuggets have utterly dominated in recent years. Following the Nuggets’ 127-102 win over the Lakers, Malone reflected on his time coaching in the Mile High City.
“I’ve been really fortunate to work for the Kroenke family, Stan and Josh, just how wonderful they’ve been to me and my family. The best way I can put it is that when someone believes in you, that’s powerful. They’ve continued to believe in me every step of the way, and I don’t take that lightly,” said an emotional Malone.
Nikola Jokic led the way with 34 points, 18 rebounds, eight assists, one block, and two steals. While Jokic’s dominant performances are commonplace now, Malone still finds himself amazed, and thankful, for his talent.
“Obviously, in this league as a coach, you need players,” said Malone. “I get a chance to coach a legendary player like Nikola Jokić who makes my job easier every day.”
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Following the game, Nuggets players surprised Malone by dousing him with water. In his post-game press conference, while still a little damp from the locker room celebration, Malone continued to reflect on his time with the Nuggets. He also mentioned his late father, former NBA coach Brendan Malone, who passed away in 2023.
“I walked in and the players doused me with water. That kind of speaks how connected the group is and when anybody on our team has success, we all share in that and we all celebrate together because we’re a family. So that was a really cool experience and a moment,” said Malone. “Like life’s about moments. My father would always talk about that, and that was a great moment to celebrate with my guys. With our team. … My only regret is I wish my father was here for it. But I do know that he’s looking down with a big smile on his face.”