Insider reveals Mike Malone's fiery reaction to getting fired by Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets shocked the basketball world when they fired coach Mike Malone on Tuesday with three games remaining in the regular season and a postseason spot clinched.

On Saturday, Courtside Buzz's Instagram account quoted NBA insider Brian Windhorst on Friday's "The Hoop Collective":

"It got out pretty quickly in the NBA that Michael Malone’s reaction to being fired was not calm, which is not a surprise. I don’t blame him."

Malone's shock firing came following the Nuggets' four-game skid. At that point, they had lost seven of their previous 10. General manager Calvin Booth was also sacked on Tuesday.

In a statement released by the team, Josh Kroenke, vice chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, which owns the franchise, said that the decision to move on from Malone was to maximize the Nuggets' chances of competing for the 2025 NBA championship.

The Nuggets hired Malone in 2015. In 10 seasons, he had amassed a 471-327 record and guided the franchise to its lone NBA title in 2023.

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Looking at the Denver Nuggets' playoff picture in the crowded West

Since Michael Malone's dismissal, the Denver Nuggets have gone 2-0 under lead assistant David Adelman, who took over as interim coach.

On Wednesday, the Nuggets won 124-116 against the Sacramento Kings. They also bagged a crucial 117-109 home win on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are among the five teams in a tight race for positioning. The LA Clippers, the Golden State Warriors and the Minnesota Timberwolves are the others.

As things stand, Denver is No. 4 in the Western Conference with a 49-32 record. It holds the tiebreaker against the fifth-placed Clippers. On Saturday, the NBA posted every possible scenario before the final day of the regular season finale.

The Nuggets could still finish between No. 4 and No. 7. Sunday's season finale against the Houston Rockets will be crucial. A win would put Denver at the fourth seed and clinch home-court advantage in the first round.

Meanwhile, a loss to the Rockets, who have the No. 2 seed already locked, could see them falling to the Play-In Tournament, depending on other results.