J.R. Smith argues his Nuggets team would have won the NBA title if Michael Malone had been their coach
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While the duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have generated the most praise within the Denver Nuggets, it would be unfair to disregard Michael Malone’s guidance toward their success and emergence as the best team in the NBA.
Malone’s intense leadership and wits have been the backbone for the defending champs, and his wonders are evident once again in their recent entry to the Conference Semifinals after eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers in five games of their first-round series this 2024 Playoffs.
Malone has been so good in managing and mentoring Jokic & Co. that it made J.R. Smith wonder about the fortunes of his Nuggets group if the 52-year-old coach was their play-caller.
George Karl and the Nuggets
It is an interesting double-edged notion coming from J.R. Other than the fact that he indicated how truly special his Denver team was, his X post meanwhile served a significant jab against George Karl, on the other hand.
The mid to late 2000s Nuggets were one of the most promising teams in recent years. With Carmelo Anthony at the front and the likes of Smith, Kenyon Martin, Nene, Arron Afflalo, and Chris Andersen serving as key contributors, Denver has been consistently in the mix for title contention as they made it to the playoffs for seven straight seasons. Upon the arrival of Chauncey Billups, they saw the peak of their power during the 2008-09 season, wherein they tallied 54 wins as the West’s No. 2 team, eventually making it to the Conference Finals until losing against the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers.
Yet as talented as Denver had ever been at that time, they were dragged into the center of controversy with Karl. The fiery head coach infamously butted heads with most of that Nuggets squad and formed an estranged relationship with them, from calling Kenyon “one of the most insecure, immature players” he ever coached and pegging Melo as a “user” due to his obsession with the off-court stuff. At one point, Karl even ripped J.R. for being egotistical and selfish.
Karl fires back vs. J.R.
As it is, Karl wouldn’t come out without a fight in this intriguing argument made by Smith about Malone. In response, the Hall of Fame coach channeled his usual online trolling habits by firing back against the 16-year vet.
If anything, this only shows how remarkable and respected coach Malone has been in his job as the Nuggets head coach. He grew alongside the Joker and Murray from Day 1, and he is now reaping what he saw throughout the years of patience and development in the Mile High City.
But on the flip side, this will only remind us how polarizing George has ever been in the eyes of those who knew him. Despite being one of the best coaches in history, his reputation has been marred by how he burned bridges and still held those grudges against his players.