Will Playoffs Determine Fate of Nuggets Coach Michael Malone?

The Nuggets look as if they have a lock on the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, with about a month to go in the regular season.

But would anything less than a run to the Finals be acceptable? If the Nuggets fall short of that, coach Michael Malone‘s job could be in danger, ESPN’s Zach Lowe suggested on The Lowe Post podcast.

“I think given the state of the West, there’s enormous pressure on this team right now,” Lowe said of the Nuggets, via RealGM.

“I don’t know if it’s championship or bust, but if this team loses before the conference finals, it’s going to be a disappointment. If they lose in the first round, it’s going to be a catastrophe that I think will push some potential changes.”

Some are wondering if a first-round exit is indeed a possibility, given the Nuggets’ struggles to defend over the past week or so. They could end up facing LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the revamped Lakers in the first round, as LA is starting to look like the potential eighth seed.

That could be bad news for the Nuggets and possibly worse for Malone.

“This is the year where Michael Malone, I think, is facing an enormous amount of pressure,” Adam Mares of DNVR Sports told Lowe.

New Lowe Post podcast: @Adam_Mares on the Nuggets mini-slide and MVP implications, then @NekiasNBA and I reveal our long, long, (very) long list of Most Improved Player candidates:

Spotify: https://t.co/LUWQUL2HOR

Apple: https://t.co/gACSJ31nMV

— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) March 14, 2023