With only four games left in the regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for the playoffs. Currently owning a 48-30 record, the Lakers are sitting in third place in the Western Conference standings. However, they are only two games ahead of the Play-In Tournament, making the final week of the season a crucial stretch for the Lakers.
The Western Conference has been a bloodbath all season. This already resulted in the shocking firing of the Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins. Perhaps the more surprising move came on Tuesday, though, when ESPN's Shams Charania reported the Denver Nuggets were moving on from longtime head coach Mike Malone.
BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets have fired coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/bZoKRx6kgt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2025
NBA News: Nuggets Fire Mike Malone
This is a shocking development as the Nuggets only have three regular-season games left. They are headed to another 50-win season and could potentially earn home-court advantage. Malone has been with the team for 10 seasons and already won a championship with the organization. He is considered to be a player's coach and has an excellent relationship with Nikola Jokic.
Now, David Adelman will reportedly take over as the Nuggets interim head coach. Whether this will light a fire under the team after losing four straight games or whether it will backfire this late in the season remains to be seen.
However, this is undoubtedly a positive development for the Lakers. Denver has been a thorn in the Lakers' side for the last couple of years under Malone. The Lakers have been eliminated at the hands of Jokic in the last two playoffs and would have surely struggled to have an answer for him if they met again this time around.
There is a good chance the Lakers might face the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. Facing a team in the immediate aftermath of losing their coach for the last ten years will certainly make things easier for Luka Doncic, LeBron James & Co.