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The Denver Nuggets shockingly fired head coach Michael Malone along with general manager Calvin Booth on Tuesday ahead of the NBA Playoffs. As a result, the franchise's betting odds to win the Finals have drastically taken a hit.
Reports indicate the Nuggets now have just a 9% chance to win the NBA Finals, according to Polymarket Sports and Legion Hoops. Before firing Michael Malone, Denver had about a 12.5% chance to win the title this season.
The Nuggets’ odds to win the Western Conference have fallen after firing their coach & GM, per @PolymarketSport
Just a 9% chance… 😳 pic.twitter.com/9nKWFPdr0A
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) April 8, 2025
Additionally, FanDuel Sportsbook gives the Nuggets +3000 odds to win this season's championship. They previously held +1600 odds on FanDuel and other betting sites before the firings. Denver is now sixth in the betting odds with five teams ahead of them as betting favorites.
Oklahoma City Thunder +170
Boston Celtics +185
Cleveland Cavaliers +500
Los Angeles Lakers +1700
Golden State Warriors +1700
It's not entirely clear what led to the Nuggets' decision to fire Michael Malone and Calvin Booth. There's speculation that both the former head coach and general manager weren't getting along, but there is no firm reporting on those rumors. However, Denver is on a four-game losing streak that has jeopardized their standings in the Western Conference.
Team owner Josh Kroenke revealed that the team let both of them go ahead of the playoffs as the Nuggets want to maintain championship-level standards, per NBA Insider Chris Haynes. This comes despite Malone and Booth building a championship-winning team around superstar center Nikola Jokic.
“While the timing of this decision is unfortunate, as Coach Malone helped build the foundation of our now championship-level program, it is a necessary step to allow us to compete at the highest level right now. Championship-level standards and expectations remain in place for the current season, and as we look to the future, we look forward to building on the foundations laid by Coach Malone over his record-breaking 10-year career in Denver.”
Lead assistant David Adelman has been named as interim head coach as the Nuggets prepare for the playoffs. Only three games remain on the schedule and the outcome of those contests will determine where the Nuggets fall in the playoff standings. They're only 1.5 games ahead of seeds five through eight. That means there's a chance Denver may have to compete in the play-in tournament depending on how the final stretch of the regular season plays out.
The Nuggets' next game comes on Wednesday night when they take on the Sacramento Kings. It could be a preview of what is to come in the play-in tournament.
