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# 1 Malone coached his team through injuries
The Nuggets were the second seed of the West but not without a fight. They dealt with injuries throughout the season, yet managed to remain at the top of the conference.
This season, the Nuggets lost players such as Paul Millsap and Gary Harris to injuries. In December, Millsap suffered a broken toe and missed 8 games. Millsap played 14 games in the playoffs and averaged 14.6 points. The veteran forward helped the Nuggets succeed in the playoffs.
Harris suffered a hip injury around the same time as Millsap. He missed four weeks before returning in January. Then, Harris missed five games that month due to hamstring tightness. Harris also missed more time with a right adductor strain. He played 57 games in the regular season but played 14 in the playoffs. He averaged 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds. Harris had a rough regular season but made up for when it was necessary.
Another player that missed time was Will Barton. Barton injured his right hip in the second game of the season. The Nuggets ruled him out for six weeks after he underwent surgery on October 23. However, he missed more time and returned in January. He missed a total of 38 games and played a total of 43. He played in the playoffs but failed to find a rhythm. He averaged only 9.1 points in the postseason.
The Nuggets had their hands full when it came to injuries. They were the second most injured team in the league with players cumulatively missing over 270 games due to injury. The only team with more injuries than the Nuggets was the Cleveland Cavaliers, whose players missed nearly 280 games cumulatively.
Denver lost three of their key players but received contributions from bench players such as Malik Beasley and Monte Morris. Malone led his core and bench players through the season.
Malone and the Nuggets accomplished a lot this season. They fought through injuries but became a better team. With all of this in mind, Malone should win Coach of the Year award.
