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During the post-game interview after the Denver Nuggets matchup against the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Nuggets head coach Mike Malone referred to the Nuggets squad as his "18 boys". Malone expressed the fatherly side of his coaching tactics citing a heartwarming anecdote of his late dad.
"My father taught me a long time ago, one of the greatest lessons for me that he ever gave was that the greatest gift I can give any of my players is confidence," Mike said.
"If they go 0 for three and I'm like, 'Make a shot come on', that's not gonna help them. But if I encourage them and stay with them and they know it's genuine, then they have a chance to go out there and play to the best of their ability," Malone continued. "Yeah, I got 18 boys and two daughters."
This came after the Denver Nuggets (46-20) regained the top seed in the Western Conference with their 100-88 win over the Miami Heat. Nikola Jokic led the victory charge for the Nuggets recording 12 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and one steal. Michael Porter Jr. added 25 points to the win.
Mike Malone's dad was also an NBA coach
Brendan Malone, father of Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone, was a highly regarded NBA coach and served a 27-year tenure in the league.
Brendan started his career in the NBA by joining the New York Knicks coaching staff in 1986. He also served as an assistant with the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic.
During his time as an assistant coach with the Detroit Pistons from 1988-1995, Malone played a significant role in developing a defense strategy to neutralize Michael Jordan. The strategy helped the Pistons eliminate the Chicago Bulls from the playoffs and clinch back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990.
He was also the first head coach of the Toronto Raptors when they were first established during the 1995-96 season. However, he was relieved of his duties after a single season and a record of 21-61.
In all, the teams he helped coach advanced to the playoffs 20 times with four NBA Finals appearances. Brendan also received the 2023 Tex Winter Assistant Coach Lifetime Impact Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association.
Brendan Malone passed away on October 10, 2023, at the age of 88, a few months after his son, Mike Malone, led the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever championship.
