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Head coach Michael Malone was ejected during the fourth quarter after a heated argument with the referees during the Denver Nuggets vs LA Clippers skirmish at the Crypto.com Arena on Thursday. An irate Malone refused to relent when arguing with the officials and was whistled twice and tossed with seven minutes left in the quarter and the Nuggets trailing 79-87. He was ejected when he made his displeasure clear for a no-call on a three-point attempt by Michael Porter Jr. The call was made based on the how Clippers center Ivica Zubac had come under the forward when he attempted the shot. The decision didn't sit well with Malone as he charged into the court yelling at the referees.
This is the second instance this season where Malone was ejected for his actions after he got into it with the referees during a game against the Detroit Pistons last year.
At the time of writing, the Nuggets trail the Clippers 92-94 with Nikola Jokic leading the side with a triple-double. The 2x NBA MVP had a game-high 28 points, 17 rebounds, and 10 assists as Denver attempt to rally back in the final stretch without Michael Malone.
Michael Malone was tossed last year when he charged onto the court to contest a decision
Last year, tensions rose to the hilt when both Nikola Jokic and Michael Malone were tossed in the first half of the Nuggets vs Pistons matchup on Nov. 20, 2023. It all started when 'The Joker' received his first tech foul for disputing a call. Soon after, Malone intervened and charged into the court and was whistled for the same.
Both were ejected and Denver was forced to complete the game without their star player and their head coach. Malone explained how tough it was to watch the game sitting in the locker room.
"During the game, you see things. When you're watching on TV, you see everything. It's hard to watch, I'll just leave it at that. It's hard to watch, but it's great to watch a win. When you make a good play, we're pumping our fists, we're excited, we're hugging. When you don't make a good play, I'm cursing in Serbian."
On the season front, the Nuggets are placed second in the West with a 53-23 record. They are one of the teams coasting to the playoffs this season and are favorites to defend their title.
Guess the Lakers players!
