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Michael Malone raises eyebrows about MVP race in first ESPN appearance
Michael Malone raises eyebrows about MVP race in first ESPN appearance
Life comes at you fast in the NBA.
One minute, you’re coaching a three-time MVP in Nikola Jokic and helping lead the franchise to its first-ever NBA championship. Next, before you could even blink, you get blindsided on the precipice of the postseason, as your team is making a push into what was lauded to be an exciting race to the top.
That’s what head coach Michael Malone, one of the most respected coaches in the business, had to endure after getting unexpectedly fired by the Denver Nuggets in early April.
Malone, 53, joined ESPN earlier this week for coverage of the Western Conference Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves. Roughly 24 hours before the MVP would inevitably be announced, Malone, glued to Jokic for most of the season, raised eyebrows about the MVP chase after Gilgeous-Alexander’s Game 1 performance.
“[Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] showed why he’s the MVP,” Malone said. “He took over in the second half and did so in a very efficient manner and put the team on his back.”
If ESPN’s latest straw poll indicated anything, Gilgeous-Alexander is the overwhelming favorite to take home the award.
SGA winning it isn’t a knock against Jokic. The 6-foot-6 guard led the NBA in scoring (32.7 ppg), in addition to averaging 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals. He led Oklahoma City to a 68-win season despite Chet Holmgren missing all but 32 games. They were the most dominant team in the NBA all season, and Gilgeous-Alexander’s presence was the biggest reason why.
On the other hand, Malone’s tone in March is much different from what it is now.
“[Nikola Jokic] wins the MVP 10 times out of 10. And if you don’t think so, you guys are all full of (bleep),” he said, according to AP’s Tim Reynolds.
For perspective, Jokic averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists, becoming the third player in NBA History to average a triple-double. He shot 57.6 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from 3-point range and 80.0 percent from the free-throw line.
Perhaps the longtime head coach is holding grudges against his former team, or he’s trying to take a more objective perspective now that he’s away from the sidelines.
Do you think it was a direct shot, or do you think Malone’s new perspective is genuine and objective? Let us know in the comments!
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