Image Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

“I wake up saying this could be my last day” – NBA Championship-Winning Head Coach Speaks on Mike Malone’s Firing

Malone remains the winningest coach in franchise history with a 471-327 record.

Image Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA world was shocked to hear the news of the Nuggets firing head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth despite a good season. The Nuggets, who are sitting fourth in the West, have gone 3-7 in their last ten games and are on a four-game losing streak.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla shared his opinion on the shocking firing of Mike Malone ahead of the team’s clash against the New York Knicks on Tuesday. Of the 11 coaches who participated in the last seven NBA Finals, Mazzulla is one of the four coaches who still are with the same teams.

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Joe Mazzulla was asked if he ever worries about his message no longer resonating in his team’s locker room. This question came after the reports circulated that Malone called out the Nuggets players for not listening to his plan during the losing skid.

“It’s part of what motivates me, but I wake up every day saying this could be my last day,” Mazzulla said. “You have to have that type of perspective. It gives you gratitude but also keeps you hungry.

Joe Mazzulla on Michael Malone firing: "Every day I remind myself of my own mortality, and I think that's what keeps me in a perspective and a gratitude of the opportunity that you have."

(H/T @GwashburnGlobe) pic.twitter.com/LRrCBQj4Hc
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) April 8, 2025

“You need a healthy balance of wanting this for as long as you can while recognizing you’re essentially replaceable because that’s just how it works. Every day, I remind myself of my own mortality, and I think that’s what keeps me grounded and appreciative of the opportunity I have,” the Celtics coach added.

Mike Malone guided the Denver Nuggets to a first-ever NBA championship in 2023. He was hired in 2015 and led the franchise for a decade. Malone remains the winningest coach in franchise history with a 471-327 record. His team was not having a bad season in the 2024-25 regular season and before his firing, they posted a 47-32 record.

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Joe Mazzulla also celebrated Malone’s journey with the Nuggets and mentioned that he remains one of the four coaches who are still with the same team. Currently, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Steve Kerr and Joe Mazzulla are the coaches, who made it into the NBA finals in last seven seasons and didn’t get fired.

“He was there, what, 10 years there?” Mazzulla said. “Yeah. I mean, that’s a lot. You hope for stuff like that. You hope for situation, stability to be somewhere for as long as you have. When it’s your time, it’s your time.

“I think you focus more on the fact that he was able to be there for 10 years. Not many coaches get to do that. I think there’s only two left, three left now? Pop (Gregg Popovich), Spo (Erik Spoelstra) and (Steve) Kerr are the only ones that have gone as long as that. You hope for that. But you know that not everybody gets that opportunity.”

Image Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

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A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.