The Denver Nuggets didn’t capitalize on the best statistical season of Nikola Jokic’s career, losing in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Jokic became only the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season. The three-time MVP accomplished the feat by posting career highs in points and assists while recording his second-highest rebounds per game average ever.
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But despite their franchise player’s historic campaign, the Nuggets barely made it past the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round before losing to the No.1 ranked Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games in round two.
Kevin Garnett blamed the Nuggets’ disappointing finish on the organization’s firing of Mike Malone right before the start of the playoffs.
“You do not, in the middle of trying to reach a goal like the NBA Finals, in my suggestion, in my opinion, I’ve been around ball for a long time and I’ve never seen nobody right when you getting ready to go for the thick of it fire your general, right when you jump in the battlefield. You get ready whatever, you kill off the general,” said Garnett.
The beef between coach and GM
Malone was fired with only three games left to play in the regular season — at that point, Denver was sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference standings with a 47-32 record.
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The Nuggets had won at least 46 games in eight consecutive seasons under Malone, including three 50-win campaigns. They had made six consecutive trips to the NBA Playoffs, winning the first championship in franchise history in 2023.
Nuggets president and team governor Josh Kroenke revealed that Malone and GM Calvin Booth were not seeing eye-to-eye, and their clash of philosophies was beginning to affect the team. Rather than picking a side, Kroenke let go of both and gave the team a fresh start.
Still, many argued the timing of his decision was wrong. It was certainly unprecedented, especially for a team looking to contend for a championship.
Jokic looked like the coach at times
The Nuggets went to the playoffs with assistant coach David Adelman as an interim head coach. But while Adelman had the team’s ears, there were instances during the postseason when Jokic was holding the board and making plays for the team.
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According to KG, that was an ominous sign.
“We asked the Denver fuc*ing Nuggets to go in there and do some unbelievable sh** and we asked an assistant coach to come in here and fill in for the fuc*ing nig*a who got them here…Denver did not have a fuc*ing chance. You’re having your best player not only having to be a player but he got to be a fuc*ing coach?” the Hall of Famer added.
On Thursday, the Nuggets announced Adelman will be their full-time coach moving forward. The 44-year-old will now have the opportunity to coach an entire NBA campaign with the benefit of a full offseason.
Still, for the Nuggets to return to title contention, the franchise needs to make some roster changes — especially regarding depth. Jokic’s brilliance alone won’t cut it.