Hoops Habit
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Ranking the NBA’s 30 Head Coaches

By Jake Hyman

May 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich in the first half of game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich in the first half of game seven of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 16, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone speaks during a press conference at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone speaks during a press conference at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

29. Denver Nuggets HC Michael Malone, Two Seasons (39-67)

Malone was relieved of his duties early last season after not showing significant improvement from the 2013-14 season coaching for the Sacramento Kings. In the 24 games he was a part of, had Sacramento in new territory with DeMarcus Cousins dominating and the Kings competing with toughness.

Malone’s career record may not look pretty, but he’s a coach on the rise who resembles the current team he’s coaching. Denver’s new culture, after a volatile year under Brian Shaw, breeds optimism as Emmanuel Mudiay gives the Nuggets a young and budding superstar.

As a former Golden State Warriors assistant, Malone had a part in transforming the culture of the reigning NBA Champions explains ESPN’s Ethan Sherwood Strauss, via Harrison Wind of bsndenver.com:

"“[Darren Erman’s] the guy who instilled a lot of what the Warriors did, as did Mike Malone early on,” Strauss said on BBall Breakdown’s Instant Offense podcast with James Holas per Wind. “I would say just from talking to people that those two guys get a lot of the credit.”"

It might be that experience that netted Malone a head coaching job relatively quickly. Golden State, currently, shows effort and the ability to put on a showcase. Malone will attempt to instill a new environment in Denver with plenty of athletic talent to feature.

Next: An Unfortunate Circumstance