Michael Malone might coach Nikola Jokic in the All-Star Game. He might get the rare chance to coach against him, too.
Malone and the staff of the Denver Nuggets have clinched their trip to Malone will coach Team LeBron 鈥� the team that will be drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers鈥� LeBron James 鈥� in the Feb. 19 matchup.
the team that will be drafted by Milwaukee鈥檚 Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Malone and the Nuggets鈥� staff were locked into the All-Star trip Wednesday night when Portland defeated Memphis. That ensured that Denver will have the top spot in the Western Conference when play ends on Sunday; the All-Star coaches are based off which teams have the best record in each conference two weeks before the game.
鈥淚 say it every year and I told our players this. There鈥檚 some teams that are dying for the All-Star break and can鈥檛 wait to go to Cancun,鈥� Malone said. 鈥淣o, we are keeping our eyes on the prize and we have to make sure we play all the way to the break.鈥�
If Malone had plans to go to Cancun or anyplace else over the break, he鈥檒l be leaving from Salt Lake City.
Jokic, the Nuggets鈥� center and two-time reigning NBA MVP 鈥� and certainly a candidate to make it three in a row 鈥� is the only Denver player who鈥檒l start. The Nuggets may have more players selected the seven Eastern Conference and seven Western Conference players that will be reserves.
But there鈥檚 no guarantee Malone will coach Jokic. one of them will draft Jokic, and if it鈥檚 James, he鈥檒l be with Malone for the game.
It鈥檚 the second time Malone will have the All-Star coaching job. He coached Team LeBron over Team Giannis in the 2019 game at Charlotte, 178-164.
He鈥檚 one of three coaches to get to the All-Star Game as coach of the Nuggets. Larry Brown had the job in 1977 and George Karl had it in 2010.
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Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
