The NBA suspended Nuggets head coach Mike Malone for Monday night’s game in Sacramento after he ran onto the court against the Lakers and made contact with a referee.
Malone was tossed out of the 127-109 road loss in Los Angeles, along with center Nikola Jokic.
Denver was able to secure a 114-98 win against the Kings without its bench boss last night.
Per the Denver Post:
Denver Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. got a text around 3:30 Monday afternoon from boss Michael Malone, informing Unseld Jr. that he would make his NBA head-coaching debut that night and requesting a meeting with the staff to finalize the game plan.
“It was kind of a scramble,” Unseld Jr. said before the game. “But at that point, (it was), ‘Alright, we have to move forward.’”
The league determined Monday that Jokic’s punishment was too severe, rescinding the ejection fine issued because he “properly received a technical foul for his actions but should not have been ejected from the game.”
