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[Saba Sports News] Nikola Jokic isn’t known for dramatic speeches or fiery soundbites. But after the Denver Nuggets made the stunning decision to fire head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth just days before the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the reigning MVP sent a quiet warning shot to the rest of the league.
“People say we were vulnerable,” Jokic said. “But the beast is always the strongest and most dangerous when it’s vulnerable. Maybe he woke up the beast.”
The comment came amid rising doubts about the Nuggets’ playoff readiness, especially after a four-game skid dropped them dangerously close to the Play-In zone.
Many saw a team unraveling—frayed chemistry, defensive slippage, and now, a front-office shakeup. Malone, the franchise’s all-time wins leader and Jokic’s trusted partner through MVPs and a championship, was at the center of it all. His firing raised eyebrows and alarm bells.
But for Jokic, it may have lit a fire.
In Denver’s first game without Malone, Jokic posted his 32nd triple-double of the season—20 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists—in a 124-116 win over the Kings. The losing streak snapped. The message? The Nuggets aren’t done yet.
Jokic admitted Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke informed him of the decision beforehand but made it clear it wasn’t a joint discussion. He wouldn’t share details of the talk, but the emotion was evident. Losing both Malone and Booth—key architects of Jokic’s rise—clearly struck a nerve.
Per The Athletic, Jokic had grown increasingly frustrated with Denver’s defensive regression, which saw them plummet to 20th in the league. Despite his own historic stat line—29.8 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game—he saw a team slipping in effort and identity.
The tension reportedly boiled over as Malone resisted front-office pressure to play younger prospects like Jalen Pickett and Peyton Watson, opting instead for veterans in crunch time.
Now, with David Adelman stepping in as interim head coach, the Nuggets looked noticeably recharged. Christian Braun erupted for 25 points, while Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. each chipped in 21. It wasn’t just a bounce-back win—it felt like a message to the league.
With two regular-season games left, Denver is tied with the Clippers for the No. 4 seed. Jokic may have lost his coach and GM, but he’s gained something even more dangerous: purpose.
And as history has shown, an angry Jokic is a terrifying Jokic. The bear in Denver is wide awake—and wearing No. 15.