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Denver Nuggets NBA Championship Odds Unchanged After Firings of Michael Malone, Calvin Booth
For the second time in the last few weeks, a head coach of a contending team has been let go.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Tuesday afternoon that Denver Nuggets head coach Mike Malone has been fired, a shocking move with just three games left in the regular season for Denver.
BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets have fired coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/bZoKRx6kgt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2025
Oddsmakers have yet to make an adjustment to Denver's odds to win the title, as DraftKings has kept Denver at +1800 to win the Finals, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics., Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
Denver, the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference entering Tuesday's action, is also firing general manager Calvin Booth, cleaning house less than two weeks before the playoffs start.
Full clean out: The Denver Nuggets are also firing general manager Calvin Booth, sources tell ESPN. Michael Malone and Booth both out today. pic.twitter.com/FvqOAFyOKy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 8, 2025
These are shocking moves for the Nuggets, who won the NBA Finals in the 2022-23 season and are in the mix to win the title again this season. Denver has slipped to the No. 4 seed due to a recent skid, losing seven of its last 10 games. Over that 10-game stretch, Denver is just 19th in the NBA in net rating.
Malone is the winningest coach in Nuggets history, and he's led the team to the playoffs in six striaght season.
While these moves signal that Denver is not happy where the team is at this point in the season, the Nuggets still have sixth-best odds to win the title. The Nuggets have games left against the Sacramento Kings, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets, and they could end up in the play-in tournament if they don't finish strong.
Denver is always a threat with Nikola Jokic on the roster, but there appears to be some serious turmoil in the organization as the playoffs approach.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.