More than one time this season, Michael Malone charged to Jamal Murray’s defense and urged patience during one of the worst stretches of the point guard’s career.
Murray felt it appropriate to return the favor at the end of an unthinkable week in Malone’s coaching career.
“Coach always has had my back, from a young kid coming up in this league up until now. He’s always rooted for me,” the 28-year-old said Friday after Denver’s second game without Malone on the sideline. “Like I said, he always had my back and always kept me in good spirits. So I want to give that kind of same energy to him, the same kind of respect. We don’t get here without him.”
The Nuggets fired Malone on Tuesday after losing four consecutive games for the first time in two seasons. Murray, who has been outstanding for Denver since early December, was out for all four of those games. He made his return from a hamstring injury in a 117-109 win over the Grizzlies.
Malone was the only head coach Murray had ever played for in his nine years in the NBA.
“I think he’s done a great job of also setting the example for the group behind us — not just us but for the group behind us,” Murray said. “He always preached a lot of sacrifice and playing for one another and stuff, but I thought Coach always showed a lot of humility in himself. Always taking control of the room. Always hating to lose. He was always setting the tone in that regard.
“So it sucks to kind of see him go like that, especially the way it happened this late (in the season). But we’re still gonna remain in contact and stuff like that.”
On Jan. 14 in Dallas, Malone stood up for Murray when he told reporters that “the microscope on Jamal is a little intense” and that “everybody’s just gotta kind of let the kid breathe a little bit.” Denver’s point guard had started the season slow, but he had scored 45 points in a win that day.
From then to the end of the Malone era this week, Murray averaged 24.2 points and 6.1 assists per game, shooting 51.1% from the field, 41.6% from 3-point range and 92.5% from the foul line.
Malone grew to be fiercely loyal to Murray, especially after the guard tore his ACL in 2021, causing him to miss two postseasons. In his first season back on the court, Murray averaged 26 points and seven assists during Denver’s 20-game run to the championship.
“I remember being in the bus with him, going to the airport after (the injury), and the next day he has tears in his eyes,” Malone recalled during that 2023 playoff run. “… His first thought was, ‘Man, are you guys gonna trade me?’ Really, that was his (mindset): ‘I’m damaged goods. Are you guys can trade me now?’ And I hugged him. I said, ‘Hell no.’ Like, you’re ours. We love you. We’re going to help you get back to maybe a better player for it.”
