After an initial run at the 2019 All-Star game in Charlotte, Denver has clinched the West’s best record through Sunday, qualifying Malone for a 2nd trip.
On All-Star weekend, Malone traveled to Salt Lake City with the Denver Nuggets team.
Team LeBron, created by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, will be coached by Malone on Feb. 19. The team will be coached by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who will serve as interim coach for Boston.
On Wednesday night, Portland beat Memphis in the NBA All-Star Game, securing Malone and the Nuggets’ place in the All-Star game. The top two teams in each conference are selected by the All-Star coaches two weeks before games, based on their records. The All-Star break is a big deal for some teams and they are dying to go to Cancun, Malone said.
During the break, Malone may leave Salt Lake City to travel to Cancun or elsewhere. In addition to Jokic, the Nuggets center is the only Denver player to start. He is a two-time reigning Kia MVP.
On Thursday, the NBA may select up to fourteen players as reserves for their Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams. There is no guarantee that Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone will be coaching Team LeBron’s Nikola Jokic if he is chosen, as that decision rests solely with Team Captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This would be the second time Malone has been chosen to coach in the All-Star Game, after his stint in 2019. Furthermore, he is one of only three coaches in the history of the Denver Nuggets to have had the honor of coaching in the All-Star Game, alongside Larry Brown and George Karl.