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NBA suspends Nuggets coach Michael Malone one game for making contact with official

November 20, 2017

The NBA has suspended Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone one game without pay for making contact with an official. Malone will serve the suspension tonight as the Nuggets face his old team, the Sacramento Kings.

With 6:20 remaining in the second quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, an incensed Malone walked onto the court and impeded referee Rodney Mott’s progress. Malone was immediately ejected, and the Nuggets wound up losing 127-109.

Lead assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr., who took the reins after the ejection, will likely fill in for Malone.

The NBA also announced that Nikola Jokic should not have been ejected from Sunday’s game. Mott tossed Jokic shortly after he instructed Malone to leave the floor. Jokic was protesting the call but never made contact with Mott. The league said Jokic should have received a technical and nothing more.