“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he showed why he’s the MVP,” Malone, who will be featured on ESPN throughout the network’s coverage of the series, said after the game. “He took over in the second half. Did so in a very efficient manner, and he put the team on his back.”

The former Nuggets head coach raised some eyebrows with comments he made Tuesday night during his debut as an ESPN analyst.

Michael Malone isn't the Denver Nuggets coach anymore, but he's still going to make an appearance at the Western Conference finals. Malone is joining the ESPN broadcasting team for the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the network announced Monday.

The Denver Nuggets‘ season came to an end when they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of their second-round playoff series. Before their postseason began, the organization made waves with a stunning decision to fire head coach Michael Malone.