The Nuggets and Celtics will be well-represented at the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.
Not only did Nikola Jokic, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown earn All-Star selections, but Nuggets head coach Michael Malone and Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla earned the honor of coaching this year's biggest stars.
Malone has been roaming the sidelines for the Nuggets since 2015-16. Mazzulla joined Boston's coaching staff as an assistant in 2019, but he replaced Ime Udoka as head coach after Udoka was suspended for the entire 2022-23 season.
While they've proven to be two of the best coaches in the NBA, why were Malone and Mazzulla selected to coach in the All-Star Game?
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Why Nuggets' Michael Malone, Celtics' Joe Mazzulla are coaching All-Star Game
The head coaches for the All-Star Game are determined by which teams have the best record in each conference two weeks before the game is held.
This season, that date fell on Sunday, Feb. 5.
At the time, the Celtics stood at the top of the Eastern Conference standings with a 37-16 record, earning Mazzulla and his staff the opportunity to coach Team Giannis in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game.
Leading the East ✅
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 31, 2023
Coach is headed to Salt Lake City for #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/GpGbIbfqAN
The Nuggets had the best record in the Western Conference at 37-17, earning Malone and his staff the opportunity to coach Team LeBron.
Coach Malone and staff are going to Utah! 🌟 pic.twitter.com/i90ie4obkr
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 2, 2023
This will mark Malone's second time coaching in the All-Star Game. He coached Team LeBron to victory over Team Giannis in the 2019 All-Star Game.
It will be Mazzulla's first time calling the shots at the All-Star Game.
Who will Michael Malone and Joe Mazzulla coach in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game?
We know which players will be playing in the All-Star Game this season. What's to be determined is which team they are on.
Once again, the two captains will select this year's teams in a draft, only this time it will be held right before the game. Malone will coach Team LeBron while Mazzulla will coach Team Giannis.
There's a chance Malone will coach against Jokic and Mazzulla will coach against Tatum and/or Brown depending on who LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo select.
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