Michael Malone explodes in fiery journo exchange after Game 7 loss

Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone has blown up after his team were eliminated from the NBA playoffs in historic fashion.

Denver coach Michael Malone wasn’t in the mood for questions after his team were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs by Minnesota on Monday.

The reigning champion Nuggets were in complete control of the deciding Game 7 contest as they led the Timberwolves by 20 points in the third quarter.

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But it all fell apart for them in front of their home fans as the Wolves came roaring home to claim the 98-90 victory and advance to the Western Conference Finals.

The loss makes them the fifth consecutive NBA champions to fall short of the conference finals the following season.

All in all it left Malone seething and not in the mood for questions during his post game press conference, in a heated moment you can watch in the video player above.

“How hard is it just to absorb a loss like this after going ahead by 20?” a journalist asked.

Malone paused before he unleashed a fiery tirade in the direction of the journo over the question.

“Next question, man,” Malone snapped.

“The season’s over. That’s what’s hard.

“F*** being up (by) 20 — the season’s over. You don’t understand that. The season’s over. It’s hard.

“Stupid arse questions.”

Michael Malone blows up at journo

Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Jaden McDaniels added 23 points and Anthony Edwards hit his stride late as the Timberwolves became the first team to come back from a halftime deficit of more than 11 points to win a game seven.

Edwards, who has emerged as a star for the Timberwolves at 22, said poise was the key to Minnesota’s latest unlikely victory over three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.

Down by 15 at halftime, Minnesota trailed by 20 early in the third. But Denver went cold as Edwards found his range and the Timberwolves cut the deficit to one point going into the fourth quarter.

Edwards, who scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half, said coach Chris Finch told him at the break to “play quicker.” “If they’re going to continue to trap you, you got to make the right play and trust your teammates,” Edwards said. “We was just poised throughout the entire game. We just fought, fought.

“And KAT played spectacular tonight,” Edwards added of Towns. “He carried us tonight.”

Edwards has reached new heights in the playoffs. Morgan Engel/Getty Images/AFP

Minnesota will now play the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals while the Indiana Pacers booked an Eastern Conference Finals showdown with the top-seeded Boston Celtics.

The Pacers broke through for their first road win of the series with a breathtaking offensive display in the first half before going on to claim the 130-109 victory.

Tyrese Haliburton scored 26 points while Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard added 20 apiece as six Pacers players scored in double figures.

The first game of the Eastern Conference Finals will kick off at 10am (AEST) on Wednesday, with the Western Conference Finals getting underway at 10:30am on Thursday.

Originally published as Michael Malone explodes in fiery journo exchange after Game 7 loss