Nuggets coach Michael Malone was the first to point out earlier this month that Russell Westbrook seems to play “a little bit harder” against the Clippers, the veteran point guard’s most recent team before signing with Denver last offseason. Does the same principle apply to a coach and his ex? The Nuggets demolished the Kings on Thursday in the first head-to-head meeting between them since Malone sharply criticized Sacramento’s firing of coach Mike Brown. On Dec. 27, Malone publicly chastised his former employer for informing Brown of the decision via phone call after Brown left a team practice. “No class, no (guts),” the 10th-year Nuggets coach said at the time. But when asked if he feels any extra motivation to beat the Kings on Thursday, Malone shared a different perspective. “I think for my mother watching at home, she does. She’s an old Irish lady who holds a grudge,” he said. “People in my family probably still do. My wife still won’t wear purple. So I think there are things that still run deep. But for me, no. I mean that sincerely. “… If I wasn’t given that opportunity for two years to be a head coach, I wouldn’t have gotten this job in Denver. May not have gotten it. Who knows? Maybe Tim (Connelly, former Nuggets general manager) would have been able to hire me anyway. But that gave me a two-year window, a year-and-a-half window, to show that I can create a culture, create an identity, coach in this league.” RELATED: Nikola Jokic makes full-court heave in Nuggets’ win over Kings: “I knew it was going in” Malone earned his first head-coaching job in the NBA with Sacramento in 2013, but he only lasted one season and change. The Kings were 11-13 in his second year, and star center DeMarcus Cousins had missed nine consecutive games when the team fired Malone. He was hired six months later by Denver, where he recently became the winningest coach in franchise history. The Kings were 13-18 this season when they fired Brown, another former boss of Malone’s. Sacramento’s NBA team is still owned by Vivek Ranadive, who oversaw Malone’s dismissal. “Mike Brown is a friend of mine,” Malone said this month when asked about the decision to comment as fervently as he did. “I worked for him for five years in Cleveland. And they’re playing well. I’m really happy about that. I support (interim coach) Doug Christie. It wasn’t that they fired him. My comments were on how they fired him. … Stan Van Gundy, a good friend of mine who was a dear friend of my father, Stan was one of those guys that always looked up to (Spurs coach Gregg Popovich). Because they would use this platform, this microphone, to not always just speak about the upcoming opponent or how do we play defense tonight, but on issues that are greater than this (immediate) game. Related Articles Denver Nuggets | Nikola Jokic makes full-court heave in Nuggets’ win over Kings: “I knew it was going in” Denver Nuggets | Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic makes 7th consecutive NBA All-Star Game Denver Nuggets | Nuggets Podcast: Nikola Jokic puts final nail in Embiid debate, Russell Westbrook thrives and Aaron Gordon returns Denver Nuggets | Nikola Jokic on Joel Embiid’s absences in Denver: “People are making it a bigger story than it is” Denver Nuggets | Nikola Jokic is wearing a shooting sleeve after his elbow injury. He has superstitious reasons to keep it. “And when you’re comfortable enough to do that, I know there are a lot of people out there that want players and coaches to shut up and coach or shut up and dribble. I don’t think we can ever do that. That’s not how this country came to be what it is. I think you have to pick and choose your spots. And when something kind of touches a nerve, that’s your right to speak up on it.” The Kings came into Denver hot, having won 10 of their last 11 with Christie at the helm. But the Nuggets (28-16) now lead the season series 2-0 after the rout at Ball Arena. “When you look back upon your journey, you appreciate every step of the way, and even the steps that maybe weren’t as easy to go through at times,” Malone said. “But that’s a part of your journey, and you have to embrace that.”