In the weeks following Michael Malone's late-season firing from the Denver Nuggets, we've seen glimpses of Nikola Jokić clearly taking on a more vocal player-coaching role with his teammates. Interim head coach David Adelman's steady approach to asking Nuggets players to take more of a personal responsibility for their play has likely resonated with the three-time MVP the most of all.

A look inside the divided culture that smoldered and stretched into the Nuggets locker room and ultimately cost Michael Malone and Calvin Booth their jobs.

When the Denver Nuggets fired Michael Malone, many were stunned. However, it didn’t seem to faze Nikola Jokic. Funny enough, it lit a fire in the Serbian big man. Since David Adelman took over as the interim head coach,