Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone is hoping the NBA doesn’t turn into a complete circus after it teased cutting down quarters from 12 to 10 minutes. 

Malone, 53, swatted away the idea that the NBA is flirting with reducing minutes as league commissioner Adam Silver explores ways to fix the league he seemingly broke. When the great David Stern handed off the NBA to Silver, it wasn’t this big of a mess.

“I hope we don’t go to 10-minute quarters,” Malone said on Wednesday before taking on the Knicks that evening, which Denver went on to lose, 122-112.

READ: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver Teases Idea Of Potentially Shortening Games

Malone criticized the NBA for being tempted to change the norms in new but uninspiring ways, hoping to fix the player-friendly league. 

“I hope we don’t go to the four-point line,” Malone added. “I hope we don’t become Barnum & Bailey where we’re just having to do whatever we have to do to keep viewership.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

The championship coach hopes the league can regain its rhythm after recent years of crumbling into a tournament of three-point shooting attempts.

READ: Adam Silver Recognizes The 3-Point Shooting Issue In The NBA, But Says League Won’t Move Line Back

Days of well-orchestrated offenses seem like a thing of the past in the NBA. Why try when you can heave a three-point shot!

“Because there is a history and greatness to this game,” Malone attested. “And a purity to this game and I hope we can find a way to stay true to that.”

The Nuggets stand fourth in the West with a 28-19 record. 

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau also reacted to the recent changes teased by Adam Silver.

“I’m probably more traditional, so I’d hate to see that,” Thibodeau said. “That’s just a personal [opinion]. I haven’t really thought about it just because of the records and things of that nature. I think we have a great game. I think what people want to see is competition.”

Head Coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks. (Photo by Evan Bernstein/Getty Images)

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