Denver Nuggets 97-120 Los Angeles Clippers

Fatigue and mental lapses would prove costly for the Nuggets as they couldn’t keep up with the Clippers after the opening 12 minutes, suffering a heavy 120-97 loss.

Nikola Joki\u0107 led the Nuggets with 15 points while Kawhi Leonard paced the Clippers with a dominant 29 points, three assists, two steals and a block.

The Nuggets will look to regroup in Game 2 on Saturday (7 p.m. MT, TNT).

Here are the takeaways:

Tired legs and minds

Tuesday, the Nuggets wrapped up one of the most dramatic and physically draining series in franchise history. Less than 48 hours later, they had to suit up and take on a Clippers team that many have picked to win it all. While the coaches and players won’t make…