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 Jokiu0107 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.