DENVER -- It has been a tough stretch for this Clipper team. It seemed all was going well once Kawhi Leonard came back. A blowout of the Atlanta Hawks showed the full power of this Clipper team.
Then, the road trip came, and the Clippers seemed to have lost all juice they gained from that initial return of Leonard and Terance Mann.
On Wednesday, the Nuggets dismantled the Clippers, 126-103. From the opening tip, it was evident that it was going to be an uphill battle.
Kawhi Leonard flew back to Los Angeles due to a family situation with the wildfires, and Nikola Jokic missed his second straight game due to an illness.
Usually that means an advantage for the Clippers, especially with Denver on the second night of a back-to-back. But, there was no energy, no fight, and no want from a team that is built on just that.
Norm Powell dropped 30 points on 7/17 shooting, and James Harden poured in 16 of his own. But overall, the Clippers shot 37.5% from the field and a lackluster 28.9% from 3.
Norman Powell said Clippers came out flat tonight, and that there was a lack of fight and togetherness that kept team from putting a comeback effort together like they usually do.
— Law Murray 🔜 (@LawMurrayTheNU) January 9, 2025
"We have to be better, top to bottom… We got to find our identity, find our toughness again." pic.twitter.com/UbcrAjBW2L
Sure, some nights the offense has looked that bad, but the defense has kept them in most games. But the Nuggets got to all of the loose balls, got out in transition, got to their spots, and just looked like the more competitive team.
The Nuggets shot a whopping 55.1% from the field and 48.6% from 3. Those are not numbers that everyone is accustomed to seeing from the Los Angeles Clippers in 2024-2025.
Tyronn Lue attributed the lack of interior offense tonight in part due to the presence of DeAndre Jordan
— Law Murray 🔜 (@LawMurrayTheNU) January 9, 2025
But T. Lue also said Clippers didn't have pop, physicality, or fight and that team was not ready to play. pic.twitter.com/vf7GF7VLKs
Could the fires back home have an effect? Sure, and honestly that could be a big factor. But, should that be the reason they lost? No. There has been a pattern over the past two weeks of inconsistent play and a dip in numbers.
There is a way to dog out of this. With everything going on in Los Angeles, the Clippers play a Hornets team that is very fun, but at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
Get some rest, be with family, recharge, and see how things pan out.
The Clippers welcome Charlotte to the Intuit Dome on Saturday (tentative to change). Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.