The Denver Nuggets experienced a humiliating defeat in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Clippers, losing by a staggering 34 points. NBA analyst Bill Simmons was not awaiting a rating for Denver’s performance.
According to Simmons, the Denver nuggets looked completely confused and struggled at both ends of the floor. The confusion could stem from recent coaching changes following the firing of Michael Malone.
“I don’t know if the Nuggets think they’re good, I don’t know if they believe what they’re doing.
Denver’s defensive issues were particularly obvious, with the Clippers making it possible to connect to 18 3-pointers with an efficient 46.2% clip.
“The game ran away from them quickly, and the Clippers made a bunch of three,” Simmons pointed out.
Nikola Jokic was delivering another triple double masterclass with 23 points, 13 assists and 13 rebounds, but the Nuggets didn’t have collective firepower.
Compared to the six members of the Clippers, only three Denver players reached double digits on scoring.
“I thought Jokic was spectacular. In the first quarter, it felt like he was on the pace with 30 assists, but defensively limited,” Simmons observed.
Bench production was particularly concerned following the injury to Russell Westbrook, with only eight minutes in total.
“They finished six points off the bench and basically dropped 20 points in two hours,” he added.
The losses lower Denver to a 1-2 deficit in the series, putting immediate pressure on the defending champions.
Nikola Jokic continues to produce at the MVP level, but the supporting cast is dramatically upset.
If the Nuggets want to turn this series around, they will need to make a significant contribution from players beyond Jokic and create a consistent game plan to avoid being repealed at both ends of the court.
This disaster in Game 3 exposed a fundamental flaw in Denver’s approach that must be addressed before Game 4.