Defeat! Harden scored 5 points and 11 assists, Leonard had 17+2, but congratulations to the Clippers, Los Angeles is making a lot of money from signings

In the NBA preseason, the Denver Nuggets narrowly defeated the Clippers 102-94. This was a focus game that attracted much attention. Although the results of the preseason games are not included in the regular season record, this game was nicknamed the "tiebreak" by fans, as if it was a continuation of the tiebreaker between the Nuggets and Clippers in last season's playoffs. Last season, the Nuggets were the only team that could compete with the defending champion Thunder in seven games in the playoffs, while the Clippers played all seven games in the series with the Nuggets and even had the upper hand for a time. This defeat made the Clippers unwilling. They made a comeback in the new season, aiming directly at the Nuggets, showing a strong desire for revenge.

Last season, the Clippers performed well under the "three-core" system of Harden, Leonard and Zubac, but ultimately fell short. In the new season, the Clippers further strengthened their lineup through a series of signings, including Bill, Collins, Lopez and Chris Paul. The joining of these four players is considered to be a precise reinforcement for strong teams such as the Nuggets and Thunder. Bill's scoring ability, Collins' versatility, Luo's inside defense and outside shooting, and Paul's organizational skills have greatly improved the Clippers' lineup depth and flexibility. Especially Lopez, his arrival provides double guarantee for the Clippers' interior defense and space opening. Fans can't help but sigh: Last season they were able to compete with the Nuggets for seven fierce games without reinforcements. Aren't the Clippers going to "take off" in the new season?

In this preseason game, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue made bold adjustments to the lineup. Due to Bogdan's injury, Tyronn Lue moved Collins to the starting fourth position, and at the same time adjusted Leonard to the shooting guard position to partner with Harden in the backcourt, with Zubac at center and Derrick Jones at the third position. This starting lineup is both offensive and defensive, and showed clear tactical intentions at the beginning. As the starting point of the offense, Harden created inside scoring opportunities for Zubac through precise passes. The Clippers led 9-2 in the early stages of the game. Although Harden does not have a strong desire to attack, his organizational skills are still impeccable and he frequently sends wonderful passes to his teammates.

In the first quarter of the game, the Clippers took the initiative with Harden's connection and Zubac's inside attack. However, the Nuggets did not show weakness. Aaron Gordon hit the basket, Braun was full of firepower from the outside, and Jokic made a pass and quickly tied the score. The effect of the Clippers' signings was evident at this time. Lopez hit three consecutive three-pointers after coming off the bench, completely disrupting the Nuggets' defensive rhythm. If the Nuggets' inside players do not help defend, Da Luo will shoot punishment from the outside; if they pull out to defend, the inside line will be cleared. The pick-and-roll cooperation between Harden and Da Luo makes the Nuggets hard to defend. At the end of the first quarter, the Clippers led by a slim margin of 1 point.

In the second quarter of the game, Leonard began to exert his strength. His mid-range shots and breakthroughs made the Nuggets defense exhausted. The two sides went back and forth, and the score increased alternately. At the end of the half, the Clippers only led by 2 points. In the second half, both sides gradually changed into rotation lineups, and the rhythm of the game changed. Both teams increased their defensive intensity, resulting in a decrease in offensive efficiency. In the third quarter, the Nuggets had a slight advantage 17-14 with their stronger defense, and the offensive firepower of both sides was obviously limited. The final quarter of the game evolved into a battle of rotations. The Nuggets' bench showed greater depth, and finally secured the victory with an 8-point advantage. Although the Clippers lost, their performance was still impressive.

Harden contributed 5 points, 5 rebounds, 11 assists and 2 steals, showing top organizational skills; Leonard played only 19 minutes and efficiently scored 17 points and contributed 2 steals; Lopez made 3 of 6 three-pointers, scored 15 points and blocked 3 shots. He performed brilliantly on both offense and defense. Zubac continued his heroic form, contributing 11 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists. His ability to protect the frame and finish at the basket were impressive. It is worth mentioning that the Clippers core Bill was absent due to injury, and the team did not show its strongest lineup. Tyronn Lue said after the game that Bill is expected to return in the preseason game against the Warriors, when the Clippers' offensive firepower will be even more terrifying.

As for the Nuggets, the starting lineup continued the tacit understanding from last season. Jokic contributed 12 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists, showing his comprehensive skills; Gordon scored 18 points and 7 rebounds, which was full of impact; Braun contributed 11 points, showing the vitality of young players; substitute center Valanciunas also scored 10 points and 9 rebounds, showing a solid performance. Nuggets forwards Huang Zhong and Murray also performed well, making up for the vacancy left by Porter Jr.'s departure. Overall, the Nuggets' starting and bench lineups are balanced, and rotation depth has become the key to their victory. Although this game was a preseason game, both sides showed good competitiveness.

The Clippers' signings are highly targeted, especially the addition of Lopez, which gives them more options in interior defense and outside shooting. Tyronn Lue said after the game that the team's lineup experiment has achieved initial results, and the next step will be to focus on observing Bill's chemical reaction after his return. What's interesting is that the brief combination of Harden and Paul during the game made people feel like they were "young again". The cooperation of the two point guard masters provided more possibilities for the Clippers' offense. After all, the Big Three combination of Harden, Leonard, and Bill will make the team even more unsolvable on the offensive end, while the internal barrier of Luo Luo and Zubac provides protection for the defense. Tyronn Lue's tactical adjustments are flexible and changeable. Whether it is Kaka as the shooting guard or Collins as the fourth position, they all show the Clippers' infinite possibilities in the new season. The competition in the Western Conference in the new season will be even more intense, and these two teams will undoubtedly be strong contenders for the championship. Let us wait and see whether the Clippers can make bigger waves in the regular season after Bill returns!