Gamesmanship doesn’t stop just because it’s the preseason.
Earlier this week Denver Nuggets coach Mike Malone lamented how little his starters had played together as minor injuries to Gary Harris and Jamal Murray robbed them of the chance to build their early season chemistry. But given the opportunity to see his starting unit Tuesday night while visiting the Los Angeles Clippers – who the Nuggets open the season against next Wednesday – Malone played his starters the entire first quarter before benching them the rest of the game.
The Clippers hung on 109-103 primarily against the Nuggets’ reserves as Denver fell to 3-1 on the preseason.