The Denver Nuggets returned from a three-day break and looked exactly like the team they’ve been. Fine. Not great.

The Nuggets ultimately lost 126-122 vs the Los Angeles Clippers in a back-and-forth affair. The Nuggets were initially down double digits in this game, tied the game, went up double digits in the third quarter, and simply stopped playing defense. They allowed 67 points in the second half and simply weren’t disciplined enough to close the game against James Harden and Norman Powell. The Clippers duo combined for 67 points on 43 shots, going 18-of-18 from the free throw line.

Offensively, the Nuggets were great when they didn’t have to go to the free throw line, shooting 58.0% from the field and 41.7% from three. Unfortunately, the team shot 10-of-19 from the charity stripe, effectively losing the game on the margins. Michael Porter Jr. shot just 1-of-4 from the free throw line despite an efficient night everywhere else. Nikola Jokic missed a late free throw and shot 2-of-4 overall.

Jokic was fantastic other than that. He had 15 points in the first quarter to keep the Nuggets in the game. The Serbian center finished with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists in his 39 minutes on the evening. He once again showed the versatility and how necessary it is for him to rack up numbers every single night, tying Magic Johnson on the all-time triple-double list with his 138th such performance.

Jamal Murray had 18 points and seven assists in his minutes, attempting just 12 shots and shooting 2-of-4 from three. Porter had 18 points and seven rebounds. Both would be solid numbers as a third scorer, but neither really stood out as a strong second option tonight. When Harden is scoring 39 points and Powell is scoring 28 points on the other end, it’s noticeable how only Jokic is getting consistent shot opportunities for Denver right now.

Outside of the final score, the biggest storyline for the Nuggets tonight was the return of Aaron Gordon from a calf strain. Gordon had missed the last 10 games for the Nuggets and played 24 minutes off the bench in his return. He split minutes as the power forward next to Jokic and the backup center with the bench. Gordon had 10 points, one rebound, and four assists in his minutes and looked almost all the way back to normal for the most part.

The Nuggets ran an eight-man rotation with Gordon, Russell Westbrook, and Julian Strawther as the only reserves. Rather than go with Hunter Tyson or a backup center or Trey Alexander (down in the G League currently) the Nuggets decided to showcase what a playoff rotation would look like. It wasn’t very impressive. Westbrook was erratic all evening, making some nice passes (eight assists) and some highlight reel defense (three stocks) but his overall night was influenced by the Clippers daring him to shoot and him shooting 3-of-11 from the field and 1-of-5 from three. Strawther’s scoring (15 points on 6-of-7 from the field, 2-of-3 from three) was a welcome addition. His defense was not, as Harden and the Clippers repeatedly hunted him all over the floor.

Overall, it wasn’t an encouraging night for the Nuggets, who have looked consistently worse than the Clippers in two matchups this year, have a worse record than the Clippers, and simply haven’t executed on the same level as a team that many thought would miss the playoffs this year.

Why so Unserious?

The reality is this: it’s been just 18 games so far. Nikola Jokic missed three of them. The Nuggets are 10-8, and they really haven’t been that bad.

They also simply haven’t been that good either.

A five-game home stand that saw the Nuggets win all five games, some by the skin of their teeth, has masked the reality that the Nuggets have been an average team for most of the year. Teams like the Clippers, Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Golden State Warriors have been better and more consistent night to night.

Usually, Denver loses because of the minutes when Jokic sits. Tonight, the Nuggets were -7 in his minutes because he was merely “great” instead of superhuman. Denver attempted just 20 three-pointers because they don’t have enough shooters to spread the floor and make easy kickouts for three. They don’t generate enough space on their drives to the rim.

And that’s without discussing the “defense” from tonight. It was abysmal.

So, is this who the Nuggets are? Are they talented enough outside of the best player in the world to seriously challenge the Western Conference from night to night? It doesn’t feel like they can. Unless Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr. can do something expected, this is probably about who the Nuggets are without any changes made to the roster.

One extra wing shooter/defender isn’t going to change the problems the Nuggets have with their core right now either. As much as fans want to point to backup center, or not having enough shooting, or defensive inconsistencies, it’s mostly just about their stars. Jokic will be there every night, but nobody else is going up put up 30 points in a game and drive the offense in his stead.

I hope that I’m wrong. I don’t think I am.

This team isn’t going to win a championship without a change, either a mentality shift or a personnel move.

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