Off Shooting Night Turns into Playmaking Masterclass: Nikola Jokic Dazzles with Highlight Feed in Preseason Loss to Clippers

The Serbian national team star and arguably the best basketball player in the world spent just under 17 minutes on the floor in Los Angeles, recording five points, six rebounds, and seven assists.

Nikola Jokic endured an uncharacteristic shooting night (1-of-7 from the field), but with it being preseason action, the three-time league MVP was in no rush to force his offense. Once he realized his touch from outside the paint was off, the Sombor native fully shifted his focus to orchestrating the offense as a pure floor general.

His court vision and passing mastery once again filled the highlight reels. Jokic routinely carved up the Clippers' defense with pinpoint feeds, highlighted by a breathtaking alley-oop lob that brought the arena to its feet and stood as the play of the game.

Denver went toe-to-toe with the hosts throughout a competitive first half, briefly holding the lead before the Clippers edged ahead 58-55 at the break. However, the game slipped away in the third quarter. Los Angeles broke the contest open with a 38-26 run to build a double-digit cushion, largely propelled by Rui Hachimura spearheading their attack.

For Los Angeles, the aforementioned Rui Hachimura led the way with 16 points, while Miller chipped in 15. On the Denver side, Trevon Brazile paced all scorers with a game-high 22 points, Cam Whitmore added 17, and Jamal Murray finished with 14 points.

Jokic wasn't the only Serbian standout in action on Wednesday night. Nikola Jovic played a key role in the Miami Heat's commanding 144-128 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. The young forward delivered a versatile performance across 23 minutes, recording five points, five rebounds, and seven assists.

Nuggets guard Julian Strawther was helped off the floor by team personnel after sustaining a left leg injury during Denver's preseason matchup in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

Strawther landed awkwardly as his leg got caught underneath him in the third quarter. He stayed down on the court grimacing in pain while the Nuggets medical staff evaluated him. After being helped to his feet, he was unable to put any weight on the injured leg as he headed to the locker room.

Denver ruled him out shortly thereafter without offering an immediate diagnosis. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Thursday, head coach David Adelman told reporters in Los Angeles following the 122-110 loss.

Strawther, 24, has been one of Denver's standout bench performers throughout the preseason. He entered the matchup averaging 14 points across the first three exhibitions — equivalent to 27.5 points per 36 minutes. He added 11 points (knocking down 3-of-7 from beyond the arc) against the Clippers before going down at Intuit Dome. Denver's second unit has leaned heavily on his off-the-dribble shot creation alongside DeMar DeRozan, who sat out Wednesday's contest for rest.

This marks Strawther's fourth season in Denver after being selected 29th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft out of Gonzaga. After spending his first three seasons fighting for consistent minutes, he entered this month competing for the final spot in Adelman's second unit. The 6-foot-6 shooting guard is eligible for a contract extension until October 19; without a deal, he will enter restricted free agency next summer.

Christian Braun has had a quiet preseason since the opener, where simply playing with physical confidence was an encouraging sight. Through four exhibition games, he is averaging just four points per contest — an early sign that with Cam Johnson's increased half-court touches (and a healthy Aaron Gordon), Braun's offensive volume may take a back seat this season.

Scoring has never been the primary demand for Braun as Denver's fifth starter, but he still needs to find his groove as a floor-spacer. The guard has missed eight of his nine 3-point attempts this preseason — a tiny sample size, but one he will need to render irrelevant as the regular season unfolds.

Braun continued to make an impact as a screener and baseline cutter in Denver's sets, and it was precisely that third-year versatility that convinced the front office to lock him into their long-term core. Rekindling a reliable outside shot remains the crucial next step in rounding out his game after an injury-interrupted campaign.

Denver's starters once again played exclusively in the first half. They opened on a dominant 15-3 surge, but their sharpness waned in the second quarter as the second unit's struggles bled into the starting group's minutes. Jamal Murray's rim aggression was a bright spot, as he scored an efficient 14 points in his most complete half of the preseason.

Adelman tweaked his first-half rotations with DeRozan sidelined. Cam Whitmore and Trevon Brazile logged extended minutes across both units, while Alpha Diallo saw limited run — potentially indicating Adelman has seen all he needs from the defensive wing.

Whitmore tallied 17 points and four rebounds. While occasionally loose with his handle, he put together an efficient 7-of-13 shooting night by relentlessly attacking the paint.

Brazile, however, stole the show with a comprehensive display of his versatile skill set. Having showcased both above-the-rim athleticism and perimeter ability this preseason, he strung it all together during an electric sequence on Wednesday: throwing down a baseline backdoor lob from Jokic, drilling a catch-and-shoot triple moments later, and immediately switching onto Clippers star Darius Garland to swat away a driving layup.

If Spencer Jones is unavailable for next Thursday's season opener, Brazile could find himself stepping into a surprise rotation role right out of the gate.