Five takeaways from Clippers’ 104-93 exhibition loss to Denver Nuggets

It was Slob City again for the Clippers in the preseason, a 104-93 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, giving them four losses in five exhibition games. Here are five takeaways from the game:

1. Rebounding continues to be an issue. The Clippers have been outrebounded in all five preseason games. The Nuggets won the rebounding margin, 45-41. Besides DeAndre Jordan, who grabbed 12 rebounds, no other Clipper had more than five. Shooting guard Jamal Crawford had zero rebounds in 36 minutes. The Clippers keep talking about everyone chipping in on the boards but it just hasn’t happened.

2. The defense is still lacking. The Clippers finally held an opponent under 100 points Friday night during a victory over the Utah Jazz, but largely reverted to their lackluster ways against the Nuggets. Most of their struggles came in the paint, where Kenneth Faried dominated on the way to 19 points. It would have been worse had Denver made more than five of 18 three-pointers.

3. The offensive flow is more stop than go. Nineteen turnovers didn’t help, but the Clippers have not resembled their high-flying selves for any extended stretch in the preseason. Blake Griffin (27 points) and Jamal Crawford (23) were solid but Crawford cooled off considerably after making his first six shots, missing his next six. Chris Paul (13 points) was the only other Clipper in double figures scoring.

4. What happened to Matt Barnes’ shot? Barnes is more limber and healthy after participating in yoga and dropping 18 pounds over the summer, but he also seems to have lost his shooting touch. He missed all nine shots against the Nuggets and has made only two of 24 shots in the preseason, including one of 15 from three-point range. Some of it could be attributed to shuffling around with the starters and reserves and never being able to get into a consistent rhythm, but Barnes needs to start making some shots soon.

5. Joe Ingles did not make much of his extended audition. The training camp invitee was given a start to show that he belongs on the team and did little with it, making a couple of nice passes but missing both of his shots and finishing with three points and three rebounds in 19 minutes. Second-year small forward Reggie Bullock also continues to be largely a non-entity, making one of four shots and scoring two points in seven minutes. Chris Douglas-Roberts, who has been the Clippers’ most impressive small forward of the preseason, did not play after sustaining a sprained ankle against Utah on Friday.