Running Afoul by Forgetting Little Things

The Clippers are getting to the advanced-level curricula, yet they’re stuck on the remedial stuff.

Winning playoff games on the road is like the bar exam of the NBA. It’s the next step on this Clipper educational odyssey. And the Clippers found themselves struggling against the Denver Nuggets because they couldn’t answer the equivalent of 2 + 2.

Boxing out. Protecting the ball. Making the entry pass. These are the things they don’t even spend much time working on in training camp, because they’re supposed to be mastered long before players reach the NBA. And these were the things the Clippers struggled to do all night Thursday in a 94-87 loss in Game 3.

This was another excruciating Dick Bavetta-officiated game, which meant a steady stream of foul calls, 68 in all. At one point, as Earl Boykins shot one of Denver’s 46 free throws, Carmelo Anthony, Nugget Coach George Karl and the Nugget bench were more interested in a fight going on in the Pepsi Center seats than the proceedings on the court.

I’m not sure what any of the 19,099 innocent bystanders or anyone along press row did to deserve this awful playoff game, but the bad news is unless the Clippers can establish themselves on this court we could have more of the same on Saturday.

“I don’t think we’re a pretty basketball team,” Karl said. “This might be how we have to win.”

The Clippers didn’t make it any easier on the eyes by ignoring the qualities that made them a good team this season, and failing to capitalize on their biggest edge in this series: inside play.

The Clippers got nothing from center Chris Kaman until he made a layup in the final minute and for most of the night Elton Brand was part of the defensive rebounding issues.

That’s why Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy didn’t blame a 40-28 foul discrepancy and 46-31 free-throw disadvantage for his team’s loss. Not when the stat sheet also showed 25 Clipper turnovers and 13 Denver offensive rebounds.

That’s why the Clippers couldn’t find a way to quickly dispose of Denver after vastly outplaying them over the course of the first two games. You won’t find any other playoff team less capable or less interested in winning a series than the Nuggets. Wounded teams can still be dangerous. But in this case the greatest threat the Nuggets posed to the Clippers was flying debris as the Denver squad imploded.

The Nuggets suspended Kenyon Martin after he got into an argument with Karl at halftime of Game 2. Thursday’s newspapers were filled with speculation about whether the Nuggets would be able to trade Martin this off-season, rather than what the Nuggets could do to prolong the season.

They weren’t about to do it with firepower. A look inside the locker room told the story. On one side, in order, the nameplates read: Eisley, Evans, Nene, Kleiza, Najera, Buckner, Elson, Hodge, Johnson. That’s half a locker room occupied by guys who can’t be counted on to get 10 points in the playoffs. They either can’t score, are injured or, in Julius Hodge’s case, have been shot.

The Nuggets are even short on stars in the crowd. Man how times have changed in Denver. When the Nuggets needed inspiration to overcome a 2-0 deficit to Seattle 12 years ago they turned to local hero John Elway, who fired up the crowd with the unforgettable line, “Let’s get ready to Mutombo!”

Before Thursday night’s game the scoreboard screen showed Bronco backup quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt.

Three games in and Anthony worked his way into the series, mostly by getting to the free-throw line.

Free throws and offensive rebounds were all the Nuggets had going for them on another night of sub-40% shooting, including 0 for 11 on three-pointers.

But they made up for it with second-chance baskets and free throws.

This was the breakout game the Clippers needed from Corey Maggette, who scored 23 points in 21 minutes in one of their few positive developments Thursday.

The good news for the Clippers is they don’t have to win a road game to win this series. But at this rate it looks like they’ll have an extra test here in Game 6. Better hit the books.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at j.a.adande@latimes.com. To read more by Adande, go to latimes.com/adandeblog.