The Nuggets lost 102-100 to the Clippers on Thursday night in Los Angeles, falling behind Minnesota in the loss column for first place in the Western Conference with five games left. Here are our observations.

Nuggets’ bench lobbies for Jokic MVP

Recency bias might be aiding Luka Doncic in a late MVP push, but Denver’s penultimate national TV game of the regular season certainly padded Nikola Jokic’s case. He went for 36 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists before missing a contested replica of his Golden State game-winner as time expired.

But more important than his stats was what transpired in the first half without him. After he helped the Nuggets build a 17-point lead in the first quarter, he started the second frame on the bench, and the Clippers immediately unleashed a 10-0 run. By halftime, the Nuggets trailed 53-49 and needed Jokic on the floor for 45 of their points. The Clippers’ bench outscored Denver’s in the half, 21-0.

Jokic was finally slowed down in the third quarter when he was guarded up the floor more doggedly by P.J. Tucker, who has defended up a size against the MVP center before. Tucker guarded Jokic up the floor on the last play.

Bricks

Michael Porter Jr. has been mostly outstanding since the All-Star break, shooting 43.3% from beyond the arc on 6.7 attempts per game entering this one. His last time in Los Angeles, he peaked with a 10-for-10 game from the field against the Lakers.

This just wasn’t his night. He shot 2 for 10 from 3-point range, his worst single-game clip at nine or more attempts since the season opener. It was a microcosm of his team’s (and the other’s) performance. Denver generated a fair share of open shots but converted only 43% from the floor and 31% from outside.

The most crucial stretch of the game might have been late in the third quarter. Christian Braun scored five consecutive points to shave a 13-point deficit to eight, energizing Denver to play excellent defense. But the Nuggets couldn’t score. In a span of more than three minutes with more Jokic rest minutes looming, the score was 1-0, Clippers.

Malone’s ejection, Denver’s rally

With about eight minutes remaining, Porter’s eighth 3-point miss was accompanied by a hard landing that he and Michael Malone thought warranted a shooting foul. No dice. At the other end, Porter left his feet early but grabbed the rim to avoid making dangerous contact with Ivica Zubac. He landed safely but was called for a foul anyway, prompting Malone to erupt with profanities at the officials. He was ejected, and the ensuing Los Angeles free throws extended the lead to 11.

But if Malone’s goal was to fire up his team, it worked almost to completion. The Nuggets chipped away, also fueled by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s two-way energy. He made a pair of 3-pointers and added an outstanding block against Paul George in transition.

Little moments cost Denver in clutch time

There were a few plays and decisions that made all the difference after Denver closed in. Caldwell-Pope, a 91% free throw shooter, missed a freebie that would have helped tie the game after a technical foul on Tucker. It was part of a 68% free-throw shooting night for the team. Acting coach David Adelman tried challenging a foul on Aaron Gordon after George appeared to push off, but the referees ruled that Gordon initiated contact first, a call that eliminated Denver’s challenge and put George at the stripe.

Gordon, physically aggressive all night, slipped and fell on a potential game-tying drive with 33 seconds left. And after the Nuggets got a stop on the ensuing possession, neither the rebounder (Peyton Watson) nor the coach (Adelman) immediately called a timeout. Watson dribbled it up before Adelman called one, costing the Nuggets three seconds and leaving them in an awkward inbounding position for the final play.