"Get this sh**ty taste out of our mouths" - Mike Malone gets real on Nuggets losing to Kawhi Leonard-less Clippers in thriller

The Denver Nuggets suffered a 109-104 loss to the LA Clippers on Saturday night. The Clippers received heroic performances from James Harden and Norman Powell in Kawhi Leonard's absence, downing the Nuggets despite a 41-point performance from Nikola Jokic.

Harden finished with 23 points, 16 assists and six rebounds on 5-for-11 shooting. Norman Powell led the charge for the Clippers with 37 points, connecting on seven of his 11 3-point attempts. When discussing the loss postgame, Nuggets coach Mike Malone kept his comments blunt.

"This is not the start we wanted, but it's our reality," Malone said. "So embrace it, let's try to go on the road and find our rhythm, and try go get this s**tty taste out of our mouths."

Malone said the team would try to better integrate its new players in the coming games.

"These are all things we can clean up and, hopefully, we can start off in Toronto doing that. We're trying to implement two new players, veterans, Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric."

Russell Westbrook, Dario Saric struggle in Nuggets loss vs. Clippers

After losing key players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason, the Nuggets added veterans Russell Westbrook and Dario Saric.

The two logged a combined 30 minutes against the Clippers, and both struggled. Westbrook notched just two points, both from the free throw line, and added two assists, two steals and a rebound. Westbrook missed the mark on all eight of his shots.

Westbrook also struggled in Denver's season opener, shooting just 2-for-10 and 1-for-6 from 3-point range.

Saric, meanwhile, was held scoreless and grabbed two rebounds, missing both his shot attempts in 11 minutes against LA. He scored just two points in 11 minutes in the Nuggets' season opener against the OKC Thunder.

The Nuggets fell to 0-2 on the season following their loss to the Clippers, where they shot just 40.2% from the field.

Mike Malone circled Denver's Monday night matchup against the Toronto Raptors as an opportunity to bounce back.

The Nuggets have been struggling to start the season. They were topped 102-87 by the Thunder in their opener, shooting a poor 35.7% as a team in the tough loss.