Trevon Brazile scores game-high 22 as Nuggets lose to Clippers; Julian Strawther exits with knee injury

Brazile leads all scorers

Denver Nuggets rookie Trevon Brazile scored a game-high 22 points on Wednesday night, but the Los Angeles Clippers beat Denver 122-110 in a preseason game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, according to The Denver Gazette and ClutchPoints. ^{[2] [5]}

Brazile made 8 of his 10 field goal attempts, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, and went 3 of 5 from the free throw line, according to box score figures reported by NBC Sports, RotoWire and Fadeaway World. He added two rebounds, a steal and a block in roughly 25 minutes off the bench, and Fadeaway World's box score listed him with no turnovers. ^{[1] [3] [4]}

The Denver Gazette listed Brazile's scoring among the things that went right for Denver in an otherwise lopsided result. RotoWire noted that the rookie faces an uphill battle for a consistent regular-season role, though it said a performance like Wednesday's could help his case for more minutes. ^{[2] [3]}

Brazile, a 6-foot-10 forward, played one season at Missouri and his final four at Arkansas. Denver acquired the 35th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft from San Antonio and used it to select him in June, The Denver Gazette reported. ^[8]

Strawther leaves with left knee injury

Guard Julian Strawther left the game in the third quarter with a left knee injury and did not return, according to CBS Sports, The Denver Gazette and NBC Sports. The Gazette reported that he went down after an awkward fall and that the team ruled him out for the remainder of the night. ^{[2] [6] [7]}

ClutchPoints reported that Strawther was hurt on a drive, grimaced and stayed down before being helped to the Nuggets locker room. Before the injury he had 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, including three 3-pointers, with two rebounds in 19 minutes, according to NBC Sports and ClutchPoints. ^{[5] [7]}

As of reports published early Thursday, neither the Nuggets nor coach David Adelman had announced a diagnosis or a timetable for his return, ClutchPoints reported. CBS Sports said an update on his status could come after the game or in the following days. ^{[5] [6]}

Strawther, 24, is in his fourth NBA season after being selected 29th overall in the 2023 draft, according to ClutchPoints. The Denver Gazette also described him as a fourth-year guard. ^{[2] [5]}

Starters play limited minutes

Denver's regulars saw limited action. Nikola Jokic finished with 5 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists in under 17 minutes, according to The Denver Gazette and Fadeaway World. Jamal Murray scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes, per Fadeaway World's box score, all of them in the first half according to the Gazette. ^{[2] [4]}

Cam Whitmore added 17 points and four rebounds off the bench, according to ClutchPoints and Fadeaway World. Aaron Gordon had 8 points and 6 rebounds in 14 minutes, Fadeaway World reported. ^{[4] [5]}