What happened: Denver and Los Angeles both shifted their starting five to open the second half of their ongoing preseason matchup, with the Clippers holding a 62-55 lead. The Nuggets sent out Jones, Strawther, Cam Whitmore on a two-way deal, Brazile, and Bagley. Los Angeles countered with a five-man unit of Garland, Wagler, Jones, Hachimura, and Jackson.

Why it matters: Second-half preseason lineups give both coaching staffs extended live evaluations of bench combinations and two-way roster candidates ahead of final 2026-27 roster cuts. Keeping Garland and Hachimura on the floor alongside younger rotation pieces lets the Clippers test spacing and ball-handling pairings against Denver's reserve frontcourt.

What to watch: Both reserve-heavy units will log second-half minutes as the coaching staffs evaluate rotation depth for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign.