Denver Nuggets: Eliminated from the NBA Playoffs

The Denver Nuggets were eliminated by the Los Angeles Clippers in five games.

It's hard to gauge which was greater: the Nuggets' drop in optimism from the start of the season to the playoffs, or the drop from the start of their first-round series with the Los Angeles Clippers to the quick-arriving end.

The Clippers rubber-stamped Denver's early exit from the playoffs Monday night with a 101-83 victory at the Staples Center, clinching the series 4-1 and barely seeming to sweat most of the way.

''The whole series was kind of an embarrassing moment," Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. "They didn't just beat us by two or three points in the games that they won. They beat us by like 20. That's embarrassing.''

''I think they played a more team game than we did. Hopefully my teammates take what they did as an insult.''

While the Clippers await either the city rival Lakers or Phoenix, the Nuggets face a summer full of questions, starting with whether general manager Kiki Vandeweghe returns.

Owner Stan Kroenke would not address Vandeweghe's situation or anything else, but when asked if this season was a disappointment, he replied, ''Obviously.''

Also up in the air is whether they keep disgruntled forward Kenyon Martin, who did not make the trip for the third game of what turned out to be a season-ending team suspension for his outburst at coach George Karl at halftime of Game 2.

''Anytime you have coaches versus players, people are going to take sides,'' said Anthony, who finished with 23 points. ''Some people took George's side. Some people took K-Mart's side. The decision was made.''

''I would have said let him play, but I didn't have nothing to do with that.''

The Nuggets appeared to end their season without a fraction of the confidence they entered it with, losing eight of their last nine after clinching the Northwest Division, the NBA's weakest.

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