had to really win every game to get to this point.

“I don’t know what our record was, but I think we lost two games in the last three weeks or something like that. And I’m happy and proud that we were able to fight and, you know, get into the playoffs without the play-in.”

Leonard’s comments came after Sunday’s tense overtime victory over the Golden State Warriors in the season finale that allowed them to avoid the play-in tournament.

Now they are here and will face a tough Nuggets team that enters the playoffs just three games removed from firing coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth.

Although the Nuggets won their final three games to avoid falling into the play-in tournament, they have played under .500 since the All-Star break. All the while, the Clippers were rolling, winning their final eight games heading into the series opener.

The Nuggets still have all-everything center Nikola Jokic, who averaged a triple-double this season and presents matchup problems for every opponent. Do you stop him from scoring or stop him from passing?

In two earlier games, the Clippers managed to hold Jokic to four assists, but he scored 41 points. The Clippers’ best coverage was Dec. 13 when they limited the big man to two assists and 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting (but still lost by 22 points).

In an early December game, Jokic posted a triple-double but the Clippers still managed to pull out a 126-122 victory.

There is no set formula for shutting down Jokic.

“I mean, it’s a big focus if we can do that (pick one or the other), but that means you’re checking other players out the game,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “They’re not getting assists, guys are not getting dunks, easy 3’s. So, like I said, I don’t think it’s going to be the same way the whole series. I think it’s going to be different versions of our defense that you’re going to see.”

Stopping Jokic, or at least trying to contain him, will primarily fall to center Ivica Zubac, but everyone will have a role. Powell said the Clippers need to focus on the defensive side of the ball in this series against an opponent that thrives in transition or half-court sets.

“That’s where we’re going to hang our hats,” Powell said. “Offensively, we have the guys to score basketball and do what we want, but defensively is going to be the biggest thing being focused on their guys and on Jokic. He’s the head of the snake with (Jamal) Murray, but it’s a unit that they play.

“That first unit is really good, and the guys they have coming off the bench, the energy that they bring. So just being really tied in and locked in on the defensive side of ball, whoever’s on the floor (is what we need to do.)”

On the other side of the ball, the Clippers have three 20-point scorers in Leonard (21.5 ppg), Harden (22.8) and Powell (21.8).

While Jokic and Murray (21.4 ppg, 6 apg) will be the Clippers’ primary focus, they will also need to keep their eyes on Michael Porter Jr. (18.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg) and Aaron Gordon (14.7 ppg). Porter is shooting 39.5% from the 3-point range this season and has made at least two 3’s per game.