Dec. 18--Playing at Denver against the Nuggets is one of the most challenging matchups for any team in the NBA because of the altitude.
The Clippers play there Friday at 6 p.m.
Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said he has tried different strategies to cope with the relative lack of oxygen, but nothing seems to work.
Before his son, Austin, who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans, played there for the first time, Rivers advised him to work out hard during warm-ups to acclimate.
That fell through. Rivers said his son was so exhausted after that energy output that he had to sit down during layup lines.
The coach said he heard another strategy from a championship coach, whose name he declined to reveal.
The coach told Rivers to fly in right before tip-off. The problem with that strategy -- the team would incur a big fine, likely between half a million and a million, Rivers said.
Clippers' center DeAndre Jordan, who struggles with asthma, said he has also tried various things to help him breathe in Denver.
"The first four minutes are definitely going to be a shock, like I haven't done any cardio all season, that's what its going to feel like," Jordan said. "But after we get past that, we'll be all right."
Jordan said that if it were up to him, he'd have a hidden helper.
"I want to have my inhaler in my sock," Jordan said.
The Clippers do have one thing on their side.
They're in fifth place with a record of 18-7 while the Denver Nuggets are 12th place with a record of 10-15.
