Chris Paul of the Clippers works hard for a shot as Denver’s Kenneth Faried defends against him during Wednesday night’s game at Staples Center, won 87-81 by the Nuggets/AP photo by Alex Gallardo

The L.A. Clippers had some explaining to do following their unlikely 87-81 loss to the lowly Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night at Staples Center. It reminded guard J.J. Redick of another home loss this month to another lousy team on the same night of the week.

“You’re going to have games throughout the season where you come out flat,” he said. “Whether it is energy (or) focus, those games happen. You’re not going to play 82 perfect games. In the second half, we got back into it with our defense. I thought we gave ourselves a chance to win. It is nights like tonight where the really great teams figure out how to win. We’ve had some games where we have done that. I mentioned a couple weeks ago, the Atlanta game, the Indiana game (both narrow road wins).

“But tonight’s game and the (Minnesota) Timberwolves game this month, Wednesday night games at home, they are frustrating games to lose. We feel like those games, that if we play the right way, we will win.”

The Nuggets are 23-35. The Timberwolves, now 18-40, defeated the Clippers 108-102 on Feb. 3.

Although coach Doc Rivers indicated after the game his team played with “the right intentions,” point guard Chris Paul was another who suggested there may have been an overall lack of pizzazz.

“It was a tough loss,” said Paul. whose team next plays Friday night at 7 at Sacramento. “You have to give them a lot of credit for playing hard, but at the same time we have to win games like this.

“I came out before the game started and said, ‘We have to bring our own energy.’ It was kind of flat out there, kind of dead tonight. In these tight games, we have to win.”

The Clippers are 37-20.